Sharapova, Serena win; rematch next
MELBOURNE, Australia — Maria Sharapova is through to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open after a 7-5, 7-5 win over Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.
The fifth-seeded Sharapova needed 2 hours, 5 minutes to beat Bencic, breaking the Swiss player’s serve for the fourth time in the last game — sealing it when she successfully challenged a call on the baseline on the opposite end of the court.
The win sets up a rematch of last year’s final with Serena Williams, who defeated Belinda Bencic in the preceding match.
Williams, the six-time and defending champion, advanced after a 6-2, 6-1 win over Russian Margarita Gasparyan on Rod Laver Arena in 55 minutes. Williams lost her service in the opening game but quickly found her groove.
Kei Nishikori is the first male player through to the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park, defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in front of a hugely partisan crowd filled with flag-waving Japanese fans. The seventhseeded Nishikori also reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open last year and in 2012.
A medical emergency overshadowed matches on adjoining courts when Nigel Sears, who’s is Ana Ivanovic’s coach and Andy Murray’s father-in-law, was rushed to a hospital while both of their thirdround matches were in progress.
Four-time finalist Murray beat No. 32 Joao Sousa 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 and signed some autographs but skipped the customary oncourt interview before leaving the court Saturday night to check on Sears. Ivanovic was leading Madison Keys 6-4, 1-0 when her match was stopped. She could be seen saying “That’s my coach,” before both players left the court. It was the second time in three days that Ivanovic’s progress was interrupted for a spectator needing medical aid — her secondround match was delayed for a half-hour when a woman fell on the stairs.
This time, the 2008 finalist didn’t come back to win. Despite having breaks in the second and third sets, Ivanovic lost six of the last seven games to lose 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to No. 15-seeded Keys.