World number two and tournament favourite Petra Kvitova as well as former champion Maria Sharapova have both advanced through to the 2012 Australian Open Women’s Singles Quarter-Finals following their Fourth Round victories on Monday.
Kvitova, last year’s Wimbledon champion booked her place in the final eight of the year’s first grand slam for the second year running following her straight sets 6-2 7-6 victory over Serbian 21st seed Ana Ivanovic.
Czech Kvitova had it her way in the first set taking it out in 31 minutes before Ivanovic fought back in the second only to lose it 7-2 in the tiebreak.
The 21-year-old cannot claim the world number one ranking thanks to current top girl Caroline Wozniacki making it way through to the quarter-finals but is on track with a semi-final showdown against Sharapova.
Glamour girl and fourth seed Maria Sharapova also moved through to the quarter-finals but it took everything she had as she recorded a three set 3-6 6-2 6-3 victory over 14th seeded German Sabine Lisicki.
The Russian, a former champion down here in Melbourne needed 135 minutes to get past the tough Lisicki as she advanced to her first quarter-final appearance at the year’s first grand slam since taking all before here four years ago.
That didn’t look like happening especially after Sharapova lost six games straight to lose the first set – after racing out to a 3-0 love lead – but recovered to level the match at a set apiece.
In a tightly contested third set Sharapova got the break she needed and held her nerve as next she will be taking on compatriot and unseeded Ekaterina Makarova who produced the biggest upset of the tournament thus far.
Makarova who is ranked 56 in the world progressed through to her first ever quarter-final appearance in the singles draw at any of the four grand slams following her straight sets 6-2 6-3 victory over American 12th seed and former five time champion in Serena Williams.
In an extraordinary contest, which lasted 82 minutes, Makarova was able to advance to the final eight of the tournament and ended Williams 19-match winning streak at the year’s first grand slam.
Meanwhile unseeded Italian Sara Errani made her way through to her first quarter-final appearance at a grand slam and a meeting with Kvitova following her straight sets 6-2 6-1 victory over former semi-finalists down here in Melbourne, unseeded Chinese player Jie Zheng.
Tagged with: Ana Ivanovic, Australian Open, Caroline Wozniacki, Compatriot, Ekaterina Makarova, Final Showdown, Glamour Girl, Grand Slam, Grand Slams, Maria Sharapova, Open Women, Quarter Finals, Sabine Lisicki, Serena Williams, Six Games, Straight Sets, Tiebreak, Time Champion, Top Girl, Wimbledon Champion
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Anonymous