Simona Halep survived an almighty scare as American Lauren Davis pushed her all the way in a titanic three-setter which lasted 3 hours and 44 minutes. The World No 1 survived to fight another day.
Maria Sharapova couldn’t get much change off Angelique Kerber as the German dominated the Russian completely. Roger Federer got the better of Frenchman Richard Gasquet while Tomas Berdych was good enough to see Juan Martin del Potro off.
The Big News
Halep prevails after marathon match
World No 1 Simona Halep saved three match points to survive a titanic struggle and make the last 16 at the Australian Open Saturday where she joined Karolina Pliskova and Caroline Garcia.
With the temperatures a manageable 26 Celsius (79 Farenheit) at Melbourne Park after two days of oven-like conditions, the Romanian looked out for the count against American Lauren Davis.
But she finally got over the line 4-6, 6-4, 15-13 in a gruelling match on Rod Laver Arena to make the fourth round in a contest that took its toll.
“I’m almost dead,” the tenacious Romanian said after the incredible battle, in which Davis lost a toenail and Halep served for the match four times.
Kerber crushes Sharapova
Angelique Kerber thrashed Maria Sharapova in straight sets in the third round of the Australian Open on Saturday. The German 21st seed needed only 64 minutes to beat the unseeded Russian 6-1, 6-3 to reach the last 16.
“I was just trying to enjoy every point,” said Kerber after ousting Sharapova in only her second Grand Slam tournament back since serving a 15-month doping ban.
The hugely anticipated match-up of the only two Australian Open winners and Grand Slam champions left in the women’s draw got top billing at the Rod Laver Arena.
Federer bests Gasquet in three sets
Defending champion Roger Federer continued his dominance over Richard Gasquet to reach the round of 16 at the Australian Open on Saturday and keep his quest for a 20th Grand Slam title on track.
The Swiss star beat the Frenchman 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 in just under two hours in a night match on Rod Laver Arena.
Federer has unheralded Hungarian and one-time training partner Marton Fucsovics up next and a potential quarter-final with Tomas Berdych, who upset Juan Martin Del Porto in straight sets earlier Saturday.
Chung sends Zverev crashing out
Chung Hyeon became the first South Korean man ever to reach the round of 16 at the Australian Open with a five-set upset win over fourth seed Alexander Zverev on Saturday.
The 58th-ranked Chung beat a top-five ranked opponent for the first time with his 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory in 3hr 22min on Rod Laver Arena.
He will face either six-time champion Novak Djokovic in Monday’s fourth round.
Shot of the day
.@RichardGasquet1 outwits @RogerFederer with a cleverly disguised winner 🎩#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/VbC2QfW7gK
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2018
From the sidelines
Sharapova inspired by Serena and Federer
Maria Sharapova says she is inspired by the likes of thirtysomethings Serena Williams and Roger Federer to get back to the top after her doping ban.
The Russian, back in the top 50 after 15 months on the sidelines, had her progress at the Australian Open ruthlessly snuffed out by 2016 champion Angelique Kerber in the third round Saturday.
“I’m here because I’m motivated to get better at my craft. I really do believe that I can otherwise I wouldn’t be here,” said the five-time Grand Slam champion after losing 1-6, 6-3 in 64 minutes.
“I definitely take great examples of a Federer or a Nadal or a Serena and Venus that have continued to have the motivation that they do at this age,” said Sharapova who turns 31 in April.
Federer doesn’t want his kids to have one-handed backhand
Roger Federer has arguably the most beautiful single-handed backhands in tennis. But when it comes to his kids, the 36-year-old dad doesn’t want them to play one-handed backhands.
“But, why not?” asked Jim Courier on court after the Swiss trounced Richard Gasquet in straight sets.
“Yeah, absolutely, why not? I just think the double-hander is easier.”
Federer explained that the heaviness of the racquets and his struggles with the single-handed backhand throughout his career are the reasons he prefers them to have the ‘simple’ double-handed backhands.
On Courier’s request, Federer also performed the ‘smoldering intensity’ on court.
Murray craves to be on court again
Andy Murray is certainly missing the Australian Open. The former world No 1 had to drop out of the year’s first Slam to go for a hip surgery.
On the tournament’s first day, he’d tweeted this:
When you wake up day one of the @AustralianOpen and remember you aren’t in the draw 😢 pic.twitter.com/g6alBOjFrq
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) January 14, 2018
On Saturday, in a Twitter Q&A session, when someone asked him if he still retains passion for tennis after being world No 1, Murray replied:
I can tell you sitting on a couch right now whilst the @AustralianOpen is in that I would give back being number 1 in the world just to be back playing on the court again.. Passion is much higher than it was then.
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) January 20, 2018
Quotable quotes
“I’m almost dead.”
–World No 1 Simona Halep after a three-hour-44 minute battle against USA’s Lauren Davis.
“It happened at Wimbledon. It happened in New York. It happened here.”
–Alexander ‘Sascha’ Zverev says he’s lost the crucial moments in his last three Grand Slams defeats.
“I’m gluten-free. They don’t have a gluten-free pasta.”
–Novak Djokovic when asked if he’d endorse Barilla, a Pasta brand, like Roger Federer.
“I always eat Chinese food match day before.”
–South Korean Hyeon Chung, after his latest Chinese dinner, knocked Alexander Zverev out in five sets.