Kvitova KOs Anismova, Barty Wins Epic Over Sharapova; Serena v Halep Mon. At Australian Open

Petra Kvitova ended the fairly tale run of 17-year-old Amanda Anismova, crushing the teen 6-2, 6-1 in the Australian Open fourth round on Sunday.

Kvitova, who won Sydney last week, has now won her last nine matches, and thus far in Melbourne, no one has been close to touching the 2-time Slam winner.

The Czech will now face Ashleigh Barty in a rematch of their incredible Sydney final.

“It will be different, for sure,” Kvitova said. “It will be not the final, as we played in Sydney, which was great match, very exhausted, but she is a different kind of player when she’s mixing it up a bit. She’s playing different serve, as well. She has the kick.

“It’s just different kind of player than I faced today, for example. But will be fun one. I mean, Australians, of course, will be on her side, but that was the same in Sydney. So I’m, you know, kind of used to.”

Barty won the match of the day holding on to beat 2008 champion Maria Sharapova 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in 2 hours, 22 minutes, much to the delight of the Australian crowd.

Sharapova pulled ahead early but early in the second, Barty caught fire winning nine straight service games, thanks in part to a flurry of errors from Federer.

Sharapova, who received a cascade of boos upon returning to the court following an 8-minute locker room break after the third, looked all but out of it as Barty led 4-0 with points for 5-0 in the third.

Sharapova, though, as she has done so often, mounted a late charge as the 22-year-old Barty tightened.

Sharapova got to 4-3 but Barty held on and was able to serve out a nervy final game to put herself into her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

“Maria was never going to go away,” Barty said. ” Proven champion. Time and time again it proves she will fight until the last point.

“I knew it was important in particular that 4-3 game to try and get out of that service game. Yeah, I gave myself opportunities to go 5-love and I think 5-2, as well. Just couldn’t execute. Was doing all the right things but very happy to come through in the end.”

Barty also becomes the first Australian woman to make a Slam quarterfinal in Melbourne since Jelena Dokic in 2009 ten years ago.

The tournament lost another former champion hours later. 2016 winner and No. 2 seed Angelique Kerber was absolutely destroyed by unheralded Danielle Collins 6-0, 6-2.

Last summer in Eastbourne, Collins only managed to win two games. Today, the 25-year-old turned the tables handing the German one of her worst Slam losses.

“I think there is not too much to say,” said Kerber. “I mean, it was completely not my day. I was not playing the tennis that I can play.

“She played really well. I think she played one of her best matches, to be honest. She hit, yeah, every ball in the court. She moves good.”

Collins, who twice won the NCAA championship for Virginia, was 0-5 in Grand Slam matches until this week. Now she has wins over Julia Goerges, Caroline Garcia and Kerber.

In the nightcap, Sloane Stephens battled former Australian Open junior champion Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova with the winner to get Collins.

In the big showdown Monday, 7-time champion Serena William meets World No. 1 Simona Halep. The Romanian, who made the finals a year ago, will try to beat both Williams sisters back-to-back. Serena has won eight of nine against Halep.

Also tomorrow, Garbine Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova collide in a match-up of former No. 1s. Madison Keys meets Elina Svitolina and Naomi Osaka looks to keep it rolling against US Open semifinalist Anastasija Sevastova.