Top seeds washed away in Melbourne
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — There was some symmetry about the fourth-round exits of top-ranked Andy Murray and Angelique Kerber at the Australian Open.
Both had the top seeding for the first time at a Grand Slam tournament. Both went out on the same court and, at least on paper, the same day.
It was tough at the top on Sunday: Fivetime finalist Murray lost 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 to No. 50-ranked Mischa Zverev in the afternoon match on Rod Laver Arena, and defending women’s champion Kerber lost 6-3, 6-2 to Coco Vandeweghe in an upset that finished at six minutes past midnight.
It was the first time since the French Open in 2010 that both top-seeded players went out in the same round.
In the quarter-finals at Roland Garros that year, Roger Federer lost to Robin Soderling and Serena Williams lost to Sam Stosur.
Murray and Kerber didn’t make it to the second week.
“Of course, they are new experiences ... new challenges,” Kerber said of being the defending champion and top seed at a major for the first time. “I can learn from all the other stuff which is new for me.
“I was trying everything, but I missed a lot and I make a lot of unforced errors. So this was not my game.”
Vandeweghe had never been past the third round at the season-opening Grand Slam, and lost in the first round here last year. But she pounded Kerber with a powerful forehand, clubbing 13 of her 30 winners from that wing.
“First time I’ve ever beaten a world No. 1,” Vandeweghe said, when asked to rate the win in terms of career highlights, “especially at a Grand Slam — it’s pretty high.”
Kerber saved a match point in the first round last year before winning her first major title, beating Serena Williams in the final. She replaced Williams atop the rankings after winning the U.S. Open.
Now Williams can regain the top spot — if she wins the title here.
Murray lost the final here to six-time champion Novak Djokovic last year, but finished 2016 at No. 1 after a strong finish to the season that included titles at Wimbledon, the Olympics and the ATP Finals.
He was undone by some old-school serve and volley from Zverev, who played the match of his life. He’ll now meet 17-time major winner Federer in the quarter-finals.
In between the upsets was pretty rocky, too. Federer was down 5-1 in the first set against Kei Nishikori but found a way to fend off the 2014 U.S. Open finalist, who was cramping and needed late treatment on his back, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
It was Federer’s 200th career win over a Top 10 player.
He was ecstatic. “It was about staying with him . ... almost going down 6-0, I thought ‘It’s not going to get any worse from there,’” said Federer, on the comeback from six months on the sidelines to repair his injured left knee. “Huge win for me in my career.”
For Murray, the overwhelming feeling was painful.
“Right now I’m obviously very down because I wanted to go further in this event,” Murray said. “I’ve had tough losses in my career in the past. I’ve come back from them. This is a tough one.”
Murray’s exit follows the second-round departure of Djokovic, beaten in the second round by No. 117-ranked wild-card entry Denis Istomin.
It’s the first time since 2002 that the top two seeds in the men’s draw haven’t reached the Australian Open quarter-finals, and the first time at a Grand Slam since the French Open in 2004.