Ana Ivanovic has advanced to her first Australian Open quarter final, thanks to a 6-1, 7-6 win over Danish teen Caroline Wozniacki.
The Dane was struck by nerves in the second set, when she blew two set points.
The world number three flew out of the blocks on Rod Laver Arena, cracking 15 winners to zero in the opening set.
Wozniacki settled in the second set, holding her first two service games, before breaking the Serbian in the fifth game. Wozniacki immediately received medical attention on a left thigh problem.
The injury didn’t appear to hamper the Dane, who served for the set at 5-4, before the enormity of the occasion overwhelmed the world number 64. Wozniacki made a series of unforced errors as Ivanovic merely kept the ball in the play, waiting for her opponent to stumble.
Ivanovic ramped her game in the tie breaker, taking it 7 points to 2, shrieking in delight when Wozniacki dumped a backhand into the net on match point.
The Serbian has never reached the final eight at Melbourne Park. In fact, this was the French Open finalist’s first appearance in the Australian Open fourth round.
Ivanovic, the highest seed remaining in her half of the draw, will more than likely play Venus Williams next.
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