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Live Coverage: Australian Open - Day Seven - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live text coverage of day seven of the Australian Open.
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Andy Murray needed four sets to overcome Grigor Dimitrov and secure his place in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

The British number one finished the match after midnight in Melbourne to set up a last-eight clash with Australian teenager Nick Kyrgios.

Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep also clinched wins on day seven.

Read how all the action unfolded below with Sports Mole's live coverage.


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Good morning and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the seventh day of the Australian Open.

Andy Murray returns to action later today in round four of the competition later today as he faces off against Grigor Dimitrov, looking to avenge his defeat in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon last year.

Rafael Nadal plays his match in round four today also, with a scheduled time of 3.30am GMT against Kevin Anderson for a place in the last eight of the competition. While, Nick Kyrgios will be hoping for inspiration from his home crowd when he takes on Andreas Seppi, who beat Roger Federer in the third round.

We start today with the women's singles and first up is Eugenie Bouchard against Irina-Camelia Begu. The number seven seed reached the semi-finals of the competition last year, and will be pushing to reach the last eight against Belgian when the action gets underway in a few moments in the Rod Laver Arena.

The first match of the day is underway on the Rod Laver Arena. We'll keep you informed on developments in the match, while also providing build-up from the games later in the day.

UPDATE! Eugenie Bouchard claims a 6-1 victory in the first set of her match against Irina-Camelia Begu. The Canadian was dominant as her opponent looked very nervous throughout the set, which ended in just 29 minutes.

Here is Bouchard in action in the Rod Laver Arena as she dismantled the Romanian in the opening set of their fourth-round clash.



Stanislas Wawrinka has been speaking about his win in the third round of Jarkko Nieminen yesterday. The defending champion is well positioned for another crack at the title and will play Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the last 16.

He told reporters: "I feel good. It was a really good match from me today. I was playing great. Tried to be more aggressive than normal. Did a few mistakes at the beginning.

"I was a little bit hesitant with my game. But in general I think was a strong match. To get to the second week again, it's great. So far everything is good for me."


UPDATE! After looking like cruising to victory in her match against Irina-Camelia Begu, Eugenie Bouchard has to serve to stay in the second set despite taking a 3-0 lead early on. The Romanian came roaring back into the set winning five games in a row and now has the opportunity to take the match into a decider.

Begu does it as she sends the match to a deciding set with a 7-5 victory over Bouchard, who will be furious with herself for allowing the set to slip away like that.

Begu battled back in the second set with a lot of toil and an aggressive approach against Bouchard to take the game into a decider.



RESULT! Eugenie Bouchard has booked her place in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open as she has seen off the challenge of the spirited Irina-Camelia Begu to take the third set 6-2, securing the match 6-1 5-7 6-2.

Here is a report of the match for the breakdown of Bouchard's victory. The 20-year-old is being interviewed on court, and this time she's isn't being asked to twirl. We'll bring you her reaction to her win very soon.



Another match in the women's singles is taking place on the Margaret Court Arena as number 10 seed Ekaterina Makarova is playing Julia Goerges. She has a 4-1 lead in the first set at the moment and appears to be in full control of the match.

Maria Sharapova and Shuai Peng are next on court in the Rod Laver Arena for a place in the quarter-finals of the competition to play Bouchard.

Sharapova won the competition in 2008, and also reached the final in 2012. Peng has equalled her best performance in the Australian Open by reaching the fourth round, and is looking to reach the last eight of a Grand Slam for just the second time in her career.

Eugenie Bouchard has admitted that she gave herself a talking to in her win over Irina-Camelia Begu after allowing a 3-0 lead in the second set slip out of her grasp.

She said: "I gave myself a long hard look in the mirror, and I said 'Genie this is unacceptable'." For more from the 20-year-old, click here.


UPDATE! Maria Sharapova has taken the first set against Shuai Peng 6-3 in a close contest in the Rod Laver Arena. The number two seed had her serve broken, but battled back with two breaks of her own to secure the set.

RESULT! Ekaterina Makarova has advanced to the quarter-finals of the competition as he has brushed off the challenge of Julia Goerges taking the fourth-round match in straight sets 6-3 6-2.

Russia's Ekaterina Makarova celebrates after victory in her women's singles match against Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova on day five of the 2015 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 23, 2015© Getty Images


For our report on Makarova's win over Goerges, click here. We'll also have quotes from the number 10 seed on her victory in due course.

Sharapova appears to be taking control of this match as he has just broken Peng for the second time in the set to take a 3-0 lead. The Russian is in imperious form and looks to be closing this match out for a place in the last eight in the competition.

