Australian Open 2021 women’s quarter-final: Ash Barty stunned by Karolina Muchova – as it happened | Sport

That’s all for now. Keep an eye out for Emma Kemp’s match report, which is on its way, and then our liveblog of this evening’s big match in the men’s draw between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Rafael Nadal. Play in that one starts at 7:30pm AEDT.

Barty is left to ponder what might have been, and a missed opportunity to become Australia’s first champion at Melbourne Park since 1978. It had all opened up so nicely on her side of the draw, and was looking so good three games into the second set. Muchova’s medical timeout changed everything, and how Barty failed to respond will be something her team will surely analyse when they come to sift through the details of this match.

Muchova will now play either Jennifer Brady or Jessica Pegula for a place in the Australian Open final.

“I’m just going to try and recover as best as possible and I’m definitely looking forward to that match,” she says.

On the pressure of serving for the match:

“It was tough. Yeah, it was the first time for me. I just tried to not think about it, to think just about another ball, focus on that. I’m happy that I handled it well.”

Muchova confirms the problem that resulted in that timeout wasn’t an abdominal injury she had suffered in the build-up to the Open.

“No, it was more check my pressure because I was, as I said, a bit lost, you know, I was spinning. They cooled me down a bit with ice and it helped me.”

Here’s first-time grand slam semi-finalist Karolina Muchova, on court: “I start to feeling a bit lost by the end of the first set, she played almost like no mistakes, it was very tough and I was a bit lost on the court and my head was spinning so I took a break. It helped me. I tried to get back, played a bit faster rallies so we don’t play the long ones as in the first set and it worked well.”

Wow, just wow. That is one of the great turnarounds. It would have been easy for Muchova to capitulate after taking such a beating in the opening set but, after a lengthy delay with a medical timeout, she re-emerged a different woman. Barty, for her part, failed to continue the momentum she had built up, and paid the price.

Third set: Ash Barty* 6-1, 3-6, 2-6 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) At 30-40 down, on an incredibly crucial point, Muchova finds a brilliant winner, just when she needed to. But the Czech is forced to play into the net on the next point, and Barty brings up another break point… the outcome is almost identical as a Muchova forehand saves the day. Her serve then deserts her at a critical point, a double fault giving Barty another chance, but once again, Muchova saves it with a beautiful crosscourt volley at the net. Barty’s then long and Muchova has a first match point… which she wins with an ace! Amazing!

Third set: Ash Barty* 6-1, 3-6, 2-5 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) A net cord cruelly goes against Barty at a crucial moment – the ball bounces twice on the top of the net before landing the wrong side – to hand Muchova a break point. It’s saved but when another chance presents itself soon after, Muchova pounces. The Czech is now up a double break up and will serve for the match! Incredible.

Third set: Ash Barty 6-1, 3-6, 2-4 Karolina Muchova* (*denotes server) Muchova edges further towards an utterly stunning upset against the world No 1. The Czech was down and out before that medical timeout. She registers a love hold and remains a break up in the deciding set. And she’s just two games from a place in the Australian Open semi-final.

Third set: Ash Barty* 6-1, 3-6, 2-3 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) Barty holds, comfortably enough this time, but the longer this set goes on, the more imperative it becomes for the Australian to find a way to break Muchova.

Third set: Ash Barty 6-1, 3-6, 1-3 Karolina Muchova* (*denotes server) Barty misses a few chances to capitalise on some errant Muchova serving, and the Czech keeps her nose in front with another hold.

Third set: Ash Barty* 6-1, 3-6, 1-2 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) Barty’s in real trouble here, as she drops the opening two points of this game. Fortunately, a big serve helps her out at 30-30 and then she forces Muchova wide with another big serve before firing a forehand winner into the other side of the court. She holds, but this match is on a knife edge.

Third set: Ash Barty 6-1, 3-6, 0-2 Karolina Muchova* (*denotes server) This game is a to-and-fro affair, but Barty’s the one who’s being made to do all the running, as Muchova brims with confidence. The Czech has really opened up and is going for her shots. She’s not making all of them and she has to save two break points on the way to consolidating that break, but the momentum remains with the No 25 seed.

Third set: Ash Barty* 6-1, 3-6, 0-1 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) Barty gets the chance to get her nose in front with the first service game of the third set, but it’s Muchova who flies out of the traps and races to a 40-0 lead thanks to yet more terrific shot making! Barty saves one, but a booming forehand winner from Muchova gives her the lead for the first time this match! Barty under massive pressure now. This is not at all going to plan now.

Second set: Ash Barty 6-1, 3-6 Karolina Muchova* (*denotes server) Muchova takes the match to a deciding set! What a turnaround following that 10-minute medical timeout. She came out after that a new woman, while Barty has been unable to continue the momentum she built up in the first. Very much looking forward to the final set.

Second set: Ash Barty* 6-1, 3-5 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) Barty’s loose again as she struggles to rediscover the form she displayed in the first set. And the world No 1 is forced to save three break points, the second thanks to another incredible get, but it’s Muchova who’s playing all the shots now. Barty doesn’t help herself with a double fault to bring up a fourth break point and this one she’s unable to save. Barty fires into the net, Muchova breaks and this game could well prove crucial in the wider context of this match.

Second set: Ash Barty 6-1, 3-4 Karolina Muchova* (*denotes server) Barty now leads the unforced error count 12-9 this set, but she fights back from 15-40 down amid some loose shot making from Muchova to bring up two break point chances. Muchova saves both, the second on a sensational point when Barty sets up the Czech for five consecutive smashes. A couple of terrific winners follow and Muchova holds.

