Favorites advance to Round 4
MELBOURNE—Maria Sharapova recovered from the longest, hottest match of her career to beat Alize Cornet, 6-1, 7-6 (6), Saturday and reach the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Sharapova’s boyfriend, Grigor Dimitrov, progressed to the second week at a major for the first time when he converted his fifth match point to beat No. 11-seeded Milos Raonic of Canada, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10).
The 22-year-old Bulgarian, considered one of the up-and-coming players on the men’s tour, is starting to live up to expectations.
“First time for me to be in second week, so I guess I’ll see you guys next week,” the No. 22-seeded Dimitrov told the crowd at a packed Margaret Court Arena.
He has been sometimes referred to as the mini Roger Federer, due their similar styles and single-handed backhands. Even Federer, a 17-time Grand Slam winner, told a news conference after his 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 win over Teymuraz Gabashvili that everyone in the locker room was watching the Dimitrov-Raonic match.
Dimitrov will next play Roberto Bautista Agut, who followed his upset secondround win over No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 third-round win over No. 27 Benoit Paire.
Three-time finalist Andy Murray reached the fourth round for the sixth straight year with a 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-2 win over No. 26-seeded Feliciano Lopez.
The Wimbledon champion, playing only his second tournament since minor back surgery in September, was only broken once in a 2-hour, 15-minute match and next faces Stefane Robert, a lucky loser from qualifying, who is into the fourth round for the first time after beating Martin Klizan.
Sharapova’s thirdround match was played in high humidity but in temperatures of about 22 Celsius considerably cooler than the scorching 42 C conditions she endured for 3 hours, 28 minutes in her second-round win over Karin Knapp two days previously. (AP)