Riske Upsets No. 1 Barty to Reach First Major Quarterfinal

July 8, 2019 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Allison Riske
Photo Credit: Brian Coleman/LI Tennis Magazine

 

American Alison Riske advanced to the first Grand Slam quarterfinal of her career on Monday, upending world number one Ashleigh Barty 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 to kick off Manic Monday at the All-England Club in London, England.

“I’m so incredibly excited, and the fact that it’s at Wimbledon, my favorite Grand Slam, the place I had always dreamed to be in the last eight club of,” said Riske. “I’m just over the moon; so happy. And I’m looking to keep it going.”

After dropping the first set, Riske committed just six unforced errors the rest of the way and hitting 24 winners in the process. She has played the full three sets in all four of her matches thus far during her Wimbledon run including coming back from down a set in three of those four matches.

“The biggest key for me has been to battle from start to finish in every match I’ve been a part of,” said Riske. “I’m really most proud of that. Just being tough has been the key.”

Riske moves on to play compatriot Serena Williams who needed just over an hour to secure her spot in the quarterfinals as she defeated Spaniard Carla Suarez-Navarro 6-2, 6-2.

The run of American teenager Cori “Coco” Gauff came to an end on Monday as she was ousted by seventh-seed Simona Halep 6-3, 6-3. Halep was sharp early on and took advantage of the 15-year-old having played seven matches over the last few weeks after she came through qualifying just to reach the main draw.

Halep broke Gauff in the match’s opening game, and even though Gauff was able to break back right away, Halep continued to battle deep into the American’s service games. She set up seven break points and five more in the second set, capitalizing on 29 unforced errors from Gauff to advance.

Halep moves on to play China’s Shuai Zhang, who was a 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 winner over Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska.

Karolina Muchova ousted fellow Czech and third-seed Karolina Pliskova with a thrilling 4-6, 7-5, 13-11 win. Muchova fired 54 winners and was able to muster up a late break deep in the deciding third set to move into the first major quarterfinal of her career.

Muchova will play eighth-seeded Elina Svitolina, who rolled past 24th seed Petra Martic 6-4, 6-2.

Joining Muchova in the quarterfinals is her compatriot Barbora Strycova, who came back to beat 21st seed Elise Mertens 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. She takes on the winner of sixth-seed Petra Kvitova and 19th seed Johanna Konta.

 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Century
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