Kiwi doubles player Marcus Daniell has cruised into the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, comfortably overcoming American’s Frances Tiafoe and Nick Monroe 6-3 7-5.
Daniell and Austrian partner Philip Oswald could potentially face Kiwi Michael Venus and Aussie partner John Peers in the last eight, if Venus can beat defending champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury next.
After they won the opening set in 45 minutes, Oswald served for the match at 5-4 in the second, but was broken, when Daniell missed a simple backhand volley.
The pair had served flawlessly up to that point and quickly made amends, breaking Monroe’s serve in the next game, leaving Daniell to close out the match.
They did that with ease, holding serve to love and giving Daniell a Grand Slam quarter-final spot for the first time since 2019.
Daniell and Oswald, who spent 14 days in hard quarantine in Melbourne before the tournament, have got better with every match. They dominated on serve and converted three of their nine breakpoint chances.
Their dominance was reflected in the total points won, 77-61.
Daniell will make his third Grand Slam quarter-final appearance, after reaching the last eight at Melbourne in 2018 and Wimbledon 2019.
