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Djokovic moves into fourth round
Friday, 18 January 2013 - 2:46pm
Djokovic beat Stepanek 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 to advance to the fourth round and extend his winning streak to 17 matches at the Australian Open.
Djokovic broke the 34th-ranked Stepanek late in each set, but was troubled at times against a wily veteran who mixed up the tempo with a lot of serve-and-volley and some unorthodox shot-making.
“Absolutely it was great. Great match and great fun,” Djokovic said.
“It’s always tricky to play Radek,” he added. “He’s a talented player. Skilful player.”
Stepanek had Djokovic smiling and acknowledging his winners on some points, and frustrated him on others with his constant, stay-in-the-point defence.
He even had chair umpire Carlos Bernardes grinning with his over-the-shoulder winner to save one match point near the end.
Djokovic, the two-time defending champ who also won the title at Melbourne Park in 2008, is hoping to become the first man in the Open era to win three-consecutive Australian titles.
He will play Switzerland’s Stanislaw Wawrinka in the fourth round Sunday.
Angelique Kerber, meanwhile, survived some nervous moments before fending off American teenager Madison Keys 6-2, 7-5 in their third-round match, then got to blow out the candles on a cake to celebrate her 25th birthday.
Local organizers brought a cake onto the court for Kerber immediately after the match and the crowd at Rod Laver Arena sang “Happy Birthday.”
Kerber next will play No. 19 Ekaterina Makarova of Russia, who advanced after a tough 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-4 win over 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli.
Maria Sharapova dumped Venus Williams 6-1, 6-3 in a lopsided match-up between Grand Slam champions to reach the fourth round.
And fourth-seeded Angieszka Radwanska won her 12th match in a row with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Britain’s Heather Watson.
Radwanska now will meet 2008 French Open champ Ana Ivanovic, who beat Jelena Jankovic 7-5, 6-3 in a match-up featuring two Serbians who both formerly were ranked No. 1.
After soaring to 106 degrees F on Day 4, the temperature dropped into the mid-70s on Friday, and light rain briefly interrupted play on some courts.
By John Pye THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MELBOURNE, Australia—Novak Djokovic didn’t get all the breaks against Radek Stepanek today at the Australian Open.
The top-ranked Serb, however, remains virtually unbeatable Down Under.
Djokovic broke the 34th-ranked Stepanek late in each set, but was troubled at times against a wily veteran who mixed up the tempo with a lot of serve-and-volley and some unorthodox shot-making.
“Absolutely it was great. Great match and great fun,” Djokovic said.
“It’s always tricky to play Radek,” he added. “He’s a talented player. Skilful player.”
Stepanek had Djokovic smiling and acknowledging his winners on some points, and frustrated him on others with his constant, stay-in-the-point defence.
He even had chair umpire Carlos Bernardes grinning with his over-the-shoulder winner to save one match point near the end.
Djokovic, the two-time defending champ who also won the title at Melbourne Park in 2008, is hoping to become the first man in the Open era to win three-consecutive Australian titles.
He will play Switzerland’s Stanislaw Wawrinka in the fourth round Sunday.
Angelique Kerber, meanwhile, survived some nervous moments before fending off American teenager Madison Keys 6-2, 7-5 in their third-round match, then got to blow out the candles on a cake to celebrate her 25th birthday.
Local organizers brought a cake onto the court for Kerber immediately after the match and the crowd at Rod Laver Arena sang “Happy Birthday.”
Kerber next will play No. 19 Ekaterina Makarova of Russia, who advanced after a tough 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-4 win over 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli.
Maria Sharapova dumped Venus Williams 6-1, 6-3 in a lopsided match-up between Grand Slam champions to reach the fourth round.
And fourth-seeded Angieszka Radwanska won her 12th match in a row with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Britain’s Heather Watson.
Radwanska now will meet 2008 French Open champ Ana Ivanovic, who beat Jelena Jankovic 7-5, 6-3 in a match-up featuring two Serbians who both formerly were ranked No. 1.
After soaring to 106 degrees F on Day 4, the temperature dropped into the mid-70s on Friday, and light rain briefly interrupted play on some courts.
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