Jan. 23: Germany’s Andrea Petkovic upset 2008 champion and 16th seed Maria Sharapova of Russia 6-2, 6-3 in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday. Petkovic reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time with the comprehensive win, celebrating with her now famous jig — the Petkodance — first unveiled on her way to the fourth round of the 2010 US Open.
Petkovic, a political science student who plays the drums and reads Goethe and Oscar Wilde in her spare time, was never in trouble against a misfiring Sharapova. Sharapova was disappointing against Petkovic, serving five double faults and making 30 unforced errors to her opponent’s nine. Petkovic will now take on China’s Li Na, a semifinalist here last year, in the quarterfinals.
Defending champion Roger Federer, meanwhile, matched a Grand Slam record which magnifies his extraordinary consistency over eight years, while Francesca Schiavone established a record for endurance in a women’s singles match.
Federer equaled Jimmy Connors’ mark for consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals appearances when he beat Tommy Robredo 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday. The 16-time Grand Slam winner has now reached the quarterfinals at 27 majors in a row since 2004.
He’ll next play Stanislas Wawrinka in the first all-Swiss quarterfinal at a major in the Open era. Wawrinka had a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Andy Roddick in the last match of the day, meaning there’ll be no Americans in the men’s or women’s quarterfinals.
On the women’s side, French Open champion Schiavone established a Grand Slam record, needing 4 hours and 44 minutes for her 6-4, 1-6, 16-14 fourth-round win over Svetlana Kuznetsova. Schiavone saved six match points, then converted on her third match point in the longest women’s match at a major in terms of time in the Open era. The previous record was set here last year when Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova beat Regina Kulikova 7-6 (5), 6-7 (10), 6-3 in a match lasting 4 hours and 19 minutes.
Schiavone will meet top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals. World number three Novak Djokovic is aiming for his second Australian crown. The 2008 champion advanced to the quarterfinals for the 13th time in the last 15 majors with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 win over Spain’s Nicolas Almagro and will next play last year’s Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych, who beat Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 6-2, 6-3.
Women’s No.1 Wozniacki moved into the Australian Open quarterfinals for the first time with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Anastasija Sevastova and is just one victory from ensuring she’ll retain the top ranking. The 20-year-old Dane, playing her first major as world No.1, can keep her top ranking with an appearance in the semis.
The questions about Wozniacki’s worthiness of the top ranking are starting to diminish. Asked which player she feared most, she said: “I don’t fear anyone actually.”