Pushing the limits,and beyond

Schiavone beats Kuznetsova in longest women singles match at a slam; Federer reaches 27th QF.

Roger Federer made hard work of reaching his 27th consecutive grand slam quarter-final at the Australian Open on Sunday but it looked like a short shift after Francesca Schiavones titanic tussle with Svetlana Kuznetsova. French Open champion Schiavone took a gruelling four hours and 44 minutes to edge her Russian friend 6-4 1-6 16-14 in a Hisense Arena thriller and claim a place in the last eight after the longest womens grand slam singles match in the modern era.

Maria Sharapova would happily have played on longer in her fourth round match against Andrea Petkovic but the in-form German sent the former champion and world number one tumbling out of Melbourne Park 6-2 6-3 in just 79 minutes.

Defending champion Federer took his career record to 10-0 over Spains Tommy Robredo but his 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-2 victory was not without its problems. In hot sun on Rod Laver Arena,the 16-times grand slam champion raced through the first set in 32 minutes without losing a point on his serve.

Errors started creeping into the 29-year-olds game in the second 8212; his forehand wayward 8212; and he conceded an unlikely break to allow Robredo to level the contest. Federer was in no mood to give Robredo any more encouragement,however,and he upped his aggression level to keep his bid for a fifth Australian Open title on track.

Im happy Im still alive and going strong in the tournament, said Federer,whose run of successive quarter-finals now betters American Jimmy Connors previous mark. Its a tough match. I knew Robredo was going to come out and hit a lot of loopy shots and make me earn it. He wasnt going to just give it to me, added Federer who will play close friend and fellow Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka in the last eight after he battered American eighth seed Andy Roddick.

A record five Spaniards had reached the mens fourth round but at Melbourne Park but of the three who played on Sunday,only unseeded Robredo won a set. Novak Djokovic was in dominant form as he steamed past 14th seed Nicolas Almagro 6-3 6-4 6-0 to set up a last eight encounter with Thomas Berdych,who thrashed a third Spaniard,Fernando Verdasco,6-4 6-2 6-3. Razor sharp Djokovic,the 2008 champion,dominated from the baseline,facing just one break point in the opening two sets then racing through the third in 28 minutes.

Sixth seed Berdych was also in impressive form in disposing of Verdasco and was talking up his chances of emulating his run to last years Wimbledon final. Now Im into the quarter-finals and Im the one hunting the top players, Berdych,who beat Djokovic in the Wimbledon semis last year,said.

Fighting like animals

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Kuznetsova had promised that she and Schiavone would fight like animals in their fourth round clash and she was true to her word as they clawed at each other for 284 absorbing minutes. The 30-year-old Schiavone,the second oldest player to win a maiden grand slam,saved six match points in a three-hour final set before calmly pushing a forehand volley to settle the match.

I hope one day to show this DVD to my son, said Schiavone,who will have a day to recover before meeting world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter-finals. We work every day to do this to give the best when you really say,no,I cant do it.