Australian Open: Karolina Muchova knocks out Ashleigh Barty to book semi-finals berth

Melbourne, February 17: Australian tennis player Ashleigh Barty bowed out of the ongoing Australian Open after facing a defeat at the hands of Czech Karolina Muchova on Wednesday.

Muchova defeated the local hero 6-1, 3-6, 2-6 in a match that lasted for 117 minutes on Rod Laver Arena. The win sends the 25th seed, Muchova into her first Grand Slam semifinal. Muchova didn't have a good start as she lost the first set and took a medical timeout in the second set having her temperature checked. But she made a remarkable comeback winning the last two sets 6-3, 6-2.

Earlier, American tennis player Serena Williams progressed to the semi-finals of the tournament. Serena defeated Romania's Simona Halep 6-3, 6-3 in the quarter-finals at the Rod Laver Arena and as a result, the American has her dream intact of registering her 24th Grand Slam win.