Melbourne: World No.1 Simona Halep proved too experienced for Japan’s rising star Naomi Osaka as she eased into the Australian Open women’s singles quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-2 victory here Monday.
In another match, former champion Angelique Kerber was driven to distraction by the unorthodox game of World No. 88 Hsieh Su-wei but overhauled the Taiwanese 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 to seal her last eight spot. Kerber will face American Madison Keys, a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Spaniard Caroline Garcia.
The Halep-Osaka scoreline, however, does not tell the whole story, however, as the Romanian was given a real fight early on by the 20-year-old, who is tipped to become the next big thing in women’s tennis.
Halep, still looking for her first Grand Slam title, was under the cosh in the opening stages of the match as 72nd-ranked broke the Romanian for a 3-2 lead. But Halep displayed her usual resilience and broke the Japanese twice to reel off four games in a row and close the first set.
Osaka’s spirit ebbed away in the second set and after establishing a 5-2 lead Halep crunched a forehand return winner to seal victory and reach the last eight for the third time.
Kerber was being tied up in knots by double-sided Hsieh’s angles and slices before her raw power prevailed at a sunbathed Rod Laver Arena.
Kerber was barely able to win three matches on the bounce through a dismal 2017 but has now strung together nine in a row in a dramatic return to form under the stewardship of new coach Wim Fissette. She returned to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time since her 2016 US Open title.
“You know, it’s great to being back in the quarters again,” the 30-year-old told reporters. “I had a tough off-season, and right now I try to enjoy it.”
Agencies
