World number one Rafael Nadal and Briton Andy Murray both stay in course for a dream semifinal as they racked up textbook matches in the third round at the Australian Open on Saturday.

But it was Fernando Gonzalez of Chile who stole the thunder of the day as he rolled into the fourth round with a remarkable 3-6, 3-6, 7-6(10), 6-2, 12-10 victory over Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

Gonzalez will play Spaniard Nadal, who eased past German Tommy Haas in straight sets.

World No. 4 Andy Murray came up with every shot in the book in a magnificent display as he destroyed No. 31 seed Jurgen Melzer of Austria 7-5, 6-0, 6-3 in just one hour and 40 minutes.

Murray, who remains unbeaten this season, will next meet Spain's Davis Cup hero and No. 14 seed Fernando Verdasco.

"Against Verdasco, it's very important to use my head. I have a very good record against left-handers. The only one I've lost to on the tour has been Nadal," said Murray. "I need to use my head, make him do a lot of thinking and moving. If I play like I did tonight, I can definitely win that one."

All the Frenchmen came through except for Gasquet. Twelfth seed Frenchman Gael Monfils reached the fourth round after beating 17th-seeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 6-3, 7-5.

Monfils converted half of his 10 break point opportunities in the 2 hours and 10 minutes match to reach the round of 16 for the first time in the season's opening Grand Slam.

He will face compatriot and sixth-seeded Gilles Simon, who got the better of Croatian Mario Ancic with a 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-2 win.

"I think I play a good game again today. I competed hard. I think everything was great," said the 22-year-old Monfils, who won the junior title in 2004 at the Melbourne Park. "I mean, the concentration, physically also. So I'm very happy."

Elsewhere, last year's finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also got through to the fourth round where the Frenchman will meet American James Blake.

In women's play, Wimbledon semifinalist Zheng Jie from China beat Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko 6-2, 6-2 to continue her best-ever Australian Open showing.

The 22nd seed became the only Chinese player in the singles events after needing only 69 minutes to send her opponent packing in a third round encounter.

She had a much easier time than the first two round battles, winning 67 percent of her first serve and smashing 23 winners to just 13 of Bondarenko.

"I feel I play good for today, because before the match I do much homework to study my opponent. I know how to play this match," said Zheng, who never reached second round or beyond in previous Australian Open.

"It's a little surprised that I can win the match so easily, because I know she plays aggressive. So at the beginning I go to the court and play more aggressive than her."

In reaching the last four at Wimbledon, the world number 24 became the first Chinese player to get to a Grand Slam singles semifinal. Her run included a win over top seed Ana Ivanovic.

Coming up next for Zheng will be a tougher match-up against Russian eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, who got the better of Alona Bondarenko.

Earlier, China's Peng Shuai was dumped out of the event, losing to three-times champion Serena Williams.

Williams, still unable to hit her A-game thus far this season, will face rising teen star Victoria Azarenka from Belarus, who ended any hope Amelie Mauresmo had of repeating her 2006 heroics here.

Serena said that her sister's shock upset in the second round had given her extra motivation to win a 10th Grand Slam title.

The woman who beat Venus, Spain's unseeded Carla Suarez Navarro, continued her stunning run at the Melbourne Park, beating countrywoman Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez without breaking a sweat.

Her reward will be another all-Spanish clash against Anabel Medina Garrigues in the fourth round.

(Xinhua News Agency January 25, 2009)