Austrilian open 2008 Update 20 jan

Henin, Sharapova on course, Davydenko falls:

Australia Melbourne: On Jan 20 there was nothing shocking as both tennis beauties moved to the 5th round of Australian open 2008.


Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova set up an explosive Australian Open quarter-final with
crushing wins but men's fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko's title hopes fizzled out at a drizzly Melbourne Park on Sunday.

The Russian was given a 7-6 6-3 6-1 thrashing by 14th-seeded compatriot Mikhail Youzhny.

David Nalbandian, seeded 10th, was also on the wrong end of a pasting, losing 6-1 6-2 6-3 to Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero in a third-round match held over from Saturday.

Third seed Jelena Jankovic advanced safely, however, ending the dream run of home hope Casey Dellacqua with a 7-6 6-1 tennis lesson in the first match of the night session.

The final match was cut short when Paul-Henri Mathieu pulled out of his clash with second seed Rafael Nadal trailing 6-4 3-0. The Frenchman had a leg injury.

Ferrero and Nalbandian took up residence on centre court at 11am, just 6 ½ hours after the end of Lleyton Hewitt's epic five-set victory over Marcos Baghdatis. That ended at 4:33am after four hours 45 minutes of see-saw action.

Ferrero's victory could hardly have been more different as he raced past the Argentine in just 104 minutes.

"When you play matches against the top players like today, you want to do your best -- I think I did it very well," he said.

Nadal Also Advances to the Next Battle:

Australia: MELBOURNE, Jan 20 - Second seed Rafael Nadal eased into the Australian Open quarter-finals when Paul-Henri Mathieu retired injured in the second set of their fourth-round match on Sunday.

The Spaniard was leading 6-4 3-0 when Frenchman Mathieu, who had earlier had treatment on a leg injury, was forced to quit.

"It's a little disappointing because I was playing a great match," Nadal told reporters.

"I felt my best today, but I can't be (that) disappointed because I am in the quarter-finals."

Nadal will play Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, the 24th seed, in the last eight, a player he has beaten all three times they have met.

"Nieminen is very tough, a fighter," Nadal said. "It's going to be an interesting match. I have to continue to play in this way."