Day 10 Review: Kvitova and Sharapova Set a Date for AO Semis

By: Erik Gudris

Photo Credit: Mark Peterson / Corleve

(January 24, 2012) The remaining Women’s Quarterfinals on Day 10 of the Australian Open showcased two similar matches with each featuring a heavy favorite for both the title, and also with a shot at becoming the new world No. 1, taking on a unseeded opponent making their first ever appearance in the quarters of a Major.

No. 2 seed Petra Kvitova probably wasn’t sure what to expect when she took on Italian Sara Errani for the first time on Rod Laver Arena. Perhaps that uncertainty along with the pressure Kvitova admitted she felt afterwards of being the favorite is what caused the big hitting Czech to produce so many errors, a total of 44 for the match. Kvitova jumped out to an early 5-2 lead in the first set, but her wayward shots from all sides of the court allowed Errani back in until Kvitova finally closed it out 6-4.

Errani did a good job of attacking Kvitova’s second serve with some massive return winners of her own while mixing up the rallies with deft drop shots, clever lobs and some quick reflex volleys at net. Looking completely bewildered on court, Kvitova dropped serve early in the second allowing Errani to eventually carve out a 4-1 lead.

A third set seemed inevitable but Kvitova finally started connecting on her groundstrokes and using her power to her advantage as she reeled off five straight games to close out the set and book her spot in the semifinals with a 6-4, 6-4, victory.

No. 4 seed Maria Sharapova knew her opponent Ekaterina Makarova well enough from their last two meetings and despite Makarova being on a run of knocking out three seeded players in Melbourne, Sharapova made sure she would not be the fourth one to go down to the Russian lefty. Sharapova served well throughout the first set and kept the pressure on Makarova’s own service games. Hitting 13 winners to Makarova’s 6 winners, Sharapova wrapped up the first set 6-2,

Makarova briefly made it look like she would make a match of it as she broke Sharapova early in the second set. But Sharapova reeled off seven of eight points to break Makarova back in the next game and from that point on it was all up to Sharapova to close it out as Makarova never quite found her game especially her favorite down the line backhand when she needed it.

Sharapova did require four match points but she eventually wrapped up a 6-2, 6-3 win setting up a rematch of last year’s Wimbledon final with Kvitova in the semifinals tomorrow.