Wozniacki marches into quarterfinals
Daniell’s sights set on quarters
Super-confident Caroline Wozniacki has successfully hit a tweener in a match for the first time on the way to a 6-3 6-0 demolition of Magdaelna Rybarikova and a spot in the Australian Open quarterfinals.
Wozniacki played the between-the-legs shot in the fifth game of the opening set yesterday.
Even though Rybarikova was able to put it away for a winner, the world No 2 was proud of her effort.
‘‘I’ve made a few tweeners in practice, but never in a match,’’ she said.
Still searching for a maiden grand slam title after more than a decade on tour, the second seed from Denmark needed only 63 minutes to end the challenge of No 19 seed Rybarikova.
Wozniacki’s opponent in the last eight will be Carla Suarez Navarro, who came from a set and two breaks against No 32 seed Anett Kontaveit from Estonia to win 4-6 6-4 8-6. The Spanish veteran won six straight games from 4-1 down in the second set before Kontaveit recovered her composure to turn the deciding set into a dogfight.
‘‘She started very good,’’ said Suarez Navarro of her opponent. ‘‘I always have to fight until the end. It was a really good match and I’m very happy to be in the next round.
‘‘I try to be focused, try to play my game and that’s it, to run, run, run all the time.’’
Before this tournament, Kontaveit had won only six of 17 singles matches at grand slam level, including first-round departures at the 2016 and 2017 Australian Open.
Also marching into the quarterfinals was Marin Cilic. The big-serving Croat made the last eight with a come-frombehind, four-set win over Spanish 10th seed Pablo Carreno Busta.
The sixth-seeded former US Open champion, who hasn’t returned to the final eight at Melbourne Park since his semifinal run in 2010, lent on his monster serving and forehand to battle to a 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-0) 7-6 (7-3) victory.
Cilic’s opponent in the quarterfinals will be top seed Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard beat 24th seed Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer’s role as the leading statesman of the locker room was highlighted again on Saturday night as he offered Alexander Zverev, the tour’s fastest-rising star, consolation and advice.
Zverev, the 20-year-old German who has climbed to No 4 in the world, was devastated to lose to near-contemporary Hyeon Chung in five sets, continuing a dreadful record at the majors. In 11 of these best-of-five set tournaments, he has yet to beat a top 50 player.
However, as Zverev admitted afterwards, he had received some words of reassurance from Federer – the one player he has always looked up to – in the aftermath of his defeat.
Federer later expanded on the conversation, saying: ‘‘I just thought some nice words would maybe cheer him up, get him over the loss. He looked crushed when I saw him. I gave him a tap on the shoulder and said, ‘Come on, it’s not too bad. It could be worse’.
‘‘I said, ‘Be patient about it. Don’t put yourself under unnecessary pressure. Learn from these mistakes. Whatever happened happened.
‘‘Unfortunately, you have to believe in the process you’re in right now. You’re working hard, doing the right things. It’s maybe not paying off at the slam level, but just stay calm, don’t dig yourself in a hole’.’’
Federer’s intervention came before his own third-round match, which developed into an eye-catching duel of backhands with stylish Frenchman Richard Gasquet. On a humid evening, Federer was made to sweat for what seemed the first time in the tournament but still came through by a comfortable 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 scoreline.
While Federer was lighting up Rod Laver Arena, Novak Djokovic had to make do with Melbourne’s second-string stadium, Margaret Court Arena, for the second straight match. It did not seem to bother him, though, as he put in another textbook performance to dispose of Albert Ramos-Vinolas for the loss of just eight games, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3.
The only worry was when he called the trainer to the court to work on what looked like a sore hip. ‘‘It’s nothing major to be concerned about,’’ he said afterwards.
‘‘I’ve never faced a situation where I didn’t compete for six months. It’s just things that surface every day.’’ After storming into the third round, Kiwi doubles player Marcus Daniell is upbeat about his chances of going further than he ever has before at a Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
Daniell has matched his best performance at a Grand Slam, teaming up with Britain’s Dominic Inglot to beat the French pair of Benoit Paire and Hugo Nys 6-4, 6-2 in 53 minutes on Saturday.
The draw has opened up for the Kiwi, who had expected to face fourth seeds Nicolas Mahut and Pierre Hugues Herbert of France for a place in the quarterfinals.
However the Frenchmen were upset in a third set tiebreak by the relatively unknown combination of Chilean Hans-Castillo-Poolipink and Belarussian Andrei Vasilevski.
Daniell and Inglot beat Poolipink and Vasilevski en route to reaching the semifinals at an ATP tournament in Basel last October.
‘‘We had a close match against them and they are a rising team and have won two close matches. We know them and are ready to dominate,’’ Daniell said.
Against Paire and Nys, Daniell and Inglot benefited from Paire struggling with a stomach muscle problem and being unable to serve properly.
Having reached the second week at Melbourne Park, Daniell is adamant he’s not finished yet.
‘‘I’m ready to go deep in a Slam, so no reason why it can’t be this one.’’