Australian Open: Racquet-smashing Karolina Pliskova exits in third round | Tennis News

MELBOURNE: Former world primary Karolina Pliskova was docked some extent for smashing her racquet off the court docket after which slumped out of the Australian Open to Karolina Muchova on Saturday.
The annoyed sixth seed was out of kinds all through and fell 7-5, 7-5 in a single hour and 54 minutes within the all-Czech third-round conflict, ending her desires of a maiden Grand Slam title.
“I am positively comfortable to make it by means of in two units. We had been each nervous,” mentioned 24-year-old Muchova.

After Pliskova misplaced a decent first set, she took her frustration out on her racquet which price her a code violation.
She then walked into the gamers’ tunnel to inflict additional injury, however it was seen by an official who knowledgeable chair umpire Alison Hughes leading to a docked level for a second code violation.
“It is off court docket, I am allowed to do what I would like,” Pliskova pleaded.

“Not throughout a match, you may’t,” replied Hughes.
The incident appeared to spark Pliskova, who rattled off 5 consecutive video games earlier than inexplicably falling aside, and she or he was damaged twice on serve attempting to shut it out earlier than twenty fifth seed Muchova inflicted a 3rd break to finish the victory.
The match was the primary to be performed Saturday in an empty Rod Laver Enviornment throughout the first day of Melbourne’s snap five-day coronavirus lockdown, with no followers allowed and solely important employees on website.

Pliskova, 28, is thought to be top-of-the-line girls gamers by no means to have gained a Grand Slam match, having risen to world primary in July 2017.
Now ranked sixth, Pliskova made the semi-finals on the 2019 Australian Open, the place she misplaced in three units to eventual champion Naomi Osaka.
Muchova will play both eleventh seed Belinda Bencic or 18th seed Elise Mertens on Monday for a spot within the quarter-finals.