Krejcikova ends Australian Open hopes of 16-year-old Andreeva

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2024-01-22T00:03:12+05:00 AFP

Barbora Krejcikova ended the dream run of 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva on Sunday to set up an Australian Open quarter-final against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.


Andreeva hammered sixth seed Ons Jabeur in the second round and then had to save a match point against Diane Parry in round three.


But she ran out of road in her last-16 tie on John Cain Arena against her Czech opponent, who lost the first set for the third time at the tournament before coming through 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.


"I'm fighting," said Krejcikova, who had lost her previous two matches against the young Russian.


"I'm just trying to give my best and go for every single ball.


"I think I was really improving with every single ball and I was going for it point by point."


Both players struggled to hold serve in the opening set but Andreeva made the crucial break in the ninth game and served out to love.


The players swapped breaks early in the second set but Krejcikova broke again in the sixth game, going on to level the match.


The Czech player, 28, was again on top early in the deciding set and she broke again for a 5-2 lead, serving out comfortably to reach her second Australian Open quarter-final.


Fritz downs Tsitsipas


American 12th seed Taylor Fritz dumped last year's Australian Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas out of the tournament on Sunday to set up a quarter-final with defending champion Novak Djokovic.


There was little to separate them in the opening two sets but Fritz stepped up a gear to beat the Greek seventh seed 7-6 (7/3), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in a shade over three hours.


He said the key was "just trusting my shots" and that he had served well throughout.


Fritz trails Djokovic 8-0 in head-to-heads, but he said he had improved and was relishing another battle against the top seed.


"The times I have played him I haven't brought my best level and you need to if you are going to complete with someone like Djokovic," he said.


A tight first set, in which neither player broke serve, went to a tie-break, where Fritz quickly edged ahead and did not relinquish his lead.


The second set went with serve until the 11th game, when Tsitsipas broke, going on to take the set 7-5.


Fritz broke twice in the third set to edge ahead and repeated the feat in the fourth set, winning the last four games to claim victory.

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