Maria Sharapova celebrates her win in the first round of the Australian Open on January 19, 2015© Getty Images


RESULT! Sharapova has secured her win with a dominant display in the second set in a 6-0 victory. The 27-year-old has booked her place in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open where she will play Eugenie Bouchard.

Our report has arrived for the Sharapova match already. You can view that by clicking here, and then get ready for the match between Rafael Nadal and Kevin Anderson as our live commentary in this very spot in moments.



Kevin Anderson will be looking to become the first South African to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam since Wayne Ferreira in 2003 with a victory over Nadal in this game in the Rod Laver Arena. The number 14 seed beat Richard Gasquet to set up the clash with Nadal and he appears to be in prime form for the occasion.

Nadal has admitted that he has been struggling with the conditions on the court during the tournament. The number three seed has not been at his imperious best, and had to battle Tim Smyczek to reach the third round in a epic five-setter before powering past Dudi Sela.

We could be in for a very interesting match and it will be curious to see how Nadal deals with the big-serving 6ft 7in South African and his power. However, the Spaniard is one of the greats and if anyone can figure out a way it is most certainly him.

The players are going through the warm-ups on court, so not long before we get underway.

These two players have met once before, as Nadal claimed the victory in Toronto in straight sets. The match was in 2010 so it will likely have no bearing on what we will see today.

We're ready for action here and Nadal will serve first in the first set.

An excellent rally starts the match as Anderson displays his power around the court, but Nadal keeps him at bay before finding a forehand in the corner, which the 28-year-old can't return. Anderson returns a serve from the Spaniard to get on the board, but Rafa responds with two impressive strikes with his forehand and one with his backhand to win the game.

Anderson gets underway with a strong forehand winner, which further highlights the power in his game. Nadal then slices an attempted backhand into the net following a brief rally with the South African. Two more excellent shots follow from the number 14 seed as he gets into the match and already looks in good rhythm.

The Spaniard crucially puts Anderson under pressure by getting his first serve in twice in a row, which enables him to dictate the opening two points as he forces two errors from the 28-year-old. Anderson gets the better of Nadal with a powerful forehand close to his body, which he can only hit into the net. A rare double fault gives the South African a sniff of an opening, but a loose shot on the next point hands Nadal back the control. Anderson looks have forced deuce with a great backhand which wrong foots the number three seed, but he gets the ball back and Anderson overhits his forehand to hand Nadal the game. A good hold from Nadal!

Nadal displays his class in the opening point with delicate backhand slice to deceive Anderson, but the South African roars back with a blistering ace down the middle. Anderson's serve proves too much to handle for the Spaniard once more as he fails to return twice in a row to hand him a game point. Another well played point from the 28-year-old results in a forehand winner level the scores in the set.

The Spaniard takes the early initiative in the game as he races into a 30-0 lead as Anderson commits two unforced errors. However, Nadal overhits a backhand to bring the South African back into the game, and he levels things up with a well-played point, which leads to a backhand winner. Another Nadal error hands Anderson the first break point of the match, but he in turn goes for an ambitious backhand winner which goes out. The 14th seed stays aggressive, but his accuracy is off once more to give Nadal some breathing room, and the Spaniard overcomes another onslaught with a forehand winner to the back of the court.

UPDATE! Tomas Berdych has taken the first set 6-2 with relative ease in his match against Bernard Tomic. He looks in good form on the Margaret Court Arena.

Anderson starts the game with an ace as the Spaniard barely has time to react before the ball flies past him. Nadal then smashes the ball into the net after a brief rally, while an overhit shot hands the South African control of the game. He closes out the game with relative ease as Nadal's attempt at a passing shot slams into the net.

The 28-year-old makes the wrong decision to not come to the net for a volley, then over commits on the next shot to lose the point. Anderson hands Nadal another point with an unforced error, but Nadal keeps him in the game with a mistake of his own as he overhits his forehand. Classic Nadal appears as Anderson tries to go cross court, but the Spaniard makes him pay with a winner with a fearsome strike of his forehand. While the game ends with another poor strike from Anderson, who could rue his tactics in this game.

A solid hold for Anderson as his service game proves too much for the Spaniard to handle. He can't return for the first point and then commits an unforced error, while the South African produces an ace to go 40-0 up. Anderson's serve is too powerful once more as Nadal can't get his return in, securing the game for the 14th seed.

