FEDERER ON WAY TO GRAND SLAM RECORD
Wozniacki in bid to defend Australian title
Roger Federer ground out a tough three-set win to make the Australian Open third round for an incredible 20th straight year Thursday and stay on track for a seventh title, with defending champion Caroline Wozniacki also safely through.
On an overcast day at Melbourne Park, former US Open champion and fifth seeded Sloane Stephens joined the big guns in progressing, but the women’s side also saw a top 10 player crash.
Ninth seed Kiki Bertens, who raced through the rankings last year after winning three titles, was whipped in three sets by Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Federer might be 37 but he’s not showing his age, with British qualifier Dan Evans the latest to fall under his spell as he works towards a third successive Australian crown and 21st major victory.
He defeated Evans at Wimbledon last year with the loss of just eight games, but it was a much harder assignment this time, winning 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 at Rod Laver Arena.
“I think if I could have pulled away earlier in the match it might have been easier,” said the third seed. “I think he played very well. It was hard to pull away to his credit.”
The Swiss star’s Australian achievements so far put him on a par with other six-time winners Novak Djokovic and Roy Emerson – although the Australian great’s victories all came before the Open era.
He next plays either France’s Gael Monfils or American Taylor Fritz.
If he goes on to win the tournament, he will become the first man ever to claim seven or more titles at two Grand Slams, having already won eight Wimbledons.
His long-time rival and 17time Slam winner Rafael Nadal takes on local hope Matthew Ebden in a night match.
The Spaniard is bidding to become the first man in the Open era, and only the third in history along with Emerson and Rod Laver, to win each Grand Slam on two or more occasions.
Sixth seed Marin Cilic, who lost in the final to Federer last year, beat American Mackenzie McDonald in four sets.
The Croat now plays Spanish 26th seed Fernando Verdasco, who beat Radu Albot of Moldova.
Dane Wozniacki, who is battling rheumatoid arthritis, steamrolled past Sweden’s Johanna Larsson 6-1, 6-3 as she bids to become the first woman to defend the title since Victoria Azarenka in 2013.
It set up a potential glamour clash with Maria Sharapova, who plays later.
Stephens, who endured a horror run at Melbourne Park since reaching the semi-final in 2013, exiting in the first round in 2015, 2016 and 2018, swatted aside former doubles partner Timea Babos 6-3, 6-1.
It kept her on a collision course with world number two Angelique Kerber in the quarter-finals.
Second seeded Kerber resumed her tournament later on Wednesday against fellow lefthander Beatriz Haddad Maia as she targeted a 100th Grand Slam main draw win. –
I think if I pulled away earlier in the match it might have been easier