It will officially be Australia against the world when the host nation’s best tennis players tackle the best on the planet at the Australian Open today.

Lleyton Hewitt and Samantha Stosur meet world No.1s Roger Federer and Serena Williams in enthralling fourth-round encounters.

Hewitt hasn’t progressed beyond this stage of his home grand slam since his 2005 march to the final and has lost his past 14 matches against Federer.

When the pair enter Rod Laver Arena on Monday night, the Swiss master will take in a record of seven wins in seven grand slam encounters over his Australian rival.

“He doesn’t lose too many matches, especially big matches, and especially grand slams. You’ve just got to look at his (26-2) record last year in grand slams,” Hewitt said.

“Yeah, it does take a great performance to beat him. That’s why he’s been the greatest player possibly ever.

“But you play for those moments, to play against the best players – Roger is that.

“This is what motivates you. If you can’t get up for these matches, you shouldn’t be playing the game.”
Hewitt and Stosur are the last remaining Australians at the tournament.

Stosur’s record is much better against Williams, whom she beat when they last played in the United States last July.

In other fourth round women’s matches, Williams’ sister Venus takes on 17th seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone and seventh seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus plays Russian ninth seed Vera Zvonareva.

China’s Li Na will attempt to become the second player from her nation into the women’s quarter-finals when she plays fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.

In men’s action, in-form Russian sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko plays last year’s Open semi-finalist Fernando Verdasco of Spain and former finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga plays Nicolas Almagro of Spain.

Third seed Novak Djokovic, who has been in white-hot touch at Melbourne Park, plays unseeded Pole Lukasz Kubot.

Factbox and head-to-head record ahead of the Australian Open fourth-round match between Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt at Melbourne Park on Monday (prefix denotes seeding):

1-ROGER FEDERER leads 22-LLEYTON HEWITT 16-7
Last 3 matches:
2009 US Open, hard, R32, Federer 4-6 6-3 7-5 6-4
2009 Cincinnati, hard, Q, Federer 6-3 6-4
2008 Wimbledon, grass, R16, Federer 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 6-2

ROGER FEDERER (SUI)
Age: 28
Ranking: 1
Plays: right-handed
Career prize money: $US53,414,518 ($A59.24 million)
Career titles: 61
Grand slam titles: 15 Federer (Aust Open 2004, 2006-07; French Open 2009; Wimbledon 2003-07, 2009; US Open 2004-2008)
Career win-loss record: 684-162
Australian Open win-loss record: 50-7
Best Australian Open performances: champion 2004, 2006, 2007

LLEYTON HEWITT (AUS)
Age: 28
Ranking: 32
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US18,322,971 ($A20.32 million)
Career titles: 27
Grand slam titles: 2 (2001 Wimbledon, 2002 US Open)
Career win-loss record: 521-182
Australian Open win-loss record: 27-13
Best Australian Open performance: runner-up 2005

Sports odds: Federer $1.09, Hewitt $7.25

Factbox and head-to-head record ahead of Australian Open women’s fourth-round match between Serena Williams and Samantha Stosur at Melbourne Park on Monday (prefix denotes seeding):

1-SERENA WILLIAMS (USA) leads 13-SAMANTHA STOSUR (AUS) 2-1
2009 Stanford, hard, Q, Stosur 6-2 3-6 6-2
2009 Sydney, hard, R32, Williams 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 7-5
2008 Beijing Olympics, hard, R32, Williams 6-2 6-0

SERENA WILLIAMS (USA)
Age: 28
Ranking: 1
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US28,560,093
Career titles: 35
Grand slam titles: 11 (Australian Open 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009; French Open 2002; Wimbledon 2002-03, 2009; US Open 1999, 2002, 2008)
Career win-loss record: 455-98
Australian Open win-loss record: 47-6
Best Australian Open performances: champion 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009

SAMANTHA STOSUR (AUS)
Age: 25
Ranking: 13
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US4,319,810
Career titles: 1
Grand slam titles: 0
Career win-loss record: 266-208
Australian Open win-loss record: 12-7
Best Australian Open performance: fourth round 2006, 2010

Sports odds: Williams $1.12, Stosur $6.20

© AAP 2012

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