MELBOURNE (AFP) – Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens powered into the Australian Open third round Wednesday as she strives to win a second major, but the tournament ended for ninth seed Kiki Bertens.
The American fifth seed swatted aside former doubles partner Timea Babos 6-3, 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena to keep her on a collision course to meet world number two Angelique Kerber in the quarter-finals.
Second seeded Kerber, the 2016 champion, resumes her tournament later Wednesday against fellow left-hander Beatriz Haddad Maia as she targets a 100th Grand Slam main draw win.
Stephens has endured a horror run at Melbourne Park since reaching the semi-final in 2013, exiting in the first round in 2015, 2016 and 2018.
She also missed 2017 with a foot injury, but looks to be back in business.
Stephens next plays 31st seed Petra Martic.
Stephens and Babos have history. The two 25-year-olds played doubles in the junior ranks, and put together a 14-match winning streak in 2010 to capture the Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open doubles titles.
But powerful Dutchwoman Bertens, who raced through the rankings last year after winning three titles, failed to live up to expectations, crashing in three sets to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who made the Melbourne quarters in 2017.
Others safely into round three were 19th seeded Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia and Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus, who upset Estonian 20th seed Anett Kontaveit.
FEDERER WINS
Defending champion Roger Federer likewise reached the third round for a 20th straight year Wednesday but was made to battle hard by Britain’s Dan Evans before winning 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
The ageless 20-time Grand Slam champion, who is gunning for a record seventh Melbourne Park title and third in a row, had breezed past Denis Istomin in the first round, but was given a much tougher examination by the world number 189.
The Swiss star’s long-time rival and 17-time Grand Slam winner Nadal takes on local hope Matthew Ebden in a night match.
The Spaniard is bidding for his own slice of history by becoming the first man in the Open era, and only the third in history along with Emerson and Rod Laver, to win each Grand Slam on two or more occasions.
Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki powered into the Australian Open third round Wednesday with a confidence-boosting win over Sweden’s Johanna Larsson.
The third seeded Dane snuffed out a late rally from the world number 77 to win 6-1, 6-3 and continue her bid to become the first woman to defend the Australian title since 2013.
