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1B Sports Sharapova out; Nadal, Murray win tough matches MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Two-time defending champion Victoria Azarenka saw another of her main adversaries crash out of the Australian Open on Monday, while top-ranked Rafael Nadal and Wimbledon champion Andy Murray faced tougher-than-expected matches to advance to the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park. Maria Sharapova joined Serena Williams as fourthround casualties, leaving Azarenka a potentially easier run to the women's final. Sharapova was beaten by No. 20 Dominika Cibulkova in the match on Rod Laver Arena immediately before Azarenka defeated Sloane Stephens, the last remaining American in the singles draw. Nadal won three tough sets against Kei Nishikori, while Murray wasted four match points in the third set — including two in the tiebreaker — before dominating the fourth set against lucky loser Stephane Robert of France. Four-time Australian Open champion Roger Federer was never threatened in beating 2008 finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 in a late match. He will play Murray in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Third-seeded Sharapova, complaining of a hip ailment, lost 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 after struggling with her serve and making 45 unforced errors. She joins Williams on the sidelines after the top-ranked American lost in three sets Sunday to Ana Ivanovic, ending 25-match winning streak. Sharapova had spent the latter months of last year on the sidelines with a right shoulder injury, so she wasn't expecting much of herself. ''I have to look at the positives and see where I have come from in four or five months,'' Sharapova said. ''I haven't played a lot of tennis. '' Azarenka had a 6-3, 6-2 win over No. 13-seeded Stephens, the player who beat Williams in the quarterfinals here last year and then lost to Azarenka in the semifinals under controversial circumstances. Azarenka took a medical time out when Stephens started to gain momentum in that match, then came back to advance to the final and subsequently win her second Australian Open trophy. She wasn't getting carried away Monday with the apparent ease of the draw with Williams and Sharapova gone. ''The players who beat those players deserve all the credit because they've been better, so they are dangerous and they are competitive,'' Azarenka said. Azarenka, who is on an 18-match winning streak at Melbourne Park, will next play No. 5 Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat Spain's Garbine Muguruza 6-1, 6-3 in the final fourth-round match Monday night. Nadal beat Nishikori 7-6 (3), 7-5, 7-6 (3), though he was broken twice in the third set — getting a time violation from chair umpire Evanthia Asderaki in one of the games. ''Normally I have a good self-control on court, and it's true that the moment was a very critical one,'' Nadal said of the time violation. The 13-time major winner also tripped in the first set and tumbled to the court, then had to go to the locker room to change shoes. Nadal next plays Grigor Dimitrov, who reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time with a 63, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Roberto Bautista Agut. Three-time Australian Open finalist Murray ended the run of Robert, wasting match points in the third set and smashing his racket after the tiebreaker before advancing 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (6), 6-2. ''He's a fun player to watch, but not a fun player to play,'' Murray said of Robert's assortment of drop shots and deft groundstrokes. The racket smashing was pure frustration. ''Losing that set was frustrating because it obviously means you're out there another 30, 40 minutes at least, when I would preferably had been in the locker room,'' Murray said. ''My racket bit the dust. Unfortunate for it.'' Murray said he's expecting a tough match against Federer, regardless of the Swiss player's recent drop in the rankings that has seen him seeded sixth here. ''I think last year you could see at periods he was struggling with his back,'' Murray said. ''And if he's fully fit, I've said all along, he's always going to be there or thereabouts in the majors, and he'll give himself opportunities to win more because he's that good.'' Federer lost to Murray in the semifinals last year in five sets after beating Tsonga in five in the quarterfinals. ''It's the same draw just one round earlier for me,'' Federer said. ''I'm happy this time I didn't play five sets.'' On Tuesday, the first of the quarterfinals begin when Ivanovic plays Eugenie Bouchard and two-time Australian Open finalist Li Na takes on Flavia Pennetta. In men's quarterfinals, three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic plays Stanislas Wawrinka and No. 3 David Ferrer takes on No. 7 Tomas Berdych. Tehama Tracker Today's schedule ALPINE Red Bluff at Mt. Shasta BOYS BASKETBALL Lassen at Corning, 7:30 p.m. Los Molinos at Redding Christian, 7:30 p.m. Mercy at Liberty Christian, 7:30 p.m. GIRLS BASKETBALL Corning at Lassen, 7:30 p.m. Los Molinos at Redding Christian, 6 p.m. Mercy at Liberty Christian, 6 p.m. BOYS SOCCER Corning at Central Valley, 6 p.m. Los Molinos at Mercy, 3:15 p.m. GIRLS SOCCER Corning at Central Valley, 6 p.m. NBA Sacramento at New Orleans, 5 p.m. Sports on TV MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL • 4 p.m., ESPN — Indiana at Michigan St. • 4 p.m., ESPN2 — Kansas St. at Texas • 4 p.m., ESPNU — Missouri at LSU • 6 p.m., ESPN — Texas A&M at Kentucky • 6 p.m., ESPNU — Georgia Tech at Boston College • 6 p.m., FS1 — Butler at Providence NBA • 5 p.m., CSNC — Sacramento at New Orleans NHL • 5 p.m., NBCSN — Minnesota at Dallas TENNIS • 6 p.m., ESPN2 — Australian Open, quarterfinals, at Melbourne, Australia • 12:30 a.m., ESPN2 — Australian Open, men's or women's quarterfinal, at Melbourne, Australia WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL • 4 p.m., FS1 — Oklahoma at Iowa St. Tuesday January 21, 2014 49ers hurt from serious injury to NaVorro Bowman AP photo San Francisco 49ers' NaVorro Bowman is taken to the locker room on a cart Sunday. SANTA CLARA (AP) — NaVorro Bowman slowly made his way inside 49ers team headquarters on crutches