Dimitrov defeats Kyrgios in thriller
MELBOURNE, (Reuters) - Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov held his nerve to knock home favourite Nick Kyrgios out of the Australian Open in a fourth-round thriller at the Rod Laver Arena yesterday.
Third seed Dimitrov absorbed 76 winners and struck 64 of his own to prevail 7-6(3) 7-6(4) 4-6 76(4) and set up a quarterfinal with unseeded Briton Kyle Edmund who beat Italian Andreas Seppi 67(4) 7-5 6-2 6-3.
Top seed Rafa Nadal was rattled by a feisty challenge from Diego Schwartzman but fought back strongly to move past the diminutive Argentine 6-3 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3.
The 16-times grand slam champion, who was broken three times as he lost the third set, responded with grit to claim the win on the third match point with a rocketed backhand return.
Victory ensured that Nadal will retain his world number one ranking as he set up a meeting with sixth seed and former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic for a place in the semi-finals.
Cilic earlier ground down Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 6-7(2) 6-3 7-6(0) 7-6(3) at the Margaret Court Arena.
Second seed Caroline Wozniacki needed a shade over an hour to thrash Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3 6-0 and advance to the quarterfinals. The Dane next meets Carla Suarez Navarro who beat Estonian Anett Kontaveit 4-6 6-4 86.
Belgium’s Elise Mertens progressed to her maiden grand slam quarter-finals in her first appearance in the Australian Open main draw, beating Croatian Petra Martic 7-6(5) 7-5.
Her opponent in the next round, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, firmed as a strong contender for the title with a flawless 6-3 6-0 victory over Czech qualifier Denisa Allertova in the early hours of Monday morning.
Fourth seed Elina Svitolina dropped just three games before powering past Czech qualifier Denisa Allertova 6-3 6-0 and into the quarter-finals where she will meet Belgium’s Elise Mertens.
Asked about being one of the title contenders at Melbourne Park, Svitolina said: “It’s more pressure but it also gives you extra confidence.”
Briton Kyle Edmund reached his first grand slam quarter-finals with a 6-7(4) 7-5 6-2 6-3 win over Italian Andreas Seppi.
“It was a close first set and I didn’t feel I got the best start. He (Seppi) was hitting the ball very clean,” Edmund said in an oncourt interview.
“In the second set I tried to shift the momentum and once I broke him in the last game of the second set I took control of the match.
“He plays very well here. He has reached the fourth round a few times and is playing very well but so was I. Through to my first quarter-final - I am very happy.”
Belgium’s Elise Mertens reached her maiden grand slam quarter-finals with a 7-6(5) 7-5 victory over Petra Martic of Croatia.
Sixth seed Cilic recorded his 100th grand slam match win, beating Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 6-7(2) 6-3 7-6(0) 76(3) in the fourth round.
He reached his 11th grand slam quarter-final, tying Goran Ivanisevic for most quarter-final appearances at majors by a Croatian man.
“It’s beautiful to hear them (milestones). I had my 300th career win at U.S. Open 2014... and I hope I can continue to win three more here,” Cilic, who lifted the 2014 U.S. Open title, said in an oncourt interview.
World number two Caroline Wozniacki needed just over an hour to beat Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3 6-0 in the fourth round.
The Dane will next face Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro in the quarterfinals.
Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro has reached the Australian Open quarterfinals for the third time, battling past 32nd seed Estonian Anett Kontaveit 4-6 6-4 8-6.