And then there were two.
And then there were two. Keys, Stephens and Venus are out, but Serena Wiliams and Naomi Osaka are one win away from a rematch.
17th-seed Madison Keys fell to No. 6 seed Elina Svitolina in three-sets on Sunday.
2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens was a favorite to at least advance to the 2019 Australian Open semifinals, but she was stunned by Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in three sets.
UPSET ALERT: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova d. [5] Sloane Stephens in the fourth round of the #AusOpen, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-3. The American led by a set and a break in a match that ended at nearly 2:00 a.m. Melbourne time. pic.twitter.com/sLKSFsxeg4
— TENNIS (@Tennis) January 20, 2019
Venus took an L to the world’s No. 1 player on Saturday.
That leaves Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka to keep the Black Girl Magic alive in this Australian Open.
Williams continues her quest for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam championship as she rolls into the quarterfinals to face world No. 7 Karolina Pliskova at Rod Laver Arena tonight at 9 pm.
Serena had her stiffest test of the tournament on MLK Day, defeating world No. 1 Simona Halep in a thrilling three-set match. It was the first set Serena has dropped in this tourney.
For the 50th (!!) time in her career, @serenawilliams is headed to a Grand Slam quarterfinal after taking down No. 1-ranked Simona Halep. pic.twitter.com/JzykZStKzC
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 21, 2019
Serena swarmed Halep like a bear hunting fish in the first set, winning 6-1. Halep showed her bounce back skills and dropped Serena in the second set (4-6). It was a brief setback as Serena rebounded to win the third set, 6-4. The victory avenged the straight set loss sister Venus suffered to Halep.
Serena’s quarterfinals match will follow Osaka‘s throwdown with Elina Svitolina at 7 pm. Osaka’s three-set win over Anastasija Sevastova on Sunday was no cakewalk. The 2018 US Open winner dropped the first set for the second time this tournament but recovered to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
If both women advance, they will face each other for the second time. While the quarterfinals clash will eliminate the chance for an All-Black girls finals, it will surely give tennis a ratings boost. The 23-time Grand Slam champion will be attempting to avenge her 2018 U.S. Open Finals loss to the 21-year-old Haitian/Japanese rising superstar.
“I’m a ghost, you don’t see me!” 👻
The best moments from the @Naomi_Osaka_ press conference! 😁#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/wuD7z96bXt
— wta (@WTA) January 21, 2019
Just two women of color remain after Day 10 of the Australian Open, but it’s the matchup tennis wants to see. A rematch between the 37-year-old GOAT from Compton, Cali. and the new breed international phenom, shining the tennis spotlight on Japan and in the Haitian community.
