Australian Open 2020: Ash Barty in action against Alison Riske

Ash Barty’s Australian Open progression was not without a significant fright.

Ashleigh Barty of Australia plays a backhand during her Women's Singles fourth round match against Alison Riske. Picture: Getty

Welcome to day seven of the 2020 Australian Open from Melbourne Park. Ash Barty has defeated Alison Riske. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are also in action. Teen prodigy Coco Gauff’s fairytale run has come to an end.

Will Swanton 11.35pm: Federer finds groove to beat Fucsovics

Roger Federer is alive and kicking at the Australian Open after the 20-time major champion rebounded from his marathon five-setter against John Millman to beat Hungarian Martin Fucsovics 4-6 6-1 6-2 6-2 at Melbourne Park on Sunday night.

He started slowly before finding his swashbuckling groove against an opponent who quickly became overwhelmed and outgunned.

“It was a tough start,” Federer said.

“I struggled to - I guess it was the rest of the Millman match. He gave me a beat-down from the baseline. Finally I found a way.

“The morning after Johnny’s match and this morning, I laid in bed and thought, when am I going to stand up? One, two, three, here we go! It’s been a pleasure to play here tonight.”

10.49pm: Federer leads Fucsovics

It was looking like the start of a possible upset, but Roger Federer is now leading Hunagarian Marton Fucsovics two sets to one.

That feeling when you get a break back but then get broken again 😓

Federer leads Fucsovics 5-2 in the third set.#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/8mYfwukhH0

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2020

Courtney Walsh 9.14pm: Barty reaches the quarterfinals

Ash Barty has become the first local woman since Wendy Turnbull to reach consecutive Australian Open quarterfinals, but her progression was not without a significant fright.

Barty began the day with the affirmation of being named The Young Australian of the Year. She said that all she was trying to be was her authentic self. And a part of that is being the best tennis player in the world in women’s ranks.

But for a period that alarmed her fans around Australia, the wicked wind that whipped around Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night threatened to dampen celebrations.

The hopes of a nation were blowing in the breeze in her fourth round match. Her rival Alison Riske was threatening to ruin the party.

But there is something special about Barty. She is a problem solver. And she is as courageous as they come.

Present her a challenge, as Riske and the wind did, and she will give her all to surmount it.

It was a near run thing but when the moment of truth arrived for Barty, she delivered with brilliance to set up a match point and progressed 6-3 1-6 6-4 on a rare Riske mistake.

Barty claimed her first title on home soil in Adelaide last week. She is seeking to become the first Australian since Chris O’Neil to win their home Open. And she is now into the last eight.

“It was third time a charm for me last week and third time a charm tonight. I just had to hang in there and give myself a chance,” she said.

Petra Kvitova awaits. The dual-Wimbledon champion ended Barty’s hopes in Melbourne a year ago at the same stage and is a brilliant player on her day.

Since that meeting, the Queenslander has found a solution to the challenges posed by Kvitova, winning their last three matches.

Another win and she will reach the semi-finals in Melbourne for the first time.

“I love Petra but let’s hope she doesn’t break my heart on Tuesday,” she said.

“I am just excited that I get another opportunity in a quarterfinal of a grand slam. You don’t get those every week.”

Barty started so brilliantly that it seemed she would progress against the awkward American who had upset her at Wimbledon with ease.

But as the temperature dropped and the wind picked up, the Roland Garros champion’s game began to fray.

A dirty dozen unforced errors gifted the momentum to the American as she levelled the match in rapid fashion, with Riske’s serving supreme throughout the second set.

What had started as a joyful night with the induction of John Fitzgerald into the Australian tennis Hall of Fame was all of a sudden riddled with uncertainty.

The groans from the crowd that met every mistake must have felt like an anchor given the burden of expectation Barty is carrying.

She started the third set strongly when racing to a 4-1 lead, only to stall. But at last she found the answer to succeed once more.

8.54pm: Barty through to the final eight

Ash Barty will make it back-to-back quarter-final appearances at her home grand slam after her Australia Day victory.

The top seed defeated Alison Riske 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 and now moves through to the final eight.

The hopes of a nation 🇦🇺

Top seed @ashbarty comes through like a champion.

The Aussie def. Riske 6-3 1-6 6-4 to reach the final 8⃣!#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/VxTJbNB8vO

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2020

8.17pm: Riske is fighting back

Alison Riske beat Ash Barty in their only previous encounter in a fourth-round clash in Wimbledon last July.

Will she do it again tonight?

She takes the second set.

Hitting her stride.@Riske4rewards breaks again for a 5-1 lead in the second.

The American 18th seed def. Barty at Wimbledon last year & leads their H2H 2-0. Will she repeat the feat tonight? #AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/rvDdgHsalw

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2020

8.03pm: Barty takes the first set

A set away from a return trip to the final eight!

