CENTRE OF ATTENTION
World No 1 Halep saves three match points to beat American Davis in three sets at Melbourne Park
World tennis No 2 Roger Federer of Switzerland in the spotlight during his straight-sets, third-round win over Richard Gasquet of France at the Australian Open grand slam tournament in Melbourne. Federer, 36, will face Hungarian Marton Fucsovics, ranked 80, in the last 16
Maria Sharapova wanted to test her level against the leading players but found the answer a rather brutal one as she took just four games off a rejuvenated Angelique Kerber in the third round of the Australian Open.
Kerber is fast looking like the favourite for the women’s title and played at a very high level throughout the 6-1, 6-3 victory that lasted only 64 minutes.
Sharapova said she would not shy away from the work needed to try to get back to grand slam-winning level after her 15-month doping ban.
“There’s a lot of things I need to improve on,” she said.
“This is a process. It’s a lot of things that take time. To be able to get these matches, players that are playing this well, I’m going to face a lot of them this year. I’ll have to bring it.
“Today was not enough.” The match was a clash between the only two former champions in the draw and Kerber is looking ominously like the player who won her maiden slam in Melbourne two years ago before going on to win Wimbledon and finish 2016 as world No 1.
She endured such a torrid year in 2017 that she dropped outside the top 20, but the confidence she has gained from an unbeaten start to this season was very evident against Sharapova.
“I was really trying to not think about everything around and everything about the match, against who I’m playing,” Kerber said.
“I was just more trying to go out on a special court for me and playing again good tennis.”
Simona Halep said she was “almost dead” and needed sleep and chocolate after surviving 48 games and saving three match points in a 4-6, 6-4, 15-13 victory over American Lauren Davis.
After breaking Halep three times when she served for the match, 78th-ranked Davis had the Romanian at 0-40 and trailing 10-11 but could not take advantage any of the chances.
Davis then began to struggle with two toenails that were falling off and she eventually ran out of steam as Halep finally served out the victory at the fourth time of asking after three hours and 44 minutes.
On the men’s side, Roger Federer continued his dominance over Richard Gasquet to march into the fourth round of the Australian Open.
The defending champion went into the encounter with a 16-2 record against his French foe and having won the last eight matches, and there was never any real doubt that he would make it nine in a row.
There were flashes of brilliance from Gasquet, particularly on his famed single-handed backhand, but he could not get a hold on the Federer serve and the Swiss emerged a 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 winner. Gasquet did not create his first break point until the 27th game of the match and, although he gave himself hope by getting back on serve, Federer swiftly crushed any thoughts of a comeback.
“I was able to maybe stay a little bit more on the offensive, protecting my serve a little bit better,” Federer said.
“The match was close and the end could have gone to a tie-break and then you never know.
“Richard played well, and me too, so I’m just happy to win tonight.” Only Federer, who next plays unseeded Hungarian Marton Fucsovics, and world No 1 Rafael Nadal have reached the fourth round without dropping a set.
Six-time champion Novak Djokovic is also in the last 16 after he defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-2,6-3,6-3.
He next plays South Korean Hyeon Chung, who defeated No 4 seed Alexander Zverev in five sets.
Kerber is looking ominously like the player who won her maiden slam in Melbourne two years ago