Anderson misses a winner on the first point by millimetres, and Nadal punishes him for his mistake with a forehand winner to take a 30-0 lead. The Spaniard double faults for the second time in the game to give life to Anderson, but he atones for his error with two well-played points as he hits the corners to secure take the lead in the set once more. There's a bit of scoreboard pressure on the South African now.

Nadal makes an uncharacteristic miss on the first point of the game as he overhits his forehand. Anderson compounds his woes with a great strike for a backhand winner, which he follows up with an excellent point as he manoeuvres the Spaniard across the court before finding the corner. The South African continues his dominance on his service game with an ace.

Nadal puts himself under pressure with an unforced error, which only heightens when Anderson produces an excellent bit of tennis to go 30-0 ahead as he works the ball across the court before using his power to hammer a winner. Nadal hits the net again to hand Anderson three break points, but he bails himself down to two with an winner down the line. The 2009 champion hits an excellent serve, which proves too much for Anderson to handle to take the break down to one, and the South African commits an crucial error as he slams his return into the net to go set up deuce.

Nadal can't connect with a backhand to hand the 28-year-old advantage, but then produces an ace to restore deuce. Another mistake from the Spaniard opens the door again, but he rescues himself with a good serve that Anderson can't return. An ace and and a powerful serve up the middle follow to secure the hold. A great hold by Nadal as he was in danger there.


SET! Anderson plays his worst tennis of the set at the worst possible moment as he loses accuracy on his serve. Nadal earns himself two break points, but can't take advantage of the first one as hit backhand down the line bounces out. However, he forces the South African to the net, and he tries to play an unconventional volley, which slams into the net to hand Nadal the first set.



Both players commit unforced errors at the start of the game with some loose shots into the net, but Anderson plays a lovely point to hit a forehand winner to force an opening into Nadal's service. The Spaniard comes back with a forehand winner, but then gets a huge strike of luck on the next point as his forehand strikes the top of the net and bounces on the line. A mistake from Anderson hands Rafa the final point to secure his hold.

BREAK! The game doesn't start well for Anderson as he get put on the back foot by Nadal. However, he rallies with solid play, including a serve and volley which puts him up 40-15. Rafa produces one of the moments of the match as he threads the needle with a passing forehand winner, and then drills a backhand to the right corner to bring about deuce. He then works Anderson around the court before producing a fine shot into the corner, and then gets the break with an unplayable backhand winner.

Nadal starts his service game in a comfortable fashion as he is able to win the opening three points without much effort. A double fault hands Anderson a point, while he attempts to hit a winner to the back of the court which falls narrowly out. However, a mistake from the South African hands the number three seed the game and control of the set.

BREAK! The South African begins with a forehand winner as he attempts to build back his confidence, while narrow miss from Nadal on a forehand gives the 28-year-old a 30-0 lead. Mistakes from Anderson hand the Spaniard a break point as he hits the net twice with loose shots on his forehand. Anderson's meltdown continues as his double faults on break point to hand the game to the Spaniard.

Nadal is in full flow as all the parts of his game appear to working in sync as his serve is too much to handle for Anderson on the first point. The Spaniard eases to victory in the game as he plays three of his best points of the tournament, striking the ball around with accuracy and power, and Anderson has no answer for him at the moment.

The Spaniard continues his excellent striking of the ball as his backhand nearly causes Anderson to fall over, but his streak of nine consecutive points is ended by a loose backhand. Nadal can't find his accuracy in this game as well as his last as he finds the net twice in a row before Anderson's serve proves to be too powerful to control, securing his first game of the set.

SET! Nadal seals the set with little effort as he is able to find winners across the court as Anderson's returns lack any pace or depth on the court. The South African has a lot to do to get himself back in this match, as Nadal is cruising into the quarter-finals at the moment.

Better play from Anderson as he starts the third set strongly. His serve regains its power and accuracy as he forces Nadal into mistakes which hand him a 40-15 lead, before he produces an ace down the middle to take the first game.

Nadal's serve is in full rhythm as he wins the first two points with little effort. He produces a very poor shot on the next point as he slams the ball into the net from a foot away with the court at his mercy, but that is his only mistake of the game as he regains his composure to take the game with two excellent shots.

BREAK! Another break for Nadal as Anderson looks like he is beginning to wilt under the pressure of playing the Spaniard. The 28-year-old double faults to put himself under pressure, and Nadal then hits a brilliant winner to take control of the game. Anderson tries to forge a way back into the game, but Nadal's forehand is too much to overcome as he powers his way to what could be a match-winning break.

