No. 8 seed Karolina Pliskova successfully navigated her way back to the quarterfinals at the US Open for her third consecutive year. However, a changing of the guard may help the Ace Queen return to 2016 US Open final glory.
Pliskova started the tournament far from in peak form. The Czech’s typical strong service game became troublesome. In the first round against Zarina Diyas, she thumped eight double faults while being broken four times.
The 26-year-old is quietly picking up steam at the right time, not allowing Ashleigh Barty to win a break point in their Round-of-16 match. In a tournament with only three of the Top 10 seeds left standing, the road for those at the top of the game is never smooth.
"I’m not playing the best tennis this year, but somehow on the Grand Slam, I was just able to find, you know, my mentality was working," Pliskova said. "So that's why I win a lot of those matches which are not great, not easy. I'm just able to beat those girls and just to go through somehow."
Back in August, Pliskova decided change was on the horizon and hired four-time Grand Slam doubles champion Rennae Stubbs as her new coach. When Stubbs’ previous TV commentating commitments kept her away from Pliskova, the Australian called up Conchita Martinez, the 1994 Wimbledon champion to help fill the gap. Martinez, who famously guided Garbiñe Muguruza to Wimbledon glory earlier this summer, may be the boost Pliskova needs to lift the trophy.
“I beat players which I should have beat, so it's nothing amazing. It's very nice to be always in the second week of a Grand Slam. Doesn't matter who you beat or doesn't matter who you play.”
With the Spanish legend in her corner for the fortnight, Pliskova acquired another voice of positivity. The short-term link-up seems to be putting the Czech on the right track. the No. 8 seed is flying high and now it is time for the real work to begin. The newly reignited sense of self-assurance sends a massive warning call to the rest of the field.
“[I am] super confident,” Pliskova said. “I beat players which I should have beat, so it's nothing amazing. It's very nice to be always in the second week of a Grand Slam. Doesn't matter who you beat or doesn't matter who you play.”
Coaching changes are not the only major shift in Pliskova’s life. After Wimbledon, the Czech star wed her fiancé, Michal Hrdlicka. Hoisting her first Grand Slam title here in New York would make for a nice belated wedding gift.
Yet the Czech’s toughest challenge lies directly ahead. A top-billing showdown destined for Arthur Ashe Stadium against 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams sits on the horizon. Pliskova is not shying away from perhaps the biggest challenge in tennis.
“It will be, for me, a dream to play again on Arthur Ashe, for sure, and to play Serena, because obviously last match we played, I won.
"That will be a match I want to repeat on Arthur Ashe (where we played in 2016).”
Whether or not Pliskova can pull off a repeat performance on tennis’ grandest stage remains to be seen. Win or lose, Pliskova can hold her head high.
