Ash Barty's quest for a second Grand Slam title continues after a two-set Australian Open quarter-final win over Petra Kvitova at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday afternoon.
In their sixth match in just over a year - and second consecutive Australian Open quarter-final meeting - Barty earned a 7-6(6) 6-2 win to advance to the final four of her home slam for the first time.
Barty took a marathon first set in a tiebreak, before quickly going up two breaks in the second.
The end came shortly after, with the Australian world number one serving for the match and becoming the first Australian singles player to make the AO semis since Lleyton Hewitt in 2005.
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Barty will play Sofia Kenin in the semi-finals after the American earned a 6-4 6-4 win over surprise package Ons Jabeur from Tunisia.
Barty has won four of the five matches she's played against Kenin, including a 6-3 3-6 6-0 third round win on the way to claiming her debut major at the French Open last year.
Kenin's solitary win was a shock three-set victory at the Rogers Cup in Toronto last August. The result came shortly after Barty's fourth round Wimbledon exit and saw her momentarily drop from the number one ranking.
In one of the most intriguing on-court rivalries on the WTA Tour, Barty and Kvitova were locked 3-3 from their six previous matches going back to 2017.
Last year alone, they played five times, with Kvitova winning the final of the Sydney International and the Australian Open, before Barty came back to win in Miami, Wuhan and during the WTA Finals.
It was a nervy opening set at Melbourne Park on Tuesday afternoon, with the hard-hitting Kvitova breaking to love in Barty's second service game of the afternoon.
Not to be outdone, the Aussie broke straight back before managing to hold a 10 minute service game as the left-handed Kvitova attacked on every return.
That lefty forehand!
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2020
Did you know @Petra_Kvitova has been seeded at the past 36 Grand Slams she's contested, dating back to the 2010 US Open? #AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/Mtm3kiZDoE
Kvitova had plenty of chances to take the advantage in the first set, but couldn't convert any of the next eight breakpoints she had.
As the opening frame stretched over the hour mark and into a tiebreak, Kvitova again went ahead - going up an early minibreak - before double faulting while serving for the set.
Another double followed before Barty won a 14-shot rally to take the set.
"I knew that I had to bring my absolute best today against Petra and that first set was so crucial," Barty said afterwards.
"I just want to try and make the most of it and make a quick start in the second."
She carried that momentum into the second set, converting two breakpoint opportunities for a 4-0 lead.
Kvitova, who made the final at Melbourne Park in 2019, broke back once, but yet another double fault made her comeback shortlived.
Barty faced down two breakpoints while serving for the match, but held her nerve to take the second set 6-2.