Kerber finally finds rhythm

The world number one had taken three sets to win the first two matches of her title defence at Melbourne Park but, two days after her 29th birthday, set an ominous pace by rattling through the first stanza in 20 minutes. 

The German had served poorly in the first set and a minor wobble followed in the second but she recovered her composure to progress comfortably to a meeting with American Coco Vandeweghe. “It’s great to have another good match under my belt and to be in the fourth round again here,” the top seed told reporters. “It’s great. I’m looking forward to the next one. Yeah, I think that I’m finding my rhythm in the tournament now.” 

Pliskova, the twin of U.S. Open finalist Karolina, finally got on the scoreboard when she held serve in the ninth game of the contest and then immediately broke when Kerber badly miscued a backhand at the net. Kerber was getting her first serve in more reliably now, however, and broke for 5-4 when her fellow left-hander ripped a backhand into the next and went wide with a forehand. Serving for the win, Kerber found a big forehand winner and dinked a simple volley over the net to bring up match point, which she converted when the world number 58 overcooked a forehand.