Highlights of Saturday's sixth day of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year.
NISHIKORI SILENCES PORTUGUESE FANS WITH SOUSA ROUT
Japan’s Kei Nishikori moved swiftly into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday after beating Joao Sousa of Portugal 7-6(6) 6-1 6-2. The comfortable victory came as a relief to the eighth seed and former U.S. Open finalist after he battled through consecutive five-set matches in the opening rounds.
"I think today will help," the three-times quarter-finalist said after setting up a clash with Spain's 23rd seed Pablo Carreno Busta. Both Nishikori and Sousa entered their match after tight opening rounds and were evenly matched in the early exchanges on their favoured hard court surfaces.
But after a close tiebreaker, Nishikori took near total control, increasing the pace on his ground strokes and showing soft hands at the net; a quality his opponent couldn't replicate. A small pocket of red and green-clad fans added a football-like atmosphere to the clash as they cheered Portugal's top-ranked player. But Nishikori robbed them of their voice, as he unleashed forehand winners almost at will, a stroke he said was his favourite shot despite being better known for his double-handed backhand.
OSAKA SURVIVES HSIEH SCARE TO REACH FOURTH ROUND
U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka survived a huge scare against Hsieh Su-wei before overhauling the Taiwanese 5-7 6-4 6-1 to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday.
The Japanese fourth seed was staring down the barrel at 4-2 in the second set at Margaret Court Arena, driven to distraction by double-sided Hsieh's angled shots and stout defence. When Hsieh's serve suddenly crumbled, however, Osaka was quick to pounce and went on to claim 10 of the last 11 games, closing out the match in just under two hours.
"Of course I'm happy with how I fought," Osaka told reporters after booking her second last 16 appearance in Melbourne after last year's run.
"For me, that's, like, one of the biggest things I always thought I could improve, because it sort of seems like before I would accept defeat in a way."
She will play 13th seeded Latvian Anastasija Sevastova for a first quarter-finals berth at Melbourne Park.
RAONIC ROLLS INTO LAST 16
Canada's Milos Raonic produced a serving masterclass, firing 23 aces and winning 85 percent of points on his first serve, to swat aside Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4 6-4 7-6(6).
KEYS SENDS MERTENS PACKING
American Madison Keys secured a spot in the last 16 for the fourth time by beating Belgian Elise Mertens 6-3 6-2. The 2017 U.S. Open runner-up will meet sixth seed Elina Svitolina for a place in the quarter-finals.
SEVASTOVA POWERS PAST WANG
Anastasija Sevastova, seeded 13th, broke Chinese number one Wang Qiang four times on her way to a convincing 6-3 6-3 victory. The Latvian has returned to the second week at Melbourne Park for the first time in eight years and she will meet U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka.
MEDVEDEV RACES INTO SECOND WEEK
Brisbane finalist Daniil Medvedev fired 31 winners to ease past Belgian David Goffin 6-2 7-6(3) 6-3 and advance to the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the first time.
SVITOLINA BEATS ZHANG IN THREE-SET THRILLER
Sixth seed Elina Svitolina rallied from 3-0 down in the final set to beat China's Zhang Shuai 4-6 6-4 7-5 in just under three hours on Rod Laver Arena.
Reuters
