Andy Murray and Roger Federer put on a masterclass on Friday as they swept into the last 16 of the Australian Open, hoping to take advantage of Novak Djokovic’s shock exit.
Murray swamped Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 and Federer humbled Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in just 90 minutes, maintaining his 100 percent record over his old rival at Melbourne Park.
.@rogerfederer talks on his victory in the third round of the Australian Open during his on court interview #AusOpen 2017 pic.twitter.com/WHU44gWJfp
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2017
Women’s world number one Angelique Kerber also hit form as she dropped only four games against Kristyna Pliskova to race into a fourth-round meeting with America’s Coco Vandeweghe.
Murray and Federer had both watched from afar on Thursday as Djokovic, the defending champion and six-time winner, suffered a stunning defeat to 117th-ranked Denis Istomin.
Querrey also upset Djokovic at Wimbledon last year but Murray, made a knight in Britain’s New Year honours, never looked like slipping on any banana skins in round three.
He put Querrey away 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in just under two hours, winning 77 percent of points on his first serve and facing only three break points in a clinical display.
.@GarbiMuguruza was on 🔥🔥 tonight! She’s through to 4R! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/61dSLjlPDy
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2017
The Scottish world number one also showed no signs of discomfort in his right ankle, after he rolled it painfully during his second-round win over Andrey Rublev.
“I felt better and better as the match went on in terms of my movement,” he said. “The ankle was a little sore and I was a little tentative at the start but it got better and better through the match.”
Federer, 35 and returning from an injury lay-off, said he even surprised himself with an imperious win over Berdych that left the Czech shaking his head as he departed.
Roger. #AusOpen #Federer pic.twitter.com/tdZ0snYsJE
— Martina Gargantini (@MartiGarga13) January 20, 2017
“In practice things were going well, but I’ve never been the practice king. I was winning tons of sets,” Federer said, adding: “It’s been unbelievable. I did surprise myself.”
Murray and 17th-seeded Federer are on course to meet in the quarter-finals, with the Scot next facing Mischa Zverev and the Swiss veteran up against Kei Nishikori.
Japan’s Nishikori should provide a stern test for Federer and the fifth seed underlined his confident form by seeing off Slovakian qualifier Lukas Lacko 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 champion, survived a four-set tussle with Viktor Troicki 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (9/7) and now faces Italy’s Andreas Seppi, who ousted Steve Darcis of Belgium.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also came through in four sets against American Jack Sock and will play Briton Dan Evans, who beat Australia’s Bernard Tomic 7-5, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/3).
In the women’s draw, Kerber finally got into her stride with a 6-0, 6-4 destruction of Kristyna Pliskova, the 58th-ranked twin sister of Czech fifth seed Karolina.
All Hail Queen Vee! 🐝
No.13 @Venuseswilliams drops only 1 game vs. Duan 6-1, 6-0 and books her 4th Grand Slam 4R in a row. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/fcPWWioWVL— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2017
The German defending champion was an early loser at both of her warm-up tournaments and was taken to three sets in unconvincing wins in round one and two.
But Kerber clicked into gear against Pliskova, winning in just 55 minutes to set up a last-16 clash with America’s Coco Vandeweghe, who ousted Canadian starlet Eugenie Bouchard.
“I’m looking forward to the next one. Yeah, I think that I find my rhythm to the tournament now,” Kerber said.
Svetlana Kuznetsova outlasted fellow thirty-something Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 5-7, 9-7 and will next play fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Venus Williams beat Duan Yingying 6-1, 6-0 to end Chinese interest, earning a match with German qualifier Mona Barthel who overcame Australia’s Ashleigh Barty in three sets.
French Open champion Garbine Muguruza was a 6-4, 6-2 winner against Anastasija Sevastova, setting up an encounter with Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.