Zheng blazes new trail in Melbourne
Source: Agencies |
January 25, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA'S Zheng Jie became the first player to reach the Australian Open last eight after beating No. 31 Alona Bondarenko 7-6 (6), 6-4 yesterday.
Zheng broke the Ukrainian's eight-match winning streak this year and became the first Chinese player ever to reach the quarterfinals at the Australian Open.
Bondarenko had won the Hobart tournament last week, where she beat Zheng in the quarterfinals.
It was Zheng's first straight-sets win in Melbourne this week and came after the Chinese player broke Bondarenko's service in the ninth game of the final set.
When Zheng and Li Na both advanced to the fourth round, it was the first time two Chinese players had gone so far at the same grand slam.
"I think we can go the far way. I hope we can be in the semifinal," Zheng, 26, said hoping to match her previous best result at a major, a surprising run to the Wimbledon semifinals in 2008, where she became the first Chinese player to reach the last four at a slam.
However, she will need to beat the in-form Maria Kirilenko, who dumped Russian compatriot Maria Sharapova out of the first round.
Kirilenko eased into the quarters after her opponent, second seed and compatriot Dinara Safina was forced to retire. Safina was trailing 30-40 while serving at 4-5 in the first set when she went to hit a forehand, shook her head and told the umpire she could not continue.
Safina, the 2009 Australian finalist who held the No. 1 ranking despite never winning a major, limped off with the recurrence of a back problem.
"It was getting worse and worse, I have no idea how it happened. It was really terrible," said Safina, who ended last season prematurely because of a back problem. "I turned to my coach and I said I cannot move anymore."
Elsewhere, US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro was knocked out yesterday, joining two other giants who came to grief at a tournament where it seems size no longer matters.
The 1.98-meter Argentine was brought to his knees by Croatia's Marin Cilic, losing 7-5, 4-6, 5-7, 7-5, 3-6 after his weary body gave way to exhaustion.
Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray also brought down a pair of enormous opponents to set up a tantalizing quarterfinal between two of the biggest names in men's tennis.
Nadal defeated Ivo Karlovic, a 2.08m Croatian whose serves come down like thunderbolts, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, while Murray beat the 2.06m American John Isner 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-2.
There are plenty of giant-killers in the women's draw, too.
Justine Henin may be small in stature but what she lacks in size she makes up for in determination and her fairytale comeback continues.
She beat fellow Belgian and US Open runner-up Yanina Wickmayer 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-3 to reach the last eight in just her second tournament back from retirement and will play Nadia Petrova, who upset fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 two days after knocking out US Open champion Kim Clijsters.
Nadal's match against Karlovic was not one for the traditionalists. It was more like pistols at dawn than the genteel game once played at Victorian garden parties.
Karlovic rifled 28 aces past the Spaniard but the defending champion knows a thing or two about how to win.
The world No. 2 remained patient, rolled the dice a few times and correctly guessed which way to go, then took his chances when they came and is safely through to the last eight.
"I thought I returned really well," Nadal said. "When I had the chance to touch the ball!"
Isner is an inch shorter than Karlovic but his serve is no less lethal. The American had thumped down 81 aces in his first three matches and added 14 more against Murray.
The Scotsman is one of the best returners in the game and he showed why, frustrating Isner with his ability to get the ball back in play.
Unlike Karlovic, Isner does not rely just on his serve and volley and was happy to go behind the baseline and rally with Murray, another strength of the world No. 4.
"I'm happy to have won the matches comfortably," said Murray, who is yet to drop a set in Melbourne this year.
Zheng broke the Ukrainian's eight-match winning streak this year and became the first Chinese player ever to reach the quarterfinals at the Australian Open.
Bondarenko had won the Hobart tournament last week, where she beat Zheng in the quarterfinals.
It was Zheng's first straight-sets win in Melbourne this week and came after the Chinese player broke Bondarenko's service in the ninth game of the final set.
When Zheng and Li Na both advanced to the fourth round, it was the first time two Chinese players had gone so far at the same grand slam.
"I think we can go the far way. I hope we can be in the semifinal," Zheng, 26, said hoping to match her previous best result at a major, a surprising run to the Wimbledon semifinals in 2008, where she became the first Chinese player to reach the last four at a slam.
However, she will need to beat the in-form Maria Kirilenko, who dumped Russian compatriot Maria Sharapova out of the first round.
Kirilenko eased into the quarters after her opponent, second seed and compatriot Dinara Safina was forced to retire. Safina was trailing 30-40 while serving at 4-5 in the first set when she went to hit a forehand, shook her head and told the umpire she could not continue.
Safina, the 2009 Australian finalist who held the No. 1 ranking despite never winning a major, limped off with the recurrence of a back problem.
"It was getting worse and worse, I have no idea how it happened. It was really terrible," said Safina, who ended last season prematurely because of a back problem. "I turned to my coach and I said I cannot move anymore."
Elsewhere, US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro was knocked out yesterday, joining two other giants who came to grief at a tournament where it seems size no longer matters.
The 1.98-meter Argentine was brought to his knees by Croatia's Marin Cilic, losing 7-5, 4-6, 5-7, 7-5, 3-6 after his weary body gave way to exhaustion.
Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray also brought down a pair of enormous opponents to set up a tantalizing quarterfinal between two of the biggest names in men's tennis.
Nadal defeated Ivo Karlovic, a 2.08m Croatian whose serves come down like thunderbolts, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, while Murray beat the 2.06m American John Isner 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-2.
There are plenty of giant-killers in the women's draw, too.
Justine Henin may be small in stature but what she lacks in size she makes up for in determination and her fairytale comeback continues.
She beat fellow Belgian and US Open runner-up Yanina Wickmayer 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-3 to reach the last eight in just her second tournament back from retirement and will play Nadia Petrova, who upset fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 two days after knocking out US Open champion Kim Clijsters.
Nadal's match against Karlovic was not one for the traditionalists. It was more like pistols at dawn than the genteel game once played at Victorian garden parties.
Karlovic rifled 28 aces past the Spaniard but the defending champion knows a thing or two about how to win.
The world No. 2 remained patient, rolled the dice a few times and correctly guessed which way to go, then took his chances when they came and is safely through to the last eight.
"I thought I returned really well," Nadal said. "When I had the chance to touch the ball!"
Isner is an inch shorter than Karlovic but his serve is no less lethal. The American had thumped down 81 aces in his first three matches and added 14 more against Murray.
The Scotsman is one of the best returners in the game and he showed why, frustrating Isner with his ability to get the ball back in play.
Unlike Karlovic, Isner does not rely just on his serve and volley and was happy to go behind the baseline and rally with Murray, another strength of the world No. 4.
"I'm happy to have won the matches comfortably," said Murray, who is yet to drop a set in Melbourne this year.
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