KEY POINTS:
Love's young tennis dream conjured up a couple of the sweetest victories imaginable in Melbourne.
Childhood friends-turned-sweethearts Tomas Berdych and Lucie Safarova lifted the spirits at the Australian Open with Safarova's victory over Amelie Mauresmo winning bragging rights and, for a few days at least, sparing her the moniker of "Berdych's girlfriend".
Just as she was wrapping up a career-breakthrough victory and a place in the quarter-finals, Berdych was completing a three-set destruction of Russia's Dmitry Tursunov to book his fourth-round place.
"That's amazing that we both finish at the same time," said Safarova after her 6-4 6-3 win over the French second seed.
"We grow up together in the same club in Prostejov, we still practise there. We've known each other since we were small kids."
Their success has forced a premature end to their mixed doubles campaign, with Saturday's rain delays meaning Berdych will be in action in the singles again today.
"Both of us are playing really good, [the relationship] has advantages," said Berdych. "I think it's true because we know each other, the travel, the practising, all the things you do together in tennis. Yeah it works."
Something clearly is working, with Berdych set to face Russian Nikolay Davydenko for a place in the last eight while Safarova faces fellow Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova for a semifinal place.
- REUTERS