She lost her first service game, the product of uncharacteristically poor shot-making and a clunky double fault.But in a flash, Williams got going. Seeded fourth in Melbourne, Osaka advanced to the quarterfinals with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Anastasija Sevastova on Monday. 1 seed, Simona Halep of Romania, at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday.Halep and Williams after their round of 16 match.

3 Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; No. 26 Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (8), 6-3; No. But midway through that final set, Williams fended off three crucial break points. Top-ranked Simona Halep has beaten Venus Williams in their two most recent matches. In those opening moments, Williams actually seemed shaky. Credit... Scott Barbour/Getty Images If she wins her next three matches, she wins her 24th Grand Slam title, at last equaling the Australian great Margaret Court’s total of major singles championships.Her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, offered the strongest assessment.“I believe she will,” he said. 3 Roger Federer beat Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-2; No. Serena Williams through to Australian Open 2019 quarter-final after epic win over Simona Halep Save Serena Williams battled her way to a 12th Australian Open quarter-final Credit: AFP 22 Roberto Bautista beat No. 30 Maria Sharapova beat No. 1 seed, Simona Halep of Romania, at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday. MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A quick look at the Australian Open:Top-ranked Simona Halep has beaten Venus Williams in their two most recent matches. 5 Sloane Stephens beat No. She began serving better, fending off Williams’s attacks.“I felt that my level is growing,” Halep said afterward.
10 Karen Khachanov 6-4, 7-5, 6-4; No.

18 Diego Schwartzman 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4; No. 1, and she is Serena Williams,” the questioner began before Halep politely cut him off.That one word response said it all, for Halep and for all of the women not named Serena who end up at the top of the computer rankings so long as she is playing.Williams now seems to be closing in on her old form after taking time off following the 2017 birth of her daughter. 15 Ashleigh Barty beat Maria Sakkari 7-5, 6-1.100 — number of singles matches Federer has played at Rod Laver Arena. In the last, she pinned Halep into a corner and blasted a backhand winner down the line.As happens so often in tennis, Halep had trouble bouncing back from missing such an important opening. 27 Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-2, 6-4; No.

Osaka next plays sixth-seeded Elina Svitolina and could face Williams in the semifinals.Williams’s goal is clear and right there for the taking. 31 Petra Martic 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5); No. With play suspended across all professional sports leagues, athletes are spending more time on social media than ever before. 2 Rafael Nadal beat No. Williams won their first three matches, and on Saturday they'll meet in a Grand Slam singles match for the first time. All rights reserved. 8 Petra Kvitova beat Belinda Bencic 6-1, 6-4; Amanda Anisimova beat No. In men's third-round play, top-seeded Novak Djokovic, after beating former finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, has another major test when he plays Denis Shapovalov. 19 Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4; Tomas Berdych beat No. MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A quick look at the Australian Open: LOOKAHEAD TO SATURDAY. Playing with great precision, she continuously sent balls deep and into corners, often for winners.Game after game flew by, six straight in all decided in Williams’s favor. Pliskova, meanwhile, has won all nine matches she has played this season. That's what keeps her ranking up." Not only was Halep facing a formidable opponent with 23 major titles, seven of them in Melbourne alone, but she was also confronting someone who had dominated their career head-to-head matchups, winning eight times and losing just once.So it was hardly a shock that Williams ended up improving that record on Monday, rolling past the 27-year-old Halep by a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 score.In the quarterfinals, Williams will now face seventh-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, who easily defeated Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain, 6-3, 6-1, to advance. 20 Grigor Dimitrov beat Thomas Fabbiano 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4; Frances Tiafoe beat Andreas Seppi 6-7 (3), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.Women's 3rd round: No. "She's very consistent on the court and in her results," Williams says of Halep. With play suspended across all professional sports leagues, athletes are spending more time on social media than ever before. Continuing the countdown in the Grand Slam category at No.2 is Serena Williams's defeat of No.1 seed Simona Halep after going toe-to-toe in the fourth round of the Australian Open. The next highest seed in Djokovic's half, No.

29 Gilles Simon in the second round.Rain delayed play on outside courts for 2 ½ hours and forced the roofs on the three main show courts to be closed early in the day.Men's 3rd round: No. Williams will be the lower-ranked player when they meet but is again the actual favorite.“I have to return better, but I will be ready,” Williams vowed as she looked ahead to Pliskova. Total time: 1 hour 47 minutes.Afterward, Halep was asked about the dynamics of taking on Williams, and whose confidence should have been higher when the match began.“You are ranked No. Serena Williams beat the No.
And it also stood in contrast to her demeanor at the very beginning of her match against Halep.