Nadal's is in full flow at the moment and it just seems a matter of time before he wraps up this game. His serve puts Anderson on the back foot straight away as the South African can't get enough depth on his return to cause problems for the Spaniard. Nadal is able to tee off with his forehand hitting back-to-back winners to take the game.

Anderson shows spirit in the game as his potent service game returns to top form as he produces an ace to win the first point of the match. His accuracy causes Nadal problems and allows him to hit a winner to keep himself in the match taking the game with relative ease. Better from the South African.

Nadal starts strongly as Anderson is unable to get his backhand over the net, but an unforced error from Nadal levels the scores at 15-15 before an excellent forehand from the South African gives him a glimmer of hope for a break. However, the Spaniard ups the ante in his game as he fires over a forehand winner and an ace to wrestle back control of the game. While another sublime forehand across the court soon follows to secure the hold.

Rafa produces an excellent winner on the first point of the game to put Anderson on the back foot. He rallies though as Nadal is unable to return his powerful forehand down the line, while he follows that effort up with an ace to get him back on track. The South African produces more powerful hitting to force Nadal back and his shot is unable to clear the net once more, before he secures the game with a smash that travels into the stand.

A straight forward hold for Nadal as Anderson commits four unforced errors in a row to hand him the game with little effort on the Spaniard's part. It's only a matter of time before he secures his place in the quarter-finals.

Unusual mistake for Nadal with passing shot available down the line he smashes the ball into the net. Anderson goes up 30-0 with his eighth ace of the match as the Spaniard can only watch the ball fly past his head. Nadal finds his rhythm with a well-played point as works space to hit a winner down the line, before an error from Anderson presents an opening for a break. However, that door closes as he finds his serve to close out the game. Nadal will now serve for the match.

GAME, SET, MATCH! Nadal secures his place in the last eight of the competition as he serves out with ease as he dominates the court with his forehand to hit winner after winner to see out the victory. A great performance from the Spaniard.

A great match from Nadal, who was under pressure in the first set as he held off three break points from the South African before taking his chance in the next game. From that point onwards it was a formality from the 2009 champion as he discovered his best form, especially with his forehand, as he overwhelmed the number 14 seed. Nadal will now take on Tomas Berdych who beat Bernard Tomic in his clash in the fourth round.



For our report of Nadal's victory you can click here.

To find out how Tomas Berdych defeated Bernard Tomic in straight sets, click here for our match report.

Tomas Berdych on day three of the Australian Open on January 21, 2015© Getty Images


Rafael Nadal believes that he produces his best tennis of the Australian Open to see off the challenge of Kevin Anderson in straight sets.

He said after the game: "It's special for me to get to the quarter-final following a tough period in my life. I'm very happy with the way I played today, it was my best match here and it was important for me to find my form."

For more from Rafa, click here for the rest of reaction article.


Next in action is Nick Kyrgios who will face off for a place in the quarter-finals against Andreas Seppi, who defeated Roger Federer in the third round of the competition.

Nick Kyrgios in action on day one of the Australian Open on January 19, 2015© Getty Images


Tomas Berdych admits that he enjoys playing in the Australian Open after advancing to the quarter-finals of the competition for the fifth year in a row following his victory over Bernard Tomic.

He said: "Every time I play here I manage to bring something special, something more and that's always good. So I'm hopeful I can keep going and keep playing good tennis."


Maria Sharapova admits that she wasn't overwhelmed with her display against Shuai Peng despite her resounding victory to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

She told reporters: "I played solid. I don't think I did anything spectacular, but felt that I was consistent. I served smart at times."

For more from the number two seed, click here.


Thanks for joining me throughout the night. I'll now be handing you over to Sian Cowper, who'll take you through the rest of the day's action, including Andy Murray's match against Grigor Dimitrov. Until next time, goodbye!

Thanks Simon. Good morning everyone! As the evening sessions get underway in Melbourne, let's start with some more from Rafael Nadal, who beat Kevin Anderson in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals earlier. The third seed has said that he is pleased with his improvements since arriving at the tournament.

In the women's draw, Ekaterina Makarova booked her spot in the last eight for the third time in four years. The Russian says that "something special" happens when she plays in Melbourne.
Ekaterina Makarova of Russia celebrates her victory over Julia Goerges of Germany in their women's singles match on day seven of the 2015 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2015© Getty Images

There are two big matches going on at the minute. In the Rod Laver Arena, Simona Halep has just got underway in her fourth-round encounter with Yanina Wickmayer. Meanwhile, home favourite Nick Krygios is a set down in his match against Roger Federer's conqueror, Andreas Seppi.

