MELBOURNE — Maria Sharapova beat Kirsten Flipkens 6-1, 6-0 today to continue a dominant and unparalleled run to the Australian Open quarterfinals.
The No. 2-ranked Sharapova conceded only five games in her first four matches, a record at the season’s first major.
“Well I’m certainly happy to be playing this well but … it only gets tougher from here,” said Sharapova, who is playing her first tournament of 2013 after not playing an exhibition match in South Korea and a warmup event at Brisbane because of an injured right collarbone.
Sharapova next plays fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova, who ousted fifth-seeded Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-4. Sharapova beat Makarova in the quarterfinals here last year on her way to the final.
“I really want to play against Maria because I lost here last year,” Makarova said. “Now I’m pretty confident and I like my game.’’
On the men’s side, fourth-seeded David Ferrer had a 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 win over No. 16 Kei Nishikori of Japan to reach the quarterfinals, where he will meet Spaniard Nicolas Almagro.
Almagro was leading 6-2, 5-1 when No. 8 Janko Tipsaveric retired from their fourth-round match.
It will be the first all-Spanish quarterfinal at the Australian Open since 2011, when Ferrer ended Rafael Nadal’s bid for a sequence of four consecutive major titles.
No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic, who has the past two Australian titles, had a night match against No. 15 Stanislas Wawrinka.
Earlier, No. 2-ranked Roger Federer knocked Bernard Tomic out of the tournament, 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-1 win. He next plays Milos Raonic.