CAROLINE WOZNIACKI is looking more and more like she can break her grand slam duck at this year’s Australian Open. The Dane, who is the second seed in the women’s singles, has looked flawless over the past week and she continued that form in the fourth round, defeating Russia’s nineteenth seed, Magdalena Rybarikova 6-0, 6-3 in just 63 minutes.
Wozniacki won eleven of the last twelve games on Rod Laver Arena, hitting 25 winners and dropping only six points in the second set alone.
So confident was Wozniacki feeling, she even tried a between-the-legs shot and although she ultimately lost that rally, it illustrated just how relaxed the former world number one is feeling. “I think you can tell my confidence is pretty good, I was pretty proud of that,” said the former world number one.
“I’ve tried a few in practice but usually make a fool out of myself.”
This will be Wozniacki’s third Australian Open quarter-final and she will face unseeded Carla Suarez Navarro who progressed to the last eight with a 4-6, 6-4, 8-6 win against Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit in an epic battle lasting over two-and-a-quarter hours.
In the same half of the draw, Ukranian fourth seed Elina Svitolina produced a dominant performance to defeat Denisa Allertova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-0 in less than an hour. Svitolina is also yet to win a grand slam trophy but her form over the past year has left many in little doubt that she is a champion in waiting. However, the 23 year-old remains entirely unfazed by the pressure being heaped upon her shoulders.
“I am very pleased with the performance,” said Svitolina of her fourth round victory.
“It is not the first time I am going into the tournament as one of the favourites. It adds more pressure, but also gives you extra confidence.”
The Ukrainian will face Elise Mertens in the quarter-finals. The Belgian world number 37 defeated Croatia’s Petra Martic 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 in a nervy match. “I have no words to describe this feeling,” she said. “It’s my first time in the main draw and I’m through to the second week.”
In reaching the last eight at Melbourne Park, Mertens has become the first Belgian to reach the last eight of the Australian Open since former world number one Kim Clijsters did so in 2012.
Pick of the women’s singles matches today is world number one Simona Halep versus Naomi Osaka. The Romanian has yet to win a grand slam title despite sitting atop the rankings and at times during her 15-13 third set third round victory against Lauren Davis, it appeared that her wait would continue.
Yet she dug herself out of that hole which may be the confidence boost she needs to see her progress further this week, although Osaka will provide stiff resistance, with the young Japanese player in the form of her life in the previous round, in which she defeated home favourite Ash Barty.
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