Second seed Rafael Nadal got a wake-up call on Thursday but title contenders Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters and Martina Hingis were in a class of their own, breezing into the Australian Open third round.
Clay court specialist Nadal, drawn to face world number one Roger Federer in this year’s final, was given a marathon workout by 61st ranked German Philipp Kohlschreiber before putting him away 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in a night match.
”He was a very tough opponent. He served well and returned serve aggressively,” said the Spaniard, who was on court for 3hr 30mins.
”It was a very tough match and a very good test, and it was good to win.”
While Nadal was put through his paces, third seed Nikolay Davydenko and fifth seed James Blake sailed smoothly on.
With the roofs closed on the main stadiums for rain, Clijsters and Hingis were back in the locker room in no time as they continued their march towards a quarterfinal showdown.
Clijsters, seeded four and in her last year on the tour before retiring to raise a family, ended the hopes of Japan’s Akiko Morigami with a 6-3, 6-0 mauling and will next play Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko.
Three-time champion Hingis, who has appeared in six finals here, romped past Russia’s Alla Kudryavtseva 6-2, 6-2, with the sixth seed facing Japan’s Aiko Nakamura next.
Top seed Sharapova, playing with the roof open after early rain stopped, had an equally emphatic victory, brushing off fellow Russian Anatassia Rodionova 6-0, 6-3 in less than an hour.
It was in marked contrast to her three-set horror match on Tuesday when she was forced to play in 40 degrees Celsius heat and came close to bombing out.
”All my brain cells were restored today [Thursday] so I was able to think a little bit out there, unlike the previous match,” she said.
”It was very important to get out there and get off to a good start and then end the match on a good note rather than dragging it out.”
Hingis, who won here in 1997, 1998 and 1999, is confident she will be in the quarterfinals.
”Everybody expects me to get to the quarters, whereas last year every match was a big win, big victory,” she said of the tournament last year where she was coming back from a three-year injury break.
”I definitely expect that from myself, as well.”
Clijsters, who is the form player having won the Champions Challenge in Hong Kong and the Sydney International in the lead-up, wasted little energy on Morigami, and said she is playing well because she is happy.
”I feel good. I think that’s it, I’m happy and I think that’s the most important thing,” said the 24-year-old, who is marrying United States basketballer Brian Lynch later in the year.
”I don’t feel like I’m quite there yet, but I’m definitely moving upwards, and it’s a lot better than I was over the last few months or last year.”
Blake, who won the Sydney International last week, upstaged fellow American Alex Kuznetsov in straight sets as he motors to a possible last-eight match-up with Nadal.
He points to a sturdier backhand and mental strength for solid form.
”Hopefully, a lot of things have improved, but my backhand improving has taken away a weakness,” he said. ”Mentally I feel like I’m much stronger.”
In other matches, Davydenko strolled past Gilles Muller from Luxembourg 6-4, 6-0, 6-3 while 2005 runner-up Lleyton Hewitt took four sets to dispose of Canada’s Frank Dancevic.
Britain’s Andy Murray beat Fernando Verdasco of Spain in straight sets. — AFP
