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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 23: Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia celebrates winning her fourth round match against Jennifer Brady of the United States on day eight of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 23, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

After an exchange of service breaks in the third set, Pliskova took a 4-3 lead and Lucic-Baroni had a medical timeout for what appeared to be a leg problem.

She won the next nine points and served out.

Lucic-Baroni will play the winner of the later quarterfinal between Serena Williams and Johanna Konta.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 16: John Isner of the USA plays a forehand during his first round match against Konstantin Kravchuk of Russia on day one of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 16, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images)

The United States will be without the Bryan brothers, who announced recently they were retiring from Davis Cup competition.

The best-of-five series in the first round will be played on an indoor hard court Feb. 3-5 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Rosters were announced Tuesday, and Switzerland’s team will be Marco Chiudinelli, Henri Laaksonen, Adrien Bossel and Antione Bellier.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 24: International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees (Flink second from the right) pose for a group photo on Rod Laver Arena on day nine of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 24, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

The IITHF Class of 2017 was announced this week in Melbourne on Rod Laver Arena, where the new class was welcomed by more than twenty Hall of Famers.

ITHF CEO and former world No. 4 Todd Martin was on hand to welcome the new class.

“The ITHF is charged with preserving and promoting the history of the sport and celebrating tennis’ greatest champions – this group that we have right behind me. We are very fortunate to look at this group and understand that these individuals have made history that we all relish. They’ve inspired the generations that followed them,” remarked ITHF CEO Todd Martin.

Former No. 1s Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters are among the 2017 inductees.

Looking Back: A Day in the Life

My Tennis Channel day: as early as 6:00 a.m., our team is preparing for a bright, shining day of tennis – precisely up to the minute with scores of the prior day’s matches, previews of what’s to come, features of notable personalities.  By 8:30, it’s time to meet with Martina Navratilova and talk about what’s to be discussed on our morning pre-game show.  Call it the uber-contemporary, a veritable 787 flying across the televised tennis skies.

(from left to right: Aussie legend Frank Sedgman, producer Andrew Romero, story editor Joel Drucker, Tennis Channel CEO Ken Solomon)

Then, back to the days when Australians trekked to Wimbledon in a ship.  In a small room located in between Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena, several of us – producer Andrew Romero, myself and Tennis Channel CEO Ken Solomon – get up close with a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Australian icon Frank Sedgman.  Number one in the world in 1951-’52, “Sedg” was the first of the great Aussies who kicked off this nation’s 25-year run at the top of the game.  A superb volleyer, Sedgman was also extremely fit and strong, the latter the result of being likely the first tennis player to rigorously lift weights.

After Sedgman, back into the Tennis Channel booth with Navratilova, Paul Annacone and Bill Macatee, to see the arrival of the future.  Coco Vandeweghe, long a promising American from San Diego, blossomed with a vengeance as she took out reigning French Open champ Garbine Muguruza, 6-4, 6-0 in a match that wasn’t as close as the score would indicate.  Having also beaten world number one Angelique Kerber, Vandeweghe has in consecutive rounds taken out the winners of three of the last four majors.

Injuries, illness and advancing age can do that to the best of athletes, even 17-time major champion Federer and seven-time Grand Slam singles winner Williams, who has overcome an energy-sapping illness and is playing some of her best tennis since being diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome in 2011.

“I have a lot to give, I have a lot to give to the game. I feel like I have a lot of great tennis in me,” Williams said when asked why she didn’t retire when diagnosed with the illness that also causes joint pain.

“So anytime you feel that way, you continue. It’s just the excitement of having the opportunity to compete at my best level.”

The 36-year-old Williams beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Tuesday, becoming the oldest player to reach the semifinals at Melbourne Park in the Open era. She’ll next play CoCo Vandeweghe, an American who beat French Open champion Garbine Muguruza 6-4, 6-0 in Tuesday’s other quarterfinal match.

It was a long time coming for Williams, who reached her 21st Grand Slam semifinal but her first at the Australian Open in 14 years.

“Just because of the longevity of her career, it’s impossible for me not to grow up not seeing her play,” the 25-year-old Konta said of Williams, who is 10 years older.

Konta and Williams play their afternoon match Wednesday at Rod Laver Arena.

Williams said she knows Konta’s game “pretty well… she’s been playing really well, has an attacking game.”

Konta said she felt Williams concentrates more on her own preparation than her opposition.

“I don’t necessarily think that Serena Williams possibly gets too worried,” Konta said. “Just the amount of experience she has, I’m sure she’s got her system and her method for preparing for every match, regardless who she plays, and I’m sure she’s going to be applying that method against me.”

CoCo Vandeweghe advanced to her first major semifinal, anywhere, beating Grand Slam winners in back-to-back rounds. The one sure outcome when they meet this week will be an American in the final at Melbourne Park.

