Five takeaways from Day 7 at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia – Four of tennis’ biggest stars took four very different paths into the second week of the Australian Open on Sunday, but in the end they all got to where they needed to be.

Here, five things from Sunday at Melbourne Park as you slept away the snow storm at home.

Serena-Sharapova set quarterfinal showdown

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova will meet again a year after they competed for the Australian Open title, only this time it will be in the quarterfinals. Williams had no trouble with 21-year-old Margarita Gasparyan of Russia, losing just three games in less than an hour. Sharapova, however, was made to work by up-and-coming teenager Belinda Bencic, overcoming the Swiss 18-year-old 7-5, 7-5 and hitting a career-high 21 aces. Williams owns a 18-2 head-to-head advantage over Sharapova, including 17 wins in a row.

Djokovic survives opponent – and 100 errors

No, your eyes don’t deceive you: Novak Djokovic hit 100 unforced errors in his five-set match against Gilles Simon – and still managed to win. The world No. 1 was stretched for the first time this tournament, a 6-3, 6-7(1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 winner over the Frenchman. The two played for over four hours as Djokovic, a five-time champion here, grew increasingly frustrated with Simon’s never-can-miss style. In the end he advanced, however, setting up a quarterfinal clash with No. 7 seed Kei Nishikori.

Federer soars, Gavrilova gone

There was no struggle – or 100 errors – for Federer, who downed David Goffin 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 to book a quarterfinal date with No. 6 seed Tomas Berdych. Meanwhile, Daria Gavrilova, the Australian who had a breakout performance here, was a disappointed loser to No. 10 seed Carla Suarez Navarro after trotting through the first set. The Spaniard won 0-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Radwanska mounts a comeback

Down 5-2 in the third set, No. 4 seed Agnieszka Radwanska held her serve twice and reeled off five games in a row to overcome Anna-Lena Friedsam, a German challenger who suffered from cramping at the close. Radwanska made the quarterfinals for a sixth time with the 6-7(6), 6-1, 7-5 effort and meets Saurez Navarro. “I had no choice,” the Polish player said. “Just to fight ‘til the end for each point. That's what I did.”

Nigel ends up OK
Nigel Sears gave the tennis world quite the scare Saturday night, but by Sunday afternoon he was said to have made a full recovery. The coach to Ana Ivanovic and father-in-law to Andy Murray collapsed Saturday during Ivanovic’s match against American Madison Keys, delaying that match 45 minutes. Sears issued a statement via the tournament on Sunday, saying he was feeling well and headed home soon. “My medical advice is that I will be allowed to leave the hospital shortly and I have been cleared to fly back to the UK in the next day or so,” Sears said in the statement.

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