Nadal out, hopes over for four Slams in a row

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP): Rafael Nadal's bid to win four straight Grand Slam tournaments ended when he lost his Australian Open quarterfinal 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer on Wednesday.

An injured Nadal, who appeared to have tears in his eyes during a changeover while trailing 3-0 in the third set, took a medical timeout for an apparent leg injury after three games and was clearly out of sorts, failing to chase down balls that he would ordinarily return easily.

It was the second year in a row he lost in the quarterfinals here due to injury - in 2010 he retired against Andy Murray due to a right knee ailment that kept him off the tour for two months, again on the Australia Day national holiday.

Federer whips Wawrinka to set up clash with Djokovic, Li Na in last four again

DEFENDING champion Roger Fede rer demolished fellow Swiss Sta­nislas Wawrinka to reach his eighth straight Australian Open semi-final yesterday, setting up a grandstand clash with Novak Djokovic.

Women’s top seed Caroline Woz niacki survived a thrilling quar ter-final with tenacious Italian Francesca Schiavone and will now need to beat Li Na, who ratcheted up Chinese hopes of a first Grand Slam singles title.

Federer, who can become only the second man to win five Australian Opens after Roy Emerson (six), showed no mercy against close friend Wawrinka as he took him apart 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 in just one hour 47 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Federer takes five sets to beat bogeyman Simon

REIGNING champion Roger Federer was taken to five gripping sets by French nemesis Gilles Simon yesterday before scraping into the Australian Open’s third round.

The world number two, defending his only remaining Grand Slam crown, was pegged back from two sets up before scoring his first-ever win over Simon, 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, to stay on course for his fifth Open title.

It was a desperately close call for the 29-year-old, who holds a record 16 Grand Slam titles and only narrowly avoided his worst performance at a major in eight years, and his poorest ever Australian Open outing.

Venus vows to fight on despite injuring back muscle

VENUS Williams suffered a muscle injury in the second round of the Australian Open yesterday, describing the ailment as one of the toughest to bear in her career, but played through the pain to beat unheralded Czech Sandra Zahlavova 6-7, 6-0, 6-4.

The 30-year-old American screamed in agony after a volley in the final point of the first set tiebreak and hobbled off court to take a medical time-out between sets at a sun-drenched Rod Laver Arena.

She re-emerged gingerly with her right thigh heavily strapped and despite grimacing in pain throughout, blasted her way through the second set before sealing the win with a big serve that Zahlavova pushed wide.

Flamboyant: Venus Williams, dressed in outfit inspired by Alice in Wonderland, celebrates after winning her second round match. — Reuters

The seven-time Grand Slam champion later said she had strained a psoas, a lower back muscle with tendons linked to the spine and hip, and could only hope the injury would “calm down” to allow her to play the next round.

Nadal and Murray go through after opponents succumb to injuries

WORLD number one Rafael Nadal and last year’s finalist Andy Murray eased into the Australian Open second round on the back of injury retirements yesterday.

Nadal advanced after Marcos Daniel retired during the second set with a knee injury, while Murray got through when Karol Beck succumbed to shoulder trouble while trailing in the third set.

Swedish fourth seed Robin Soderling was untroubled in downing Italy’s Potito Starace in straight sets, while former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro also made a winning Grand Slam return after missing nearly all of last season with a wrist injury.

Argentine 27th seed David Nalbandian came from behind to overhaul Australian Lleyton Hewitt to win a compelling five-setter, 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-1), 9-7 in a 4 hours 48 minutes night match.

Spanish top seed Nadal, bidding for his fourth straight major title to complete a non-calendar year Grand Slam, was leading 6-0, 5-0 when Brazil’s Daniel retired with a painful left knee.

Nadal was only on court for 47 minutes and the nine-time Grand Slam champion sought more work on his service after the injury-shortened match.