By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, July 8, 2019
Alison Riske converted all four break points snapping world No. 1 Ash Barty's 15-match winning streak, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, to roar into her first major quarterfinal at Wimbledon.
Photo credit: @LibemaOpen
Alison Riske will take a walk down the aisle at her wedding in 12 days.
Today, a resolute Riske rallied into her first Wimbledon quarterfinal.
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Riske converted all four break points snapping world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty's 15-match winning streak, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, to roar into her first major quarterfinal at Wimbledon.
"I'm so thrilled," Riske said. "I think honestly the biggest key for me has just been to battle from start to finish of every match that I've been a part of. Judging by the scoreline, they haven't all gone perfect.
"I feel like I've been there in every moment, looking to impose myself. I'm really most proud about that. I think just being tough has been the key."
The 55th-ranked American scored her first career win over a world No. 1 to charge into her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in her 30th career major appearance. She did it all just 12 days before her wedding to her fiance of three years, Stephen Amritraj, in her hometown of Pittsburgh.
"I'm here to battle," Riske said. "I think that if I just bring that fight every point, I think that good things will happen. I think that my return is super solid. Every time I get a second serve, I'm looking to attack. I'm just looking to come forward as much as I can. I think when I'm doing that, my best tennis kind of comes from that."
Solidifying her status as grass-court comeback queen, Riske battled back from a set down for the third time in the fortnight following her 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 opening-round win over 22nd-seeded Donna Vekic and her 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 triumph over 13th-seeded Belinda Bencic in round three.
Riske, who has won nine of her last 10 matches, broke Barty for a 5-3 lead in the decider then stayed calm and served out a controlled one hour, 37-minute triumph.
"I'm so excited," a beaming Riske said afterward. "I think ultimately I'm so proud of myself for the way I handled today's match. I've just been ready to battle every day I go out there. That's really shown in all of my matches. I couldn't be more proud of myself."
The 5'5" Barty's serve and slice backhands have been major weapons throughout her streak, but Riske attacked the Aussie's second serve and frequently stormed net forcing the top seed to try to pass with her slice backhand.
"You just have to look at her stats on a grass court to show just how dangerous she is," Barty said. "She's very comfortable on the grass court. It complements her game well.
"I think today in the crunch moments, she came up with her best tennis. When her back is against the wall, she plays really well typically. She did that today. All credit to her. She deserves to be in the quarterfinals. She played a great match today."
The top seed had dropped just one set during her 15-match winning streak capturing back-to-back titles at Roland Garros and Birmingham to surpass Naomi Osaka to become the first Aussie to seize the world No. 1 ranking since Hall of Famer Evonne Goolagong-Cawley in 1976.
Barty's fourth-round exit meant third-ranked Karolina Pliskova, who is seeking her first Grand Slam title, could have regained the world No. 1 ranking reaching the Wimbledon final.
However, in an all-Czech clash, 68th-ranked Karolina Muchova shocked the third-seeded Pliskova, 4-6, 7-5, 13-11, after the 2016 US Open finalist served for the quarterfinals twice in the final set.
It was Muchova's first career Top 10 win as she improved to 4-1 lifetime on grass.
It was a painful exit for Pliskova, who saved two match points only to see a Muchova return clip the top of the tape and crawl over on the third match point, bringing funky closure to a three hour, 17-minute fight. The victory vaults the 22-year-old Muchova into her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in her Wimbledon debut. Muchova will meet eighth-seeded Elina Svitolina for a semifinal spot.
The first round had been the final stop for Riske, who suffered 21 opening-round exits in majors prior to this spirited Wimbledon run. The Pittsburgh native knocked off then world No. 4 Kiki Bertens, 0-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5, to claim her second career title on the grass of 's-Hertogenbosch last month.
Five days after celebrating her 29th birthday, Riske played with more ambitious and assertiveness scoring the biggest Grand Slam win of her career. This wondrous Wimbledon run exceeds Riske's best major result, which came at the 2013 US Open when she upset 10th-ranked Petra Kvitova en route to the round of 16.
Playing her first Grand Slam as world No. 1, Barty opened the match with a bang blasting four straight aces. Barty burst through the first set firing eight of her 12 aces and winning 13 of 14 first-serve points.
Undaunted, Riske began ripping her backhand down the line, took the ball on the rise, attacked the reigning Roland Garros' second serve and showed fine net skills winning 20 of 27 net points compared to eight of 16 points at net for Barty.
The 29-year-old American grew up admiring Monica Seles' sniper return. The Riske return game was key today: She won eight of 10 points played on Barty's second serve in the final set.
"I couldn't begin to say what it means to me," Riske said. "I think ultimately to overcome the matches I have obviously getting to the quarterfinals is amazing. But I think just the way I've been fighting is more exciting for me.
"But I must see being in the last eight at Wimbledon is not too bad."
Riske's reward for beating the world No. 1 is a quarterfinal date with 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion crushed Carla Suarez Navarro, 6-2, 6-2, in her fourth-round match on No. 1 Court and pronounced herself fit for a week two run toward history.
"The rust definitely wearing off," Williams said. "Most of all I feel confident that I can actually move and I don't have to, like, go for winners so soon because I'm in pain. It's like, Oh, now I can just play my game, hit shots, not have to worry about anything else. It's good when your mind is clear and you can just play."
The 37-year-old Serena continues her quest to match Margaret Court's all-time major record by collecting her 24th Grand Slam championship at SW19. Riske has only shared the court with Williams once, as a doubles partner, knows her intensity will be off the charts and said she's ready "for a war."
"I think it's super exciting," Riske said. "I played doubles with Serena, but never played against her. It will be an interesting match. Again, I think today was a great preparation for me going into the Serena match. Again, I'm ready for a war.
"She's the greatest athlete I think that's ever been on the women's side. It's going to be a huge challenge, but I'm really looking forward to it."