AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2014: Federer And Sharapova Progress After Wins

 Roger Federer eased into the fourth round of the Australian Open but Maria Sharapova was made to work much harder for her last-16 spot in Melbourne.

Swiss Federer brushed aside Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-2 6-2 6-3, while Sharapova survived a scrappy second set to beat France's Alize Cornet 6-1 7-6.

Sharapova, the 2008 champion, raced to the first set in 32 minutes, but her game and serve deteriorated after that.


Serbia's eighth seed Jelena Jankovic defeated Japan's Kurumi Nara 6-4 7-5.

Rod Laver Arena

Federer (Swi) [6] beat Gabashvili (Rus) 6-2 6-2 6-3

Switzerland's 17-time Grand Slam champion advanced to the fourth round at the Australian Open for the 13th consecutive year with a comprehensive win over Gabashvili.

If omen's are your thing, the only other time the pair met - at Wimbledon in 2007 - Federer also won in straight sets and went on to clinch the tournament. Also, the last time wife Mirka was pregnant - she is expecting the couple's third child - Federer won the French Open and Wimbledon that year (2009).

Sharapova (Rus) [3] beat Cornet (Fra) [25] 6-1 7-6

Sharapova, who took nearly three-and-a-half hours to beat Karin Knapp in 40C heat on Thursday, seemed set for a stroll in the considerably cooler (22C) Melbourne Park after dismantling Cornet in the first set.

But the pitch of her shrieks intensified as she struggled to find her rhythm and her serve in the second.

Cornet, the 25th seed, broke to lead 3-1 but the Russian broke straight back and had match point at 5-3 before Cornet broke for 5-5 and then 6-6 to set up a tiebreak.

Sharapova had several aborted ball tosses and served six double faults in the second set, notably when Cornet levelled at 5-5, with only 52% of first serves going in. The 26-year-old's groundstrokes kept her in the match, and 29 minutes after her first match point she manufactured a second to clinch the tiebreak.

The four-time Grand Slam champion won in one hour and 51 minutes to set up a clash with 20th seeded Slovak Dominika Cibulkova.

"She started playing better when I gave her some chances," said Sharapova. "After my last match I'm just glad to be through and have another day to recover.
"I definitely need to step it up - every player will need to raise their game."