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TENNIS-AUS-OPEN-PLISKOVA
Pliskova fires up to reach Aussie Open third round
MELBOURNE, Jan 17, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Seventh seed Karolina Pliskova recovered from a slow start to storm home against unseeded American Madison Brengle and grab a spot in the Australian Open third round Thursday.
The 26-year-old Czech went down a set before unleashing a devastating flurry of aces and winners in her 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory.
Once roused, she lost only one of 15 games in a match that was affected by several short rain interruptions.
“The match had a bit of everything, some breaks, some good tennis, some bad mistakes from me too,” she said.
“The first set was not very good from my side. My focus wasn’t very good but I managed to get back in the match and win it.”
Pliskova has made the quarter-finals in her last two appearances at Melbourne Park and entered this year’s tournament on a high after winning the Brisbane International warm-up.
She has been a regular in the second week of Grand Slams in recent years, reaching the quarters or better six times since late 2016, but is still searching for a breakthrough win.
She meets 27th seeded Italian Camila Giorgi in the next round.
BSS/AFP/AU/08:15 hrs