A round-up of Friday’s men’s and women’s singles action from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
MEN’S SINGLES
Vintage Federer too good for Berdych
A rampaging Roger Federer delivered a stunning reminder of his class with a crushing 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 win over Tomas Berdych to storm into the fourth round.
Playing only his third tour match since coming back from a knee injury, Federer was expected to be tested by the hard-hitting Czech but he sent the 10th seed packing after a 90-minute masterclass at a floodlit Rod Laver Arena.
The 35-year-old Swiss, seeded 17th, had shown rust in his earlier matches but was in spellbinding touch with 40 winners, wrapping up the match with an imperious cross court backhand.
Federer will meet fifth seed Kei Nishikori for a place in the quarter-finals.
Evans run continues
Dan Evans continued his extraordinary run with a thrilling 7-5, 7-6(2), 7-6(3) victory over Bernard Tomic to give Britain two men in the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the first time in 16 years.
Evans, who upset seventh seed Marin Cilic in the second round, prevailed after two hours 48 minutes in a highly-charged atmosphere on Hisense Arena to end Australia’s interest in the men’s singles draw.
Evans only put together his first run of three consecutive wins at tour level when he reached the Sydney International final last week and matched that feat by simply refusing to take a backward step for anyone.
Ranked in the high 700s a couple of years ago but heading for the top 50 after reaching the last 16 of a grand slam for the first time, Evans was inspired from the moment he stepped on court until Tomic hit a forehand long to end the match.
Nishikori untroubled by Lacko
Kei Nishikori reached the fourth round with a convincing, straight-sets win over Lukas Lacko.
The fifth seed made it to the last 16 for the sixth straight year with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over the Slovak qualifier in two hours, 11 minutes.
Nishikori will next face his first big challenge against 17-time grand slam champion Roger Federer, brushed aside Czech 10th seed Tomas Berdych.
The Japanese is looking to improve on his three quarter-final appearances at the Australian Open, losing to Andy Murray in 2012, Stan Wawrinka in 2015 and Novak Djokovic last year.
Murray marches past Querrey
Andy Murray saw off giant-killer Sam Querrey as he ramped up his bid for a first Australian Open title after the shock departure of six-time champion Novak Djokovic.
On a cool day in Melbourne, the men’s No 1 hit a hot patch of form as the final rounds beckoned.
Murray will have watched from the sidelines as second seed Djokovic, his conqueror in four Melbourne finals, suffered a stunning defeat to world No 117 Denis Istomin on Thursday.
Querrey also upset Djokovic at Wimbledon last year but Murray, made a knight in Britain’s New Year honours, never looked like slipping on any banana skins.
He put Querrey away 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in just under two hours, winning 77 per cent of points on his first serve and facing only three break points in a clinical display.
Wawrinka grinds in out
Stan Wawrinka was not fully convincing in his four-set victory against Serbian Viktor Troicki but the fourth seed refused to fuss over the nature of his win after securing his place in the fourth round.
Wawrinka, 31, produced an error-ridden first set, then had two opportunities to serve out for the match in the fourth only to be broken by the 29th-seed, who also then saved a match point,
The Swiss then advanced with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(7) victory.
The US Open champion was not prepared to dwell on the issues he had in putting away the Serb, instead preferring to put the result in the win column and begin preparations for fourth round opponent Andreas Seppi.
“It doesn’t matter the way you’re playing, especially the beginning of a grand slam. It doesn’t change anything,” Wawrinka said.
“The goal is to win those matches. I don’t really care if I play really well, well, or OK. I want to win. I want to get through those matches. I want to go as far as possible.
“That’s what matters at the end of the day.”
WOMEN’S SINGLES
Williams waltzes on
Venus Williams ended Chinese hopes on Friday, swatting aside Duan Yingying to make the fourth round for a 10th time — and said she was still hungry for more.
The 13th seed was in a different league, defeating Duan 6-1, 6-0 on Margaret Court Arena and showing no signs of the elbow injury that forced her out of the doubles with sister Serena.
