Tennis-Angelique Kerber v Madison Keys
Jan 24 (Reuters) - A look at the records of German Angelique Kerber and American Madison Keys before their quarter-final at the Australian Open on Wednesday (prefix number denotes seeding).
21-ANGELIQUE KERBER
Age: 30
WTA ranking: 16 (Highest ranking: 1)
Grand slam titles: 2 (Australian Open 2016; U.S. Open 2016)
2017 Australian Open performance: Fourth round
Best Australian Open performance: Winner 2016
2018 Australian Open results:
First round: beat Anna-Lena Friedsam (Germany) 6-0 6-4
Second round: beat Donna Vekic (Croatia) 6-4 6-1
Third round: beat Maria Sharapova (Russia) 6-1 6-3
Fourth round: beat Hsieh Su-wei (Taiwan) 4-6 7-5 6-2
The former world number one is excelling in her quest to move on from a poor 2017 and remains unbeaten this year after charging to the Sydney International title. The 30-year-old has proved far too solid for her opponents at Melbourne Park, losing just one set to Hsieh in the fourth round.
The German is tipped to progress to the Australian Open semi-finals for a second time given her dominant run in this year's tournament and her previous record against American Keys.
17-MADISON KEYS
Age: 22
WTA ranking: 20 (Highest ranking: 7)
Grand slam titles: 0
2017 Australian Open performance: Did not play
Best Australian Open performance: Semi-finals 2015
2018 Australian Open results:
First round: beat Wang Qiang (China) 6-1 7-5
Second round: beat Ekaterina Alexandrova (Russia) 6-0 6-1
Third round: beat Ana Bogdan (Romania) 6-3 6-4
Fourth round: beat Caroline Garcia (France) 6-3 6-2
U.S. Open finalist Keys has surpassed expectations and is yet to drop a set at Melbourne Park, cruising to victories in the first three rounds before recording her most impressive win against French eigth-seed Caroline Garcia.
The 22-year-old has fallen to Kerber on six previous occasions, including at the 2013 Australian Open, but her strong form will raise her confidence levels against the German as she seeks to reach the semi-finals for the second time.
HEAD-TO-HEAD (Kerber 6 - Keys 1)
Oct. 2016 - Kerber d Keys 6-3 6-3 (WTA Finals, hard)
Aug. 2016 - Kerber d Keys 6-3 7-5 (Rio Olympics, hard)
March 2016 - Kerber d Keys 6-3 6-2 (Miami, hard)
Apr. 2015 - Kerber d Keys 6-2 4-6 7-5 (Charleston, clay)
June 2014 - Keys d Kerber 6-3 3-6 7-5 (Eastbourne, grass)
Jan. 2014 - Kerber d Keys 6-4 6-2 (Sydney, hard)
Jan. 2013 - Kerber d Keys 6-2 7-5 (Australian Open, hard) (Compiled by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru; Editing by John O'Brien)
