Nick Mulvenney MELBOURNE — Rafa Nadal came through his first proper test to storm into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open Monday but Maria Sharapova was ushered to the exit after a second big shock in as many days in the women's draw. Victoria Azarenka was left as the only top-three seed still standing in the last eight when Sharapova was scratched from the title race by Dominika Cibulkova, a day after Serena Williams tumbled out in the fourth round. In the men's draw, the “Big Four” look poised to scrap it out for yet another Grand Slam crown over the next week after Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray all won Monday to join Novak Djokovic in the last eight. Spaniard Nadal led the way with a 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) victory over Japan's Kei Nishikori on Rod Laver Arena that was by no means as easy as the phrase “straight sets” would suggest. The world No. 1 had to contend with a blister on his hand, a tumble, a time violation at a crucial moment and his first losses of his serve in the tournament but most of all with some inspired shot-making from the Asian number one. “I didn't play bad today, but I didn't play as good as I did two days ago,” Nadal said, reflecting on his brilliant performance in the third round against Gael Monfils. While Nadal will meet Sharapova's boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov for a place in the semifinals, Federer and Murray's quarterfinal date ensures that at least one of the quartet of dominant men's players will go home Wednesday. Federer's quick-fire 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was the most impressive of the day, particularly given the French 10th seed had taken him to five sets in Melbourne and beaten him at Roland Garros last year. “I definitely felt momentum was on my side, no doubt,” said the Swiss 17-time Grand Slam champion. “I started the match well. Did I break first game? I think I did. I felt, alright, things are working for me tonight. Let me try to run away with it.” Murray also looked to be racing to victory against Stephane Robert, the first lucky loser to reach the fourth round in Melbourne, but blew a couple of match points in the third set and was dragged into a tiebreak, which the Frenchman won 8-6. The Wimbledon champion took out his frustrations on his a racket, changed his shirt and then whipped through the fourth set to record a 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-2 victory. “I dominated 95 percent of the match, and for 15 minutes didn't close the match out,” said the fourth seed. “But I still created chances, even when I wasn't playing so well at the end of that third set. So it was pretty good for the most part.” Like Murray, Sharapova missed the back end of last season because of injury and she admitted after her 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 defeat to Cibulkova that the tournament had probably come a little bit early for her. Azarenka was utterly dominant as she swept into the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over American Sloane Stephens that extended her winning streak at Melbourne Park to 18 matches. The win had none of the edge of last year's semifinal between the pair, when Azarenka took a medical timeout after blowing five match points. Next up for Azarenka is fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat rising Spanish talent Garbine Muguruza 6-1, 6-3 in the final match of the day. Cibulkova's reward for beating Sharapova is a meeting with Simona Halep, who beat eighth seed Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal. “There's no pressure on me so I can just enjoy the quarterfinals,” Romanian Halep said. “It's my chance and I have to fight for it.” Dimitrov, also entering unknown territory in the second week of a Grand Slam, beat Spain's Roberto Bautista 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 to set up his last eight date with Nadal. Bryans shocked The world's top-ranked doubles pair, Bob and Mike Bryan, suffered their earliest Australian Open exit in more than a decade Monday when they lost 7-6 (9), 6-4 to American Eric Butorac and South Africa's Raven Klaasen in the third round. The American twins, who have won the title six times, led 4-0 in the first-set tiebreak before being overhauled and were then broken once in the second set. — Reuters
