MELBOURNE, January 20 , 2017
Defending Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber eased past Kristyna Pliskova from the Czech Republic, winning 6-0, 6-4.
The top seed won 62 per cent of her first service points and converted five of her six break point opportunities. Overall, Kerber seemed to be back on track after she had struggled through her opening two rounds in three sets. This time she only needed 55 minutes to prevail.
“It was better, actually. I was feeling very good from the first point, but of course matches like this are always tough to play. They are serving very well, and you have to bring a lot of balls back, moving good, and just going for it. But I’m happy about my performance,” Kerber told in her post-match press conference.
Asked on her feeling this year compared to last year in Melbourne, the World No. 1 said: “That’s tough to say. I mean, it’s completely different this year. It’s great to have another good match on my belt and being in the fourth round again. It’s great. I’m looking forward to the next one. I think that I have found my rhythm for the tournament now.”
When she was asked about the differences being number one in the world she stated: “I have much more things to do. The schedule is tighter. But at the end, I’m still the same, and I’m trying to play the same like I played last year and try to continue that.”
Kerber will meet CoCo Vandeweghe from the United States in the fourth round on Sunday.
