Serena Williams: "Lockdown from tomorrow? Better this way"

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Serena Williams' problem at Melbourne Park third round of the Australain Open 2021 last a little over a set. Back from 6-1 6-1 against Laura Siegemund and from 6-3 6-0 against Nina Stojanovic, the twenty-three-time Grand Slam champion lets herself be dragged to the tie break by the Russian Anastasija Potapova.

Slow in lateral displacements (and above all in finding support) the American traces the difference with the service and spreads in the second. You fixing the success at 7-6 (5) 6-2. Here: with Aryna Sabalenka the dynamics could change completely.

The Belarusian tennis player, who among other things has also won eighteen of the last nineteen games played, against Ann Li has respected the script without particular difficulties. On the other hand, the final 6-3 6-1 is an example.

In the press conference, the American talked about the match, but also the lockdown which will start in Melbourne. She said: "I was a little tense in the first set, but then I was able to play more freely. The new lockdown that will force the tournament to take place behind closed doors until Wednesday? I actually only knew after the match, and it's probably for the best.

It will be tough, but I hope we can get through this too."

The other women's matches of the 5th day

An eighth between Naomi Osaka and Garbine Muguruza doesn't happen every day. There are five Grand Slams in the bag. The Japanese reached the minimum goal in Australia by getting rid of Ons Jabeur in two sets, while the Spanish left two games on the road against Zarina Diyas.

In short, everything as planned. Also worth noting is the success of Simona Halep, the second force in seeding, who despite some flaws in the heart of the second set archives the practice Veronika Kudermetova with a certain tranquility.

The 6-1 6-3 final tells all the hows and all the whys. Sara Errani was so far from the fourth round finish. Suffice it to say that on three occasions she has been within a point of match point. The Bolognese tennis player - fresh from qualifying - after three hours of battle, however, was unable to break down the resistance of Su Wei Hsieh.

She is back from the victory against Bianca Andreescu and simplistically more lucid in times of need. Errani lost among other things a first set dominated up to 5-3 and a third in which, after missing the ball for 5-2, she practically won “only” ten of the last twenty-eight points available. At the threshold of three hours of play, the 6-4 2-6 7-5 that appears on the board has a bitter taste.