Nadal, Federer, Murray storm into 4th round
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Rafael Nadal put on an awesome performance to reach the Australian Open final 16 yesterday and Roger Federer and Andy Murray also hit top gear as the title race began to narrow.
With Victoria Azarenka a class apart in her third-round win, top-seeded Nadal stormed past France’s Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 to underline his challenge to Novak Djokovic’s three-year Melbourne reign.
Federer was typically fluent in his 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 win against Teymuraz Gabashvili and Murray, continuing his strong recovery from back surgery, was a convincing winner over Feliciano Lopez.
With sharply cooling temperatures bringing an abrupt end to a nasty heat wave, there was a businesslike feel as the men’s and women’s contenders set about reaching week two.
Federer said his Grand Slam struggles last year, when he fell early at Wimbledon and the US Open, were past him as he dismantled Russia’s Gabashvili.
“It was a tough year last year and it took some time to figure out what I needed to do to feel better and to get my confidence back, because that’s what I thought it was mostly,” said Federer, seeded six.
Murray gave a brief scare when he clutched his back in the first set but he moved unhindered thereafter to win 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-2 and move into the round of 16 without dropping a set.
“Today was a big step up for me. Feliciano is a top-30 player. He’s a tricky opponent to play,” Murray said.
In the evening session, Nadal was superior in all departments to the entertaining but inconsistent Monfils, winning in just over two hours.
Nadal will next face Japan’s Kei Nishikori, who reeled off the last 10 games against Donald Young to eliminate the American.
France’s Stephane Robert became the first “lucky loser” to reach the Australian Open fourth round when he beat Slovakia’s Martin Klizan. Robert will next play Murray.
And in an all-French clash, 2008 finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ended the injury-defying run of Gilles Simon to set up a clash with Federer.
Meanwhile in the women’s draw, Azarenka destroyed Austrian Yvonne Meusburger 6-1, 6-0 to set up a rematch of last year’s semifinal with Sloane Stephens.
Former champion Maria Sharapova, returning from a shoulder injury, faced down a challenge for a second successive match before beating France’s Alize Cornet 6-1, 7-6 (6).
Sharapova will next play Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova, who beat Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro.
Polish fifth-seed Agnieszka Radwanska defeated Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
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