Djokovic joins fellow elites in Melbourne quarter-finals

By Bill Scott Jan 23, 2012, 14:26 GMT

Melbourne - Defending champion Novak Djokovic ended the improbable quest of Lleyton Hewitt 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 with a dominating performance to lead the ATP elite into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Monday. Hewitt, a 182nd-ranked wild card who won a pair of Grand Slam titles a decade ago and ruled as number one as a teenager, was unable to extend his dream as he played the home major for the 16th time.

Djokovic had a lapse in the third set as Hewitt fought past the pain barrier despite a left foot injury which still gives him trouble, winning the third set from 0-3 down.

The Serb top seed regained control to sweep in the fourth, going through on a second match point.

'For two sets and 3-0, I played really well. I suddenly stopped moving. He made me play an extra shot, made me earn my points. I had a lot of unforced errors in that set,' said the 2008 and 2011 winner Djokovic.

'I give credit to Lleyton, he never gives up and it's been that way for 10-15 years. He got back into the match in the third set.'

With the loss, Australian hopes were ended at this edition as Djokovic led all of the men's top five into the Melbourne quarters for the first time.

Spanish fifth seed David Ferrer dismantled Richard Gasquet of France 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 while Kei Nishikori became the first Japanese man since 1933 to get this far in Melbourne with his defeat of 2008 finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

Djokovic moved alongside fourth seed and two-time finalist Andy Murray into the last eight. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal advanced 24 hours earlier.

Murray barely had a contest as he faced injured Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin quit their match trailing 6-1, 6-1, 1-0 after 45 minutes.

The Scot started week two of the major where he has lost the last two finals by trying to keep himself alert against a 92nd-ranked opponent who was suffering with a left hip flexor injury.

'Today there was nothing. There was no atmosphere because there were no points,' Murray complained. 'It was just boring.

'It would have been nice to have come off and been like, 'I played unbelievable and he stopped.'

'Didn't have to do anything. Just hitting the ball in the court and he wasn't running. He was making mistakes the first or second ball of the rally. That was it.'

Kukushkin, coached by his wife, was suffering in both the 35 Celsius conditions and from his physical problem.

In women's play, five-time winner Serena Williams was humbled 6-2, 6-3 by Russian Ekaterina Makarova.

Williams, who had won 41 of her previous 43 matches during a sporadic career at the event, was well off her game in brutal heat, committing 37 unforced errors.

Her horrors including four double-faults in a single game, followed by a racquet destruction.

Makarova, fighting off nerves, missed three match points but benefited on her fourth as the error-prone Williams fired wide for one last time.

'It's an amazing feeling, my first time in a Grand Slam quarter-final,' said the 23-year-old winner. 'It's unbelievable. I don't know what to say.'

Second seed Petra Kvitova defeated former number one Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 7-6 (7-2), missing a smash at the net in a move which will certainly make the highlight reels.

The Czech Wimbledon winner dominated the Serbian who lost the 2008 Melbourne final and then won the French Open four months later, the highlight of her a patchy career so far.

'It was tough match, definitely. I really struggled with the rhythm in the beginning,' said Ivanovic. 'I was lacking that in the first set and sort of in the second set.

'It was just really pity that I didn't use opportunities I had.'

Kvitova next plays Sara Errani after the Italian beat Zheng Jie 6-2, 6-1.

The 2008 winner Maria Sharapova found herself in a battle before finally overcoming German Sabine Lisicki 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.

The Russian winner struck seven double-faults and was swept away in the opening set as Lisicki recovered from two breaks down, sweeping six straight games. But Sharapova found another gear and managed to take the victory.

'There were a lot of ups and downs, fortunately I was able to finish on a high note,' Sharapova said. 'She was playing with big confidence, I didn't play my best tennis but I fought until the end.'