Second seed Maria Sharapova will face Canada's Eugenie Bouchard in the women's quarter-finals. Bouchard has said that an "inner belief" has helped her seal her place in the last eight.

Bouchard's rise through the rankings at a young age, looks and marketability have often seen her compared to Sharapova, something which the Russian says is "understandable".
Maria Sharapova of Russia celebrates in her fourth round match against Shuai Peng of China during day seven of the 2015 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2015© Getty Images

Sharapova has had quite a bit to say about her quarter-final opponent. They met in the semi-finals at the French Open last year too, with the world number two coming out on top. Sharapova says that she is expecting a tough match.

Nick Krygios has just dropped the second set in his match against Andreas Seppi. As you can see from the shot below, he took it out on his racquet towards the end of the set:


Meanwhile, Simona Halep has taken the first set over on the Rod Laver Arena. Yanina Wickmayer showed some resilience towards the end of the set, but ultimately couldn't hold off the world number three.

Seventh seed Tomas Berdych knocked out Bernard Tomic in straight sets to set up a quarter-final against former champion Rafael Nadal earlier. The Czech insists that he is looking forward to facing the third seed.

RESULT! Third seed Simona Halep has booked a spot in the last eight, cruising past Belgium Yanina Wickmayer 6-4 6-2 this morning. She'll face Ekaterina Makarova in the quarter-finals.
Simona Halep of Romania celebrates winning in her third round match against Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States during day five of the 2015 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 23, 2015© Getty Images

Bernard Tomic has been speaking following his exit from his home Grand Slam. The Australian says that there was not much he could do to avoid the defeat, but he has criticised the scheduling of the tournament, which has kept him and compatriot Nick Kyrgios off Rod Laver Arena in the fourth round.

Halep's win means that we're just a few minutes away from seeing the highly-anticipated match between Britain's Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria. With Federer's exit, and Nadal and Djokovic both coming back from illnesses, there's a lot of title buzz around Murray at the minute, but the 10th seed beat him in Wimbledon last year. This should be an entertaining encounter.

The players make their way out onto the court. There's a huge cheer for both as they walk onto the Rod Laver Arena. There's a surprisingly large number of Scottish flags in the crowd for the British number one.

In three of the last five Australian Opens, Murray has been the beaten finalist, while last year he reached the quarter-finals just a couple of months after undergoing back surgery. He hasn't lost in the fourth round since 2009, and is yet to drop a set at this year's tournament.

Dimitrov reached the quarter-finals in Melbourne for the first time last year, but this is only the second time that he has made it beyond round two. He needed an epic five-set encounter to make it to this round as well, so is not as fresh as his opponent coming into this match.

These two players have faced each other six times before, four of which have been won by Murray, including their most recent clash in the round of 16 at the Paris Masters at the end of last season.

Murray has not made the final of a Grand Slam since winning Wimbledon in 2013, which is his longest run without appearing in a final since he finished as runner up at the 2008 US Open.

The players have finished their warmup and are ready to get underway, with Dimitrov serving first.

It looks like it's going to be a straight forward start for Dimitrov as he clinches the first two points with forehands, but a double fault keep Murray in the game. The 10th seed comes inside the baseline though to pressure Murray at the net, doing enough to open the match with a hold of serve.

BREAK! Dimitrov comes out fighting against the Murray serve, engaging the two-time Grand Slam champion in a fast-paced rally before firing a forehand winner down the sideline. Murray's forehand lets him down a couple of times to give the 10th seed two break points, and he takes the first when Murray slices a backhand long.

Murray works hard from the back of the court to try and get the break back, but two forehands into the net gives Dimitrov the lead in the game, and he seals it when a big served is hit into the net again by the British number one. Murray certainly hasn't played badly, but Dimitrov appears to have come out and really chased every ball so far. It will be interesting to see if he can maintain this level.

Dimitrov takes the opening point of the game with a well-timed backhand, but Murray quickly turns things around with some superb grounstrokes, making Dimitrov cover the full width of the court. Dimitrov attacks Murray's second serve though with a punchy forehand return down the sideline, while a wide backhand from the Brit brings up deuce. A big serve gives the sixth seed advantage though, and a long return from Dimitrov finally gets the Scot on the board.

BREAK! Murray lands a superb cross-court backhand to give himself a chance to break back, leaving Dimitrov rooted to the spot. The Bulgarian misses his first serve, allowing Murray to attack his second, and he can't cope with the Brit's big return. Just like that, the first set is back on serve.