The 36-year-old Williams beat No. 24-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Tuesday, becoming the oldest player to reach the Australian Open women’s semifinals in the Open era.

She’ll be meeting a confident Vandeweghe, who dictated play against French Open champion Garbine Muguruza in a 6-4, 6-0 quarterfinal win.

The No. 35-ranked Vandeweghe upset top-ranked Angelique Kerber, who won the Australian and U.S. titles last year, in the fourth round. She followed it up with another commanding win, the 10th in her career against a Top 10 player.

Vandeweghe saved the only break point she faced in the first set with an ace, and only conceded 10 points in the 28-minute second set. Of her 31 winners, 14 were from her powerful forehand side.

The 36-year-old Williams beat No. 24-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Tuesday, becoming the oldest player to reach the Australian Open women’s semifinals in the Open era.

She’ll be meeting a confident Vandeweghe, who dictated play against French Open champion Garbine Muguruza in a 6-4, 6-0 quarterfinal win.

The No. 35-ranked Vandeweghe upset top-ranked Angelique Kerber, who won the Australian and U.S. titles last year, in the fourth round. She followed it up with another commanding win, the 10th in her career against a Top 10 player.

Vandeweghe saved the only break point she faced in the first set with an ace, and only conceded 10 points in the 28-minute second set. Of her 31 winners, 14 were from her powerful forehand side.

“Once I got rolling in the second, it was like a freight train,” she said, “You couldn’t stop it.”

Watch Zverev’s TenniStory:

Pat Cash takes Mary Carillo to teach her about Aussie Rules football in today’s edition of Mary in Melbourne:

United States' Venus Williams celebrates after defeating Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova during their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

She is the oldest woman to advance this far at the Australian Open during the Open era.

Williams was behind a service break in the opening set but broke the Russian’s serve twice in three games, including when Pavlyuchenkova was serving to stay in the set. Williams had three set points and clinched the set on a backhand service return.

Pavlyuchenkova double-faulted twice during the tiebreaker – including on match point – among nine during the match as Williams won six consecutive points after trailing 3-1.

The 2017 Australian Open has been incredibly refreshing.  Faster conditions – balls, surface – have tipped the tide more towards offense.  Such defense-oriented players as world number one Andy Murray, as well as defending champs Novak Djokovic and Angelique Kerber, have been eliminated.  Offense is carrying the day, somewhat more than it has in recent Grand Slam events.  So it’s no wonder that such aggressive-minded veterans as Roger Federer – playing his first tournament since Wimbledon – and Venus Williams are marching through the draw.  It’s plausible now to imagine these two finals: Venus-Serena, Federer-Nadal – a quartet and convergence of legends that last happened at Wimbledon, way back in 2008.

Matches of Intrigue

Coco Vandeweghe vs. Garbine Muguruza

Two slashing, streaky and powerful players tee it up in a match of wide potential.  The hopeful scenario is that it’s a true heavyweight battle.  Each can strike boldly and push the other into corners.  The fear is that the nonstop offense each favors will trigger many odd shot selection decisions and a flurry of first-strike, staccato rallies and a big platter of unforced errors.  Vandeweghe has shown both tenacity and maturity.  Her serve – particularly when she kicks it – could be the portal to disrupting Muguruza.

Watch Australian Open on Tennis Channel

The No.2-seeded Williams was first up in the day session on Rod Laver Arena and faced a stern test from No.16-seeded Barbora Strycova, finding herself down a break at 4-3 in the opening set after dropping three of her first four service games, something she hadn’t done since the Olympics.

But she broke back, squeaked out the set, stormed out to a 5-2 lead in the second set and – after Strycova snuck one last break in – closed it out after an hour and 46 grueling minutes, 7-5 6-4.

“Yeah, I feel like it was really good for me to win on probably not my best day, which is always good, because sometimes you rely on one shot and if it goes off, and then, like, what happens now?” she said. “It was really good for me to almost lose so that I know my other game is going pretty well, too.”

Through to the Australian Open quarterfinals for the 11th time in her illustrious career, Williams will next face No.9 seed and 2016 Australian Open semifinalist Johanna Konta, who battled back from 4-1 down in the second set to move past No.30 seed Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets, 6-1 6-4.

After Djokovic’s shock loss to Istomin in round two Murray has now followed him after losing 5-7, 7-5, 2-6, 4-6 to world number 50 Mischa Zverev in the fourth round. Another huge upset!

Murray has historically suffered quite a few upsets in slams but because of his recent rich run of form and ascendancy to the top of the world rankings, I’m not sure which is the bigger upset between him and Djokovic.

Zverev’s best previous result at a slam was at Wimbledon in 2008 when he made the third round after the withdrawal of 28th seed Ferrero. And now he is in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open where he will play Federer.

