If someone were to ask you what is so remarkable about this gloriously uncertain era of women’s tennis, show them the seventh day of the Au...
If someone were to ask you what is so remarkable about this gloriously uncertain era of women’s tennis, show them the seventh day of the Australian Open 2021.
The four fourth-round matches on the first Sunday of the Australian Open, which decided the quarter-final line-up in the bottom half of the draw, were each a showcase of the brilliantly competitive and unpredictable depth of the WTA tour.
Here’s a brief recap:
- The 35-year-old Hsieh Su-wei became the oldest player to reach a first Grand Slam singles quarter-final in the Open Era.
- 2019 champion Naomi Osaka saved match points to fight back and beat 2020 finalist Garbine Muguruza.
- Serena Williams survived a power-packed onslaught from the big-hitting Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set thriller that could have gone either way till the end.
- World No 2 Simona Halep ended the Grand Slam unbeaten streak of Iga Swiatek in a battle of French Open champions
Australian Open, day 7 women’s roundup: Osaka, Serena prevail in three-setters, Su-wei makes history
The women left standing at the end of the day were:
A doubles No 1 from Taipei who plays tennis in her own eccentric style and is the least decorated player left in her side of the draw.
A 23-year-old, three-time Grand Slam champion who has publicly lived...
