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via Reuters

via Reuters

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Anna-Lena Friedsam’s giant-killing run at the Australian Open ended in tears and injury on Sunday after a thigh ailment allowed world number four Agnieszka Radwanska to snatch a 6-7 (6) 6-1 7-5 fourth round win.

The 21-year-old German, who had never been past the second round of a grand slam before this year’s tournament, had Radwanska on the ropes when she led 5-2 in the deciding set before injury cruelly struck at 5-4.

The 82nd-ranked German, who beat U.S. Open finalist Roberta Vinci in the third round, then took an injury time out and had strapping applied to her left leg.

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Radwanska held serve, but Friedsam appeared to exacerbate her injury.

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The German was given a time warning on the first point of the next game when she was unable to serve and broke into tears. She managed to play on and was 15-40 down when she appeared to strain her right hamstring.

Chair umpire Felix Torralba then sanctioned her again for exceeding the time limit and awarded Radwanska a point that sealed the game and gave her a 6-5 advantage.

The trainer again visited Friedman, who was in constant tears on her chair, but she managed to hobble out and complete the match and was given a massive cheer by the Hisense Arena crowd for her efforts.

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Radwanska will now meet either Spain’s Carla Suarez-Navarro or Australia’s Daria Gavrilova in the last eight.

(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by Patrick Johnston)