Australian Open: Federer, Nadal through in straight-sets
Clijsters, Li set for rematch of last year’s final.
MELBOURNE:
Roger Federer showed nerves of steel to down Croatian giant Ivo Karlovic as his great rival Rafael Nadal extended his hot streak at the Australian Open.
At set-point down in the first set tie-break and scrambling to a drop shot, Federer did not flinch and gamely aimed a vertical lob over the Croatian, who could only parry it into his own court. The Swiss maestro took his first set point in the opening tie-break, then conjured the match’s first break to take the second set before clinching the match 7-6, 7-5, 6-3.
“I knew it could come down to a few points here and there and obviously you need a bit of luck,” said Federer. “I definitely got a bit fortunate and I started to play better as the match went on.”
Earlier, Nadal bludgeoned his way into the fourth round with a straight-sets win over Slovakia’s Lukas Lacko. After a hard-fought opening against Lacko, the 2009 champion raced away with it 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.
“It was a tough match, but I played solid [throughout] and that’s why I won,” said Nadal.
Injury sets up Li, Clijsters rematch
Meanwhile, Kim Clijsters and Li Na will meet in a rematch of last year’s Australian Open final following a dramatic end to the women’s third-round.
After defending champion Clijsters reached the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova, Li went through when Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues retired in tears after injuring her ankle.
Li was leading 2-0 in the first set when Medina Garrigues turned her right ankle during a baseline rally. After a medical time-out she tried to continue but lost the next game and retired during the fourth.
The injury ensured a highly-anticipated fourth round match with Clijsters, the first meeting between the two since last year’s final, won by the Belgian in three sets.
Wozniacki cruises, Azarenka battles on
Earlier, top-seed Caroline Wozniacki and third-ranked Victoria Azarenka both reached the fourth-round without dropping a set as they target maiden grand slam wins.
Wozniacki, who had been severely tested during her second-round match against Georgia’s Anna Tatishvili, cruised past Romania’s Monica Niculescu 6-2, 6-2.
Meanwhile, Azarenka was handed her first real test of the tournament and had to put aside some contentious line calls before beating Germany’s Mona Barthel 6-2, 6-4.
Although winning in straight sets, Azarenka never had it her own way against the feisty German, who won her maiden WTA title as a qualifier in Hobart last week.
Aisam through in mixed-doubles
The seventh-seeded pairing of Pakistani ace Aisamul Haq Qureshi and Czech Andrea Hlavackova overcame the Australian duo of Jelena Dokic and Paul Hanley 6-3, 6-1 in the first-round of mixed doubles.
There was also success for sixth-seeded Indian partners Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi, who beat Natalie Grandin and Jean-Julien Roger 6-4, 6-2.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2012.
Roger Federer showed nerves of steel to down Croatian giant Ivo Karlovic as his great rival Rafael Nadal extended his hot streak at the Australian Open.
At set-point down in the first set tie-break and scrambling to a drop shot, Federer did not flinch and gamely aimed a vertical lob over the Croatian, who could only parry it into his own court. The Swiss maestro took his first set point in the opening tie-break, then conjured the match’s first break to take the second set before clinching the match 7-6, 7-5, 6-3.
“I knew it could come down to a few points here and there and obviously you need a bit of luck,” said Federer. “I definitely got a bit fortunate and I started to play better as the match went on.”
Earlier, Nadal bludgeoned his way into the fourth round with a straight-sets win over Slovakia’s Lukas Lacko. After a hard-fought opening against Lacko, the 2009 champion raced away with it 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.
“It was a tough match, but I played solid [throughout] and that’s why I won,” said Nadal.
Injury sets up Li, Clijsters rematch
Meanwhile, Kim Clijsters and Li Na will meet in a rematch of last year’s Australian Open final following a dramatic end to the women’s third-round.
After defending champion Clijsters reached the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova, Li went through when Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues retired in tears after injuring her ankle.
Li was leading 2-0 in the first set when Medina Garrigues turned her right ankle during a baseline rally. After a medical time-out she tried to continue but lost the next game and retired during the fourth.
The injury ensured a highly-anticipated fourth round match with Clijsters, the first meeting between the two since last year’s final, won by the Belgian in three sets.
Wozniacki cruises, Azarenka battles on
Earlier, top-seed Caroline Wozniacki and third-ranked Victoria Azarenka both reached the fourth-round without dropping a set as they target maiden grand slam wins.
Wozniacki, who had been severely tested during her second-round match against Georgia’s Anna Tatishvili, cruised past Romania’s Monica Niculescu 6-2, 6-2.
Meanwhile, Azarenka was handed her first real test of the tournament and had to put aside some contentious line calls before beating Germany’s Mona Barthel 6-2, 6-4.
Although winning in straight sets, Azarenka never had it her own way against the feisty German, who won her maiden WTA title as a qualifier in Hobart last week.
Aisam through in mixed-doubles
The seventh-seeded pairing of Pakistani ace Aisamul Haq Qureshi and Czech Andrea Hlavackova overcame the Australian duo of Jelena Dokic and Paul Hanley 6-3, 6-1 in the first-round of mixed doubles.
There was also success for sixth-seeded Indian partners Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi, who beat Natalie Grandin and Jean-Julien Roger 6-4, 6-2.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2012.