Mauresmo bows out in day of shocks
Safarova — a few weeks shy of her 20th birthday — took the match in straight sets 6-4 6-3 after second seed Mauresmo struggled to combat her hard-hitting style.
There were more upsets on day seven, with third seed and 2004 US Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova and ninth seed Dinara Safina both bundled out in straight sets.
Safarova, the world number 70, burst from the blocks and had two break points in Mauresmo’s first service game.
Mauresmo managed to hold and took a 4-1 lead in the first set before Safarova made her move.
“I was trying to be more aggressive,” Safarova said.
“When I was playing against a big player before, I was still hurrying too much on the court and making so many mistakes.”
She managed to cut out the mistakes and scored 12 points in a row to level the first set and then went on to take it 6-4.
The tide turned in the second set with the quiet Czech girl racing to 4-1.
She soon had two match points on her French opponent’s serve, but had to wait untilher next service game before she managed to close the match out.
“I’m so happy to win. I can’t believe I did it.”
Mauresmo struggled to comprehend her loss and her overall form at Melbourne Park this year.
“The disappointment is here,” the French star said.
“I’m just trying to analyse (it) a little bit, the way I played not only today, but also throughout the tournament.
“I didn’t really feel that I was really getting into the tournament just the way I wish I would.”
Safarova will meet 10th seed Nicole Vaidisova in her first grand slam quarter-final after Vaidisova beat Russian Elena Dementieva 6-3 6-3.
Vaidisova helped her own cause by firing down 27 winners in the 68-minute match.
Meanwhile, Kuznetsova fell to 16th seed Israeli Shahar Peer in their fourth-round encounter.
Peer, a mixed doubles partner to British number one Andy Murray in the past, recovered from a break down early on to take the match 6-4 6-2.
“I just went out there and gave everything, played my game,” Peer said.
The Israeli will face in-form world number 47, Serena Williams.
“Serena, she’s a great champion. She’s won so many Grand Slams,” the 19-year-old Israeli added.
“I’m just going to have to go out there like today and give everything I have.”
Williams completely overpowered Jelena Jankovic 6-3 6-2 at the Rod Laver Arena.
The American, who won this tournament in 2003 and 2005, ran her higher-ranked opponent ragged just as she had done to world number six Nadia Petrova in her third-round match.
There were three third-round matches carried over after a lengthy rain delay halted play on day six.
China’s Na Li wiped Safina off the court with a 6-2 6-2 victory.
Li, the first Chinese person to reach a grand slam quarter-final, got 75% of her first serves in and smacked 24 winners at world number 10 Safina to win through to the fourth round.
Li faces a tough ask next, though, as she will be up against three-time Australian Open winner Martina Hingis, who will go into the match with an extra day’s break.
Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova had a battle on her hands against unseeded American Ashley Harkleroad.
The 15th seed lost the first set in a lengthy tie-break, but took the match 6-7 (6/8) 7-5 6-3.
Hantuchova will meet one of the tournament favourites, Kim Clijsters, while Anna Chakvetadze — who beat Jelena Kostanic-Tosic 6-4 6-4 — will meet eighth seed Patty Schnyder.
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