World No. 1, Victoria Azarenka survived a scare before defeating injured Jamie Hampton. The 63rd ranked American took Azarenka to three sets before Azarenka pulled it together to win 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in round three of the 2013 Australian Open.
Hampton was wincing in pain from a back problem that needed treatment in the second set. Despite being in obvious pain, Hampton returned from treatment to take the second set, with Azarenka slamming her racquet in frustration.
Hampton had never played a Grand Slam third round before, and gave it her all in a match that was tighter than the score would suggest. The brave American, who appeared close to tears at times from the discomfort, had the crowd on her side, but Azarenka fought back to win the match and stay on course to meet Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter-finals. Azarenka will next play unseeded Elena Vesnina in round four, who was an upset winner over No. 16 seed, Roberta Vinci 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4.
In other action:
No. 10 seed, Caroline Wozniacki defeated No. 85 ranked Lesya Tsurenko 6-4, 6-3, and will now face No. 75 ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova who was a third round victor over No. 33 ranked Carla Suarez-Navarro in a 3-setter, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
No. 3 seed, Serena Williams, in spite of turning her ankle in her first round match, won comfortably over No. 72 ranked Ayumi Morita 6-1, 6-3, and will play a fourth round match against No. 14 seed, Maria Kirilenko who took down No. 20 seed, Yanina Wickmayer in a tight match 7-6(4), 6-3.
No. 29 seed, American Sloane Stephens downed No. 53 ranked Laura Robson 7-5, 6-3 and will meet No. 56 ranked Bojana Javanovski, a winner over No. 100 ranked Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-2, 7-6(3).
