( CNN ) -- Few people like Monday mornings and for world No . 1 Novak Djokovic , his latest in Melbourne very nearly signalled the end of his quest to win a third consecutive Australian Open title . The Serbian survived an epic fourth round encounter with Stanislas Wawrinka that stretched beyond 1.30am local time , eventually wrapping up a monumental 1-6 7-5 6-4 6-7 12-10 victory . Djokovic ripped his shirt off to celebrate a triumph that had looked in serious doubt for nearly five exhausting hours , while his Swiss opponent departed from the court on the verge of tears . It keeps alive the 25-year-old 's hopes of becoming the first man in the Open era post 1968 to record a successive hat-trick of titles in Melbourne , in a match that had echoes of his 2012 final win over Rafael Nadal . `` It 's hard to find the words , '' a drained Djokovic said in an on court interview . `` He deserved , equally , to be a winner of this match . I give him a lot of credit and respect . `` He was the aggressive player on the court , I was just trying to hang in there . It 's midway through the tournament but it feels like a final to me . This means a lot to me , and to him . `` Incredible that so many people stayed until nearly two in the morning . It brings back the memories of 12 months ago with Rafa . '' Wawrinka gave notice of his intent by wrapping up the first set 6-1 in just 25 minutes before normal order was resumed as Djokovic regained his composure to push into a 2-1 lead . But Wawrinka battled hard and ensured a deciding set when he took his third set point as the fourth went into a tiebreak . After swapping breaks early in the fifth set , both men repeatedly retained their serve as the epic match pushed into the early hours of Monday morning . Djokovic held to move into an 11-10 lead and then carved out two match points in the 22nd game of the decider . Wawrinka saved two but it proved third time lucky for Djokovic as his passing shot ended the match in front of an exhilarated crowd . Djokovic will now face Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinal after the Czech fifth seed coolly disposed of South African Kevin Anderson 6-3 6-2 7-6 . Elsewhere , Spain 's fourth seed David Ferrer cruised past Japan 's No . 17 seed Kei Nishikori with a 6-1 6-2 6-4 win to set up a clash with fellow countryman Nicolas Almagro . He progressed after opponent Janko Tipsarevic retired in the second set . In the women 's draw , second seed Maria Sharapova relinquished just one game as she raced to an emphatic 6-1 6-0 victory over unseeded Belgian Kirsten Flipkens . The Russian has dropped just five games in her four matches in Melbourne -- an Australian Open record -- and says she is loving her tennis at the start of the 2013 season . `` I love competing , '' she told the Australian Open 's official website . `` There 's nothing in the world that gives you that adrenalin feel , just being in the moment of a match . There 's nothing that I 've done in my life that has given me that experience . `` It takes a lot to get to that moment , a feeling , whether it 's pressure or nerves , excitement , it 's a combination of those things , but that feeling , and getting through it and winning , beating your opponent , as an athlete . '' Sharapova wrapped up the second set in just 25 minutes to set up an all-Russian quarterfinal against Ekaterina Makarova , the No . 19 seed , who knocked out fifth seed Angelique Kerber 7-5 6-4 . Kerber , from Germany , suffered with a back injury during the match helping Makarova to reach the last eight for the second time in succession in Melbourne . Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska , from Poland , defeated 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic , from Serbia , 6-2 6-4 . She will now face China 's Li Na in the last eight after the 2011 French Open champion beat German 18th seed Julia Goerges 7-6 6-1 .
Defending champion Novak ##ović survives five - set epic to defeat Stanislas Wawrinka . Serbian world No . 1 wins 7 - 6 7 - 5 6 - 4 6 - 4 12 - 10 to maintain Australian Open defense . David Adams , Nicolas Almagro and Tomas Beck all through to quarterfinals . Maria Sharapova , Agnieszka Radwanska and Li Na through to last 16 in women 's draw .