World Number 1, Simona Halep was the underdog against Serena Williams. So it was not a surprise that Willilams won by a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 score. But it wasn’t easy. Halep put up a good fight despite the one-sided first set. Williams will next play Karolína Pliskova, meanwhile, has won all nine matches she has played this season.

Williams’s is aiming for her 24th grand slam title, at last equaling the Australian great Margaret Court’s total of major singles championships.Her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, offered the strongest assessment. “I believe she will,” he said. “She is ready physically, I think emotionally, too.” “She is back,” he added, “to being Serena.”

“I have to return better, but I will be ready,” Williams vowed as she looked ahead to Pliskova. “She’s ready, I’m ready, let’s do it.”

Roger Federer has been knocked out of the year’s Australian Open, beaten by a little known Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas  in four tight sets. Tsitsipas defeated  Federer 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, 7-6.

“I am the happiest man on Earth right now,” Tsitsipas said after the match. “Roger is a legend in our sport. I have so much respect for him he showed such good tennis. “I have idolised him since the age of six. It was a dream come true for me just to be on Rod Laver facing him and winning against him I cannot describe it.”

Federer acknowledged that he lost to a better player, saying ”  “I lost to a better player who was playing very well tonight. Hung in there, gave himself chances at some point, stayed calm. It’s not always easy,  especially for younger guys. Credit to him for taking
care of that.

Federer also saw himself in the Greek: “He has a one-handed backhand and I used to have long hair, too. Yeah, so maybe a little bit, sure. He has more of a continental grip than players nowadays. Sure, that’s a bit more my way than, let’s say Rafa”.

In other matches, Rafael Nadal was his ruthless best and easily beat Tomas Berdych 6-0 6-1 7-6(4).

Women’s world number 15 Ashleigh Barty recorded an incredible 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 comeback victory in Melbourne over Maria Sharapova.  Sharapova tooks a somewhat controversial bathroom break between second and third set but didn’t help change the momentum in the match.