World set Ash Barty defeated Czech Petra Kvitova by 7–6, 6–2, thus earning revenge for the loss in last year’s quarterfinals.
The first set was a tough fight between two players who did not want to bid on any points, but on the other hand the audience offered great entertainment and excitement. The players broke each other's serve once each and in addition, Kvitova had eight chances to break Barty's serve, without success.
- I knew I had to play as well as I could today and the first set was absolutely crucial, says Barty in the victory interview immediately after the match.
Barty, who won the French Championship last year, is, with the victory, the first Australian in a semi-final in the home tournament since Lleyton Hewitt 2005, and the first on the women's side since Wendy Turnbull in 1984.
In the semi-finals she gets to take on 14-seeded Sofa Kenin. The Russian-born American defeated Tunisian Ons Jabeur by 6-4, 6-4 and is in his life's first semi-final in the grand slam context.
On the road to the quarterfinals, Jabeur defeated both twelfth-seeded Johanna Konta and Danish Caroline Wozniacki, and fought their way back several times in the match, but after an hour and a half Kenin was able to serve the duel home.
Now the last remaining Australian in the singles tournament awaits, and all the crowd pressure it entails.
- We have met a few times, so I have a pretty good look at how she plays. I look forward to the match, but now she plays at home so it will be a little different. But I've got some new fans here so I hope to get some support from the stands, says Kenin at the press conference after the match.