Associated Press
MELBOURNE, Australia ó Rafael Nadal was in the locker room, keeping inexperienced wild card Bernard Tomic waiting.
It was Saturday night and Melbourne Park had attracted a record crowd for the Australian Open ó 77,121 across day and night sessions. The 18-year-old Tomic, who has been hyped as the next big-thing for Australian tennis, was the only player from Down Under left in the tournament.
As the minutes ticked off, Tomic stood in the corridor, hopping from foot to foot.
Finally, Nadal emerged, having started the mind games long before any balls were hit in warmups.
Needless to say, the Rafa Slam is still on track. Nadal extended his Grand Slam streak to 24 consecutive matches with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 win in the third round.
The last two Australians went out in consecutive night matches on Rod Laver Arena. French Open finalist Sam Stosur was expected to go further, her 7-6 (5), 6-3 loss to No. 25 Petra Kvitova coming as an upset.
Tomicís defeat was anticipated. It hasnít been a good tournament for Australia, which hasnít produced a homegrown winner of the national championship in more than 30 years.
In fact, it hasnít been a good tournament for any of the countries that host the four majors.
John Isner went out in a five-set loss to No. 15 Marin Cilic late Saturday, leaving Andy Roddick as the only American in the tournament.
ěI didnít want to go out in the round of 32 ó it stinks,î Isner said. ěItís going to be tough to sleep tonight.î
Roddick plays 19th-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland in the fourth round tonight.
Thereís no French players left in the menís or womenís draws. And thereís only one Brit ó 2010 runner-up Andy Murray.
China has more players in the fourth round, with No. 9 Li Na playing No. 8 Victoria Azarenka today and Peng Shuai advancing Saturday. And thereís a Canadian in the fourth round of a major for the first time in a dozen years ó 20-year-old big-serving qualifier Milos Raonic.