Novak Djokovic beats Andy Murray in 4 sets to win his 5th Australian Open title

MELBOURNE, Atustralia — Novak Djokovic won his fifth Australian Open title and extended Andy Murray’s misery at Melbourne Park by beating the Scotsman 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-0 in the final Sunday.

Djokovic broke open a close match with a service break in the eighth game of the third set, winning four straight points. When he took a 4-0 lead in the final set, he smacked his fist hard against his chest in celebration.

Murray has now been runner-up four times here, losing twice previously to Djokovic in 2011 and 2013 and to Roger Federer in 2010.

Djokovic is a perfect 5-for-5 in Australian Open finals.

The second set was delayed for about five minutes after the seventh game when a court invader protesting Australia’s refugee policies was removed by security.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Sharapova reaches Australian Open final for 4th time

MELBOURNE, Australia — Maria Sharapova has reached the Australian Open final for the fourth time, beating fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-3, 6-2 in a lopsided semifinal on Thursday.

The second-ranked Sharapova needed 10 minutes to hold in her opening service game, fending off two break points. She responded to the only service break against her in the first set by winning six straight games and seizing control of the match from the 10th-seeded Makarova, who had only taken one set off her in five previous matches.

She will next meet the winner of the all-American semifinal between top-ranked Serena Williams and 19-year-old Madison Keys.

Sharapova won the Australia Open title in 2008 but was comprehensively beaten in the championship matches in 2007, by then unseeded Serena Williams, and in 2012 by Victoria Azarenka.

The five-time major winner opened the 2015 season in confident style by winning the Brisbane International title but had a close call in the second round here, having to save match points against No. 150-ranked Russian qualifier Alexandra Panova. Since then, she hasn’t faced a set point.

“It’s been a strange road for me to get to the finals, but I’m happy,” said Sharapova, who is now into her 10th Grand Slam final. “Came from behind in a few, really behind in one — saving match points. I felt like I was given a second chance. I just wanted to take my chances.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Wawrinka eases into 4th round at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia—Defending champion Stan Wawrinka says he’s quite happy flying under the radar after easing into the fourth round at the Australian Open on Saturday, nominating Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as title favorites.

The Swiss fourth seed cruised through 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 over Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen in one hour and 49 minutes on Rod Laver Arena and will play Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the round of 16.

It doesn’t perturb him one bit that he is not generating any headlines in the tournament as he treads his way through the top half of the men’s draw.

“I’m feeling good since the beginning of the tournament,” he said.

“For sure I’m not the focus on the tournament because there’s Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal coming back from injury, was Roger Federer before he lost, there’s Nick Kyrgios, Bernard Tomic still playing.

“I still think Novak and Rafa are the big favorites for the tournament.

“For sure I’m not the focus. For me it doesn’t matter. I’m feeling great. I’m happy the way I’m playing. To get to the second week again, it’s great. So far everything is good for me.”

Wawrinka was always in control of his first meeting with the 72nd-ranked Finn in four years and broke Nieminen’s serve six times and hit 55 winners.

He said he was looking forward to playing Garcia-Lopez after a “tough loss” to him at last year’s French Open.

“He’s been playing really good. I lost against him last year French Open first round,” Wawrinka said.

“We had some tough battles in the past. It’s never easy. Think it will again depend a lot on me, the way I’m going to play, the way I’m going to be aggressive, because I need to make the game.”

Wawrinka, who is now the main Swiss contender at this year’s Open following Federer’s shock defeat to Andreas Seppi on Friday, was pleased with his progress at the tournament.

“I was aggressive today on the court, it was in quite fast conditions and I took control of the match,” he said.

“It’s been three really good matches, I think my game is there and I’m really happy to get through again.”

source: sports.inquirer.net