* Seven of eight top seeds reach quarterfinal; del Potro only one missing
* Nadal called for time late in third set against Nishikori, but still wins
* Nishikori will fall to #18 or lower
* Murray needs four sets but beats Robert
* Federer double-faults on match point but still beats Tsonga in straight sets
* Frenchman ends up still #10
* Dimitrov only player below #8 still standing; will hit Top Twenty
* Doubles shocks continue; Bryans lose to Butorac/Klaasen; Kubot/Lindstedt beat #4 Dodig/Melo
* Top four seeded teams all out; Paes/Stepanek top pair left
* Nestor/Zimonjic win again; Nestor now 11-0 in 2014
Australian Open
Roger Federer went back to the future with a dominating vintage win over hammered Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 on Monday to start the second week with a fourth-round victory. The Swiss played plenty of serve-and volley the day after the birthday of new coach Stefan Edberg, who rode the attacking style to glory two decades ago.
Federer’s effort led the way as top seed Rafael Nadal and number four Andy Murray had to come through battles to book quarter-final places. Federer has reached a Wednesday re-run of the 2010 final at Melbourne Park when he spanked the Scot. Murray beat Stephane Robert 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(8), 6-2, but required six match points. Nadal fought off a challenge from Japan’s Kei Nishikori and drew a time violation in a 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) which took more than three hours.
Federer and Tsonga are familiar foes on the big stage, meeting six times at majors, with Federer leading 4-2. “I played really well tonight, against Jo, you’ve got to bring your best game. He can dictate a lot of he gets the chance. I did a good job tonight, it was a really solid match,” said the Swiss. “I’m looking forward to playing Andy, we always have good matches, and I’ll have to watch out for his backhand.”
Murray wasted four match points when he failed to serve out a straight-set win at 5-4 in the third set as the 33-year-old Robert, with nothing to lose, played out of his depth at times. The Scot smashed his racquet in frustration but regained his composure in the fourth set to go through on his sixth match point.
“He’s great fun to watch – but not to play. It was very tricky for me,” Murray said. “I dominated 95 per cent of the match, and for 15 minutes didn’t close the match out. I was one point away from being in here (quickly) after a great performance (but I) played 15 minutes not perfect.”
Habitually slow Spaniard Nadal was warned by the umpire could not hide an angry glare as he got on the with his business of tamping down his 16th-seeded opponent’s upset hopes.
“The referee makes the decision, so I just respect her, even if I was not happy with the decision.” said Nadal, who next plays Grigor Dimitrov after the budding Bulgarian beat Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. “I know the rules are there, but timing is tough sometimes,” said Nadal, who added: “I was close to losing every set, I had to run a lot.”
Nadal won his 39th Melbourne match but was bothered by hand blisters and had to dash to the locker room for a pair of shoes after breaking a lace for what he said was the first time in his life on court.
RANKINGS
Estimated ATP World Tour Rankings
As of January 20, 2014
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Nadal………….13490
2..(2) Djokovic……….10620
3..(5) Del Potro……….5370
4..(3) Ferrer………….5280
5..(4) Murray………….4720
6..(7) Berdych…………4180
7..(8) Wawrinka………..4070
8..(6) Federer…………3995
9..(9) Gasquet…………3050
10.(10) Tsonga………….2885
11.(11) Raonic………….2770
12.(12) Haas……………2435
13.(13) Isner…………..2320
14.(15) Youzhny…………2145
15.(16) Fognini…………2100
16.(18) Robredo…………1980
17.(14) Almagro…………1930
18.(17) Nishikori……….1915
19.(22) Dimitrov………..1810
20.(19) Simon…………..1700
21.(20) Janowicz………..1615
22.(21) Anderson………..1580
23.(24) Gulbis………….1443
24.(28) Paire…………..1380
25.(30) Pospisil………..1359
26.(27) Lopez…………..1355
