|
 Nishikori cruised past Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3 6-4 on Pat
Rafter Arena before twice Australian Open champion Azarenka
dispatched Belgian lucky loser Ysaline Bonaventure 6-3 6-2.
Azarenka battled with her serve early in the first set against the
young Belgian, who played valiantly after stepping in for world
number two Simona Halep, who pulled out with an Achilles problem.
Azarenka, currently ranked 22 in the world, served seven double
faults and lost her opening service game but broke back in a
marathon fourth game to take control of the contest as her novice
opponent faded.
The Belarusian whizzed through the second set in just over half an
hour and sealed victory on her first match point when Bonaventure
sent a forehand return long.
Azarenka will next play U.S. Open finalist Roberta Vinci of Italy
for a place in the semi-finals.
Nishikori also reached the final of the New York grand slam in 2014
and his game looks suited to the hot and fast conditions likely to
await the players in Melbourne when the year's first major gets
underway on Jan. 18.
[to top of second column] |
The Japanese second seed needed only 90 minutes to brush past
Kukushkin and will await the winner of Wednesday evening's encounter
between home hope Bernard Tomic or Czech Radek Stepanek.
(Writing by Patrick Johnston in Singapore; editing by Sudipto
Ganguly)
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