Milos Raonic ends Stanislas Wawrinka’s Australian Open campaign in five-setter

In other fourth round matches, eighth seed David Ferrer ousted America’s John Isner in straight sets while second seed Andy Murray beat Bernard Tomic 6-4, 6-4, 7-6.

For all his heavy metal tennis, big-serving Milos Raonic relies on a quiet head on his shoulders during times of trouble, as was the case when beating Stanislas Wawrinka in the Australian Open fourth round on Monday.

Gael Monfils had a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) win over Andrei Kuznetsov to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 11 trips to the Australian Open. At stake for both players is a first semifinal appearance at the tournament.

Murray visited Sears twice, on Saturday night and Sunday morning, before the 58-year-old was released and given the all clear to fly home.

Adding to Murray s predicament was that his wife Kim Sears is heavily pregnant and he has said he will quit the Australian Open and rush home if she goes into labour.

“The last few days were very tough”. Asked to comment on what the craziest thing he’d ever seen Monfils do on court, Raonic said, smiling: “Probably the thing he does next”.

Murray put the medical emergency behind him but it was a scrappy match as he broke the Australian’s serve six times and dropped his own serve four times. If the Canadian can win the first two sets – even by slim margins – I think La Monf will probably throw the towel during that final set.

Wawrinka was the only man to beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic in a Grand Slam match past year – the French Open final – and the last man to beat him at Melbourne Park since 2010.

In the women’s draw, Angelique Kerber eased through her last-16 encounter against fellow German Annika Beck, while Victoria Azarenka beat Barbora Strycova.

Second seed Andy Murray had his feathers ruffled but scrapped his way into the Australian Open quarter-finals with a 6-4 6-4 7-6(4) victory over local world number 17 Bernard Tomic on Monday.

“But I’m disappointed. I know I tried what I could today”.

Raonic has been absolutely sensational so far, hammering down his superb serve and imposing his huge frame at the net – it’s a combination which could win him the tournament and it will nearly certainly be too good for Monfils, who looks pretty short at 9/4.

It will be the seventh consecutive quarter-final in Melbourne for Murray, who is bidding to finally win the title for the first time after four runner-up finishes. “She’s an incredibly intense, focused player who was No. 1 and has won so many Grand Slams for a reason”.

“Tough match in general”, Wawrinka said.

“This was my first victory on Rod Laver Arena so that’s a nice plus”. “I played smart, I played aggressive, I took my opportunities and I really kept my composure”. “So it’s not just about a confidence, it’s about an understanding of what I need to do, where you go in certain situations, how not only to finish the points, how to defend a little bit better at the net and how to cover and move better to make the opponent think”.