Nadal on track to make history

MANILA, Philippines — Rafael Nadal put his old rival Fabio Fognini to the sword to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals and move within three wins of the all-time Grand Slam titles record on Monday.

The Spanish great was 1-1 with the flamboyant Italian in Grand Slams but he was never seriously troubled in his 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win on Rod Laver Arena.

Nadal is now into his 43rd Grand Slam quarterfinal, staying on course for a title match with eight-time winner Novak Djokovic who battled through an abdominal injury to reach the last eight on Sunday.

“I’m happy to be in the quarterfinals today – that means a lot to me, it’s positive stuff,” said Nadal, who is targeting a record 21st men’s Grand Slam singles crown.

Next up for Nadal is Greece’s world number six Stefanos Tsitsipas, who went through on a walkover after Italy’s Matteo Berrettini pulled out with an abdominal strain.

The Melbourne tournament remained fan-free for a third day on Monday during a five-day lockdown in Victoria state to curb a coronavirus outbreak.

As the action continued in front of empty stands, unseeded American Jessica Pegula reached her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal with victory over Elina Svitolina, her first over a top-10 player.

Pegula, whose billionaire father owns the Buffalo Bills NFL team, overcame fifth seed Svitolina, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, to set up a meeting with fellow American Jennifer Brady, a 6-1, 7-5 winner against Croatia’s Donna Vekic.

World number one Ashleigh Barty’s defensive mastery flummoxed big-hitting Shelby Rogers, 6-3, 6-4, as she stormed into the quarterfinals to heighten hopes of a first home winner in 43 years.

Barty, who is aiming to become the first Australian champion since Chris O’Neil in 1978, plays 25th seed Karolina Muchova in the quarterfinals after the Czech beat 18th seed Elise Mertens 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.

Elsewhere, fourth seed Daniil Medvedev and seventh seed Andrey Rublev both won to ensure an all-Russian quarterfinal.

Medvedev, the 2019 US Open runner-up, blew away American world number 192 Mackenzie McDonald, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3, to extend his winning streak to 18 matches.

Rublev, also unbeaten this year, went through when Norway’s Casper Ruud retired after losing the first two sets.

With qualifier Aslan Karatsev already through to face Grigor Dimitrov in the top half of the draw, it means there will be three Russian men in the last eight of a Slam for the first time since the Open era began in 1968.