24 Jan 2011

Fourth seed exits Australian Open

5:39 pm on 24 January 2011

Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov has produced a stunning five-set upset over the fourth seed Robin Soderling to reach the Australian Tennis Open quarter-finals in Melbourne

Dolgopolov completed a shock 1-6 6-3 6-1 4-6 6-2 win with a heavily whipped forehand to become only the second man from his country to reach the last eight of a grand slam.

Soderling, the French Open runner-up the past two years, took a medical timeout in the fourth set to treat blisters on his foot before going on to level a cliff-hanger fourth round match.

However, the Swede was quickly in trouble in the deciding set, with Dolgopolov drilling another big forehand past him to break for 3-1.

The 23-year-old was making only his fourth grand slam appearance but held his nerve to record his first win over a top 10 player and the biggest upset of the year's first major so far.