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Rafa
Nadal really hit his stride to reach his fifth straight quarter-final
at the Australian Open and will be keen to keep the momentum going
against fellow Spaniard David Ferrer on Wednesday.

The world number
one, on a quest to become the third man to hold all four grand slam
titles at once, has not yet lost a set at Melbourne Park this year but
anticipates a tough test in his 15th career meeting with his seventh
seeded compatriot.

“We know each other
perfectly, we played a lot of times against each other,” said the
24-year-old, who holds an 11-3 record against Ferrer but lost their
last grand slam clash at the 2007 U.S. Open. “I think he’s a fantastic
player to spend so many years in the top positions.

“That’s very difficult to do. So all respect to him. I know it’s gonna be a really, really difficult match.”

Victory in the
evening match on Rod Laver Arena would set up a semi-final with British
fifth seed Andy Murray or surprise package Ukrainian Alexandr
Dolgopolov, who play earlier.

Murray in intimidating form

Murray, last year’s
losing finalist, is the meanest player still in the tournament having
conceded just 21 games in four matches and not spent more than two
hours on court in any of his encounters.

The 23-year-old
Scot has been in intimidating form but will be well aware that the
Melbourne Park debutant Dolgopolov’s fierce ground-strokes and “funky”
style did for fourth seed Robin Soderling in the fourth round.

Like Murray, Vera
Zvonareva has played two grand slam finals and ended up a loser both
times but the Russian believes she may now have the maturity to claim
her maiden major.

The women’s second
seed opens day nine of the Australian Open with her quarter-final
against dangerous Czech left-hander Petra Kvitova, who upset local hope
Sam Stosur in round three.

Kim Clijsters will
be a strong favorite to beat Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska in the other
quarter-final and move into a sixth semi-final at the year’s opening
grand slam.

Radwanska, 21, is
playing her first tournament since October after having surgery on a
stress fracture in her foot and promised to play with freedom against
the three-time U.S. Open champion.

“I think now there is no pressure,” she said. “I just feel very good
after my very short off-season. She’s a great champion, so I have
nothing to lose. So I’m just going to try and play my best tennis and
try to win.