Zee Media Bureau/Manushree Chaumal
Melbourne: While week two saw upsets and shocks in form of ouster of top women seeds, in men single`s except the elimination of the fifth seed Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, the other top seeds have progressed in routine fashion.
The first quarter-final between the number three seed David Ferrer and number seven seed Tomas Berdych is expected to be an exciting one.
While Tomas Berdych defeated Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 to set up his quarter-final draw, David Ferrer`s elimination German Florian Mayer 6-7 (5) 7-5 6-2 6-1 to reach the top eight was a clinical one.
Berdych has been Wimbledon finalist in 2010, Ferrer was a finalist at the Roland Garros in 2012, though both of them are yet to lift a grand slam trophy. Both Ferrer and Berdych have reached their fourth successive quarter-final at the Melbourne Park.
The two players have met 11 times in their career with the Spaniard leading 7-4. Out of their last three meetings, Ferrer leads 2-1. In 2013, Ferrer won the quarter-finals of the ATP World Tour Masters 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 while Berdych emerged victorious at the round-robin ATP World Tour, 6-4, 6-4.
Bercych is yet to drop a set en-route to the quarter-final here at the Australian Open, meanwhile Ferrer has maintained a winning streak though not in straight sets.
The match should be a five-setter and has all the ingredients of a quarter-final, going by the form of both the payers.
Ferrer's route to quarter-final
Round 1: def F Mayer 6-7(5) 7-5 6-2 6-1
Round 2: def J Chardy 6-2 7-6(5) 6-2
Round 3: def A Mannarino 7-6(2) 5-7 6-0 6-3
Round 4: def A Gonzalez 6-3 6-4 6-4
Berdych's route to quarter-final
Round 4: def K Anderson 6-2 6-2 6-3
Round 3: def D Dzumhur 6-4 6-2 6-2
Round 2: def K de Schepper 6-4 6-1 6-3
Round 1: def A Nedovesov 6-3 6-4 6-3
