Melbourne (AP) – Barbora Krejcikova and Madison Keys play against each other at the Australian Open of tennis professionals for a place in the semifinals.
French Open winner Krejcikova and former US Open finalist Keys made it to the quarter-finals in Melbourne on Sunday with clear successes. Fourth in the world rankings Krejcikova kept her chances of the title with a 6: 2, 6: 2 against the two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Asarenka from Belarus. In her two previous appearances at the first Grand Slam tournament of the season, the Czech had not made it past the second round.
“I admire Vica. She’s a champion here. I’m extremely happy that I won today. It’s hard to find words,” said the 26-year-old Czech. In 1:25 hours she made her victory perfect. Azarenka had his neck treated during the match.
Keys, also 26, previously needed just 69 minutes for her 6:3, 6:1 against the Spanish top ten player Paula Badosa. Keys had reached the final at the US Open in 2017, and her best result to date was the semifinals at the 2015 Australian Open. “I’m just enjoying playing tennis again,” said the world number 51.
All three German women – Angelique Kerber, Andrea Petkovic and Tatjana Maria – were eliminated in the first round. Petkovic didn’t stand a chance against Krejcikova at the start.
The Grand Slam comeback of Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies ended in men’s doubles. In the round of 16, the two-time French Open winners of the doubles competition were clearly beaten by fifth seeded John Peers from Australia and Filip Polasek from Slovakia 1:6, 2:6. Polasek and Peers had shown their good form before the Australian Open by winning the tournament in Sydney. There the two Germans had been in the semi-finals. The two were unable to compete together last season due to Mies’ knee surgery.