MELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal put his old rival Fabio Fognini to the sword to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals and move within three wins of the all-time Grand Slam titles record on Monday.
The Spanish great was 1-1 with the flamboyant Italian in Grand Slams but he was never seriously troubled in his 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win on Rod Laver Arena.
Nadal is now into his 43rd Grand Slam quarter-final, staying on course for a title match with eight-time winner Novak Djokovic who battled through an abdominal injury to reach the last eight on Sunday.
“I’m happy to be in the quarter-finals today – that means a lot to me, it’s positive stuff,” said Nadal, who is targeting a record 21st men’s Grand Slam singles crown.
Next up for Nadal is Greece’s world number six Stefanos Tsitsipas, who went through on a walkover after Italy’s Matteo Berrettini pulled out with an abdominal strain.
The Melbourne tournament remained fan-free for a third day on Monday during a five-day lockdown in Victoria state to curb a coronavirus outbreak.
As the action continued in front of empty stands, unseeded American Jessica Pegula reached her maiden Grand Slam quarter-final with victory over Elina Svitolina, her first over a top-10 player.
Pegula, whose billionaire father owns the Buffalo Bills NFL team, overcame fifth seed Svitolina 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to set up a meeting with fellow American Jennifer Brady, a 6-1, 7-5 winner against Croatia’s Donna Vekic.
“I can’t get more confident – it is my best result yet and I’m playing good tennis and today was a hard-fought win,” said Pegula, 26.
“Jen (Brady) is an awesome person. She’s a great person,” Pegula added. “She was texting me, ‘I’m so happy, I’m so proud. This is awesome.’”
Elsewhere, fourth seed Daniil Medvedev and seventh seed Andrey Rublev both won to ensure an all-Russian quarter-final.
Medvedev, the 2019 US Open runner-up, blew away American world number 192 Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 to extend his winning streak to 18 matches.
Rublev, who is also unbeaten this year, went through when Norway’s Casper Ruud retired after losing the first two sets.
Australian Open: Rafael Nadal moves within three wins of Grand Slam titles record
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Australian Open: Rafael Nadal moves within three wins of Grand Slam titles record
- Spanish great is now into his 43rd Grand Slam quarter-final
- The Melbourne tournament remains fan-free for a third day on Monday
Ferhat stars as Mouloudia get CAF Champions League boost
- Muslim Anatouf scored after 15 minutes and a Ferhat thunderbolt on 44 minutes gave Mouloudia a two-goal half-time advantage
- It would have been an injustice if the Sudanese club had snatched a draw
JOHANNESBURG: Zinedine Ferhat created the first goal and scored the second for Mouloudia Alger of Algeria in a 2-1 win over Al Hilal of Sudan 2-1 on Friday that threw CAF Champions League Group C wide open.
Muslim Anatouf scored after 15 minutes and a Ferhat thunderbolt on 44 minutes gave Mouloudia a two-goal half-time advantage before a near-capacity crowd in the 45,000-seat Algiers stadium.
Hilal rarely threatened to reduce the deficit in a cauldron of cheering, singing and flag waving until Mauritanian Ahmed Salem M’Bareck netted with 13 minutes remaining.
Ghanaian substitute Kamaradini Mamudu had a late chance to bring Hilal level, but his header from a corner flew wide.
It would have been an injustice if the Sudanese club had snatched a draw, however, as they were outplayed by quicker, slicker Mouloudia for long periods of an often scrappy, foul-ridden match.
Despite losing for the first time in the group after two victories and two draws, Hilal retained first place with eight points.
Topping the table in the most competitive of the four groups is a remarkable achievement by Hilal given they have to stage home matches in Rwanda because of the ongoing Sudanese civil war.
Mouloudia had just one point after matchday three, but back-to-back home wins over Saint-Eloi Lupopo from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Hilal have lifted them to second with seven points.
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa have five points, one more than Lupopo, ahead of their clash in Lubumbashi on Sunday.
A win for Lupopo would leave Sundowns in danger of missing the knockout stage of the premier African club competition for only the second time since winning the 2016 final against Zamalek of Egypt.
In the final round on February 14, Hilal host Lupopo and Sundowns will have home advantage over Mouloudia, whose South African coach, Rhulani Mokwena, was formerly in charge of the Pretoria club.
