Not Serena, Pliskova to meet Osaka in Australian Open semifinals

Former world number one Karolina Pliskova made a remarkable comeback to oust twenty-three times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in a dramatic fashion on Wednesday, booking her Australian Open semifinal debut against reigning US Open champion Naomi Osaka.

The Czech saved four match points, rallying from 5-1 down to defeat the American player 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in two hours and 10 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena.

Serena kept the match close, but Pliskova dominated with her improved movement to seal the opening set and gain the first break of the second. The Czech served to stay in the set, but Serena made a solid comeback to break again and level the match.

The American raced ahead by shrugging off a 0-30 deficit, taking the match to the decider with a double-break lead. Short of the finish line, Serena tweaked her ankle and Pliskova stepped up to engineer four match points at 5-4 and ultimately sealed the match.

Osaka, the rising Japanese player, on the same day, dropped just four games in dispatching sixth seed Elina Svitolina.