Back to the Tennis Newsfeed

Serena Williams knocked out of Australian Open by Karolina Pliskova after holding match points

Serena Williams missed four match points before succumbing to Czech seventh seed Karolina Pliskova in a dramatic Australian Open quarter-final.

Williams led 5-1 in the final set but lost the last six games as her bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title ended with a 6-4 4-6 7-5 defeat.

Pliskova took victory on her third match point in Melbourne.

The 26-year-old will meet Japan's Naomi Osaka in Thursday's semi-finals.

Williams' inability to seal victory means a highly anticipated rematch of her controversial US Open final defeat by Osaka must wait.

Like Osaka, Pliskova will be playing in the last four here for the first time.