MELBOURNE (AFP) – Former Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka turned back the clock in a vintage performance to stun world number four Daniil Medvedev Monday and race into the Australian Open quarterfinals.
The popular Swiss star, who beat Rafael Nadal in the 2014 decider, dug deep to come from behind in five intense sets and win 6-2, 2-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2.
It set up a last-eight clash with either Russian 17th seed Andrey Rublev or German seventh seed Alexander Zverev.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza underlined her return to form as she beat ninth seed Kiki Bertens in 68 minutes to likewise reach the quarter-finals.
The unseeded former world number one won 6-3, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena and faces German 17th seed Angelique Kerber or 30th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in the last eight.
Just three of the top 10 seeds remain – top seed Ashleigh Barty and seventh seed Petra Kvitova meet in the quarterfinals.
The other is Simona Halep, the fourth seed, who plays Estonian 28th seed Anett Kontaveit.
Kontaveit recovered from a set down to unseeded 18-year-old Iga Swiatek and fended off a late charge to fight her way into the Australian Open quarterfinals Monday.
The 28th seed is the first Estonian woman to reach the Melbourne last eight, where she faces a daunting task against fourth seed Simona Halep.
Poland’s Swiatek, the youngest player left in the draw after Coco Gauff’s exit, grabbed the first set on the tie break but Kontaveit finally prevailed 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 7-5 in 2hrs 42 minutes.
In men’s side, Dominic Thiem edged closer to his mum getting a kangaroo tattoo after the world number five swatted aside an error-prone and underarm-serving Gael Monfils to book a maiden quarterfinal.
The two-time Roland Garros finalist proved too wily for his experienced French opponent, crushing him 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena.