In 34 minutes, Ash gets what she's after. The world No. 1 wins the first set 6-3.#AO2020 |#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/8GZIx8uuDF

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2020

7.01pm: Barty looks to make it Australia’s Day

Ashleigh Barty will be looking to make it Australia’s day as the opening grand slam of the year moves into the fourth round.

The Young Australian of the Year has the chance to make it back-to-back quarter- final appearances at her home grand slam, potentially a replay of last year’s last eight match against Petra Kvitova.

But first she has to get past Alison Riske.

The American beat Barty in their only previous encounter in a fourth-round clash in Wimbledon last July.

Riske’s heavy hitting with present another issue for Barty to work through but the French Open champion has been pleased with how her mental game has been working during the Australian summer.

“I’ve been able to find a way and problem solve through a lot of my matches across the last two or three weeks,” she said.

For her part, Kvitova will need to get over the top of improved Greek Maria Sakkari.

It may be Australia Day but the international contingent is strong with 13 nationalities represented in the eight singles matches being played on Sunday. The youngest woman in the tournament will feature in 15 year-old Coco Gauff while 38 year-old Roger Federer also takes to the court.

Gauff’s coming age arrived on Friday when the teen defeated defending champion Naomi Osaka and she’ll be looking to back that up with a win over 14th seed and compatriot Sofia Kenin to lock in her first grand slam quarter-final. Federer will be backing up after his epic clash with Australian John Millman with the 20-time grand slam looking for an easier time against unseeded Hungarian Marton Fucsovics.

His conqueror in the 2019 Wimbledon final, Novak Djokovic, will face plucky Argentine Diego Schwartzman.

It’s expected to rain aces in the first match up on Margaret Court Arena when Canada’s Milos Raonic plays Croatia’s 2018 finalist Marin Cilic. The winner of that clash will likely play Djokovic in a quarter-final. In other fourth round matches China’s Wang Qiang takes on Tunisian surprise packet Ons Jabeur and Italian Fabio Fognini is up against American Tennys Sandgren.

AAP

Courtney Walsh 6.30pm: Teen’s fairytale Open run comes to an end

After ending the run of teenage sensation Coco Gauff in Melbourne on Sunday, American talent Sofia Kenin burst into tears.

The 21-year-old reached her first grand slam quarter-final when overcoming the disappointment of dropping the first set to win 6-7 (5) 6-3 6-0 in a classy performance. She showed great composure during the match but the emotions of her achievement overwhelmed her soon after.

The right-hander, who was born in Russia but is based in Florida, paid tribute to her younger rival after Gauff’s stunning debut at the Australian Open came to an end.

“It was such a tough match. She is such a tremendous player. All respect to her … but I am so pleased to be through to the next round,” she said.

Sofia Kenin hugs Coco Gauff, left, after their women's singles match. Picture: AFP

The progression of Kenin may seem a surprise to some given the hype surrounding Gauff, who has enjoyed a stunning rise to prominence over the past seven months and entered the match with a victory over reigning Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka.

But an assessment of the credentials of Kenin demonstrates just how formidable a task the 15-year-old faced.

Kenin demonstrated on the WTA Tour last year that she was a player likely to emerge as a genuine contender at major level.

She claimed three titles in a strong season that began when she won her maiden title in Hobart and also included triumphs in Mallorca and Guangzhou.

Aside from those titles, she reached a final in Acapulco, semi-finals in significant events in Toronto and Cincinnati and the last 16 at Roland Garros, where she took a set off the eventual champion Ash Barty.

Kenin is a player of real quality and has now reached the quarterfinals of a major for the first time.

She said the key to getting on top of Gauff was to accept the young star would produce moments of magic.

“Just fighting. The first set she played some really good points at crucial moments. I needed to calm down, relax and just fight,” she said.

“I am so speechless. I am so happy. I want to thank everyone on my team. I am so happy to come through.”

After slipping behind an early break, Gauff was able to fight back and carry the momentum into the opening set tie-breaker.

The teenager dominated the early stages and moved to a 6-2 advantage, only to squander the first three set points.

She then had trouble with her ball toss, which is often a sign of tension, catching a couple before thumping a flat body serve.

When the elder American erred a couple of shots later, Gauff held the pole position and was within a set of making the last eight at a grand slam for the first time.

But the advantage began to dissipate quickly in the second set as the consistency of Kenin came to the fore.

The disparity in the unforced error count told the story.

The teenager more than doubled her elder compatriot, making 48 unforced errors to 22, which effectively proved the tale of the tape.

And this was because of the soundness of Kenin’s defence and quality of her ball-striking. So well does the 21-year-old move, it must have felt to the American as though the only way she could punch a hole in her rival’s defence was the hit it harder and closer to the lines.

Kenin awaits the victor of a clash between Qiang Wang and Ons Jabeur, which ensures this Australian Open will see a maiden grand slam semi-finalist.