Del Potro Secures First-Time Sanyaku Promotion, Jankovic's Ozeki is Run Off

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The 2009 Australian Open are entering the decisive phase.

Maegashira M2E Juan Martin del Potro reached the quarterfinals by beating M7W Marin Cilic in four sets. Together with his quarterfinal participation at the 2008 US Open this secures del Potro's promotion to Komusubi (=Junior Champion II), his career-first sanyaku rank. Another win in the quarterfinals and the Argentine is Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I). Three more wins and the 2009 Australian Open title and he is Ozeki (=Champion). In the quarterfinals, del Potro will meet Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) Roger Federer, who had more trouble than expected with M8W Tomas Berdyrch.

Also in the quarterfinals is Komusubi (and former Ozeki) Andy Roddick, where he will probably face the defending Australian Open champion, Ozeki Novak Djokovic. Djokovic is two sets up against the unseeded ex-Sekiwake Marcos Baghdatis as this is written.

In the ladies' tournament, Jelena Jankovic's Ozeki run got derailed by a clear defeat to M5E and former Sekiwake Marion Bartoli. Jankovic drops to from Sekiwake to Komusubi, together with fellow Serb and former Ozeki Ana Ivanovic. All is not lost though: a final at the French Open in June and Jankovic can still become Ozeki.

Still on track is Dinara Safina, however, after surviving a scare against M4W Alice Cornet in a hard-fought three-set victory. Safina has therefore already defended her Sekiwake rank; two more victories in the quarter- and seminfinals and Safina will be the ladies' 29th Ozeki of the open era. Next she will meet the unseeded former Komusubi Jelena Dokic, who -- frenetically supported by the Australian audience -- is having an impressive combeack after a three-year absence from Grand Slam tennis.

Also through to the quarterfinals is top-ranked Maegashira 1E Vera Zvonareva. Her quarterfinal opponent will be Bartoli; with the winner being guaranteed to get promoted to the sanyaku ranks for the French Open.