MELBOURNE: Agnieszka Radwanska revealed Saturday that tips from the legendary Martina Navratilova were turbocharging her quest for a maiden Grand Slam after the Polish sixth seed moved into the final 16 without conceding a set.
Radwanska has rattled through her opponents at this year's tournament, with American Varvara Lepchenko her third consecutive victim to taste the dreaded 6-0 "bagel" in their third round match.
She won 6-0, 7-5 against the world number 30 and looms as the dark horse at Melbourne Park, attributing her success to minor tweaks made by 18-time Grand Slam champion Navratilova.
"On this level, I think it's just really small details that are very important," said the 25-year-old, who hired Navratilova as a consultant coach last month.
"Of course everybody can play great tennis, but if you want to win a match or Grand Slam, you really have to do everything right.
"That's what we're working on, just to focus on very important things and talking on and off the court, and just to figure out everything just to win those seven matches in a row."
Radwanska was a semi-finalist at Melbourne Park last year and has made the quarter-finals an additional four times but is desperate for a breakthrough major.
She has not been seriously challenged in the opening three rounds, although that is set to change when she faces a resurgent Venus Williams on Monday.
The Pole has defeated Williams in their last two meetings and said that on current form she felt confident of matching any player on tour.
"I hope so, but of course every match is different story and different opponents... you never know, that's sport," she said.
Radwanska was unfazed by a minor hiccup when she failed to convert two match points against Lepchenko, allowing the second set to drag on for almost an hour.
"I can't complain about anything. I really had great three matches, three short matches, so I'm fresh," she said.
"I didn't spend much time on the court, which is good. Everything's working so far, so hopefully I can still play the same tennis on the same level (against Williams)."
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