Melbourne: Maria Sharapova stunned defending champion Caroline Wozniacki to sweep into the Australian Open last 16 and join ice man Roger Federer, who clinically disposed of his opponent, here on Friday. The Russian five-time Grand Slam winner, who has struggled since returning from a drugs ban in 2017, was as at full throttle in ending the Dane’s dream of a second major title. Sharapova won 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 with the roof closed on Rod Laver Arena and will next play in-form local hope Ashleigh Barty, who bounced Greece’s Maria Sakkari, for a berth in the quarter-finals. “I thought the level was quite high. I knew it would be a tough match,” said the 2008 champion, who has been in sizzling form at the tournament as she chases her first Slam title since Roland Garros in 2014. “These types of matches are what I train for and it was really rewarding to win that last point,” added the 30th seed. Swiss great Federer was also on fire in taming big-serving American Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 to stay on track for a third successive title at Melbourne Park and a 21st Grand Slam crown.
Next up for him is fiery Greek 14th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who beat Georgia’s 19th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4. Rafael Nadal plays a night match against a player he calls “one of the best in the world”, referring to Australian teenager Alex de Minaur who won the Sydney International last week and is on seven-match win streak. “He’s young, very young. He is winning a lot of matches. So let’s see. Going to be a tough one,” said Nadal, the 2009 champion who is searching for an 18th Grand Slam title. The winner will face Tomas Berdych, who rallied to beat Argentine 18th seed Diego Schwartzman 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4. The Czech veteran reached the semi-finals in 2014 and 2015 but is unseeded this year as he returns from a back injury that almost forced his retirement last year. Nadal is followed on court by Germany’s second seed Angelique Kerber, the 2016 title holder who takes on Australian youngster Kimberley Birrell. Barty beat Greece’s Sakkari 7-5, 6-1, with the 15th seed yet to drop a set in her best performance at Melbourne Park. She has won seven of eight matches this month to back up a title victory in Zhuhai late last year to shape up as a dangerous opponent for Sharapova. “It’s getting to the point now where I’m feeling more and more comfortable on the court and can play my brand of tennis, which when I execute I know it works against the best in the world,” said a confident Barty. No Australian woman has won the season-opening Grand Slam at Melbourne Park since Christine O’Neill in 1978. Meanwhile, unseeded American Amanda Anisimova continued her dream run, ousting 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova also advanced, crushing Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-0, 6-3 for a last 16 showdown with fifth seed Sloane Stephens, who beat Petra Martic in straight sets.