Sixth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska moved into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Uzbekistan-born American Varvara Lepchenko.
Opening the day’s play on Rod Laver Arena, Radwanska won the first set in 25 minutes before Lepchenko took a medical timeout, appearing to be affected by the heat.
Radwanska, with her new coach Martina Navratilova watching from the stands, was broken while serving for the match but broke Lepchenko’s serve to clinch it three games later.
Radwanska, a semifinalist here last year and a finalist at Wimbledon in 2012, will play either Camila Giorgi of Italy or No. 18-seeded Venus Williams in the next round.
Venus Williams to face Radwanska
Venus Williams has reached the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since Wimbledon in 2011, coming back from a set and a break down to beat Camila Giorgi 4—6, 7—6 (3), 6—1 on Saturday.
The seven—time major winner couldn’t contain her delight after the win on Margaret Court Arena, beaming a smile as she turned to wave to all sides of the stadium and then moved to the music blaring over the loud speakers.
The 34-year-old Williams next faces sixth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, a semifinalist here last year and Wimbledon finalist in 2012, who advanced with a 6—0, 7—5 win over Varvara Lepchenko.
Williams was diagnosed in 2011 with an auto—immune condition called Sjogren’s syndrome in 2011, which can cause joint pain and saps energy.
