Aussie Open: Djokovic, Wawrinka hit q/finals
Novak Djokovic
Novak
Djokovic powered into his eighth consecutive quarter-final at the
Australian Open as Stan Wawrinka kept his title defence on track on
Monday, AFP reports.
The Serb world number one was too strong
for unseeded Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, winning 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 in the
night match on Rod Laver Arena.
The four-time champion did not have his
service broken as he powered through to play Canada’s Milos Raonic for a
place in the semi-finals.
Djokovic was outstanding on service, winning a high 82 per cent of first serves and fighting off four break points.
The Serb top seed hit 47 winners and only 16 unforced errors in a masterly performance against the left-handed Muller.
“I got the crucial three breaks at the
important moments, especially in the second and third at 5-all, managed
to play some good passing shots,” Djokovic said.
Raonic became the first Canadian man to
reach the Australian Open quarter-finals in 47 years in a five-set
battle with Feliciano Lopez.
The eighth seed thundered down 30 aces as
he made the last eight with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (7/9) 6-3 win over the
12th-seed in 3hr5min on Hisense Arena.
Raonic created Canadian tennis history by
becoming the first man since Michael Belkin in 1968 to win through to
the quarters at the Australian Open.
He also equalled countryman Robert
Powell’s feat of playing in three Grand Slam quarter-finals set back at
the 1908, 1910 and 1912 Wimbledons.
“It’s great to be doing what I’m doing and that it is making a difference,” Raonic said.
“It is, I guess, part of some history, if
you look really deep. But at the end of the day, at the same time, I’m
always pushing myself for what I want to achieve.”
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