Federer sees off Tomic, Del Potro only seed to fall
Source: Agencies |
January 20, 2013, Sunday
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NEARLY a week into the Australian Open, the only major surprise is that there have been, well, not many surprises at all.
The year's first grand slam is historically fraught with injury withdrawals or top players not yet up to speed in the new season and losing in the first few rounds.
But with the third round complete for the leading players at Melbourne Park, only one of the first eight men's seeds did not advance - No. 6 Juan Martin del Potro. Six of the eight top women were through.
Second-seeded Roger Federer was the last of the main contenders to advance to the fourth round, beating Australian Bernard Tomic 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-1. Federer trailed 1-4 in the tiebreaker but rallied for six of the next seven points in front of a full house at the 15,000-seat Rod Laver Arena.
"I had a few more chances than he did, but I thought the tiebreaker was going to go his way," said Federer. "I think overall we played a great match, he really got the best out of me tonight."
The four-time Australian Open champion will next play big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic, who beat No. 17 Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-4.
Del Potro was a 3-6, 3-6, 7-6(3), 3-6, 3-6 loser to France's Jeremy Chardy earlier in the biggest upset so far in this tournament.
Those still around have advanced fairly impressively.
Top-seeded Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Andy Murray haven't dropped a set in three matches, although Murray had his difficult moments in yesterday's 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 win over Lithuanian qualifier and sometimes hitting partner Ricardas Berankis, while fourth-seeded David Ferrer has lost just one set.
"I was struggling, he was making me feel pretty uncomfortable on the court," Murray said.
Chardy broke 2009 US Open champion del Potro's serve in the final set to go up 5-3, then served out the match in 3 hours, 45 minutes.
"I played some tennis I never would have thought I was capable of playing," Chardy said.
Seventh-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Slovenian Blaz Kavcic 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 and will meet countryman Richard Gasquet, who beat Croatian Ivan Dodig 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-0.
Andrea Seppi of Italy beat Croatia's Marin Cilic 6-7(2), 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to also advance to the fourth round.
Injury-affected
In women's play, top-seeded Victoria Azarenka had her problems against injury-affected American Jamie Hampton and needed three sets to advance, but No. 3 Serena Williams has not dropped a set despite an injured right ankle.
"There's always two ways - your opponent plays good and you can also make your opponent look good," Azarenka said after her 6-4, 4-6. 6-2 win.
"She played incredible, went for every single shot. I felt it was touching every single line," Azarenka said. "She took a medical timeout but she rips winners all over the place and I was like, 'Can I have a back problem?'
"I'm feeling great, but I'm missing every shot."
Serena, aiming for a third consecutive major title, recovered from a break down in the second set to win six straight games and beat Japan's Ayumi Morita 6-1, 6-3. She later combined with older sister Venus to win a second-round doubles match.
Serena surprised herself with another serve at 207kph in an afternoon match on Rod Laver Arena, matching a career best that she hit earlier in the tournament.
Two-time major winner Svetlana Kuznetsova advanced with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win over Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro and will next play former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, who had a 6-4, 6-3 win over Lesia Tsurenko.
Sloane Stephens beat Laura Robson 7-5, 6-3 in a matchup between the only teenagers left in the women's draw.
At the other extreme, 42-year-old Kimko Date-Krumm, the oldest woman to win a singles match at the Australian Open, lost her third-round match 6-2, 7-6 (3) to 21-year-old Serbian Bojana Jovanovski.
The year's first grand slam is historically fraught with injury withdrawals or top players not yet up to speed in the new season and losing in the first few rounds.
But with the third round complete for the leading players at Melbourne Park, only one of the first eight men's seeds did not advance - No. 6 Juan Martin del Potro. Six of the eight top women were through.
Second-seeded Roger Federer was the last of the main contenders to advance to the fourth round, beating Australian Bernard Tomic 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-1. Federer trailed 1-4 in the tiebreaker but rallied for six of the next seven points in front of a full house at the 15,000-seat Rod Laver Arena.
"I had a few more chances than he did, but I thought the tiebreaker was going to go his way," said Federer. "I think overall we played a great match, he really got the best out of me tonight."
The four-time Australian Open champion will next play big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic, who beat No. 17 Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-4.
Del Potro was a 3-6, 3-6, 7-6(3), 3-6, 3-6 loser to France's Jeremy Chardy earlier in the biggest upset so far in this tournament.
Those still around have advanced fairly impressively.
Top-seeded Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Andy Murray haven't dropped a set in three matches, although Murray had his difficult moments in yesterday's 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 win over Lithuanian qualifier and sometimes hitting partner Ricardas Berankis, while fourth-seeded David Ferrer has lost just one set.
"I was struggling, he was making me feel pretty uncomfortable on the court," Murray said.
Chardy broke 2009 US Open champion del Potro's serve in the final set to go up 5-3, then served out the match in 3 hours, 45 minutes.
"I played some tennis I never would have thought I was capable of playing," Chardy said.
Seventh-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Slovenian Blaz Kavcic 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 and will meet countryman Richard Gasquet, who beat Croatian Ivan Dodig 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-0.
Andrea Seppi of Italy beat Croatia's Marin Cilic 6-7(2), 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to also advance to the fourth round.
Injury-affected
In women's play, top-seeded Victoria Azarenka had her problems against injury-affected American Jamie Hampton and needed three sets to advance, but No. 3 Serena Williams has not dropped a set despite an injured right ankle.
"There's always two ways - your opponent plays good and you can also make your opponent look good," Azarenka said after her 6-4, 4-6. 6-2 win.
"She played incredible, went for every single shot. I felt it was touching every single line," Azarenka said. "She took a medical timeout but she rips winners all over the place and I was like, 'Can I have a back problem?'
"I'm feeling great, but I'm missing every shot."
Serena, aiming for a third consecutive major title, recovered from a break down in the second set to win six straight games and beat Japan's Ayumi Morita 6-1, 6-3. She later combined with older sister Venus to win a second-round doubles match.
Serena surprised herself with another serve at 207kph in an afternoon match on Rod Laver Arena, matching a career best that she hit earlier in the tournament.
Two-time major winner Svetlana Kuznetsova advanced with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win over Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro and will next play former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, who had a 6-4, 6-3 win over Lesia Tsurenko.
Sloane Stephens beat Laura Robson 7-5, 6-3 in a matchup between the only teenagers left in the women's draw.
At the other extreme, 42-year-old Kimko Date-Krumm, the oldest woman to win a singles match at the Australian Open, lost her third-round match 6-2, 7-6 (3) to 21-year-old Serbian Bojana Jovanovski.
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