27.(23) Kohlschreiber……1330
28.(26) Tursunov………..1314
29.(32) Monfils…………1245
30.(37) Mayer…………..1245
**DRAWS
Australian Open (Slam — Weeks of January 13-26)
…………………3R……………4R
1 Nadal…………..(1)Nadal………Nadal
25 Monfils………..(25)Monfils
24 Seppi………….Young
16 Nishikori………(16)Nishikori….Nishikori
11 Raonic…………(11)Raonic
22 Dimitrov……….(22)Dimitrov…..Dimitrov
27 Paire………….(27)Paire
5 Del Potro……….Bautista Agut….Bautista Agut
4 Murray………….(4)Murray……..Murray
26 Lopez………….(26)Lopez
[21 Kohlschreiber]…Robert(LL)…….Robert
13 Isner………….Klizan(LL)
10 Tsonga…………(10)Tsonga…….Tsonga
18 Simon………….(18)Simon
31 Verdasco……….Gabashvili
6 Federer…………(6)Federer…….Federer
7 Berdych…………(7)Berdych…….Berdych……..Berdych
32 Dodig………….Dzumhur
19 Anderson……….(19)Anderson…..Anderson
12 Haas…………..Roger-Vasselin
14 Youzhny………..F.Mayer……….Mayer
20 Janowicz……….(20)Janowicz
29 Chardy…………(29)Chardy
3 Ferrer………….(3)Ferrer……..Ferrer……..Ferrer
8 Wawrinka………..(8)Wawrinka……Wawrinka……Wawrinka
28 Pospisil……….(28)Pospisil
17 Robredo………..(17)Robredo……Robredo
9 Gasquet…………(9)Gasquet
15 Fognini………..(15)Fognini……Fognini
23 Gulbis…………Querrey
30 Tursunov……….Istomin
2 Djokovic………..(2)Djokovic……Djokovic…..Djokovic
STATUS OF SEEDS
1 Nadal
2 Djokovic
3 Ferrer
4 Murray
5 Del Potro……….lost 2R (Bautista Agut)
6 Federer
7 Berdych
8 Wawrinka
9 Gasquet…………lost 3R (Robredo)
10 Tsonga
11 Raonic…………lost 3R (Dimitrov)
12 Haas…………..lost 1R (Garcia-Lopez)
13 Isner………….lost 1R (Klizan)
14 Youzhny………..lost 2R (Mayer)
15 Fognini………..lost 4R (Djokovic)
16 Nishikori
17 Robredo………..lost 4R (Stanislas)
18 Simon………….lost 3R (Tsonga)
19 Anderson……….lost 4R (Berdych)
20 Janowicz……….lost 3R (F. Mayer)
21 Kohlschreiber…..WITHDREW
22 Dimitrov
23 Gulbis…………lost 2R (Querrey)
24 Seppi………….lost 2R (Young)
25 Monfils………..lost 3R (Nadal)
26 Lopez………….lost 3R (Murray)
27 Paire………….lost 3R (Bautista Agut)
28 Pospisil……….WITHDREW from 3R
29 Chardy…………lost 3R (Ferrer)
30 Tursunov……….lost 2R (Istomin)
31 Verdasco……….lost 2R (Gabashvili)
32 Dodig………….lost 2R (Dzumhur)
******** SCORES ********
MONDAY
Australian Open
Singles – Fourth Round
[1] Rafael Nadal (ESP) d. [16] Kei Nishikori (JPN) 76(3) 75 76(3)
[4] Andy Murray (GBR) d. Stephane Robert (FRA) 61, 62, 67(6), 62
[6] Roger Federer (SUI) d. [10] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 63 75 64
[22] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) d. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 63 36 62 64
Doubles – Third Round
Eric Butorac (USA)/Raven Klaasen (RSA) d. [1] Bob Bryan (USA)/Mike Bryan (USA) 76(9) 64
[14] Lukasz Kubot (POL)/Robert Lindstedt (SWE) d. [4] Ivan Dodig (CRO)/Marcelo Melo (BRA)[4] 57 64 64
[8] Daniel Nestor (CAN)/Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) d. [9] Mariusz Fyrstenberg (POL)/Marcin Matkowski (POL) 64 67(5) 63
Max Mirnyi (BLR)/Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) d. [11] Julien Benneteau (FRA)/Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) 62 46 63
****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS
Australian Open
Dominika Cibulkova added Maria Sharapova to the Australian Open women’s upset list, with the Slovak sending the third seed to a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 defeat. The win in 2:12 completes a matched grand slam set of last-eight place for pocket rocket Cibulkova, who also beat Sharapova five years ago in a Roland Garros quarter-final. Top seed Serena Williams was knocked out on Sunday in a fourth-round upset by Ana Ivanovic.
Two-time winner Victoria Azarenka beat American Sloane Stephens in a 6-3, 6-2 marked by some overly aggressive targeting of the opponent, but made no mention of an incident in which she was hit below the belt by a Stephens return. “That’s tennis, I’m just focused on the next point,” said the second seed. “Maybe she had an open court, but she chose that shot. I have no problem with that. I’m just focused on the next one.” Stephens, who beat Serena in the 2013 quarter-finals, has lost 21 matches since to top 20 opponents.
