"Do you know who you play next?"
"I don't know"
Breaking the news to @GarbiMuguruza...#AusOpen | #AO2020 pic.twitter.com/sVExPMS48V— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2020
Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3048004/australian-open-garbine-muguruza-beats-anastasia-pavlyuchenkova-reach Tennis
Australian Open: Garbine Muguruza beats Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach first semi-final
- Spaniard will meet fellow former world number one Simona Halep
- Debut semi-finalists Australia’s Ash Barty and US hope Sofia Kenin meet on Thursday
Spain’s Garbine Muguruza on her way to beating Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the Australian Open in Melbourne. Photo: AFP
Spain’s Garbine Muguruza marched past Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in their Australian Open quarter-final in Melbourne on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old, who is unseeded at Melbourne Park, took the first set 7-5 and then broke Pavlyuchenkova’s serve to go 4-2 up in the second at Rod Laver Arena.
Muguruza, the winner of the 2016 French Open and Wimbledon a year later, went on to close out the set 6-3 and reach her first Australian Open semi-final.
The 26-year-old faces Simona Halep in Friday’s semi-final after the Romanian dispatched Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit in just 53 minutes. The former world number one, who won 6-1, 6-1, is yet to drop a set in the tournament.
Muguruza was unaware that she was taking on Halep. “I don’t know,” she said when asked if she knew who she would face in the semis. “I want to know.”
When asked how she and her newly returned coach Conchita Martinez would prepare for the challenge, Muguruza said: “It’s going to be between me and my coach for sure.”
Muguruza in action against Pavlyuchenkova. Photo: EPA
“I’m going to study a bit my opponent. I’ve known her for quite a long time so it’s going to be a tough match.”
Martinez, who returned for a second spell as her fellow Spaniard’s coach in the off-season, has overseen a return to form.
““It’s like couples – we all want Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston to get back together, right,” Martinez joked on Tuesday about the pair, who worked together when Muguruza won Wimbledon, reuniting.
“Now being back with Garbiñe, it feels great to be back and united, working hard. For me, to see her doing well is great, great,” she said.
World number one Ash Barty takes on America’s Sofia Kenin in Thursday’s semi-final.
The Australian became the first home player to reach the women’s singles semis since Wendy Turnbull in 1984.
See you in the semis @GarbiMuguruza
books a date with Halep in a first #AusOpen final four as she upends Pavlyuchenkova 7-5 6-3.#AO2020 pic.twitter.com/L5F3y5GKC8— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2020
If Barty beats Kenin, who reached her debut slam semi-final, she will become the first Australian to reach the final since Turnbull in 1980.
She has received strong support as she bids to become the first Australian to win the women’s title since Christine O’Neil 42 years ago.