Konta’s strong Australian Open run continues

Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka tamed Barbora Strycova to surge into an Australian Open quarter-final against Angelique Kerber on Monday with a disciplined straight-sets win.

The former world number one, seeded 14, proved too strong for Czech Barbora Strycova on Rod Laver Arena, storming through 6-2, 6-4 to set up a last-eight clash with the seventh seed, who beat fellow German Annika Beck 6-4, 6-0.

As Zhang saw her opponent limping, she battled to hold her nerve.

“Yesssss!!!!” – then she stepped back and raised both arms – “I’m so happy now”. “I’m feeling good, and right now I will try to take my next match and play again good tennis”. “That’s my dream final”, she said.

“I think I just couldn’t find the court, my shots and didn’t really find my game”.

But during her on-court interview after the match, Azarenka was more concerned about the result of the AFC Championship Game between the Broncos and the New England Patriots.

Konta’s victory means she is the first Briton to reach the Australian Open fourth round since 1987. Kerber has racked up 52 winners in her last two matches and has had 23 or less unforced errors in her last three matches.

Kerber powered past Beck to reach the quarter-finals for the first time and knows she has a formidable task ahead against a player who has won each of their encounters dating back to 2012.

Roger Federer watched Djokovic’s match before going out to beat No. 15 David Goffin 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in a match that finished after midnight.

Johanna Konta joined them to reach her maiden Grand Slam quarter-final and become Britain’s first woman to reach the Australian Open last eight since Jo Durie in 1983. Simon frustrated Djokovic with his defensive play, saving all 11 break-point opportunities in the second set before dominating the tiebreaker.

No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanksa rallied from 5-2 down in the third set to win 6-7 (6), 6-1, 7-5 against Anna-Lena Friedsam, who finished the last two games hobbling and in tears, and also conceded a point penalty on her last serve, after taking a medical timeout for what appeared to be cramps.

On the women’s side, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams will meet for the 21st time after the two multiple Grand Slam champions dispatched up-and-coming players in the fourth round.

The 26-year-old Belarusian is 6-0 lifetime against Kerber. He was taken to five sets for the first time since Wimbledon in July against Kevin Anderson.

“To be honest, when I woke up I felt quite drained, quite exhausted”, he said.

“I hope it’s not broken, it’s a bit painful but when you play in front of a big crowd you want to play good”.

Kerber, who saved a match point in her first-round win over Misaki Doi, is into the quarterfinals for the first time in Australia. Let the best team win.

But the left-hander has been steadily getting better, with Beck, ranked 55, always the underdog, having only once beaten a top 10 player – Simona Halep in 2014. “For sure he will have some chance to go far in Grand Slam”.

But it was a short-lived advantage with Kerber immediately breaking back.

Australia is Azarenka’s favorite Grand Slam.

Strycova started blasting winners early in the first set, but eventually Azarenka used her superior backcourt skills to take control.

Nishikori has had trouble with Tsonga’s power game in the past, losing most recently to the Frenchman in the quarterfinals of the French Open previous year.