MELBOURNE – Czech Karolina Muchova recovered from a shaky start to defeat Belgian Elise Mertens 7-6(5) 7-5 on Monday and set up an Australian Open quarter-final against world number one Ash Barty.
Mertens, seeded 18th at Melbourne Park, came into the contest having won 30 matches since the women's tour restarted in August – the most by any player during that period.
She beat Muchova in straight sets at the end of last year in Ostrava in their only previous meeting and opened up a 4-0 lead in the first set with a double break of serves.
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But 25th seed Muchova found her range at Margaret Court Arena and stormed back into the match to get back on level terms before claiming the opening set in a tiebreaker.
The 24-year-old got an early break in the second set but Mertens fought back to level at 2-2.
The players seemed headed for another tiebreaker but Muchova picked up the crucial break in the 11th game and converted her first match point when Mertens netted a return.
"It was a little bit slow start there from my side, but Elise played good," Muchova told reporters. "I think she didn't make any mistake and she was pushing me.
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"Got back on the track at four-Love and kept fighting, kept playing every ball, trying to put it in and then go for my shots."
The match against Barty will be a second Grand Slam quarter-final for the Czech who reached the last eight at Wimbledon in 2019.
"It's a big challenge, and I definitely will have to bring my best tennis to compete with her and to have a good match out there," Muchova said.
Reuters