Henin, Sharapova set up blockbuster Aussie Open tennis quarter-final

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2008

MELBOURNE (AFP) — Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova set up a blockbuster Australian Open quarter-final on Sunday with comprehensive fourth round maulings, as Nikolay Davydenko became the highest-ranked man to perish.

World number one and top seed Henin demolished Taiwanese qualifier Hsieh Su-Wei 6-2, 6-2 in 74 minutes while fifth seed Sharapova thrashed fellow Russian Elena Dementieva 6-2, 6-0 in just over an hour.

Defending champion Serena Williams is also hitting her stride, crushing Czech 12th seed Nicole Vaidisova 6-3, 6-4 to set up a quarter-final against Serbian third seed Jelena Jankovic or Australia's Casey Dellacqua.

Despite her awesome form, Henin, who claimed the Australian title in 2004, knows she needs to lift her game as the business end of the...