Serena Williams progresses to her 50th Grand Slam quarter-final
What's the story
Serena Williams, one of the greatest sportspersons to ever step onto the tennis court, has created history once again. This time, she has registered her name in her 50th Grand Slam quarter-final by defeating Simona Halep in the Australian Open round of 16. The match was an intense affair, but the legend prevailed. Interestingly, Halep had defeated Venus Williams in the previous round.
Match
A little on the intense encounter
Williams absolutely dominated the first set, winning 6-1, but faced a stumbling block in the second set when the Romanian Halep defeated her 6-4. Williams' serve which made her go 30-15 in the last set was an absolute stunner and was too hot for Halep to handle. The American took the match point when Halep pushed her forehand longer than required.
Quote
Fighters never give up, said Williams
When Halep won the second set, Williams said she needed to up her game, and so she did in the last set. She added, "I am such a fighter, I just never give up". Williams, 37, has won the Australian Open seven times already.
Halep
Halep admitted she's number one, but not the best
As upcoming superstars have immense respect for the legends of the game, so does Halep. Before the match, she admitted that despite being number one in rankings, she is hardly as good as Serena Williams, and considers Williams the best in the world. Williams, notably, is the proud winner of 23 Grand Slams, the highest in history. Roger Federer, second-highest, has won 17.
Quarter-finals
Who will Williams face in the quarter-finals?
Serena Williams is now set to face Karolína Plíšková in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open. Plíšková, who is from the Czech Republic, defeated compatriot Karolína Muchová in straight sets (6-3, 6-2) to secure her spot in the quarter-finals. Plíšková, 26, is a former world number one player and is currently ranked seventh. Their match is scheduled for January 23.