Pliskova out to derail Serena express

MELBOURNE: Most players would feel intimidated facing a rampaging Serena Williams for an Australian Open semi-final berth but not Czech seventh seed Katerina Pliskova, who instead harbours a desire for revenge against American great.

The pair will meet in the last eight at the season-opening Grand Slam on Wednesday, with the day’s other quarter-final pitting Japan’s US Open champion Naomi Osaka against Ukrainian sixth seed Elina Svitolina. Williams has blazed her way through the first four rounds at Melbourne Park, dropping only nine games in her opening three matches before finally encountering some resistance from top seed Simona Halep.