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Reuters
MELBOURNE
Simona Halep's powers of recovery will be put to the test on day eight of the Australian Open on Monday when the world number one meets Japan's Naomi Osaka in a tricky fourth round clash.
Two days after spending three hours and 45 minutes to get past American Lauren Davis in the third round, the top seed will be out on Margaret Court Arena attempting to reach the quarter-finals for the third time.
Halep was already carrying an ankle injury from her second round match and the 20-year-old Osaka, who took her to three sets in both their previous meetings, possesses just the sort of power game that can cause her problems. Factbox
"The ankle's sore, it's not recovered," Halep said after the Davis marathon.
"Osaka is hitting strong, so strong. I have to be strong, if I can, on my legs, and just stay there, playing fast, opening the court, as I do all the time."
Madison Keys takes on eighth seed Caroline Garcia in the first match of the day on Rod Laver Arena, while Barbora Strycova and Karolina Pliskova, who fell out over a coach last year, meet in an all-Czech grudge match to close the day.
MELBOURNE
Simona Halep's powers of recovery will be put to the test on day eight of the Australian Open on Monday when the world number one meets Japan's Naomi Osaka in a tricky fourth round clash.
Two days after spending three hours and 45 minutes to get past American Lauren Davis in the third round, the top seed will be out on Margaret Court Arena attempting to reach the quarter-finals for the third time.
Halep was already carrying an ankle injury from her second round match and the 20-year-old Osaka, who took her to three sets in both their previous meetings, possesses just the sort of power game that can cause her problems. Factbox
"The ankle's sore, it's not recovered," Halep said after the Davis marathon.
"Osaka is hitting strong, so strong. I have to be strong, if I can, on my legs, and just stay there, playing fast, opening the court, as I do all the time."
Madison Keys takes on eighth seed Caroline Garcia in the first match of the day on Rod Laver Arena, while Barbora Strycova and Karolina Pliskova, who fell out over a coach last year, meet in an all-Czech grudge match to close the day.
