The 17th seed German tennis player Angelique Kerber earned her way to the fourth round of Australian Open 2020. After a poor run in the second half of the 2019 season, Kerber played some quality tennis in Melbourne. However, it was not enough to reach the quarterfinals in Australia.

The German ace was outplayed by the Russian player Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-2 in the pre-quarterfinals of Australian open 2020. 

In the opening set, Pavlyuchenkova raced to take a double break lead at 5-2. The three-time Grand Slam Kerber ignited her fighting spirits and refused to drop a game until she stabilized the set at 5-5. With the two women continuing their high-quality tennis the opening set, the set sailed into the breaker.

The Russian led by 3-0 in the breaker, Kerber quickly curtailed the point difference by 3-2. With Pavlyuchenkova slamming a forehand winner the Russian led by 4-2.

Despite making a sluggish start, Kerber was responding to the powerful shots from Pavlyuchenkova wisely. The 2016 Aussie Open champion Kerber sprinted to seal the set 7-6(7-5). 

Angelique Kerber battled back!

In the second set, Angelique Kerber and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova were putting up the show on the Margaret Court Arena. Their high-standard slugfest was refusing to stop and Kerber’s forehands were standing out as Pavlyuchenkova was trying to outplay the German.

Well played Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova!

Both the women were clinging on to their serves throughout the second set. Towards the end, Kerber saved three set points and forced a tiebreak in the second. With Pavlyuchenkova playing a clean game of tennis, she slammed a total of 52 winners, 28 unforced errors until the end of the second set and pulled it off 7-6(7-4).

Pavlyuchenkova advanced into the quarterfinals in Melbourne!

Kerber’s game deviated from the normal in the deciding set. She lost her opening service game, her control over the groundstrokes were off the track and she gifted the Russian a double break lead. Pavlyuchenkova quickly led by 4-0 in the deciding set.

Later, Kerber could take back one of the breaks at 4-2, but within a blink of an eye, Pavlyuchenkova broke her back at 5-2. The Russian progressed to serve a spot in the quarterfinals of Aussie Open 2020 and swiftly reserved her last-eight round berth.