Two years of injury and less than stellar form have left Azarenka languishing at number 16 in the world and that is why she is seeded to meet Muguruza as early the fourth round, if she can get past rising talent Naomi Osaka. “I just couldn’t find the court, my shots”.
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Top seeds Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are also already set to play in the third round, so Murray and Muguruza will be their top competition.
When Muguruza missed one final return, Strycova was through to her first Grand Slam fourth-round since she made a quarterfinal run at the 2014 Wimbledon.
Muguruza’s flop pits her alongside second seed Simona Halep, sixth seed Petra Kvitova and eighth seed Venus Williams as top 10 players who have failed to make the tournament’s second week.
“I felt really good on the court, the plan worked”.
Strycova moves on to the last 16 to play two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, who – incidentally – has knocked the Czech woman out of the tournament twice – in both 2014 and 2015. “I felt a little bit, I don’t know, not moving very well”, added the world No.3.
“Victoria is very, very good”. “I think Barbora played good, very good”. So I will go into that match with confidence.
Young Spanish star Garbine Mugaruza has wobbled her way past Belgian veteran Kirsten Flipkens, keeping her push for a maiden Grand Slam title on track.
Matches, however, are not played on paper and Muguruza will have to be on her game today to progress past Flipkens.
She knuckled down and against the Strycova serve in the third game, rallied from 40-love down to break back on a double fault and haul herself back into the match.
On a cool day in Melbourne, Muguruza raced out to a 5-1 lead in the second set.
The Spaniard possesses an all-court game that is well served by a very solid forehand and backhand.
However, three poor unforced errors from the third seed squandered all three unforced errors and suddenly, the Belgian number three was just two points away from getting back on serve.
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A well-guided smash and line-kissing victor gave Muguruza a boost but her woes continued as she watched two break-back opportunities go begging before three consecutive errant backhands gifted Strycova a pivotal 2-0 advantage. Strycova broke again in the seventh game as a forehand from the Spaniard drifted wide, before holding serve for one of the biggest wins of her career.
