MELBOURNE, Jan. 18 (PNA/Xinhua) — Big names all advance into the fourth round of the Australian Open after Saturday’s matches except the women’s 10th-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, who missed another chance for her first Grand Slam title.
The Dane became the highest ranked casualty in the first week as the world former No.1 lost to unseeded Spaniard Gabrine Maguruza 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
The young Spaniard converted one of only two chances in the second set to break Wonniachi in the 11th game, while the former world No.1 took none of her five break points in the set.
Maguruza recorded an impressive straight-set win against Wozniacki last year in the third round in Miami. She also won her first WTA tournament two weeks ago at the Hobart International.
Wozniacki now will have to wait until the French Open for her career-first Grand Slam title. She finished as world’s No.1 at the end of the 2011 and 2012 ranking seasons without winning a major, which brought her under criticism. Maria Sharapova took one hour and 51 minutes to beat 25th-seeded Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) and set up a clash with 20th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia.
The 2008 champion won 70 percent of her first-service points and outscored Cornet 35-11 in winners.
Grigor Minitrov, Sharapova’s Belarussian boyfriend, beat 11th seed Milos Raonic 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(12-10) to reach his career-first Grand Slam fourth round while Swiss 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer beat Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-2, 6-2 and 6-3 to make into the top 16 for the 13th consecutive year.
Federer’s wife, Mirka, and their twin daughters were in the arena watching against Gabashvili. The couple is expecting another child later in the year.
“The last time Mirka was pregnant I played fairly well, won the French and Winbeledon.” said the Swiss, in reference to 2009. “So lots of pressure there.”
And the only other time Federer and Gabashvili net, which was at Winbeldon in 2007, Federer also won in straight sets and went on to clinch the tournament.
Briton Andy Murray and women’s defending champion Victoria Azarenka both stormed into the fourth round with straight-set victory. (PNA/Xinhua)