By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, January 5, 2015

 

Karolina Pliskova fought off Victoria Azarenka in a three hour, 13-minute thriller in Brisbane.

Photo Credit: Brisbane International Facebook  

School's out during the Australian summer, but both Karolina Pliskova and Madison Keys look ready to leap a couple of classes Down Under.

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Two young players touted as Top 10 talents passed significant tests in Brisbane. Now, Keys and Pliskova are one round removed from a potential showdown—if they back up impressive openers.

The 23rd-ranked Pliskova showed staying power fighting off a match point to subdue Victoria Azarenka, 5-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, in a three hour, 13-minute thriller she played with the ferocity of a final.

“It was definitely one of the biggest wins of my career and I’m looking forward to the second round of Brisbane,” said Pliskova, who faces Russian lucky loser Alla Kudryavtseva next.

Keys played with commanding power dispatching Dominika Cibulkova, 7-5, 6-2, in 90 minutes—her third victory in as many meetings with the 2014 Australian Open runner-up.

Refining her footwork is vital for the 5'10" Keys to continue rising up the rankings. Working with new coach and former No. 1 Lindsay Davenport, Keys says she's focusing on staying low through her shots and striking on balance.

"I've just been practicing a lot, staying low, working on movement, and I think it kind of showed today," said Keys, who faces fellow American Varvara Lepchenko on Tuesday. "I think I feel faster, just a little bit more explosive. I feel like I'm getting to couple more balls."

Pliskova, No. 30 Keys, 20th-ranked Garbine Muguruza and 17-year-old Swiss Belinda Bencic are among the game's most gifted young players ranked outside the Top 15. And while their styles vary, the ability to dictate on serve and finish with their electric forehands are assets Keys and Pliskova share. Both are aggressive shotmakers. When they're landing the first-strike, both can play points on their terms against most opponents.

Of course, confidence gained from early-round victories can sometimes dissipate like sunscreen in the Australian heat. But the conviction both women exhibited—combined with their power-based baseline aggression—can make both Pliskova and Keys dangerous in Melbourne despite the fact neither woman has reached the second week of a Grand Slam yet.

The 22-year-old Czech has competed with stubborn defiance in recent months. She has won eight of her last 10 three-set matches, reaching three finals since the U.S. Open last September.

"I definitely feel better. During this year I improve really a lot," Pliskova said. "I won so many close matches like this and so many matches against better players. I got two titles. I think I am better player than I was last year."

Pliskova is a quicker around the court than Keys; the 19-year-old American owns a more authoritative serve. Keys cracked 12 aces against Cibulkova, winning 81 percent of her first-serve points and dropping serve just once. When Keys' massive first serve is clicking, she's a threat against almost anyone on hard courts, but inconsistency has been an issue. When stretched out, the world No. 30 is sometimes prone to low-risk down the line drives.

Keys says reaching the second week of a Grand Slam and improving her ranking are her primary goals. The 2014 Eastbourne champion concedes her game can go up and down and realizes she must master the middle ground and win when her best tennis eludes her before she can climb higher in the rankings.

"I think last year there would be times where I would play really well and times when I did not play very well," said Keys. "So I think [my goal is] just having a more consistent game, and when I'm not playing my best, having a B Game or C Game that isn't terrible. I'm playing really well or I'm playing badly. Trying to find a middle ground for the days where it's not working [is the goal]."