Second set: Ash Barty* 6-1, 3-3 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) Barty’s unforced error count is on the rise this set – she’s had six since the lengthy break – and, after a double fault, she has to face a break point. A big ace gets her out of trouble but Muchova refuses to go away and brings up a second opportunity to take a 4-2 lead. Again Barty escapes, but this is anything but plain sailing for the world No 1 at the moment.

Second set: Ash Barty 6-1, 2-3 Karolina Muchova* (*denotes server) Muchova is reinvigorated! She makes a decisive move to the net and executes a neat running volley to lead 30-15 before going on to secure the game – and take the lead for the first time this match – with another excellent shot, a jumping backhand smash. Terrific turnaround for the Czech since that medical timeout.

Second set: Ash Barty* 6-1, 2-2 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) Muchova’s back on court and Barty’s raring to go after what was a near-10-minute break in play. She kicks off with an ace but is then wayward on a couple of regulation strokes. The Australian then displays supreme athleticism to reach a Muchova dropshot that very few others would have reached, but a shot into the net at 30-30 gifts Muchova her first break chance of the day! And she capitalise on the window of opportunity! Perhaps that break had the desired effect on her. Back on serve in the second set.

Second set: Ash Barty 6-1, 2-1 Karolina Muchova* (*denotes server) Far more encouraging for Muchova, who ensures they’ll be no bagelling this set with a held survive game – to love, no less! But at the changeover, the medicos come out to take a look at Muchova. They’re taking her pulse and checking her temperature. And she ducks off down the tunnel for further assessment. Not entirely sure what’s going on there, but clearly she’s not 100%. It could well be the stress of playing on such a big stage. In contrast, Barty’s so cool and composed. Nothing looks like flustering her at this point.

Second set: Ash Barty* 6-1, 2-0 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) Barty remains in complete control of this match. A delightful sliced dropshot highlights this latest game; Muchova’s completely outwitted by that one, and she’s nowhere near returning it. It’s going to take a monumental implosion from Barty for the course of this match to change now.

Second set: Ash Barty 6-1, 1-0 Karolina Muchova* (*denotes server) Barty ensures any positives Muchova took from that last game of the first set are not carried over into the second. The Australian brings up three break points – she wastes two of them but on then secures the early advantage on the third time of asking.

First set: Ash Barty* 6-1 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) Barty produces a brilliant passing shot down the line in response to a decent slice from Muchova, who is beginning to play a few shots now. It comes too late for the Czech to salvage anything from this set, but perhaps it points to a more competitive second set. Barty takes a 1-0 lead after just 24 minutes.

First set: Ash Barty 5-1 Karolina Muchova* (*denotes server) Several unforced errors by Barty now allow Muchova some breathing space after what has been a crash, bang wallop start to the set. And the Czech gets herself on the scoreboard – and manages to avoid the dreaded bagel. Still, Barty will now serve for the first set.

First set: Ash Barty* 5-0 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) 15-0. 30-0. 40-0. Game. No messing about. The world No 1 is unstoppable at the moment.

First set: Ash Barty 4-0 Karolina Muchova* (*denotes server) This is very reminiscent of Barty’s opener against Danka Kovinic, who dropped the opening set 6-0 – and went on to suffer a double bagel. Barty secures a double break here, with a love game, and is on course to repeat the feat.

First set: Ash Barty* 3-0 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) Nine minutes into this match and Barty has opened up a three-game lead. It’s all very ominous for Muchova, who is still to settle into any kind of rhythm. The fear is, by the time she does, the writing will be on the wall already.

First set: Ash Barty 2-0 Karolina Muchova* (*denotes server) Muchova shows signs of a few nerves on her first service game, perhaps understandably so, and Barty breaks. A whipped forehand winner seals the deal for the Australian, on the second break point of the game. We’ve seen this opening to a Barty match before this Open…

First set: Ash Barty* 1-0 Karolina Muchova (*denotes server) Barty serves first, and it’s an entirely comfortable start for the world No 1 and top seed. You’d expect nothing different. It’s 27C currently at Melbourne Park and the mercury’s going to nudge the early 30s later on in the day. You feel this pair will be glad to get on first today.

OK, the players are out on court warming up and we’re nearly ready to get today’s play under way.

Just on crowd numbers for the remainder of the tournament, Dan Andrews has indicated the pre-lockdown caps may be further reduced.

“We go through and work through what is a safe number and will get that decision made as soon as possible. That advice will be out there for people as soon as possible. They were already were reduced but may have to be reduced further. That matter will be resolved in the next few hours.”

Head-to-head: Barty and Muchova have met just once before, in the third round of the 2018 US Open, when the Australian triumphed 6-3, 6-4. And she’s the hot favourite to add a second win over the Czech today. Anything else would be a huge upset.

Barty’s path to this stage of the tournament has been… straight forward, to say the least. She brushed aside Danka Kovinic without dropping a game in the first round, before adding Daria Gavrilova, Ekaterina Alexandrova and Shelby Rogers to her list of victims while barely breaking stride. Just Gavrilova pushed her, taking the second set of their second round encounter to a tie-break.

Barty is yet to drop a set this tournament, and with the draw having opened up for her, a run all the way to a final against either Serena Williams or Naomi Osaka is a distinct possibility. Should she beat Muchova, the winner of today’s other quarter-final between American pair Jennifer Brady (seeded 22) and Jessica Pegula (unseeded) awaits.