Over on the Hisense Arena, there's been a remarkable turn-around by Nick Kyrgios. The Australian teenager found himself two sets down against Andreas Seppi a short while ago, but he got a set back before saving a match point in the fourth to win a tiebreak, sending the epic encounter into a fifth set.

One of the players that has been catching the eye in the women's draw if Agnieszka Radwanska. The Polish star is yet to drop a set in Melbourne, and says that her impressive start to the tournament is down to being focused on the details.

Murray opened the game with two aces before Dimitrov gets a point back with a volley. The Bulgarian can't get close to another break point though as Murray fires another backhand past him before sealing the game with an ace.

Dimitrov ends Murray's run of three straight games with a relatively comfortable hold of serve. Murray tries to attack the Bulgarian's serve, but a couple of sloppy backhands cost him, before Dimitrov seals the game with an ace.

Murray cruises through another service game, blasting forehand winners past the 10th seed before wrapping the game up with yet another ace. After a difficult start with his serve, Murray has quickly found a strong rhythm.

BREAK! Murray comes into the net to hit a volley past his opponent before a long forehand from Dimitrov hands the Briton a break point. The sixth seed can't convert it though, slicing his forehand into the net. He gets another chance though, and gets the better of Dimitrov in a lengthy rally, which ends when the sixth seed sends Dimitrov the wrong way with a shot from the net. After losing the first three games of this match, Murray will now serve for a one-set lead.

SET! Dimitrov gets a chance against Murray's second serve, but the Bulgarian mis-hits the forehand, while a long backhand on the next point brings up two set points for Murray, and the Briton seals it with yet another ace. What a remarkable turnaround it's been for the three-time Australian Open finalist.

Meanwhile, back over at the Hisense Arena in the match between Nick Kyrgios and Andreas Seppi, it looks like the home fans may have something to cheer about:


Dimitrov puts the disappointment of losing the opening set behind him with a comfortable hold of serve to star the second. He opens with a smash before forcing a string of errors from his opponent, although a long forehand costs him the chance to see out the game. Murray can't get back into the game though, as he fires his forehand into the net to give Dimitrov the game.

Dimitrov is on the attack against, sending a forehand down the line to take the game to deuce. Murray isn't going to let him get another three-game lead in this set though, as he hits a couple of big serves to force long returns from the 10th seed.

BREAK! Having been made to fight to keep his serve in the last game, Murray gets the break this time around, pinning Dimitrov behind the baseline with a string of stunning returns to force a series of errors from the 10th seed.

Murray quickly consolidates his break with a relatively straight-forward hold of serve. Dimitrov continues to try and pressurise Murray's second serve, which is one of the weakest parts of his game, but a couple of long returns cost the 10th seed.

Dimitrov keeps himself in touch with a hold to love as Murray's backhand returns let him down before a careless volley hands the Bulgarian the game.

BREAK! Murray tries a couple of drop shots, but Dimitrov gets the both back. However, it leaves Dimitrov at the net, so Murray manages to get the better of his with a cross-court volley. A double fault from the Brit gives the 10th seed a chance though, and a mis-hit at the baseline brings up two break points for Dimitrov. A lively exchange at the net allows Murray to save the first as he stretches Dimitrov all around the court before firing a forehand past him, but another lengthy rally allows Dimitrov to level the set, as Murray catches his forehand on the net.

The winner of this match faces the winner of the epic five-set match over on the Hisense Arena between Nick Kyrgios and Andreas Seppi. Seppi has broken back in the fifth, but it's now 7-6 to the Australian.

A huge cheer erupts around the Rod Laver Arena, and it's got nothing to do with this match! Nick Kyrgios completes his comeback win over Seppi, and the result flashes up on the big screen in the main court, much to the delight of the home fans, leaving Murray and Dimitrov in no doubt who they will be facing in the next round:
Nick Kyrgios of Australia celebrates a point in his fourth round match against Andreas Seppi of Italy during day seven of the 2015 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2015© Getty Images

The duo trade blows to take the game to deuce, before Dimitrov gets the first advantage when Murray hits the net. The Scot gets the better of him in a 16-stroke rally though, and brings up a break points with a volley, but Dimitrov saves it before there's a pause while the crowd cheers Kyrgios's result. Dimitrov manages to get back underway with a smash before a backhand mistake from Murray hands him the game.

RESULT! Well if you want to read more about Kyrgios's remarkable comeback win, here's our match report.

Murray quickly wraps up his service game, coming into the net to volley before turning up the power on his serve to force some wayward returns from the Bulgarian.

