Victoria Azarenka, Andy Murray are favorites in quarterfinals
MELBOURNE, Australia – Half of the Australian Open semifinals are set, so who joins the Tuesday winners in the respective final fours? It’s a day with three clear favorites and an unseeded match that is anyone’s for the taking.
Here is a preview of Day 10’s quarterfinals at Melbourne Park.
[7] Angelique Kerber (GER) vs. [14] Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
Rod Laver Arena, 11 a.m. (7 p.m. ET, Tuesday)
Azarenka leads series 6-0
The bottom half of the draw is Azarenka’s to lose, the former world No. 1 and two-time Australian Open champion anchoring a section that has seen seed after seed fall. Kerber is the higher-ranked player, but she hasn’t won in six career meetings against the Belarusian baseliner, including the Brisbane final just a couple of weeks ago. They have engaged in plenty of battles, however, including what many call the match of the year in 2015, a 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 victory for Azarenka at last year’s U.S. Open.
Johanna Konta (GBR) vs. [Q] Zhang Shuai (CHN)
Rod Laver Arena, Not before 12:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday)
Series tied 1-1
Konta and Zhang continue their respective Cinderella runs here, the Briton having beaten Venus Williams in her opening match while Zhang, a qualifier, has taken out No. 2 seed Simona Halep and an injured Madison Keys in the last round. They haven’t played for more than two years, splitting qualifying matches at the U.S. Open in 2012 and Guangzhou in 2013. Konta should be favored, as she’s ranked 47th to Zhang’s 133, but at this point it’s anyone’s game.
[2] Andy Murray (GBR) vs. [8] David Ferrer (ESP)
Rod Laver Arena, Not before 2:30 p.m. (10:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday)
Murray leads series 12-6
Murray hasn’t lost to Ferrer in almost 15 months, a five-match winning streak that he would like to continue on Wednesday against the pesky Spaniard. But Ferrer has looked as if he's in peak form, not dropping a set in his first four matches and breaking big-serving John Isner, the American, three times in the round of 16. Murray has had off-court distractions in this fortnight as his wife, Kim, awaits a baby in London (due in February) and her father, Nigel Sears (coach to Ana Ivanovic), needing to be hospitalized after a collapse Saturday night inside Rod Laver Arena.
[13] Milos Raonic (CAN) vs. [23] Gael Monfils (FRA)
Rod Laver Arena, Not before 7:30 p.m. (3:30 a.m. ET, Wednesday)
Monfils leads series 2-0
Yes, Raonic is the clear favorite in this one, both because of ranking and current form, following the Canadian’s excellent effort over No. 4 seed Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 champion, in the fourth round. But Monfils has been at his high-flying best, his shot-making translating into only one set dropped in 13 played thus far. Monfils leads their head-to-head 2-0, though the two haven’t met since a 2013 battle on grass in Halle. Regardless of the winner, he’ll be a first-time semifinalist at the Australian Open.
PHOTOS: Best of the Australian Open