Nadal and Clijsters Cruise Into the Quarters of 2011 Australian Open
Rafael Nadal defeated Marin Cilic, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 at the Australian Open on Monday to maintain his chance of owning all four Grand Slam trophies at once. That’s an accomplishment that hasn’t been achieved since Rod Laver won four majors in a calendar year in 1969. Nadal advanced to a quarterfinal showdown with fellow country man and seventh seeded David Ferrer. Ferrer set up an all-Spanish quarterfinal against Nadal with his 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 win over 20-year-old Milos Raonic of Canada. Nadal is attempting to add to the Grand Slam titles he won last year at the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Nadal hasn’t dropped a set through four rounds. Nadal took the opening set when Cilic netted a backhand. Nadal went ahead 4-3 on a service break in the second set, then clinched it when Cilic, who beat American John Isner in five sets Saturday, hit a forehand long. He advanced when Cilic double-faulted on match point.
In other fourth round action, number five Andy Murray defeated number 11 Jurgen Melzer in straight sets. The win put Murray closer to a second straight appearance in the finals at Melbourne Park, where he lost to Roger Federer last year after beating Nadal in the quarterfinals. Before Murray gets a potential crack at Nadal, he’ll face an unexpected quarterfinal rival after Ukranian Alexandr Dolgopolov dropped Soderling, 1-6, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, ending the French Open finalist’s eight-match winning streak. Soderling hadn’t dropped a set during his surge that started with his run to the title at the Brisbane tuneup. He dominated the opening set but couldn’t keep it up against Dolgopolov, who is making his fourth appearance in a major and was coming off a five-set win over former Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Dolgopolov’s cross-court backhand to bring up his first match point was typical of the 50 winners he hit against a stunned Soderling. Soderling saved three match points, but his run came to an end with another unforced error, his 51st.
On the women’s side, Kim Clijsters, seeded number three, also reached the quarterfinals with a 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory over Ekaterina Makarova of Russia. Number two Vera Zvonareva advanced as well. When it went to a tiebreaker, Clijsters’ experience came through. The Belgian won the set when Makarova hit a forehand wide. Clijsters called for the trainer after the third game of the second set and took one or two tablets, then asked how long it would be before the medication took effect. The trainer indicated about 20 minutes, and Clijsters finished the match in slightly over that time frame. Number 12 Agnieszka Radwanska beat China’s Peng Shuai, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, and will meet Clijsters in the quarters.
Vera Zvonareva is rolling toward a third consecutive Grand Slam final with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Iveta Benesova. Zvonareva moved into a quarterfinal against number 25 Petra Kvitova, who rallied past number 22 Flavia Pennetta, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
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