Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei yesterday maintained her winning streak at the first Grand Slam of the season, while the Chan sisters were also victorious in the first round of the mixed doubles at the Australian Open.
Eighth seeds Hsieh and Peng Shuai took just 70 minutes to overcome 12th seeds Raquel Atawo of the US and Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 6-4, 6-2 in the third round of the women’s doubles on Show Court 2 at Melbourne Park.
The former Wimbledon and French Open champions failed to save the only break point they conceded, but converted four of eight, winning 62 of the 107 points contested.
Photo: Reuters
The Taiwanese-Chinese duo are to face Czech fourth seeds Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova, who had to rally from a set down before overcoming Sorana Cirstea of Romania and Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 2-6, 6-0, 6-4.
Earlier on Show Court 2 in the mixed doubles, top seeds Latisha Chan and Jamie Murray also had to rally from a set down against Andreja Klepac of Slovenia and Rajeev Ram of the US before completing a 4-6, 7-5, 11-9 victory in 1 hour, 27 minutes.
The Taiwanese-British duo saved five of seven break points and converted two of seven, hitting 23 winners to set up a second-round clash today with Australian pairing Storm Sanders and Marc Polmans, who defeated Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany and Robert Farah of Columbia 7-5, 1-6, 10-4.
Seventh seeds Chan Hao-ching and Michael Venus of New Zealand took just 55 minutes to oust Yang Zhaoxuan of China and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan 6-3, 6-4 on Show Court 3.
The seventh seeds converted four of 10 break points and hit 19 winners to set up a second-round match against Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain and Marcelo Demoliner of Brazil, who defeated US duo Nicole Melichar and Nicholas Monroe 6-2, 6-3.
In the singles, Rafael Nadal battled through a huge test to make his 10th Open quarter-final as Grigor Dimitrov ousted Nick Kyrgios to join him and Caroline Wozniacki kicked into full gear.
On an overcast and muggy day, the Spanish world No. 1 was up against his most dangerous opponent yet in Diego Schwartzman.
The Argentine 24th seed endeared with his astonishingly powerful groundstrokes before Nadal prevailed 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3 in nearly four hours.
“It was a great battle,” said Nadal, who is chasing his second Melbourne title. “Of course, I feel little bit tired, but I was able to keep fighting until the end.”
He will play sixth seed Marin Cilic for a place in the semi-finals after the Croat beat Spanish 10th seed Pablo Correna Busta 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/0), 7-6 (7/3).
“I have played great tennis from the first round against tough opponents and now I am really looking to the next match. It will be definitely be a big challenge,” he said of the Nadal clash.
Nadal, as the top seed, would ordinarily have top billing on Rod Laver in the evening, but not with local star Kyrgios in action.
The maturing Australian 22-year-old pushed world No. 3 Dimitrov close in a hugely entertaining four setter before succumbing 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4).
“Playing Nick is always tricky,” the Bulgarian said. “It was one of those matches you had to take any opportunity that you got.”
Meanwhile, world No. 2 Wozniacki turned on the style in her match to take another step toward a maiden Grand Slam title.
The assured Wozniacki, a semi-finalist in 2011 who has never quite lived up to the hype in the majors, annihilated 19th-seeded Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3, 6-0 in her most impressive performance to date.
“She really mixes up the pace, I just tried to calm down, get my returns in and wait for the opportunities to attack,” she said “I think you can tell my confidence is pretty good at the moment.”
Her easy passage sets up a last-eight clash with gritty Spaniard Suarez Navarro, who battled back from a set and 4-1 down to shatter the hopes of Anett Kontaviet.
The Estonian had been bubbling with confidence after despatching French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the third round, but nerves got the better of her.
The Spaniard credited her fightback with a conscious decision to be more aggressive.
“My team all the time they say [to] me, play aggressive, play aggressive. That’s I think what I did,” Suarez Navarro said.
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