Monday for a short visit before departing, one day after the All-Pro linebacker sustained a serious left knee injury in San Francisco's NFC championship loss at Seattle that could put his 2014 season in question. Coach Jim Harbaugh said after Sunday's 23-17 season-ending loss to the Seahawks that Bowman is believed to have a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. There was no word Monday on potential surgery, though linebackers coach Jim Leavitt expected to learn more later Monday. Leavitt said he remains optimistic that Bowman will be playing when the 49ers open new Levi's Stadium next season. ''He's a warrior. He's going to push forward, there's no question,'' Leavitt said. ''He's a special guy, tremendously talented, but he's got such a heart. He's been so good with me it's unbelievable. He's great young man. He'll be fine. We're going into a new stadium and he'll be ready to go when we start.'' In addition, left guard Mike Iupati broke his left ankle in the loss. He says he doesn't know whether he will need surgery, but is scheduled to be further evaluated Tuesday. ''This is a bad-luck year,'' said Iupati, who missed four games with a left knee injury. ''I'll probably be in a cast for a while. I'll be here rehabbing. It's day by day and wish for the best.'' As the 49ers braced for Bowman's lengthy recovery, they were still dealing with the sting of another season that ended just short of the goal. Safety Donte Whitner was irked at any Seattle fans involved with throwing popcorn and other debris on Bowman as he was carted off at CenturyLink Field. ''That's pure ignorance,'' said Whitner, who noted losing to the rival Seahawks ''makes it a little worse 'cuz I wanted to send those fans home crying.'' ''He sacrificed his body for this team. He's our leader and arguably the best player that we have. To see him go down, it hurts. I'll be praying for him and wishing him a speedy recovery. ... He was surprisingly optimistic (on the plane). He looked like he was doing OK.'' — rookie safety Eric Reid on Bowman And how about the postgame comments by cornerback Richard Sherman calling 49ers wideout Michael Crabtree ''mediocre'' and ''sorry'' following his game-saving defensive play in the end zone during the waning moments? ''Pure ignorance, simple as that,'' Whitner said. Added tight end Vernon Davis: ''He talks a lot. Sometimes you just need to shut your mouth. You got the win. Be humble, be gracious and just accept it. ... Maybe he could learn from other people around the league that know how to be a true gentleman that show good sportsmanship.'' For Bowman, this is a terrible ending to a career season in which he emerged as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. In December, Bowman's three sacks, two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery were unmatched by any other player all season. The 25-year-old Bowman, drafted out of Penn State in 2010 and signed to a five-year contract extension worth $45.25 million in November 2012, had 145 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions and four forced fumbles this season. ''He sacrificed his body for this team. He's our leader and arguably the best player that we have,'' rookie safety Eric Reid said. ''To see him go down, it hurts. I'll be praying for him and wishing him a speedy recovery. ... He was surprisingly optimistic (on the plane). He looked like he was doing OK.'' Harbaugh, Leavitt and the other coaches met with their players Monday morning, passing out paperwork on the offseason conditioning program before everybody packed their belongings and parted ways. For many, especially players on defense, having the season end seeing Bowman go down made it that much tougher. ''I didn't talk to him, because there's nothing really that you can say to somebody that puts so much into it and they go out with an injury like that,'' Whitner said. ''From playing up here and being on this high level to being dropped all the way to the bottom on an injury, it has to be devastating. So I don't really know what to say to him right now. I'll say something eventually.'' Notes: LB Ahmad Brooks is scheduled to fly to Hawaii on Tuesday to join the NFC Pro Bowl team, though the 49ers didn't yet know whether other selections planned to attend or pull out of the game. ... C Jonathan Goodwin said he will listen to any offers this offseason but also might consider retirement. ''Deep down I think I'm still willing, but what creates uncertainty for me is being a 35year-old free agent, which in this time of the NFL can be tough,'' Goodwin said. ... Whitner and WR Anquan Boldin also are uncertain they will be back with the 49ers. Whitner said he would like to stay and that Harbaugh and GM Trent Baalke expressed they would like him to return. ''Hopefully we can get something done,'' Whitner said. ''This is a business. Sometimes players don't fit into what you want to do salary-cap wise.'' PREP ROUNDUP BOYS BASKETBALL Corning 52, Yreka 27 The Cardinals opened up Northern Athletic League play with a 52-27 win at Yreka Friday. Corning outscored the Miners 17-0 in the second quarter. Michael Shoemaker had 13 points and eight rebounds for Corning. Chayce Maday and Nick Hoag each had 10 points. Hoag also provided five assists. Jesse Bennett added nine points on a trio of 3-pointers. University Prep 59, Los Molinos 49 U-Prep rallied back in the second half to knock of the visiting Bulldogs 59-49 Friday. Mercy 54, Hayfork 44 The Warriors used a big second half to beat visiting Hayfork 54-44 Friday. Teddy Ranberg had 24 points to lead Mercy. William Gentry chipped in with nine points. Tommy Garcia pulled down 11 rebounds. GIRLS BASKETBALL Corning 59, Yreka 30 The Lady Cardinals opened up NAL play with a 59-30 win at home over visiting Yreka Friday. Corning led 31-11 at halftime. University Prep 70, Los Molinos 22 The Lady Bulldogs had a tough time dealing with U-Prep Friday losing 70-22 in Redding. Mercy 54, Hayfork 37 Jessica Curl had 21 points, Marissa Starman 16 points and Mercy took care of visiting Hayfork 54-37 Friday. Curl also recorded 23 rebounds and six blocks in the win. Cheyanne Johnson had eight points. BOYS SOCCER Los Molinos 7, Hamilton 0 Los Molinos crushed Hamilton 7-0 Thursday. Esparto 8, Mercy 0 Mercy couldn't get on the scoreboard during an 8-0 loss Thursday.