This is turning into quite a story because Zverev was top 50 at one point after which he fell all the way to #1067 in the rankings due to injury. I think he was on the verge of quitting and now he is back up to a career high #35.

Mischa’s DONE IT! #Zverev knocks out #Murray in four sets! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/q3Eu5wG1lm

Federer has 17 Grand Slam singles titles but is playing in his first official tournament in six months after a left knee injury layoff. The 50th-ranked Zverev had a four-set upset victory over top-ranked Andy Murray in the fourth round, a result the 29-year-old lefthander called the best of his career during his post-match media conference .

The 35-year-old Federer looked flawless in beating Tomas Berdych in the third round and then defeated fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori in the fourth round in five tough sets.

“It’s going to be completely different to the last couple, it’s probably going to be more similar to (Jurgen) Melzer in the first round, which is good that I played him,” Federer said. “I have a lefty in me this tournament already. I’m going to practice with a lefty as well again, just to get ready for that.”

Federer, who has beaten Zverev twice in two meetings – the first was on clay in 2009 and the second at Halle on grass in 2013 (6-0, 6-0) – figures it will be a whole new Zverev across the net at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday night.

“Obviously he’s on a high right now. He’s feeling great. Probably feels the best he’s ever felt on a tennis court,” said Federer.

Williams knuckled down and just scrapped her way to a 7-5, 6-4 win over No. 16-seeded Barbora Strycova on Monday to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the 11th time.

Despite four service breaks – two in the first four games – and 46 unforced errors, and with the fluky net cord and the off-balance, scrunched-shouldered backhand that bounced flatly and clinched her the first set on her eighth set point, she ground down Strycova.

“It’s good to know I have a Plan B, or Option 2. I wasn’t serving my greatest today, also she was putting a lot of returns in there,” said Williams, who had a first-serve percentage of 45, and made four double-faults. “I feel like it was really good for me to win on probably not my best day, which is always good, because sometimes you rely on one shot and if it goes off, and then, like, what happens now?

“It was really good for me to almost lose that so I know my other game is going pretty good, too.”

That keeps Williams on track in her bid for an Open-era record 23rd Grand Slam title. If she gets there, the 35-year-old American will regain the No. 1 ranking as well from Angelique Kerber.

Britain's Johanna Konta celebrates her win over Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Konta defeated the Russian 6-1, 6-4. She will next face Williams, who defeated Barbora Strycova earlier. This will be their first meeting.

More to come…

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 23: Serena Williams of the United States plays a backhand in her fourth round match against Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic on day eight of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 23, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Williams is attempting to win her Open era-record 23 Grand Slam singles title, her seventh Australian Open championship and, with top-ranked Angelique Kerber’s fourth-round loss, a return to the No. 1 ranking.

She had 23 unforced errors in the first set and needed eight set points to clinch it. There were seven breaks of serve in the set, including the first four games.

On the final point of the set a backhand by Williams bounced flatly on Strycova’s side of the court. The Czech player couldn’t pick it up and Williams had the first set in 55 minutes.

Germany's Mischa Zverev celebrates after defeating Britain's Andy Murray during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Watch Serena Williams v Barbora Strycova match LIVE on Tennis Channel

Look Back

Vexed as Judy Murray must have been by her son Andy’s loss yesterday, she’s also aware that the man who won that match, Mischa Zverev, ticked the boxes on all three of her fundamental teaching principles: make trouble, avoid trouble, get out of trouble.  To say Zverev disrupted Murray is an understatement.  Well aware that trying to win baseline rallies would end up in him being waterboarded, Zverev went on the attack. On his serve, old school serve-volley, right from the book authored by the likes of my Tennis Channel colleague Martina Navratilova.  If not quite as technically sound as such serve-volley southpaw maestros as Martina, Rod Laver, John McEnroe or Tony Roche, Zverev’s athleticism, focus and, most of all, sheer commitment to the tactic carried him forward.  At the receiving end, Zverev hung in rallies just long enough to maintain peaceful neutrality, deploying slice backhands, oddly shape forehands and, when he saw his opportunity, approach shots.  It also helped that in the third set, Zverev made just one unforced error.

A big lesson for players, teachers, parents and fans was to see Zverev turn contemporary tennis on its head.  The prevalent playing style of recent times – though tweaked in subtle ways — has been a form of forceful defense, grinding baseline tennis best played by the likes of Murray, Novak Djokovic, Kei Nishikori and others.  Everything from technique and tactics to equipment has created this dominant mode.  Fascinating to see what the Zverev brothers have done.  Younger Alexander, with his powerful groundstrokes, plays the game of tomorrow.  His older brother plays the game of yesterday.  Why not try and bring them all together?