Wednesday will see the completion of the rest of the QF matches. Let’s look what we have in store

(23) Gael Monfils v (13) Milos Raonic

Milos Raonic just continues to roll!

Undefeated in 2016, the Canadian upset the champion from 2 years ago – Stan Wawrinka to book his spot in the last 8. It was a see saw battle in which Raonic had the upper hand in the 5-th set.

“I felt like, you know, I was doing well up there (at the net). Especially some points I was more efficient than others. Maybe at one point in the third and fourth sets, I was coming in too much, so I was a little bit predictable,” he added. “I was volleying the first volley really well. I was finishing the points. I was putting pressure on him. I was giving him a situation maybe that he wasn’t too comfortable in.

I said from the start of the year that I’m in much better shape than I’ve ever been. I spent time doing those drills – maybe not to the extent of as many times I came in today, but the time’s been put in there,” Raonic said. “Today being the first time I’ve done it so much, I’m very happy with the way my body feels.”

Stan acknowledged that the Canadian dropped his level in the 3rd and 4th set

“After the second set, I relaxed a bit from the baseline, hit a little harder,” said Wawrinka, who came in to the net a lot as well. “He let me come back into the match even if I was fighting, even if I was searching for solutions the entire time. He left me a little hole. But in the fifth set, it’s more than just about tennis.”

Gael Monfils dispatched Kuznetsov in 4 sets, and this will be his first QF in Melbourne Park in his career.

He has been all around solid so far while of course entertaining the crowd with flying to catch impossible balls.

Monfils will now face a player within top 70 of the rankings, as his favourable draw so far ends with meeting Raonic.

The Frenchman leads the h2h 2-1, but that record could easily not be taken into consideration as they last met in 2013 on Grass.

Milos has won 7 in a row and overall 42 of last 50 while being favorited by the bookies between 1.20-1.49.. Gael has only 7 wins in his career between 3.00-5.99 in odds range.

Expecting Gael to put on a fight, but Milos should be the one progressing further as his play has been improving with each match played in 2016.

(8) David Ferrer v (2) Andy Murray

Despite not starting the year he wanted to, David is showing great form so far in Melbourne.

He will look to turn his fortunes vs a fierce competitor from whom Ferrer has lost his last 5 meetings and is trailing 6-12 overall in the h2h.

David showed his returning supremacy, breaking John Isner 3 times, and despite conceding 18 aces from the American he was looking in total control throughout while winning the match In straight sets. None of the sets were decided in Tiebreak as well.

Since 2011, only last year an exception, Ferrer has always progressed through at least to the QF and is now an underdog (4.67 in Pinnacle) for the win vs Murray. In similar odds the Spaniard has been bad though, winning only 4 matches from 35 in his career and none on Grand Slam level.

Andy went through Tomic in his last round in straight sets and rushed to see father-in-law Nigel Sears in the hospital who collapsed during the Keys – Ivanovic match on Sunday.
“It was a tough match, both of us had our chances,” Murray said.

“In the tie-break Bernie didn’t play his best, he missed a few easy balls which helped when I was a bit nervous.
“He fought to the end but I made a few more balls. It was a scrappy match, there wasn’t a period where we were both playing our best, it was up and down.”
The last few days were very tough, a lot of emotions,” Murray said.

“Things were changing all the time in my head, it’s been a stressful few days.

“It was good to get through today, I’ll just try to relax now and get ready for the next one.”

“Ferrer will be a very tough match. It’s a great effort for him to beat John, and he always makes you work for every ball.”

(7) Angelique Kerber v (14) Victoria Azarenka

Rematch of this year’s Brisbane final, a really ne sided 6-4 6-1 win for the Belarussian, who continues to roll here in Melbourne without much trouble
Azarenka got through Barbora Strycova in the last round, she was pushed at some points, but overall was too consistent and solid for the Czech who previously won against Garbine Muguruza.
“Barbora really pushed me and I’m happy I could stay focused and composed.”

She is such a tough opponent. I’m just happy I went through. I played smart, aggressive and really took my opportunities,” said Azarenka.

The Belarussian has lost 11 games combined while storming through the first 4 rounds and despite she has never lost to Angelique she knows she must play to her best to get through her once again
“I’m looking forward to it. She’s such a fighter and such a nice person. I’ll just give it my best and I’m sure she’ll do the same.”

After she was forced to save MP in the first round against Misaki Doi, Kerber was much better in the next matches when she defeated Dulgheru, Brengle and most recently Annika Beck,without dropping a set.
“I think my serve was not the best today,” said Kerber, 28. “I mean, I can serve for sure better and faster. It was a tough match, it was also tough mentally.”

Asked about for yet another Azarenka challenge she said:

“I had tough matches against her in the past. I never won against her right now, but that will be a challenge,” she said.

“I will looking forward when I play against her to really take my chances, take the next match.

“It’s a new one, it starts from zero, and I know what’s coming from her. I will try to be aggressive and try to go and win the match.”

Radwanska and Kerber are the only one left that can overtake Simona Halep’s 2nd place in the Rankings with Azarenka possibly going back in top 5 if she wins the title.

Johanna Konta v (q) Shuai Zhang

WTA is known for delivering lot of upsets and unexpected players making far in Grand Slams seemingly out of nowhere. Huge chance for these 2 girls now as they will be fighting for their first Major Semifinal.
Zhang, the Cinderella of the tournament, continued to win as she ousted the limping last year’s semifinalist – Madison Keys.

The Chinese was outplayed in the first with powerful groundstrokes from the American, but an injured left leg who got worse with the continuing of the match didn’t give her a fighting chance. She didn’t retire as she didn’t want to take out of Shuai’s moment

“So difficult to concentrate,” Zhang said in her on-court interview. “When I saw [Keys], I say, ‘How can you play?’ Then some people keep talking ‘quarterfinal, quarterfinal.’ It makes me very nervous.”
Zhang who as 0-14 in Main Draw Grand Slam matches coming here ill jump from 136-th to 63-rd in the provisional rankings. A Win here will make her top 50.

“I’ve been waiting for one match win (at a grand slam) for so long, more than eight years, it’s very exciting. I don’t want to stop.”

Johanna Konta, who like Andy Murray not long ago started to write new chapter in British Tennis history is for the first time GS Quarterfinalist and the first woman from the island making this far from 32 years ago.
Turning around in her favour the not so pleasant draw with Venus Williams in the 1st round, she took away another seeded player – Ekaterina Makarova in the 4th round.

In just over a 3 hour battle, she won 8-6 in the 3rd against the Russian.

“Mentally, physically, emotionally … I left it all out there on the court,” Konta said.

“I just kept fighting for every point.”

Zhang and Konta have met 2 times before,but not since 2013,and they have 1 win each