Elina Svitolina battled past Ashleigh Barty 7-6 (10-8) 5-7 6-4 in 3 hours and 12 minutes in the longest match on the WTA Tour so far this year.
Both players held their service games until 4-4 in the first set. Barty saved three break points in the 9th game, but she faced a fourth chance after an unforced error. Svitolina got the first break of the match, when Barty made a double fault.
Svitolina dropped her serve at love in the 10th game, while she was serving for the set at 5-4. The Ukrainian player saved a set point at 5-6 to win her next service game to set up a tie-break. Barty earned a mini-break at 3-3 with a forehand winner crosscourt and held two service points to bring up three more set points. Svitolina fended them off, but Barty earned her fifth set point at 7-6, but she did not convert it after a backhand error. Barty saved a set point at 8-7 with a strong serve. Svitolina sealed the first set 10-8 on her second set point, as Barty netted a backhand.
Svitolina converted her fourth break point chance to take a 3-1 lead in the second set, but Barty broke straight back with a backhand winner. Svitolina broke serve again in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead after Barty made a series of forehand errors. Barty fought back from 3-5 down by winning four games to win the second set 7-5. The Australian player saved two match points on serve in the 10th game and sealed the second set on her sixth set point in the 12th game to force the match to the third set.
Barty opened up a 3-1 lead thanks to an immediate break in the opening game with a backhand passing shot winner. Svitolina broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Svitolina got a second consecutive break to open up a 5-3 lead and served for the match for the second time, but she made a backhand error on Barty’s second break point of the game. Barty broke serve, as Svitolina was serving for the match at 5-3. Svitolina sealed the win in the 10th game with a break on her third match of the game and her fifth match point overall.
“It felt pretty long, because we had long rallies and long games. It actually felt longer than three hours and 12 minutes”, said Svitolina in the post match interview.
Pliskova digs deep to beat Anett Kontaveit
Two-time Indian Wells semifinalist and this year’s Australian Open semifinalist Karolina Pliskova had to dig deep to edge Estonian Anett Kontaveit 7-6 (7-0) 4-6 6-2. The Czech star converted five of her seven break points.
Pliskova led 6-5 in the first set, but she was broken at 15 in the 12th game. Pliskova cruised to a 7-0 lead in the tie-break. In the second set Kontaveit fought back from 3-4 down by winning three consecutive games to take a 6-4 win forcing the match to the decider. Pliskova reeled off four games from 2-2 to seal the third set 6-2 with a break at love in the eighth game.
Kerber sets up quarter final against Venus Williams
Last year’s Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber battled past Aryna Sabalenka 6-1 4-6 6-4. Kerber cruised through in the first set with three consecutive breaks. The German player opened up a 2-0 lead in the second set winning her eighth consecutive game, but Sabalenka broke straight back to draw level to 2-2. The Belarusian player got her second break at 4-3 and did not drop a single point on serve in her final service games of the set forcing the match to the third set. Sabalenka went up a double break to race out to a 4-1 lead, but Kerber reeled five consecutive games to seal the decider 6-4 setting up a quarter final match against Venus Williams.
“It was the toughest match of the tournament for me. It was an up and down match. There were a lot of emotions on court. I played really well in the first set, she came back really strong. The third set was just another fight and another comeback for me”, said Kerber.
Venus Williams beat German Mona Barthel 6-4 6-4 after 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach the quarter finals. Williams got three consecutive breaks in the first set to open up a 5-2 lead. Barthel pulled one break back, but Williams sealed the first set with a hold of serve at 5-4. Venus broke serve at 3-3 and held serve at 15 in the 10th game.
“I was pretty determined this year. I have not played that much, so I wanted to make it count. It’s not going to get any easier from here, so I just have to continue to raise my game”, said Venus Williams.
