Day 9 Australian Open matches to watch

MATCHES TO WATCH ON DAY NINE OF THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN

* Mischa Zverev (GER) v 17-Roger Federer (SUI)

Surely one of the more improbable quarter-finals in Melbourne Park’s history. No one would begrudge Federer – seen by most as the greatest of all time – a place in the last eight but the efficiency in which the 35-year-old has progressed has surprised even him. As for Zverev, before his fairytale run to the fourth round where he dismissed Andy Murray, it had been 10 years since he had won a match at the Open.

* Coco Vandeweghe (USA) v 7-Garbine Muguruza (ESP)

Vandeweghe’s stunning defeat of Angelique Kerber was the latest of the upsets at this year’s topsy-turvy Open, but also the most brutal. Kerber couldn’t hold a candle to the American’s power game. Can Muguruza? The Spanish seventh seed hasn’t dropped a set on her way to the quarter-finals and has a higher break percentage than anyone left in the draw.

* 4-Stan Wawrinka (SUI) v 12-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)

Wawrinka’s progression could lead to an all-Swiss semi final on Thursday, but Tsonga has a dog in this fight. The dynamic Frenchman has been floating under the radar and will make his first appearance this tournament on centre court. Tsonga’s four-set wins over Dan Evans and Jack Sock were particularly meritorious as he looks to repeat his 2008 run to the final.

* 13-Venus Williams (USA) v 24-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)

Pavlyuchenkova has knocked more return winners than anyone in the tournament and will need to continue that form against the evergreen Williams. The American is gunning for her first semi-final appearance in Melbourne since 2003 and hasn’t dropped a set on her way to the last eight. The Russian 25-year-old, 11 years Williams’ junior, is already in rare air having never made the quarter-finals at the Open.

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