Serena Williams’s bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title was brought to a halt in sensational style on Wednesday by Karolina Pliskova, even as Lucas Pouille reached his first ever Major semifinal.
The American great folded against the tall Czech seventh seed, who saved four match points before winning 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 under the hot Melbourne sun.
Her reward is a clash against Japan’s Naomi Osaka for a place in the final, after the Japanese fourth seed brutally swatted aside the injured Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-1.
World No. 1 Djokovic enjoyed an early night when Kei Nishikori retired with a thigh strain, trailing 6-1, 4-1. It kept the Serb’s bid for a record seventh Australian title on track and he will now meet French 28th seed Lucas Pouille, who beat power-serving Canadian Milos Raonic 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-4.
Blowing away match-points
It was a gut-wrenching defeat for Serena, who battled back from a set down and was leading 5-1 in the third and serving for the match, only to throw it away with some wild shots as frustrations bubbled to the surface.
“There’s nothing I did wrong on those match points. I stayed aggressive. She just literally hit the lines on some of them,” said the dumbfounded 37-year-old, who rolled an ankle but refused to blame it for the defeat.
Since returning last year from giving birth, Serena has made four unsuccessful attempts to match Margaret Court’s long-time standing 24 Grand Slam titles.
For Pliskova, it is only her third semifinal at a Major. She made the last four at Roland Garros in 2017 and the US Open a year earlier, where she beat Serena before losing the final to Angelique Kerber.
“I was almost in the locker-room but now I am standing here as a winner. It is a very good feeling,” she said.
Asked about facing Osaka next, Pliskova replied: “She’s dangerous but nobody is more dangerous than Serena.”
A focused Osaka rolled past Ukraine’s Svitolina, who was troubled by neck and shoulder problems. “I tried to be consistent, it’s unfortunate that she got injured but playing against her even when she was injured was still really tough,” said the 21-year-old.
The win ensured she became the first Japanese woman in the final four since Kimiko Date in 1994.
Djokovic, who is targeting a 15th Grand Slam title, said he was glad to get off court early.
“As they say, this is exactly what the doctor ordered for me after the match two nights ago,” he said. “Not to spend too much time on the court.”
A new adventure
Pouille has never won a match in Melbourne before this year but recruiting 2006 champion Amelie Mauresmo is paying off.
“I started a new adventure with my team, with Amelie. I enjoy being on the court again and that is most important,” he said.
The Results:
Quarterfinals: Men: 28-Lucas Pouille (Fra) bt 16-Milos Raonic (Can) 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-4; 1-Novak Djokovic (Srb) bt 8-Kei Nishikori (Jpn) 6-1, 4-1 retd.
Women: 7-Karolina Pliskova (Cze) bt 16-Serena Williams (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5; 4-Naomi Osaka (Jpn) bt 6-Elina Svitolina (Ukr) 6-4, 6-1.
