Tennis - Pliskova battles back to reach quarter-finals
Tennis - Australian Open - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 23, 2018. Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova celebrates winning her match against Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Sixth seed Karolina Pliskova reached her second Australian Open quarter-final by outlasting Barbora Strycova 6-7(5) 6-3 6-2 in an all-Czech battle that stretched into the early hours of Tuesday.
Taking to the court just before 11 p.m. local time, the pair slugged it out for two hours and 41 minutes in the late match at Rod Laver Arena before former U.S. Open finalist Pliskova finally put down her compatriot.
Tennis - Australian Open - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 22, 2018. Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova in action during her match against Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova. REUTERS/Edgar Su
Strycova saved one match point with an audacious serve-volley and a second with an overhead smash before the 20th seed surrendered by clubbing a backhand over the baseline.
Pliskova will meet top seed Simona Halep for a place in the semi-finals.
"I think the first set was very close but I needed to step up and be more aggressive," the tall 25-year-old said in the on-court interview.
Tennis - Australian Open - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 22, 2018. Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova in action during her match against Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
"I was playing fine the other two sets. On this surface I have a chance (against Halep)."
Tennis - Australian Open - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 22, 2018. Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova in action during her match against Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
Tennis - Australian Open - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 23, 2018. Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova reacts during her match against Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova. REUTERS/Thomas PeterTennis - Australian Open - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 23, 2018. Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova shakes hands with Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova after Karolina Pliskova wins their match. REUTERS/Toru HanaiTennis - Australian Open - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 23, 2018. Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova signs autographs after winning her match against Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova. REUTERS/Toru Hanai
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