16 February,2021 07:19 AM IST | Melbourne | AFP
Rafael Nadal returns to Fabio Fognini during their fourth round match at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday. Pic/Getty Images
Rafael Nadal put his old rival Fabio Fognini to the sword to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals and move within three wins of the all-time Grand Slam titles
record on Monday.
The Spanish great was 1-1 with the flamboyant Italian in Grand Slams but he was never seriously troubled in his 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win on Rod Laver Arena. Nadal is now into his 43rd Grand Slam quarter-final, staying on course for a title match with eight-time winner Novak Djokovic who battled through an abdominal injury to reach the Last 8 on Sunday.
"I'm happy to be in the quarter-finals today - that means a lot to me, it's positive stuff," said Nadal, who is targeting a record 21st men's Grand Slam singles crown.
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Next up for Nadal is Greece's World No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas, who went through on a walkover after Italy's Matteo Berrettini pulled out with an abdominal strain. The Melbourne tournament remained fan-free for a third day on Monday during a five-day lockdown in Victoria state to curb a COVID-19 outbreak.
Elsewhere, fourth seed Daniil Medvedev and seventh seed Andrey Rublev both won to ensure an all-Russian quarter-final. Medvedev, the 2019 US Open runner-up, blew away American world No. 192 Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 to extend his winning streak to 18 matches.
Rublev, who is also unbeaten this year, went through when Norway's Casper Ruud retired after losing the first two sets. The Norwegian, 22, had reached the Last 16 at a Slam for the first time - emulating his father, Christian, who achieved the same feat at the 1997 Australian Open.
With qualifier Aslan Karatsev already through to face Grigor Dimitrov in the top half of the draw, it means there will be three Russian men in the last eight of a Slam for the first time since the Open era began in 1968.
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