Serena Williams of the U.S. celebrates a point won against Garbine Muguruza of Spain during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday. AP
MELBOURNE — Motivated by a Grand Slam loss that stung her more than most, Serena Williams dug deep for a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 comeback win over Garbine Muguruza on Monday to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals.
The top-ranked Williams was pushed all the way by No. 24-seeded Muguruza, who matched her in the heavy-hitting stakes, and who had conceded only four games to her in a second-round upset last year at the French Open.
Five-time Australian Open winner Williams next faces Dominika Cibulkova, who reproduced the kind of tennis that took her to the final here last year as she beat two-time champion Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
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