Melbourne, January 24: Andy Murray and Zheng Jie rewrote the Australian Open history books as they powered into the quarter-finals on Sunday.
Scotland’s Murray tamed big-serving John Isner 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2 to make the last eight for the only time and becoming the first Briton to get that far since John Lloyd in 1985.
Zheng’s achievement was equally impressive with the unseeded Chinese upsetting Ukrainian 31st seed Alona Bondarenko, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.
It gave her the distinction of becoming the first Chinese player to make the quarters at Melbourne Park, as she and Li Na, who plays her fourth round match on Monday, continue to popularise the game in their homeland.
Murray, the 2008 US Open finalist, showcased his exciting strokeplay against the 6ft 9in tall American and has yet to drop a set in his four victories at the year’s opening Grand Slam.
Zheng, 26, disposed of Bondarenko in one hour, 48 minutes on Hisense Arena, proving to be marginally steadier than the Ukrainian in a match where both women struggled to hold their serves.
Justine Henin attempts to keep her fairytale comeback on track when she faces fellow Belgian Yanina Wickmayer later on Sunday with both players having plenty to prove.
Henin is still finding her feet after an 18-month retirement and admitted after her last round match that she was struggling to recover peak fitness.
World number 16 Wickmayer is in better shape after being forced to go through qualifying after failing to register with organisers in time after having a doping ban suspended.
Third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova is also in action, but has had limited preparation after her third round match ran until nearly 2am on Saturday.
The Russian takes on 19th seed Nadia Petrova, who is on a high after crushing Kim Clijsters in the third round, with the winner playing Henin or Wickmayer for a place in the semis.
Seventh Seed Andy Roddick will aim to join Andy Murray in the quarters when he takes on Chilean 11th seed Fernando Gonzalez in an evening match.
The prize will be a showdown with US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro or 14th seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia.
–Agencies