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Spain’s Muguruza crashes out of Australian Open

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Spain’s Garbiñe Muguruza was bounced from the Australian Open Saturday by unseeded Czech Barbora Strycova, who led from start to finish in a surprisingly easy 63, 62 thirdround upset of the world No. 3.

The thirdseeded Muguruza, who had been struggling with a foot injury in the leadup to tennis’ first Grand Slam event of 2016, committed twice as many unforced errors as her 48thranked opponent (3216) and did not save any of the four break points she faced.

The 22yearold Venezuelanborn Spaniard had defeated Estonian Anett Kontaveit and Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens in straight sets in her first two matches, but she fell to defeat in just an hour and 15 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

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“Well, clearly not my best, for sure. I think today is a very bad day, you know, at the office,” Muguruza told reporters afterward.

Asked if she was feeling unwell on court, the Spaniard said she “felt with not so much energy, that’s for sure.”

“I felt a little bit, I don’t know, not moving very well. I guess also Barbora was making me move. She was being smart.”

Muguruza had reached the fourth round in Melbourne in both 2014 and 2015.

Strycova, for her part, advanced to the fourth round of a major tournament for the first time in her career and will next take on Belarusian twotime champion Victoria Azarenka, the No. 14 seed, who routed promising Japanese newcomer Naomi Osaka 61, 61 on Saturday.

In other women’s thirdround action Saturday, bighitting American Madison Keys, the No. 15 seed, rallied for a 46, 64, 64 victory over 20thseeded Serbian Ana Ivanovic, 21stseeded Russian Ekaterina Makarova cruised past ninthseeded Czech Karolina Pliskova 63, 62 and seventhseeded German Angelique Kerber routed American Madison Brengle 61, 63.

China’s Shuai Zhang eased past American Varvara Lepchenko 61, 63, Britain’s Johanna Konta trounced Czech Denisa Allertova 62, 62 and Germany’s Annika Beck defeated Germany’s Laura Siegemund 60, 64.

In men’s thirdround action Saturday, fourthseeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka and 13thseeded Canadian Milos Raonic moved through with straightset victories over Czech Lukas Rosol and 21stseeded Serbian Viktor Troicki, respectively.

Secondseeded Scotsman Andy Murray defeated 32ndseeded Portuguese Joao Sousa in four sets, and 10thseeded American John Isner also dropped a set but moved through with a win over 18thseeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.

Another Spaniard, eighthseeded David Ferrer topped 31stseeded American Steve Johnson, while 23rdseeded Frenchman Gael Monfils cruised into the fourth round with a win over countryman Stephane Robert.

Russian Andrey Kuznetsov and 16thseeded Australian Bernard Tomic also advanced to the second week with victories over Israeli Dudi Sela and Australia’s John Millman, respectively. EFE