Rafa Nadal came through his first proper test to storm into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open yesterday but Maria Sharapova was ushered to the exit after a second big shock in as many days in the women’s draw.
Victoria Azarenka was left as the only top-three seed still standing in the last eight when Sharapova was scratched from the title race by Dominika Cibulkova, a day after Serena Williams had also tumbled out in the fourth round.
In the men’s draw, the “Big Four” look poised to scrap it out for yet another grand slam crown over the next week after Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray all won to join Novak Djokovic in the last eight.
Spaniard Nadal led the way with a 7-6 7-5 7-6 victory over Japan’s Kei Nishikori on Rod Laver Arena that was by no means as easy as the phrase “straight sets” would suggest.
The world number one had to contend with a blister on his hand, a tumble, a time violation at a crucial moment and his first losses of his serve in the tournament but, most of all, with some inspired shot-making from the Asian number one.
“I didn’t play bad today, but I didn’t play as good as I did two days ago,” Nadal said, reflecting on his brilliant performance in the third round against Gael Monfils.
While Nadal will meet Sharapova’s boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov for a place in the semi-finals, Federer and Murray’s quarter-final date ensures that at least one of the quartet of dominant men’s players will go home tomorrow.
Federer’s quickfire 6-3 7-5 6-4 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was the most impressive of the day, particularly given the French 10th seed had taken him to five sets in Melbourne and beaten him at Roland Garros last year.
Murray also looked to be racing to victory against Stephane Robert, the first lucky loser to reach the fourth round in Melbourne, but blew a couple of match points in the third set and was dragged into a tiebreak, which the Frenchman won 8-6.
The Wimbledon champion took out his frustrations on his a racket, changed his shirt and then whipped through the fourth set to record a 6-1 6-2 6-7 6-2 victory.
“I dominated 95 per cent of the match, and for 15 minutes didn’t close the match out,” said the fourth seed.
Like Murray, Sharapova missed the back end of last season because of injury and she admitted after her 3-6 6-4 6-1 defeat to Cibulkova that the tournament had probably come a little bit early for her.
“I certainly would have loved to play a little bit more before playing a grand slam, but this is the chance that I was given,” said the Russian third seed.
Azarenka was utterly dominant as she swept into the quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-2 victory over American Sloane Stephens that extended her winning streak at Melbourne Park to 18 matches.
Next up for Azarenka is fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat rising Spanish talent Garbine Muguruza 6-1 6-3 in the final match of the day.
Cibulkova’s reward for eliminating Sharapova is a meeting with Simona Halep, who beat eighth seed Jelena Jankovic 6-4 2-6 6-0 to reach her first grand slam quarter-final.
“There’s no pressure on me so I can just enjoy the quarter-finals,” Romanian Halep said.
“It’s my chance and I have to fight for it.”