Tennis
15:52, 22-Jan-2019
Australian Open: China-Australian duo Zhang, Stosur upset top seed to reach semi-finals
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In women's doubles, Chinese-Australian duo Zhang Shuai and Samantha Stosur upset Czech duo Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova 7-6, 7-6 in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Tuesday.
The unseeded pair edged the top seeds to reach their second straight Grand Slam semi-finals after last year's U.S. Open.
Krejcikova and Siniakova won the French Open and Wimbledon doubles titles last year and reached the semi-finals at the U.S. Open to finish 2018 with the no. 1 ranking. The Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai, who suffered a three-set defeat from Ukraine's Elina Svitolina before reaching the round of 16, is seeking her tournament highlight in the doubles division.
Zhang and Stosur trailed 5-4 in the first set. But a running volley from the Chinese gave them a break and ties the frame at 5-all.
Stosur then served on the set point and the Aussie got it right back and delivered a forehand winner as she and Zhang took the tiebreak 7-2.
On match point, Stosur was serving again. Quick reactions from Zhang on the volley and the Czech's hitting the net ended 7-4 in the second tiebreaker and Zhang and Stosur reached the last four.