She will next play German qualifier Mona Barthel, who beat Australian hope Ashleigh Barty.
If she comes through that encounter, a potential quarter-final with fellow veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova looms.
“Oh, yay! It’s good. It’s never enough,” said Williams on still making her mark at grand slams.
“I’ve been in the fourth round before. I’ve tasted it before and it’s always a great feeling because it means I have an opportunity for the quarter-finals. That’s what I’m going to go for.”
Kerber crushes Pliskova
World No 1 Angelique Kerber says she is fired up for a last-16 clash with America’s Coco Vandeweghe after blowing away Kristyna Pliskova.
The German defending champion, who was taken to three sets in her opening two rounds, smashed hapless Czech Pliskova 6-0, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena as she finally got into her stride.
She now faces Vandeweghe, who ended the campaign of Canadian comeback queen Eugenie Bouchard 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
“It was not so easy today, she is a tough opponent who serves well and hits the ball strongly. I tried to stay focused until the last point,” Kerber said.
She watched some of the Vandeweghe-Bouchard match, which preceded hers, and said she would be ready for the American on Sunday.
“I think it will be a little bit similar to today, but of course, I mean, Coco is a tough opponent. She played good today,” she said.
Vandeweghe bounces Bouchard
Eugenie Bouchard cut a frustrated figure after she threw away a chance to reach the last 16, putting her comeback on hold.
The 22-year-old Canadian has returned to competitive form after a torrid period with injuries, but her promising run in Melbourne was halted by America’s Coco Vandeweghe.
Bouchard was a break up in the final set but she was broken back and then squandered four break points before losing 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
“It really sucks. Very disappointed, because I feel like I had so many chances, especially in that third set,” she said.
“You need to try to close out as many of these matches when you get those chances.”
Muguruza gains revenge
Garbine Muguruza gained revenge for a tough loss last year and a place in the last 16 with a comprehensive victory over Anastasija Sevastova.
The French Open champion was broken first up but she quickly recovered from the slow start to overwhelm the Latvian 6-4, 6-2 in 64 minutes on Margaret Court Arena.
The Spanish seventh seed was upset in round two of last year’s US Open by 33rd-ranked Sevastova and she was delighted to get her own back in Melbourne.
“I came knowing that the last time we played in a grand slam she beat me, so I was super-motivated,” Muguruza said. “I wanted revenge, so I think that helped.”
Muguruza, who has never gone beyond the Australian Open fourth round, next plays Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, who beat Alison Riske of the United States.
RESULTS
Men’s singles
Third round
Andy Murray (GBR x1) bt Sam Querrey (USA x31) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4
Mischa Zverev (GER) bt Malek Jaziri (TUN) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
Stan Wawrinka (SUI x4) bt Viktor Troicki (SRB x29) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (9/7)
Andreas Seppi (ITA) bt Steve Darcis (BEL) 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/2)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x12) bt Jack Sock (USA x23) 7-6 (7/4), 7-5, 6-7 (8/10), 6-3
Dan Evans (GBR) bt Bernard Tomic (AUS x27) 7-5, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/3)
Roger Federer (SUI x17) bt Tomas Berdych (CZE x10) 6-2, 6-4, 6-4
Kei Nishikori (JPN x5) bt Lukas Lacko (SVK) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
Women’s singles
Third round
Angelique Kerber (GER x1) bt Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) 6-0, 6-4
Coco Vandeweghe (USA) bt Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x24) bt Elina Svitolina (UKR x11) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x8) bt Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 6-4, 5-7, 9-7
Sorana Cirstea (ROM) bt Alison Riske (USA) 6-2, 7-6 (7/2)
Venus Williams (USA x13) bt Duan Yingying (CHN) 6-1, 6-0
Garbine Muguruza (ESP x7) bt Anastasija Sevastova (LAT x32) 6-4, 6-2
Mona Barthel (GER) bt Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
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