Australian Open 2015: Day 8 Results, Highlights and Scores Recap from Melbourne
Top seed Novak Djokovic put in another excellent performance on Australia Day at the Australian Open, beating big-serving Gilles Muller in straight sets. The four-time champion will face Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals after the Canadian overcame Feliciano Lopez in a five-set thriller.
Elsewhere, Serena Williams had to be jolted to life during her match against Garbine Muguruza. The American lost the opening set but bounced back with distinction to take the next two in emphatic fashion. She looks on course for a potential semi-final showdown with sister Venus, who beat Agnieszka Radwanska in her fourth-round match.
Stanislas Wawrinka also made it into the last eight, but the reigning men’s champion was again pushed hard in this competition, toppling Guillermo Garcia-Lopez at the end of four draining sets of tennis.
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| (4) Stan Wawrinka | 7-6(2) 6-4 4-6 7-6(8) | Guillermo Garcia-Lopez |
| (5) Kei Nishikori | 6-3 6-3 6-3 | (9) David Ferrer |
| (8) Milos Raonic | 6-4 4-6 6-3 6(7)-7 6-3 | (12) Feliciano Lopez |
| (1) Novak Djokovic | 6-4 7-5 7-5 | Gilles Muller |
| (1) Serena Williams | 2-6 6-3 6-2 | (24) Garbine Muguruza |
| (11) Dominika Cibulkova | 6-2 3-6 6-3 | Victoria Azarenka |
| Madison Keys | 6-2 6-4 | Madison Brengle |
| (18) Venus Williams | 6-3 2-6 6-1 | (6) Agnieszka Radwanska |
Ruthless Djokovic Muscles Past Muller
The top seed continued to impress in Melbourne with a clinical showing against Muller. The man from Luxembourg rarely looked overwhelmed against the top seed, but at critical points in each set, he lost focus and allowed Novak to break him.
Muller played well in the third stanza, but he let the initiative slip when facing four break points against the Serbian sensation, allowing Djokovic off the hook each time. The four-time champion pounced late to accrue some vital impetus.
In truth, after losing out in the opening set, it was always going to be difficult for Muller, per ESPN Tennis:
"World No.1 Novak Djokovic has won 302 of his last 312 matches when winning 1st set since the beginning of 2010. #ESPNTennis #UpAllNight
— ESPNTennis (@ESPNTennis) January 26, 2015"
There's a ruthlessness about Djokovic at the moment that bodes well for his chances of victory here. He wasn't quite at his sparkling best in this match, but when those critical moments arrived, there was a sense that the Serb had the edge.
This match represented ideal preparation for Djokovic's quarter-final opponent. Like Muller, Raonic is a big server and someone the seven-time Grand Slam winner will have to be ruthless against. But the Canadian could be a little jaded after being pushed all the way in a five-set epic against Lopez.
Williams Shows Class, Eventually
Serena had to dig deep yet again to continue her run in the Australian Open, as she rallied from a set down to beat the young Spaniard. Williams' desire to win this competition was on show for all to see, and, as she confirmed prior to this match, she’s desperate to make it six wins here in Melbourne, per ESPN Tennis:
"World No.1 Serena Williams WANTS her 6th #AusOpen title! Will this be the year she gets it? #ESPNTennis - http://t.co/nbYhevmmPp
— ESPNTennis (@ESPNTennis) January 26, 2015"
At one point, that looked as though it was going to be unlikely. Muguruza, despite being just 21 years old, looked well settled in the early stages of the contest and took the game to her more illustrious opponent. The Spaniard earned a comfortable 6-2 win in the opening stanza.
But Williams has been in this situation on myriad occasions, and after refocusing at the end of the first set, she came out looking like a completely different player. She rattled off the next two sets against Muguruza, who eventually looked jaded amid a blitz from Serena.
The top seed paid tribute to the supporters in attendance afterward, per the tournament's Twitter account:
There's little surprise she did so, especially when the Aussies in situ were happy to dish out advice to the 18-time Grand Slam champion, per Ben Rothenberg of The New York Times:
Next up for the top seed is Dominika Cibulkova, who has also showcased her fortitude in progressing to the latter stages of the tournament. The dynamic Slovakian proved her mettle in a fine three-set win over two-time champion Victoria Azarenka in Round 4 and will fancy her chances against Williams, who has occasionally looked a little vulnerable.
Wawrinka Pushed Hard Again
The reigning men's champion may have dropped only one set on his way to the last eight of the competition, but he’s already been involved in some draining contests. As we can see here, his Round 4 match could have easily gone the distance:
Nonetheless, this was a good win for the Swiss. Garcia-Lopez knocked him out of the French Open in surprise fashion last year, and, as the championship holder, Wawrinka is a player for whom opponents typically raise their levels. Being pushed close should stand him in good stead for tougher challenges to come as well.
Here’s what he had to say after the match, per the Australion Open's Twitter account:
Wawrinka is the type of player who seems to relish these absorbing matches anyway. It means he will be battle-hardened when it comes to the sharp end of the tournament, and with a quarter-final tie against Kei Nishikori to come, it’s imperative the defending champion showcases his very best tennis if he’s to stand a chance of making it two in a row Down Under.
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