The popular number seven seed defeated Spaniard Garcia-Lopez 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 48 minutes.
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Nishikori will meet Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Pierre Hugues-Herbert in the fourth round.
Past year as the No. 8-seeded player, Raonic had his best Australian Open result by reaching the quarterfinals and losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
Play has resumed between Ana Ivanovic and Madison Keys at Rod Laver Arena nearly an hour after they stopped for a medical emergency reportedly involving Ivanovic’s coach Nigel Sears, who is Andy Murray’s father-in-law. “I don’t think it’s going to be easy”, Serena Williams said of her night match at Rod Laver.
Kei Nishikori has successfully booked his slot in the fourth round of the Australian Open after winning over Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the previous round. “I’m definitely not going to win the majority of those”.
Sharapova, who won the title here in 2008 and has lost three finals – including last year’s decider to Serena Williams – advanced to the fourth round with a 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1 on Friday, her 600th tour-level match win.
Once again ahead of a big Nishikori match we’re having to consider his fitness as perhaps the major factor and this time it’s a wrist problem that’s the issue for the Japanese.
Inspired by his clutch shot-making down the stretch of the second set, Isner broke Lopez three times in the last two frames.
“He was serving really well and that’s why I couldn’t return well and I didn’t serve quite well at that stage, but I started to play better”.
“I had (the injury) two years ago… maybe it has come back a little bit, but it should be okay for the next match”, Nishikori said. “Brisbane overall was tough to judge in the sense that I was just playing within myself, trying to sort of get through the matches without too many long rallies”, Federer said. “I’m just glad I got through”.
His voice sounding emotional at times, Raonic added: “Unfortunately in Saskatchewan in a very small community there was a shooting at a high school, so I want to take a moment and give thoughts to that community”. This stat, combined with the fact that the Swiss dropped a set against Grigor Dimitrov on Thursday, makes backing +3.5 sets and a four set Federer triumph appeal at 7/4 and 3/1.
Maria Sharapova steadied herself and overcame a feisty opponent to beat American Lauren Davis 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-0 to reach the fourth round.
The match continued to swing back and forth with Nishikori securing the third set and closing out the match.
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After the match ended, the roof on Hisense Arena was opened after early-morning rain that delayed the start of matches on side courts cleared. The world No. 10 was made to fight hard for a win with the 18-year old pushing him in the first set, and he was very almost the victim of a massive upset.