Dimitrov is under pressure as he misses a couple of forehands, giving Murray a 30-0 lead. The 10th seed responds well to get the game back to deuce, and while Murray is pushing to attack the Dimitrov backhand, but the Bulgarian turns to his forehand to bring up advantage before a poor backhand from Murray gives Dimitrov the hold of serve. Murray will be serving to stay in the set next.

Murray drops the opening point of the game, but responds quickly with some more powerful serving before Dimitrov carelessly mis-cues with his backhand to keep the set all square.

BREAK! Dimitrov gets a smash all wrong before Murray comes inside the baseline to blast a forehand past the Bulgarian. Dimitrov hasn't looked entirely settled on the backhand today and he slightly overhits a shot to give Murray two break points, and the Scot wraps it up when Dimitrov slices his volley into the net. Murray can take a two-set lead if he holds serve next.

Dimitrov battles hard to keep himself in the set, coming in for a volley before smashing a winner past Murray to bring up two break back point, but Murray saves both with some more powerful serving. The Bulgarian has another chance when he slices a volley, and he takes the came when Murray double faults, so the set goes to a tiebreak!

Murray *1-0 Dimitrov

Murray *1-1 Dimitrov

Murray 2-1* Dimitrov

Murray 2-2* Dimitrov

Murray *2-3 Dimitrov

Murray *2-4 Dimitrov. The Bulgarian wins a rally with a superb backhand down the line to take a two-point lead.

Murray 2-5* Dimitrov. A poor backhand from Murray allows Dimitrov to extend his lead further.

Murray 3-5* Dimitrov

Murray *3-6 Dimitrov. Murray's return is long, so it's three set points for Dimitrov

Murray *4-6 Dimitrov

Murray *5-6 Dimitrov. Murray does his job, winning both points on his serve, but Dimitrov has a chance on his own serve now.

SET! It's all square! Dimitrov sends a serve down the centre of the court, and Murray dives for the return, but his forehand fails to clear the net, handing the 10th seed the set.

Murray seems keen to put the disappointment of the second set behind him, firing two aces past Dimitrov before Dimitrov fires a backhand long to give the Brit a comfortable hold.

It's an equally competent start to set three for the 10th seed. Murray can't return the first couple of serves from Dimitrov before an ace gives the 10th seed a hold to love.

Murray makes his third double fault of the match, but puts it behind him quickly with some big serves out wide to leave Dimitrov stretching on the return, keeping the third set on serve.

Third seed Simona Halep was on court before Murray and Dimitrov in the Rod Laver Arena, beating Yanina Wickmayer in straight sets. The Romanian says that she is full of confidence following the win.

Murray makes the most of a slower second serve from Dimitrov to bring up the first break point of the third set, but a long forehand takes the game to deuce. Murray gets three further chances to break, but each time he makes a mistake, before Dimitrov brings up advantage with a forehand down the line, and he escapes with his serve intact as Murray's backhand is just long.

Murray leaves Dimitrov stretching with a forehand, and wins the point with a volley, but he's angry with the umpire as he believes that Dimitrov returned a ball that had already bounced twice earlier in the rally, and replays appear to back the Scot up. He manages to wrap up the game though, picking out the baseline to force a short backhand from the Bulgarian.

Murray lets out a shout of frustration as he fires a forehand long to give Dimitrov a 40-0 lead. The Briton gets a point back, but his return lets him down on the next point to give Dimitrov the hold.

Murray finds himself behind twice in his service game, but both times he pulls it back with a well-timed ace before forcing a long forehand from Dimitrov two points in a row to survive the pressure and keep the set on serve. Neither player has looked entirely comfortable on serve in this set, but they're both doing just enough to keep it on serve.

BREAK! Dimitrov makes a couple of mistakes at the start of the game to give Murray the lead, and the Briton brings up a couple of break points when a backhand is overhit by the 10th seed. The Bulgarian makes some powerful serves to get the game to deuce though, and quickly brings up advantage, but he can't convert, making his third double fault of the match. Dimitrov tries to stretch Murray behind the baseline, but he fires his forehand too wide, giving Murray another chance to break, and this time he gets it when Dimitrov's forehand is too low to clear the net. Murray will serve for the set next.

SET! A poor forehand costs Murray the first point of the game, but it's smooth sailing after that as Dimitrov struggles with his returns, before a volley brings up two set points for the British number one, and he takes the first as Dimitrov can't return the serve.

As we now know, the winner of this match will be up against Australian teenager Nick Kyrgios. He says that it feels "so good" to be into the quarter-finals at his home Grand Slam for the first time.

