Rafael Nadal into Australian Open quarter finals for the 14th time

Nadal moved to equal-second with John Newcombe on the all-time list for most quarterfinals in Australia.

Nadal is now potentially three victories away from a men’s record 21st Grand Slam singles title.
Reuters

Nadal is now potentially three victories away from a men’s record 21st Grand Slam singles title.

Rafael Nadal is into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the 14th time after beating Adrian Mannarino in straight sets following a long opening tiebreaker.

Nadal needed seven set points before finishing off the 28-minute, 40-second tiebreaker on the way to his 7-6 (14), 6-2, 6-2 fourth-round victory.

It extended his streak to 21 straight wins against fellow left-handers.

Nadal moved to equal-second with John Newcombe on the all-time list for most quarterfinals in Australia. 

Roger Federer tops that list with 15. It's also his 45th time into the last eight at a Grand Slam tournament, which is third on the all-time list behind Federer (58) and Novak Djokovic (51).

Nadal is now potentially three victories away from a men’s record 21st Grand Slam singles title.

READ MORE: Defending champion Osaka knocked out of Australian Open

Krejcikova beats Azarenka

French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova has reached the Australian Open quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-2 win over two-time champion Victoria Azarenka in their fourth round match on Rod Laver Arena.

The fourth-seeded Krejcikova needed only 85 minutes to beat the 2012 and 2013 champion and progress to her third quarterfinal in four Grand Slams events.

She will next play 2017 US Open runner-up Madison Keys, who had 6-3, 6-1 victory over eighth-seeded Paula Badosa.

Azarenka, seeded 24th, made 28 unforced errors and dropped five service games.

Krejcikova broke Azarenka's serve in the third game and again in the seventh to take control of the first set.

She broke again the opening game of the second set and then was rarely troubled in closing out as temperatures approached 34 Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit).

Keys beat Badosa 6-3, 6-1 in the first match of Day 7 on Rod Laver Arena.

READ MORE: 'Very frustrated': Murray dumped out by Japanese qualifier in Melbourne

First woman to reach this year's quarterfinals

Former US Open finalist Madison Keys became the first woman to reach this year's Australian Open quarterfinals with a dominant 6-3, 6-1 victory over eighth-seed Spaniard Paula Badosa.

The 26-year-old American, who defeated 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the first round, never looked troubled against the higher-ranked Badosa in their first career meeting, racking up 26 winners as she continued her unbeaten start to the year.

Keys, who claimed her sixth career title last week in Adelaide, raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first set before consolidating her advantage to close out the first set in 32 minutes.

The second set was even more one-sided for the unseeded American, breaking Badosa in the first, third, fifth and seventh games to wrap up the win in 1:09 and earn her first quarterfinal berth in Australia since 2018.

The 24-year-old Badosa, who was also unbeaten this year after winning the Sydney International earlier this month, made 10 double faults and lost her service game five times.

Keys will play the winner of two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka and French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova in Tuesday's quarterfinals. 

READ MORE: Medvedev, Tsitsipas cruise into Australian Open fourth round

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