By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, January 24, 2017

 

"This is crazy. The only thing I can say is God is good, that’s really all I can say. I can’t believe I’m in the semifinals again," said a tearful Mirjana Lucic-Baroni after upsetting Karolina Pliskova.

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Pacing slowly off the court to take an injury timeout midway through the final set, Mirjana Lucic-Baroni’s left thigh and calf were wrapped in kinesiology tape, while she clutched a sweat-soaked towel in her right hand.

Staring down a 3-4 deficit to a powerful opponent 10 years her junior, Lucic-Baroni limped off looking like the walking wounded.

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The 79th-ranked former phenom returned with a brilliant bang.

Eighteen years after her last Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon, an inspired Lucic-Baroni reeled off of 12 of the last 13 points shocking fifth-seeded Karolina Pliskova, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, to advance to the Australian Open semifinals.

This was a match of passion, plot twists and perseverance that culminated with a convincing close and a tear-jerker ending.

When it was over, Lucic-Baroni was overcome with emotion. She dropped to her knees, crossed herself, placed her palms on the blue court and wept tears of joy.

Lucic-Baroni’s sentimental story is touching; her matches have become must-see TV in Melbourne. Her revealing post-match interviews are so moving, analyst Rennae Stubbs—along with several fans—could have used some Kleenex hearing her pour out her feelings today.

“I can’t believe this,” said Lucic-Baroni, who appeared to don rosary beads before serving out the match. “This is crazy. The only thing I can say is God is good—that’s really all I can say. I can’t believe I’m in the semifinals again. I feel a little bit in shock right now.”

The 2014 WTA Comeback Player of the Year has now knocked off two of the top five seeds—she upset third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska in round two—and is projected to rise to No. 44 when the new WTA rankings are released. It will be Lucic-Baroni's first apppearance in the Top 45 since October, 1999.

Trailing 1-3 in the first set, Lucic-Baroni reeled off five of the next six games, including blasting a pair of backhands to help seal the 32-minute set with a break.

Tattooing a forehand winner followed by a sharp-angled backhand winner, Lucic-Baroni earned double break point. When Pliskova launched a forehand sitter long, the 34-year-old Croatian had her third break for a 2-0 second-set lead.

Bouncing back to triple break point in the next game, Pliskova registered the revenge break when the veteran scattered a crosscourt backhand wide.

The service break was followed by a medical break.

Pliskova, whose movement looked a little stilted in the opening set, called for the trainer to treat a blister on the bottom of her right foot.

A lapse of control put Lucic-Baroni in a double break point bind in the fifth game. She saved the first, but was dragged side-to-side on the second sticking a backhand into net.

Scoring her third break for a 3-2 lead, Pliskova erupted with an enthusiastic scream—the most emotion she’d shown all day.

David Kotyza, Pliskova’s new coach who formerly coached Petra Kvitova, has tried to help the 6-foot-1 Czech refine her footwork. Pliskova has a habit of taking one loping stride when two short steps are often better to maintain balance between her body and the ball. Lucic-Baroni tied her tall opponent up with some vicious returns right back into the body breaking again for 3-all.

The Croatian trains in Florida and wears a Babolat visor and sunglasses on court for protection. Neither accessory helped as she badly bungled a smash into the bottom of the net gifting the break in the seventh game.

Moving with more urgency, Pliskova made a tremendous get, opened the court with an angled forehand, then slashed a forehand winner down the line bringing Kotyza and company out of their seats in her player box as she held for 5-3.

Flicking back a full-stretch forehand return down the line, Pliskova broke at love with a flourish, rolling through the final three games of the second set.

When Lucic-Baroni gets her body behind the ball, she is dangerous off both wings.

Smacking a forehand crosscourt for a second break point, she challenged Pliskova with another jolting return right into the body breaking to open the final set.

A mistaken over-rule in the next game unnerved the veteran, who spit up successive double faults and slapped a shot long capping a horror-show game to give back the break.

Tomahawking a return winner she punctuated with a shout, Lucic-Baroni grabbed the third straight break of the deciding set. This time, she confirmed the break extending the advantage to 3-1.

Putting her wide wingspan to effective use, Pliskova slid a forehand return down the line for triple break point. Two points later, Lucic-Baroni cracked coughing up the error as Pliskova got back on serve, 3-all.



Shortly after Pliskova held for 4-3, Lucic-Baroni left the court to take treatment for her right quadriceps.

The serve was an instant remedy upon her return: Lucic-Baroni slashed three aces for a love hold when play resumed to level.

Rolling through eight straight points, Lucic-Baroni broke at love for 5-4. Slamming her ninth ace, Lucic-Baroni earned match point an error and sealed a rousing victory when Pliskova lined a forehand off the Kia sign affixed to net.

It’s been an amazing journey.

It’s not over yet. Lucic-Baroni must hope her banged up legs heal overnight as she takes on world No. 2 Serena Williams, 19 years after they last squared off in the 1998 Wimbledon second round.

"I know her story it’s really great," Williams said. "I cannot underestimate her. She’s a great fighter."