WIMBLEDON 2018 LADIES TENNIS • PLISKOVA: DRAW IS NOT WIDE OPEN

Written by: Staff on 9th July 2018

WIMBLEDON 2018 LADIES TENNIS • PLISKOVA: DRAW IS NOT WIDE OPEN

epa06857709 Karolina Pliskova of Poland returns to Harriet Dart of Great Britain during their first round match during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 02 July 2018 EPA-EFE/SEAN DEMPSEY EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO COMMERCIAL SALES |

Karolina Pliskova of Poland returns to Harriet Dart of Great Britain during their first round match during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 02 July 2018 EPA-EFE/SEAN DEMPSEY

By Richard Pagliario

And then there were none.

A wildly unpredictable Wimbledon women’s draw continued as 20th-seeded Kiki Bertens beat the lone Top 10 seed standing, Karolina Pliskova, 6-3, 7-6 (1), to power into her first Wimbledon quarterfinal.

The seventh-seeded Czech, who struggles with the low ball, has failed to survive the fourth round in all seven career appearances at The Championships.

Though the women’s field is now devoid of Top 10 seeds, Pliskova shot down perception the draw is wide open.

The 2016 US Open finalist points to seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams and two-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber, the 2016 runner-up, as clear favorites.

“It’s not that there is free till the final,” Pliskova said. “You still have to beat the players. There is Kerber, there is Williams. I don’t think the draw is open, for sure.

“This was match which I maybe should have won, if I maybe play a little bit better I can win. It’s not that you get something for free. This is not what is disappointing. Disappointing is that I lost, but not the draw.”

Former world No. 1 Pliskova suggest 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko also has the power-based baseline game to go deep in this draw. The 12th-seeded Ostapenko faces former Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova for a semifinal spot.

“For sure she hits the ball very hard. Doesn’t matter which surface she is. I think she can play well,” Pliskova said. “Obviously on grass, I think this game, it can be very dangerous. I never played her on grass.”

Topics: 10sballs, Angelique Kerber, Grass tennis, Karolina Pliskova, Kiki Bertens, London, Serena Williams, Sports, Tennis, The Championships, Wimbledon 2018, Wimbledon Tennis, Wta