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Caroline Wozniacki might have feared becoming the fourth favourite in a row to lose in Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday but the world No 2 held firm in the last match of the day to avoid suffering the same fate as Elina Svitolina , Grigor Dimitrov and Rafael Nadal.
Wozniacki and Carla Suarez Navarro did not get on court until well past 11pm after a day of shocks on the main show court at the Australian Open – Svitolina fell to Elise Mertens, Dimitrov to Kyle Edmund and Nadal to Marin Cilic – and finally wrapped up the day’s play shortly before 1.40am.
Despite Suarez Navarro’s spirited fightback in the second set, Wozniacki won 6-2 6-7 6-2 to secure a semi-final meeting with Mertens, who is making her debut here. Wozniacki is seeking her first Grand Slam title.
Australian Open - in picturesShow all 64 1 /64Australian Open - in pictures Australian Open - in pictures Day 1 A general view as Roger Federer plays in his first round match against Aljaz Bedene
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 1 Kyle Edmund celebrates his first round victory over Kevin Anderson at the Australian Open
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 1 Venus Williams suffered a surprise defeat against Berlina Bencic.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 1 Rafa Nadal cruised into the second round with a straight sets victory over Victor Estrella Burgos.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 1 Heather Watson crashed out of the Australian Open after defeat by Yulia Putintseva.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 2 Johanna Konta beat Madison Brengle in the first round.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 2 Juan Martin del Potro reacts after beating Frances Tiafoe
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 2 Roger Federer waves to the crowd as he walks onto Rod Laver Arena
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 2 Will Federer watches on during the second day
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 2 Petra Kvitova reacts after losing a point against Germany's Andrea Petkovic
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 2 Garbine Muguruza celebrates after victory against Jessika Ponchet
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 2 Dominic Thiem beat Argentina's Guido Pella to progress to the second round
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 2 Maria Sharapova in action against Tatjana Maria
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 2 Ashleigh Barty celebrates winning her first round match against Aryna Sabalenka
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 3 Robson plans on spending most of the European winter in Australia
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 3 Kyle Edmund defeated Denis Istomin in straight sets to reach the Australian Open third round
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 4 Johanna Konta crashed out in the second round
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 4 Konta blamed match fitness for the loss
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 4 It completes a hat-trick of surprise defeats for world no 10
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 4 Bernarda Pera will progress to the third round
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 4 Djokovic called the conditions 'brutal'
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 4 Monfils said he was struggling to breathe
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 4 Federer is one of the favourites for the tournament
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 5 Kyle Edmund celebrates his third round victory over Nikoloz Basilashvili
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 6 Second seed Caroline Wozniacki beat Magdalena Rybarikova in straight sets
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 6 Novak Djokovic is through to the next round despite an injury scare
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 7 Kyle Edmund is through to the Australian Open quarter-finals after beating Andreas Seppi
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 7 Andreas Seppi has no answer for Edmund's dominant serves and forehands
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 7 Nadal beat Schwartzman 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 7 Nadal faces Cilic in the last eight
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 7 Grigor Dimitrov beat Nick Kyrgios to set up a quarter-final against Edmund
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 7 Caroline Wozniacki celebrates her victory over Magdalena Rybarikova to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 7 Wozniacki pulled off a 'tweener' during the match
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 8 Angelique Kerber beat Su-Wei Hsieh to reach the last eight of the Australian Open
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 8 Hyeon Chung celebrates his shock victory over Novak Djokovic
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 8 Novak Djokovic's struggles with his long-standing elbow hindered his performance in Monday's defeat
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 8 Simona Halep, the world No 1, had too much experience for 20-year-old Naomi Osaka
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 8 Madison Keys prepares for a Caroline Garcia serve
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 8 The world No 1 signs autographs for fans after reaching the quarter-finals
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 8 Karolina Pliskova beat her fellow Czech Barbora Strycova 6-7 (7-5), 6-3, 6-2
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 9 Kyle Edmund was in quarter-final action against Grigor Dimitrov...
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 9 ... and dispatched him in four sets
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 9 Edmund won 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-4
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 9 Edmund will be British No 1 if he wins in the semi-finals
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 9 Marin Cilic beat Rafa Nadal to take the other semi-final place against Edmund
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 9 Nadal was treated on court for a hip or thigh injury
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 9 Nadal cut a frustrated figure
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 9 The No 1 seed was favourite to win in Melbourne
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 10 Roger Federer eased past Thomas Berdych to reach the semi-finals.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 10 Tennys Sandgren was knocked out of the men's singles by Hyeon Chung.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 10 Angelique Kerber reached the last four with a victory over Madison Keys.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 10 Kerber set up a clash with Simona Halep after the Romanian beat Karolina Pliskova.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 11 Kyle Edmund was knocked out of the Australian Open by Marin Cilic in the semi-finals.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 11 Edmund congratulates Cilic after their semi-final clash.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 11 Edmund leaves the arena after his semi-final defeat.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 13 Caroline Wozniacki and Simona Halep pose ahead of the women's final.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 13 Halep was looking to win her first Grand Slam title.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 13 Caroline Wozniacki celebrates winning the women's final.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 13 Wozniacki parades the Australian Open trophy after her victory.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 13 Wozniacki parades the Australian Open trophy after her victory.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 13 Wozniacki poses with the Australian Open trophy after her victory.
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 14 Roger Federer celebrates winning his 20th Grand Slam with victory in the Australian Open final
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 14 A fan celebrates Roger Federer's 20th Grand Slam success
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Australian Open - in pictures Day 14 Roger Federer has become the first man to win 20 Grand Slam titles
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“I knew it wasn't going to be that easy,” Wozniacki said after emulating her feat of reaching the last four here in 2011. “In the second set I had the chance to close it out, so I was disappointed I didn't do that. I'm just proud that I managed to stay cool and finish it off in the third set.”
Mertens maintained Belgium’s modern tradition of success in women’s tennis by beating Svitolina 6-4, 6-0. The world No 37 trains at Kim Clijsters’ academy in the former world No 1’s home town of Bree.
Twelve months ago Mertens was not ranked high enough to earn a place in the main draw. Before she started this tournament she had never gone beyond the third round at a Grand Slam event. On the strength of her run here she is set to break into the world’s top 20 next week.
“I'm without words, I don't know what to say,” the 22-year-old said after completing her victory in just 73 minutes.
Svitolina was suffering with a hip injury. “Physically it was very tough for me,” she said afterwards. “Going into the tournament, I had a few issues with my health. She didn't give me opportunities. All the credit to her, because she played really good tennis.”
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