Casey Dellacqua has pounded winner after winner to scorch into the last 16 of the US Open at Flushing Meadows.
In an awesome display of unflinching counter-punching, Dellacqua defeated rising young Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-3 3-6 6-4 in a high-quality third-round encounter on Saturday.
Pliskova had trounced Dellacqua in straight sets in their only previous meeting, last October in Kuala Lumpar, but the 29-year-old West Australian once again proved she’s the most improved player in women’s tennis.
After tumbling out of the world’s top 200 following her first-round defeat in New York last year, Dellacqua is incredibly now on the verge of becoming Australia’s new No.1 with a top-25 ranking.
The big-hitting left-hander next plays Flavia Pennetta on Monday and victory over Italy’s 11th seed would thrust Dellacqua into a grand slam quarter-final for the first time.
Seeded at a slam for the first time, Dellacqua double-faulted in a nervous start against Pliskova and had to fight off a break point in the opening game.
Currently ranked 10 spots below Dellacqua at No.42 in the world, Pliskova often dominated rallies but was left shellshocked by the Australian’s relentless scrambling and power.
Dellacqua grabbed the only break of the first set in the fourth game with a blistering cross-court backhand pass.
The 29th seed clinched the set with another backhand cross-court winner after 34 minutes and quickly had Pliskova under pressure in the second.
But after staving off four break points serving at 2-3 down, the 22-year-old hit back to break Dellacqua the very next game.
The wind momentarily knocked out of her sails, Dellacqua dropped serve again to leave the match on level terms at a set apiece after one hour and 13 minutes of baseline slugging.
Pliskova had relied on 10 aces to stay in the match, but came unstuck with an untimely double-fault to hand Dellacqua a break in the opening game of the deciding set.
The Czech broke straight back only to drop serve as Dellacqua surged to a 3-1 lead and then have Pliskova trailing 0-30 in the fifth game.
Dellacqua was unable to snare the decisive double break then, but did so with a booming forehand winner that caught the back of the line to go 5-2 up.
But in a match full of twist of turns, Dellacqua still had to survive a few more hairy moments before posting her second fourth-round showing at a major this year.
She dropped serve at 5-2, but finally advanced to repeat her Australian Open run when Pliskova sprayed a backhand wide on Dellacqua’s second match point after one hour and 54 minutes.
Dellacqua ended the match with four aces and 26 clean winners.
