Nadal stays on course for 'Rafa Slam'

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP):

The 'Rafa Slam' is still alive after Rafael Nadal beat Marin Cilic 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 at the Australian Open yesterday to maintain his chance of owning all four Grand Slam trophies at once.

That's a feat that hasn't been achieved since Rod Laver won four majors in a calendar year in 1969.

Playing on Melbourne Park's centre court that is named for the Australian great, Nadal advanced to a quarter-final against Spain's David Ferrer. Nadal is attempting to add to the Grand Slam titles he won last year at the French Open, Wimbledon and the US. Open.

Kim Clijsters, seeded No. 3 and increasingly looking as if she can add to her US. Open crown, also reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory over Ekaterina Makarova of Russia. No. 2 Vera Zvonareva advanced as well.

Clijsters is in the second full season of a comeback after 2 1/2 years in retirement. She won five singles titles and the US. Open last year.

"I never thought things would be going well so soon after I started again," she said.

In other fourth-round matches, Alexandr Dolgopolov upset No. 4 Robin Soderling, the highest of the seeded players knocked out of the men's draw. No. 5 Andy Murray defeated No. 11 Jurgen Melzer and No. 7 Ferrer defeated Canadian qualifier Milos Raonic.

Nadal hasn't dropped a set through four rounds despite a lingering virus he picked up two weeks ago in Qatar.

"Before the match I was a little bit nervous," Nadal said. "I know how aggressive he can play. I think I played my best match this year here at the Australian Open."

At Nadal's previous match, he sweated profusely while playing Saturday night. Yesterday, the weather was cooler and his condition clearly was improving.

"I'm not sweating that much tonight," Nadal said. "The two other days I was sweating like crazy and I felt very tired when I played the match. Today was the first day I felt perfect physically."

Earlier, Murray also advanced to the quarterfinals, setting up a possible semi-final with Nadal.

"I don't want to get carried away," Murray said after his 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 win over Melzer of Austria. "I've never won one of these things before."

The win put Murray closer to a second straight appearance in the final at Melbourne Park, where he lost to Roger Federer last year after beating Nadal in the quarter-finals.

Before Murray gets a potential crack at Nadal, he'll face an unexpected quarter-final rival after Dolgopolov dropped Soderling 1-6, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, ending the French Open finalist's eight-match winning streak.