Defending champion Roger Federer added another record to his vast collection Sunday at the Australian Open, matching Jimmy Connors' mark for consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals appearances with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Tommy Robredo.
Federer has reached the quarters in 27 consecutive majors since his third-round loss in the 2004 French Open, equaling Connors' Open-era record.
French Open champion Francesca Schiavone also earned a Grand Slam women's record later Sunday, needing 4 hours, 44 minutes to beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 1-6, 16-14 in a fourth-round match.
Schiavone saved six of Kuznetsova's match points, then converted on her third match point in the longest match at a major in terms of time in the Open era. The longest previous women's match in a Grand Slam tournament was here year when Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova beat Regina Kulikova 7-6 (5), 6-7 (10), 6-3 in a match lasting 4:19. Schiavone will meet No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.
Shortly after, 2008 champion Maria Sharapova lost 6-2, 6-3 to Andrea Petkovic, who had a relatively easy run into the fourth round when Venus Williams retired after just four minutes in their third-round match.
{{/usCountry}}Shortly after, 2008 champion Maria Sharapova lost 6-2, 6-3 to Andrea Petkovic, who had a relatively easy run into the fourth round when Venus Williams retired after just four minutes in their third-round match.
{{/usCountry}}Petkovic will now take on China's Li Na in the quarterfinals. "It's a lot of hard work," Federer said after the match.
"I'm sweating bullets right now," he said. "I'm excited to be in the next round.
Federer will next meet Stanislas Wawrinka, who outclassed eighth seed Andy Roddick 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday.
On the other hand, world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki moved into the quarters for the first time with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Anastasija Sevastova.
Bopanna loses
India's Rohan Bopanna and China's Zi Yan lost to third seeds Maria Kirilenko of Russia and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia 6-7 (3), 6-3 in the first round of mixed doubles on Sunday. While Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi made it the second round of the mixed doubles with their partners on Saturday.