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Australian Open: No. 2 Kerber upset; Nadal advances to quarters

By UPI Staff
Second-ranked Angelique Kerber became the third consecutive upset victim of Danielle Collins, who advanced to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open on Sunday in Melbourne. File photo by Monika Graff/UPI
Second-ranked Angelique Kerber became the third consecutive upset victim of Danielle Collins, who advanced to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open on Sunday in Melbourne. File photo by Monika Graff/UPI | License Photo

Jan. 20 (UPI) -- It took less than an hour for three-time major champion Angelique Kerber to fall in stunning fashion to Danielle Collins 6-0, 6-2 in the most notable upset of the Australian Open's fourth round Sunday in Melbourne.

Collins has never won in five Grand Slam matches prior to this one. This time, she has upset 14th-ranked Julia Goerges, 19th-ranked Caroline Garcia, and now, second-ranked Kerber.

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Collins, a University of Virginia product, next faces wither 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens or Anastasia Palyuchenkova next.

In another women's fourth-round match, Maria Sharapova dropped a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 decision to Aussie Ashleigh Barty.

Sharapova won this event in 2008 and defeated champion Caroline Wozniacki in the third round this year, but fell Sunday after a highly competitive 2-hour and 22-minute match that ended with a Barty ace.

Barty will now face Petra Kvitova, the two-time Wimbledon champion who topped 17-year-old American Amanda Anisimova in straight sets Sunday.

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In men's action, No. 2 Rafael Nadal advanced to the quarterfinals courtesy of a 6-0, 6-1, 7-6 (4) win over Tomas Berdych. Nadal coasted in the first two sets before Berdych tested him in the third.

Also, American Frances Tiafoe advanced to the first Grand Slam quarterfinal of his career by topping Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (1), 7-5. Tiafoe's big victory took place on his 21st birthday.

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