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Melbourne, January 24
Novak Djokovic’s grip on the Australian Open title looked shaky for a short spell on Sunday but the world No. 1 finally shook off Gilles Simon in a four-and-a-half hour marathon to take his place in the quarterfinals.
Serena Williams, by contrast, booked a re-match of last year’s final against Maria Sharapova by sweeping into the quarterfinals without having lost a set, and Roger Federer progressed almost as comfortably.
The whiff of an upset hung around Melbourne Park for much of the day — Tomas Berdych, Agnieszka Radwanska and Carla Suarez Navarro all lost opening sets — but it was most potent in Djokovic’s five-setter against Simon.
Djokovic had eased into the fourth round without losing a set as he continued the dominant form that earned him 11 titles, including three of the four Grand Slams, last year.
Defensive baseliner Simon is a wily campaigner, however, and he elicited 100 unforced errors out of the reigning champion in his 6-3 6-7(1) 6-4 4-6 6-3 defeat.
The 31-year-old Frenchman absorbed Djokovic’s power and timed his shots to perfection to hurl it back at the Serbian. Djokovic has not won five titles at Melbourne Park without being able to negotiate a scrap, however, and despite a string of fluffed drop shots he reasserted his authority in the final set to reach the last eight for a 27th successive Grand Slam.
“I honestly didn’t expect to make this many unforced errors. In terms of a level that I’ve played, it’s the match to forget for me,” said Djokovic.
His next opponent, Japan’s Kei Nishikori, must have enjoyed every last minute of the match as he rested up after a 6-4 6-2 6-4 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Serena’s slow start
Williams lost her serve for the second time at the tournament in the opening game of her match but that was just about all that went against the American in her brisk 6-2 6-1 demolition of Margarita Gasparyan. “I feel if I can just continue to play well, then it could be good,” the six-time champion said.
Sharapova was make to work much harder for her 7-5 7-5 victory over teenager Belinda Bencic in the opening match of the day on the main showcourt. Her on her serve to get her out of trouble against the rising Swiss talent was also at odds with perceptions of her game in recent years.
Highlights day 7
Radwanska through
Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska has reached the quarterfinals after German Anna-Lena Friedsam suffered a thigh injury in the deciding set of their match.
Berdych overcomes Agut
Sixth seed Tomas Berdych needed three hours and 18 minutes to beat Roberto Bautista Agut 4-6 6-4 6-3 1-6 6-3.
Djokovic to fan who yelled “No More Drop Shots”
“I hate to say this but you are absolutely right.”
Williams on meeting Sharapova
“I had no idea who I was playing. She had a really good match earlier but I’ve got nothing to lose and will just do my best.”
Tomic taunts Federer — ‘He’s no Novak’
Bernard Tomic has taunted Roger Federer over his struggles against Novak Djokovic after the Swiss great candidly told the young Aussie he had to knuckle down if he wanted to reach the top-10. Tomic said Federer was “nowhere near” the world No. 1 Djokovic. “I think he’s also far away from Djokovic as well, if he wants to say that,” Tomic told reporters. “If he believes I’m very far away from the top 10, I also believe my prediction that he’s nowhere near Novak’s tennis right now.”
Sharapova aces Bencic
Maria Sharapova ramped up her serve to dismiss Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic 7-5 7-5.
Fed on Novak’s 100 errors
“Gilles makes you miss. He makes you go for the lines… The question is, if you have 50, 100, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter as long as you win.”
