Pliskova, Bencic, Svitolina sent packing from Australian Open as chaotic 3rd round continues
Second-seeded Karolina Pliskova went the same way as seven-time champion Serena Williams and defending champion Naomi Osaka, exiting in a chaotic third round at the Australian Open.
Pliskova, a semifinalist here last year, lost 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) Saturday to 30th-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in match lasting almost 2 ½ hours. It was an ominous start, with Pliskova needing almost 18 minutes and fending off six break-point chances before holding in her first service game.
Williams and Osaka lost at the same stage on Day 5, when Caroline Wozniacki was also beaten in a loss that sent the 2018 Australian Open winner into retirement.
Sixth-seeded Belinda Bencic then lost 6-0, 6-1 to Anett Kontaveit and No. 19 Donna Vekic fell 7-5, 6-3 to unseeded Iga Swiatek to join the queue of highly-ranked women exiting from Melbourne Park before the fourth round.
WATCH | Pliskova ousted by Pavlyuchenkova:
Three-time major winner Angelique Kerber bucked the trend by beating Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-3 on Margaret Court Arena.
The 2016 Australian Open winner will play Pavlyuchenkova for a spot in the quarter-finals.
«It was a tough battle,» the 17th-seeded Kerber said. «It’s great to be in the second week in Melbourne again. It’s still a long way.»
Wimbledon champion Simona Halep beat Yulia Putintseva 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the fourth round.
The fourth-seeded Halep will next play either Elise Mertens or CiCi Bellis.
«Not at all. I’m not focusing on other players — just focusing on myself,» Halep said after her 6-1, 6-4 win over Yulia Putintseva on Rod Laver Arena, the match after Pliskova lost to 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) to 30th-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. «It doesn’t matter who is winning, who is losing, I just have to do my job when I step onto court.»
Svitolina bounced by Muguruza
Two-time major winner Garbine Muguruza has beaten fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-2 to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Muguruza, who won the French Open in 2016 and Wimbledon the following year, took the first set in 23 minutes and conceded just 12 points in seven games.
The third-round has been tough for highly seeded players in the women’s draw, with No. 2 Karolina Pliskova, No. 3 and defending champion Naomi Osaka, No. 6 Belinda Bencic, No. 8 Serena Williams — a 23-time major winner — all unable to reach the second week at Melbourne Park. Unseeded Muguruza started the tournament by losing the first set she played 6-0, but rebounded to win that match 0-6, 6-1, 6-0.
«The first day I didn’t feel well at all, but I never throw in the towel,» she said. «I’m in the fourth round because of a big fight.»
Against Svitolina, a quarterfinalist at the last two Australian Open tournaments and a semifinalist last year at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, Muguruza was dominant.
«Everything went quickly my way — yeah, I’ll take it,» she said. «I played a very good match. I managed to probably disturb her, and take the match to my side.»
Top-ranked Nadal has no trouble
Rafael Nadal easily advanced to the second week at the Australian Open with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 win over fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta.
The top-ranked Nadal had beaten Carreno Busta in all four of their previous matches, including the quarterfinals of the 2017 French Open.
It is the 47th time that Nadal has reached the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament, trailing only Roger Federer’s 67 and Novak Djokovic’s 50.
Nadal hasn’t dropped a set in his first three matches at Melbourne Park. He will next play either Nick Kyrgios or Karen Khachanov.
Gael Monfils advanced to the fourth round with a 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-3 win over qualifier Ernests Gulbis.
The 33-year-old Frenchman reached the second week at Melbourne Park for the fourth time, and first since 2017.
Isner retires, Wawrinka advances
Three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka has moved into the fourth round at Melbourne Park after 19th-seeded American John Isner stopped playing in the second set.
Wawrinka led 6-4, 4-1 when Isner was visited by a trainer at a changeover and then retired from the match.
Wawrinka won the Australian Open in 2014 for his first Grand Slam title. This is his seventh trip to the round of 16 in Melbourne and first since 2017.
Canadian moves on
Canadian doubles star Gabriela Dabrowski will move on to the third round with Latvian partner Jelena Ostapenko, after they defeated the American pair of Sabrina Santamaria and Asia Muhammad in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.
