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Karolina Pliskova rallies from 5-1 third-set deficit to stun Serena Williams at Australian Open

Karolina Pliskova pulled off a stunning upset of Serena Williams to advance to the Australian Open semifinals. (Getty)
Karolina Pliskova pulled off a stunning upset of Serena Williams to advance to the Australian Open semifinals. (Getty)

The Serena Williams-Naomi Osaka rematch will have to wait.

Seventh-seeded Karolina Pliskova defeated Williams, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 Wednesday at the Australian Open to advance to a semifinal matchup against Osaka in the year’s first Grand Slam event.

Williams rallied from an early deficit to take command of the third set with a 5-1 lead, but blew four match points as Pliskova pulled off the stunning rally for the win.

Pliskova: ‘I was almost in the locker room’

“On one hand, I was almost in the locker room, but now I’m standing here as a winner,” Pliskova said in her post-match interview. “Unbelievable feeling.”

When asked about her mindset down 5-1, Pliskova responded that she thought she was beat.

“My mind was in the locker room, I was still here,” she said. “It was tough. She was really playing well. I didn’t have that many chances in the third set. … I just said ‘let’s try this game at 5-2, maybe I’m going to have a couple of chances.’

“She got a little bit shaky in the end. So I took my chances. I won.”

Serena Williams had four match points Wednesday, but couldn’t pull off the win. (AP)
Serena Williams had four match points Wednesday, but couldn’t pull off the win. (AP)

Pliskova controlled match early before Williams rallied

Pliskova was confident from the start, using her dominant serve to control the match. There was only one break in the first set, and it belonged to her.

Pliskova maintained control early in the second, scoring the first break of the set to take a 3-2 lead. But Williams roared back with four straight points for her first break of the match, which tilted in her favor. Williams broke Pliskova again in the second set that she won, 6-4.

Williams fought off Pliskova’s effort to break in the first game of the third set and cruised to a 5-1 lead. But facing match point leading 40-30, Williams foot-faulted, and Pliskova rallied to win the game.

Williams collapse includes rolled ankle

Williams appeared to roll her left ankle, and Pliskova won the next two games, closing to 5-4 after Williams was on the verge of winning the match.

Williams threatened to win the match again on Pliskova’s next serve. But Pliskova fought back three match points in the game to tie the set at 5-5.

She broke Williams again on her next serve and held on hers to win 7-5 and pull off the stunning upset.

Williams told reporters after the match that her ankle wasn’t bothering her too much.

“My ankle seems to be fine,” Williams said. “I don’t usually know until the next day. I think she just played lights out on match points, hitting lines.”

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