POWERS ON

Serbian overcomes injury scare to book fourth-round spot

NOVAK Djokovic battled with a lower back injury to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open yesterday. The six-time champion advanced with a clear-cut 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 win over Spanish 21st seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Margaret Court Arena.

But there was concern in the Serb’s camp when the former World No 1 sought a medical timeout early in the second set for treatment to his lower back.

Djokovic, looking for matches after six months out with right elbow trouble, will next face South Korea’s Chung Hyeon in today’s fourth round after he shocked Alexander Zverev.

The 58th-ranked Hyeon beat a top-five ranked opponent for the first time with his 5-7, 7-6 (7-3), 26, 6-3, 6-0 victory.

The injury was a fresh concern for the 12-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, whose ranking has slipped to 14 after an inactive second half of 2017.

But Djokovic was workmanlike as broke the Spaniard’s serve five times, although his errors outnumbered his winners 40-37.

“It was a straight sets win, but it was almost two-and-a-half hours, so it wasn’t that easy and comfortable on the court,” Djokovic said. “I knew coming into the match that he was a great fighter, he grinds it out and gets a lot of balls back.

“Obviously for me it’s taking it one match at a time but I have to be more humble with my expectations as I haven’t played in the last six months. But I am very pleased where my game is at.”

Maria Sharapova was sent crashing out of the Australian Open in a crushing defeat by Angelique Kerber as Simona Halep survived a titanic struggle to make the last 16.

With the temperatures a manageable 26 Celsius at Melbourne Park after two days of oven-like conditions, Maria was no match for the German, flopping 6-1, 6-3 in a battle of the former champions.

Maria and Angelique are both 30, former world number ones and the only two Australian Open winners left in the women’s draw, but there was only one player in it.

“This court is special for me and I was trying to enjoy every point,” Angelique said of Rod Laver Arena, where she beat Serena Williams in the 2016 final.

“I knew it would be tough,