Brisbane 2019: Saturday's Order of Play and Match Points

MATCH POINTS

Naomi Osaka is yet to drop a set to Lesia Tsurenko in two meetings, having defeated the Ukrainian 6-4, 6-3 in the Irapuato ITF $25,000 semifinals in 2014 - and then again in last year's US Open quarterfinals 6-1, 6-1.

Karolina Pliskova leads the head-to-head against Donna Vekic 2-1. The Croat won their first meeting 6-1, 6-2 in the second round of US Open qualifying in 2012; since then, Pliskova has taken two victories by almost identical three-set scorelines, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the second round of Monterrey in 2014 and 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in last year's Tokyo semifinals.

Lesia Tsurenko is playing her third Premier-level semifinal, and second at this tournament, following Brisbane 2013 and Moscow 2015. A win over Osaka today would be the second Top 5 victory of her career, following her defeat of Caroline Wozniacki at the US Open last year.

2017 champion Karolina Pliskova has now reached at least the semifinals in Brisbane for three straight years.

Naomi Osaka has reached the semifinals of four of her past five tournaments dating back to the US Open last year, with her injury-marred WTA Finals campaign the only exception.

Donna Vekic will be gunning for a sixth career Top 10 win over Karolina Pliskova. Three of the Croat's previous five such victories have come within the past seven months.

ORDER OF PLAY

PAT RAFTER ARENA (starts 11am)
Nicole MELICHAR (USA) / Kveta PESCHKE (CZE) [3] vs CHAN Hao-Ching (TPE) / Latisha CHAN (TPE) [4]
Not before 1pm
Lesia TSURENKO (UKR) vs Naomi OSAKA (JPN) [2]
After 1 ATP match, not before 7pm
Donna VEKIC (CRO) vs Karolina PLISKOVA (CZE) [5]