While Murray is off court for a quick comfort break between sets, here's some more reaction to Kyrgios's win from compatriot on doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis, who has summed up the come-from-behind win pretty succinctly:


Having just fallen a set behind for the second time in this match, Dimitrov is immediately under pressure again in what it a must-win fourth set for the Bulgarian. At 30-30, he hits a wide forehand to give Murray a chance for a break point, but he gets the same shot right next time around to force deuce, before a backhand volley gives the 10th seed advantage. Murray overhits the return to let Dimitrov off. There was a nice mix of shot from Dimitrov in that game though.

BREAK! Dimitrov makes the perfect start to the second set, capitalising on a wayward backhand from Murray to bring up break point, and sealing it with a backhand of his own following a rally. Murray has peppered the Dimitrov backhand, but the 10th seed made him pay there.

Dimitrov is a man on a mission as he wraps up a quick hold of serve to love, giving himself a 3-0 lead in the fourth set. He led by the same scoreline in the first though, and Murray turned it around. Can the Briton do the same now?

Murray gets off the mark in the fourth set, but he has to come from behind after making a couple more errors on the backhand. He rescues the game with some big serves though, leaving Dimitrov unable to get his returns back.

Murray can't get the break back, although he battles hard from the baseline to get the game to 30-30. His backhand is the problem again though, as he hits the net with one to give Dimitrov the lead before a long return gives the 10th seed the game.

Andreas Seppi has been speaking following his exit from the tournament. Despite dropping a two-set lead, the Italian has been gracious in defeat, praising Nick Kyrgios's serving.

Murray turns up the heat on his serve, aggressively firing shots towards his opponent on his way to a hold to love. Murray looked really determined in that game, clearly trying to put pressure on Dimitrov ahead of the Bulgarian's serve. The Briton really needs to get the break back next if he's to wrap this up in four.

Dimitrov appears to be in control of the game as he easily claims the opening couple of points, but a missed volley followed by an overhit smash gets Murray back into it. At deuce though, Dimitrov hits an ace, before a powerful serve catches Murray out on the return, leaving Dimitrov just a game short of winning the set.

Dimitrov is really working hard to threaten on the backhand, and he forces an error on the volley from Murray, before a forehand to the back of the court brings up deuce. He puts more pressure on the sixth seed, coming in from the baseline to volley, and the Briton fires his forehand wide in response, giving the Bulgarian a set point, but a well-timed cross-court forehand spares the Briton. Two big serves see out the game for Murray, so Dimitrov will try to serve out the set next.

BREAK! There's a twist late in this fourth set, which had been all Dimitrov so far, as Murray defends superbly from the back of the court to test Dimitrov, and the 10th seed crumbled, making a string of error to bring up two break points for Murray. He saves the first with a forehand winner, buoyed by cheers from the crowd who clearly want to see a fifth set, but Murray gets the fourth set back on serve as the 10th seed fires long.

Murray quickly takes a 30-15 lead before getting into a rally with his opponent. Dimitrov tries a drop shot, but Murray anticipates it correctly to fire the volley past Dimitrov for a winner. The Bulgarian tries a backhand slice to keep himself in the game, but it comes up short, giving Murray the game.

BREAK! Dimitrov slams his racquet into the court in anger as he's broken to love, just two games after serving for the set. The Bulgarian is right to be angry with himself, as he fires a volley into the net before a string of unforced errors give Murray a 40-0 lead, and the Briton wraps it up when the 10th seed leaves the court open for Murray to hit a backhand winner. The Brit is serving for the match next, and Dimitrov will need a new racquet!

GAME, SET & MATCH! Dimitrov limply returns Murray's first two serves out as he's still clearly stewing over the previous game. With nothing to lose, Dimitrov throws everything into a rally, and he pulls a point back for a forehand. Murray blasts a 126mph serve past his opponent to bring up match point though, and he gets a lucky hit on the net chord to wrap it up.

Murray showed superb spirit in the fourth set to wrap that up, winning five games in a row to come from behind and avoid the deciding set. Big-serving Aussie Nick Kyrgios awaits him in the next round.
Andy Murray of Great Britain celebrates winning a point in his fourth round match against Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria during day seven of the 2015 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2015© Getty Images

So that concludes our live coverage from the Australian Open on day seven, but join us again tomorrow when top seeds Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams will be among those in action on Australia Day. Our coverage gets underway from midnight, so make sure you join us again then. Thanks for joining us today, goodbye.

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Nick Kyrgios waves to the crowd after his second-round victory on day three of the Australian Open on January 21, 2015
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