AUSTRALIAN OPEN
*Serena, Osaka also to the Last eight
Defending champion Novak Djokovic came through a stiff test of his fitness as he moved into the Australian Open quarter-finals, but third seed Dominic Thiem was stunned by Grigor Dimitrov.
Bulgarian Dimitrov, a semi-finalist in 2017, dismantled the US Open champion of Austria 6-4 6-4 6-0.
World number one Djokovic, struggling with an abdominal injury picked up on Friday, beat Milos Raonic in four sets.
The Serbian eight-time Australian Open champion won 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-1 6-4.
“In any other tournament than a Grand Slam I would have retired from the event, but because it’s a Grand Slam I wanted to give my best,” Djokovic, 33, said.
“I didn’t know if I was going to play or not. During the match it (the injury) was on and off, it’s still not ideal but I can’t complain and won against a great player. Hopefully it will be even better in two days.
“There was no preparation for this match, I used every single hour I had to recover and put myself in a position where I could compete. My physio has done a great job and I want to thank my team and the ATP physios for being here for me.
“I’ve definitely been fitter but I’m taking each day at a time and for me training is just recovery.”
He will play sixth seed Alexander Zverev after the German beat Djokovic’s compatriot Dusan Lajovic 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.
In the women’s singles, Naomi Osaka saved two match points and Serena Williams was taken to three sets as two of the favourites reached the Australian Open quarter-finals.
Having lost the opening set to Garbine Muguruza, Japan’s Osaka was a break down in the second and faced two match points at 5-3 in the third.
But she won four games in a row to win 4-6 6-4 7-5 against the Spaniard, who is also a former world number one.
Williams then came through 6-4 2-6 6-4 against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.
Williams will face second seed Simona Halep, who recovered to beat 19-year-old French Open champion Iga Swiatek 3-6 6-1 6-4.
