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Osaka sets up Svitolina last-eight test, Serena faces showdown

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AFP Melbourne
Last Updated : Jan 21 2019 | 9:45 AM IST

Japanese US Open champion Naomi Osaka ground her way into an Australian Open quarter-final with sixth seed Elina Svitolina Monday ahead of Serena Williams facing her biggest tennis test since giving birth.

As the second week of the opening Grand Slam of the year got underway, fourth seed Osaka was still standing after emerging from an error-strewn first set against crafty Latvian Anastasija Sevastova to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The victory left the bubbly 21-year-old with a last-eight clash against ambitious Ukrainian Svitolina, who battled past American Madison Keys 6-2, 1-6, 6-1.

It will be a new experience for whoever wins that showdown, with neither of them going beyond the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park before.

This contrasts with the massively experienced Williams who has made the last eight or better 11 times on her way to seven Australian Open crowns.

The 37-year-old 23-time Grand Slam winner has a blockbuster last-16 evening clash against world number one Simona Halep on Rod Laver Arena, while Novak Djokovic meets fast-rising Daniil Medvedev.

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Osaka beat Williams to clinch the title at Flushing Meadows last year. It propelled her to stardom, but she has been far from convincing at her first major since.

"I didn't give up, she was playing really well and I wasn't really sure what to do at a certain point, but I just tried to stick in there," she said.

"I was watching all these kids winning. Last night (Stefanos) Tsitsipas beat (Roger) Federer and I was like whoa, and I decided I wanted to do well too."
"It was very hard because the sun was burning my eyes when I was tossing the ball, so I was very happy to win."
- Finally hits form -
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First Published: Jan 21 2019 | 9:45 AM IST

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