Barty cruises into Australian Open quarters
SYDNEY — World No. 1 Ash Barty has reached the Australian Open quarter-finals without dropping a set after Shelby Rogers became the latest victim in her bid to end the home singles drought at the grand slam.
Barty cruised 6-3, 6-4 win over the American Rogers on Monday and the 2019 French Open winner next faces Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in the last eight on Wednesday.
Australia has not been able to celebrate a home winner in Melbourne since Chris O’neil took the women’s crown in 1978, a drought Barty hopes to finally end this year.
Russia has three men in a grand slam quarter-finals for the first time after Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev made it past Mackenzie Mcdonald and
Casper Ruud respectively.
Unseeded American Jessica Pegula upset fifth seed Elina Svitolina 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to reach her first career grand slam quarterfinal while second seed Rafael Nadal dismissed Italy’s Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the last eight in Melbourne for a 13th time.
Barty needed only 29 minutes to win the opening set after breaking in the fourth game though she survived break points en route.
And in the second set she also stumbled briefly as she was broken serving for the win at 5-2 but made no mistake the next time she had serve.
“It’s really exciting to be through to another quarter-final, if you had told me a few months ago I would take it with a massive smile on face,” Barty said, who is shaking off rust having not played late last season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I have grown up on these courts but love being at home, love being in Australia and being able
to share it with my friends and family.”
Fourth seed Medvedev extended his winning streak to 18 matches with a straightforward win over unseeded American Mackenzie Mcdonald 6-4, 6-2, 6-3, while Rublev took the first two sets before his Norwegian opponent retired on 6-2, 7-6 (7-3).
Reigning ATP Finals champion Medvedev and Rublev won the ATP Cup just over a week ago at Melbourne Park and now join compatriot Aslan Karatsev in the last eight after the qualifier had
the previous day come back from two sets down to upset 20th-seed Felix Auger-aliassime.
The three Russians had already achieved a grand slam first by all making it to the fourth round.
At least one Russian player will make it to the Melbourne semi-finals as Medvedev and Rublev
meet on Wednesday.
Like Barty, Nadal is yet to drop a set in Melbourne after defeating Italian 16th seed Fognini in two hours and 16 minutes.
“It was humid and warm but the conditions are quicker during the day and for me it’s better to play in the day as I like the ball flying but I need to adapt
for all the conditions,” said Nadal, who is chasing a record 21st grand slam title.
The Spaniard will next face Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas who was given a walkover after Italian Matteo Berrettini withdrew shortly before their fourth-match citing an abdominal strain.