Romanian 11th seed Simona Halep broke new territory by beating eighth seed Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 2-6, 6-0
Sharapova took a medical timeout off the court after the second set and later clarified her predicament:
“I have a bit of a strain, the trainer told me, in the hip area. I think it was just because I played a lot. This is only my second tournament back, so it was those types of things that are expected. Just have to find a way to block them out. I haven’t been playing the best tennis of this tournament, but I found ways to get through the last two matches.
“This event has been a success in that I’m back and I’m healthy, that’s quite important. Otherwise I wouldn’t give myself a chance to play. On that note, I have to look at the positives and see where I have come from in four or five months. I haven’t played a lot of tennis in those six months.”
The 26-year-old Russian saved a match point in the final game as a net cord bounce landed good in a corner. But two points later, a return missed the same spot to send Cibulkova to the win.
Cibulkova came into the match with only three and a half hours on court while Sharapova had needed nearly seven to win her previous matches, some played at the heights of the five-day heat wave last week.
Women’s Rankings Update
Although Victoria Azarenka is edging closer to her third Australian Open title, she still has more to do to retain the #2 ranking. Her quarterfinal is against Agnieszka Radwanska, and if Radwanska can win that and go on to the title, Radwanska will be #2 and Azarenka will fall to #3. If Radwanska beats Azarenka but does not win the title, then the Pole will still rise to #3.
Unless Li Na gets in the act, anyway. Li, last year’s finalist, is still a mere #5 in safe points, and needs a final to go higher, but a final would take her past Sharapova and past Radwanska if Radwanska loses to Azarenka.
Li however still needs one more win to absolutely guarantee her #5 ranking. Simona Halep could still pass her with a title. Halep perhaps isn’t ready for that yet, but she is now almost certain to make the Top Ten , and if she can beat Dominika Cibulkova in the quarterfinal, she’ll be #9.
Eight players have now clinched Top Ten spots: Serena Williams (guaranteed to be #1), Azarenka, Sharapova, Radwanska, Li, Petra Kvitova, Sara Errani, and Jelena Jankovic. Angelique Kerber and Halep currently have the last two spots, but Ana Ivanovic has a shot. If Ivanovic makes the final, she will likely be in, and either Halep or Kerber will be out. Caroline Wozniacki is already definitely out.
Sloane Stephens is out of the Top Fifteen; Carla Suarez Navarro is in. Svetlana Kuznetsova is out of the Top Twenty, and Kirsten Flipkens is in some danger of losing her spot, but we don’t know who will be coming in; it could be Dominika Cibulkova, Flavia Pennetta, or Eugenie Bouchard.
Elena Vesnina is out of the Top Thirty, replaced by Bouchard.
It’s not all bad news for Vesnina, though, since she is contending for #1 in doubles. In fact, there are six contenders for doubles #1: Hsieh/Peng (who will be joint #1 if they reach the top at all), Katarina Srebotnik, Vesnina, and Errani/Vinci (again, they will be co-#1 if they get in at all). Hsieh/Peng are currently #1 in safe points, but Srebotnik can pass them with a final, or Vesnina or Errani/Vinci with a title. Talk about a close contest: Whichever of those four (Srebotnik, Vesnina, or Errani/Vinci) wins the title gets the #1 ranking; if none of them win, and if Srebotnik falls before the final, then Hsieh/Peng take the top spots.
Hsieh, Peng, Srebotnik, Vesnina, Errani, Vinci, Ekaterina Makarova, and Nadia Petrova are guaranteed Top Ten spots; Andrea Hlavackova and Sania Mirza are likely to earn the last two spots.
************ STATS AND FACTS ************
Rankings
Estimated WTA Rankings As of January 20, 2014
Rank &
Prior
Rank …Name …………. Points
1 (1) SWILLIAMS 13000
2 (2) AZARENKA 6581*
3 (3) SHARAPOVA 5416
4 (5) ARADWANSKA 5400*
5 (4) LI 5000*
6 (6) KVITOVA 4745
7 (7) ERRANI 4440
8 (8) JANKOVIC 4310
9 (9) KERBER 4030
10 (11) HALEP 3760*
11 (10) WOZNIACKI 3370
12 (14) IVANOVIC 3160*
13 (12) VINCI 3020
14 (15) LISICKI 2980
15 (16) SUAREZ NAVARRO 2745
16 (17) STOSUR 2705
17 (13) STEPHENS 2415
18 (18) Kirilenko 2325
19 (19) FLIPKENS 2255
20 (24) CIBULKOVA 2186*
21 (29) PENNETTA 2165*
22 (21) CIRSTEA 2020
23 (31) BOUCHARD 2019*
24 (23) KANEPI 1932
25 (25) CORNET 1870
26 (30) PAVLYUCHENKOVA 1840
27 (26) SAFAROVA 1805
28 (22) MAKAROVA 1801
29 (20) KUZNETSOVA 1712
30 (27) Hampton 1601
Draws
Australian Open (Slam — Weeks of January 13-26)
………………..3R……………….4R………QF
1 S Williams……..(1)S.Williams……..Williams
31 Hantuchova…….(31)Hantuchova
17 Stosur………..(17)Stosur
14 Ivanovic………(14)Ivanovic………Ivanovic…Ivanovic
12 Vinci…………Zheng
18 Flipkens………Dellacqua…………Dellacqua
30 Bouchard………(30)Bouchard………Bouchard…Bouchard
7 Errani…………Davis
4 Li…………….(4)Li…………….Li………Li
26 Safarova………(26)Safarova
22 Makarova………(22)Makarova………Makarova
15 Lisicki……….Niculescu
9 Kerber…………(9)Kerber…………Kerber
23 Vesnina……….Riske
28 Pennetta………(28)Pennetta………Pennetta…Pennetta
6 Kvitova………..Barthel
8 Jankovic……….(8)Jankovic……….Jankovic
32 Rybarikova…….Nara
21 Cirstea……….Diyas(Q)
11 Halep…………(11)Halep…………Halep
16 Suarez Navarro…(16)Suarez Navarro
20 Cibulkova……..(20)Cibulkova……..Cibulkova
25 Cornet………..(25)Cornet
3 Sharapova………(3)Sharapova………Sharapova
5 A Radwanska…….(5)A.Radwanska…….Radwanska
29 Pavlyuchenkova…(29)Pavlyuchenkova
24 Kanepi………..Muguruza………….Muguruza
10 Wozniacki……..(10)Wozniacki
13 Stephens………(13)Stephens………Stephens
19 Kuznetsova…….Svitolina
33 Jovanovski…….Meusburger
2 Azarenka……….(2)Azarenka……….Azarenka
STATUS OF SEEDS
1 S Williams………lost 4R (Ivanovic)
2 Azarenka
3 Sharapova
4 Li
5 A Radwanska
6 Kvitova…………lost 1R (Kumkhum)
7 Errani………….lost 1R (Goerges)
8 Jankovic
9 Kerber………….lost 4R (Pennetta)
10 Wozniacki………lost 3R (Muguruza)
11 Halep
12 Vinci………….lost 1R (Zheng)
13 Stephens
14 Ivanovic
15 Lisicki………..lost 2R (Niculesu)
16 Suarez Navarro….lost 3R (Cibulkova)
17 Stosur…………lost 3R (Ivanovic)
18 Flipkens……….lost 2R (Dellacqua)
19 Kuznetsova……..lost 1R (Svitolina)
20 Cibulkova
21 Cirstea………..lost 1R (Erakovic)
22 Makarova……….lost 4R (Li)
23 Vesnina………..lost 1R (Riske)
24 Kanepi…………lost 1R (Muguruza)
25 Cornet…………lost 3R (Sharapova)
26 Safarova……….lost 3R (Li)
27 Hampton………..WITHDREW
28 Pennetta
29 Pavlyuchenkova….lost 3R (A. Radwanska)
30 Bouchard
31 Hantuchova
32 Rybarikova……..lost 2R (Nara)
33 Jovanovski……..lost 2R (Meusburger)
******** SCORES ********
MONDAY
Australian Open
Singles – Fourth Round
(2) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. (13) Sloane Stephens (USA) 63 62
(20) Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. (3) Maria Sharapova (RUS) 36 64 61
(5) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) 61 63
(11) Simona Halep (ROU) d. (8) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 64 26 60
Doubles – Third Round
(3) Makarova/Vesnina (RUS/RUS) d. (15) Hantuchova/Raymond (SVK/USA) 64 67(5) 62
(6) Black/Mirza (IND/IND) d. Bouchard/Dushevina (CAN/RUS) 64 63
(7) Hlavackova/Safarova (CZE/CZE) d. Keys/Riske (USA/USA) 64 63
(8) Kops-Jones/Spears (USA/USA) d. Cornet/Garcia (FRA/FRA) 46 64 64
Topics: 10sballs, Agnieszka Radwanska, Andy Murray, Atp, Australian Open, Eugenie Bouchard, GRIGOR DIMITROV, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Juan Martin Del Potro, Kei Nishikori, Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Max Mirnyi, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Sloane Stephens, Sports, Stefan Edberg, Tennis, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka, Wta