MELBOURNE, Australia — Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and U.S. Open winner Coco Gauff swept to commanding wins on the Australian Open on Friday to achieve the fourth spherical.
Second-seeded Sabalenka beat Lesia Tsurenko 6-0, 6-0 in 52 minutes whereas No. 4-seeded Gauff misplaced simply two video games in beating fellow American Alycia Parks 6-0, 6-2.
Sabalenka, who received her first Grand Slam title right here 12 months in the past, has dropped simply six video games in three rounds.
“Final yr, Iga (Swiatek) received so many units 6-0 and this is among the objectives, to attempt to get nearer to her,” Sabalenka joked. “I’m simply super-happy with the extent I’m enjoying to date. Hopefully I can simply preserve going like that and even higher.”
The pair didn’t shake palms — as is the conference for Ukrainian gamers in opposition to opponents from Russia or Belarus, the place Sabalenka is from — however Tsurenko congratulated Sabalenka verbally.
Sabalenka will play Amanda Anisimova, who continued her comeback with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Paula Badosa. Anisimova, who took seven months out of the sport final yr for psychological well being causes, hit 40 winners on her option to the fourth spherical.
“It’s fairly unbelievable,” the American stated. “For positive taking a step away from the sport … gave me a brand new perspective. I’m making an attempt to be within the current. I believe up to now I used to be getting too caught up up to now and the longer term.”
Sabalenka stated she expects a troublesome match in opposition to Anisimova, who has received 4 of their 5 matches.
“She’s an unbelievable participant and I’m actually completely satisfied to see her again,” Sabalenka stated.
Gauff performed an virtually flawless match as she beat Parks in 61 minutes, making simply eight unforced errors to the 34 of her much less skilled opponent.
Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva continued her exceptional Australian Open debut when she rallied from 5-1 down within the third set to beat Diane Parry 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5).
The Russian participant was in tears when she was one sport from defeat however she produced a superb comeback, saving a match level at 2-5 earlier than profitable the deciding tiebreak 10-5.
Andreeva will subsequent play No. 9 Barbora Krejcikova, who fended off Storm Hunter 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in an evening match.
Novak Djokovic opened the night time session with a 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (2) victory over Tomas Martin Etcheverry in his a centesimal match on the Australian Open.
The ten-time Australian titlist’s profession report is 92-8 on the season-opening main and he’ll take a 31-match profitable streak at Melbourne Park into his fourth-round encounter in opposition to No. 20 Adrian Mannarino, who held off U.S. Open semifinalist Ben Shelton in 5 units.
No. 4 Jannik Sinner, who had two wins late final yr over Djokovic, moved into the fourth spherical with out shedding a set, because of a 6-0, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Sebastian Baez.
The Italian received 18 of 25 factors on the web as he arrange a fourth-round match with Fifteenth-seeded Karen Khachanov, who beat Tomas Machac 6-4, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (5).
“I liked the situations in the present day as a result of there was no wind and no solar,” Sinner stated. “I felt nice on the ball. I made the precise selections, and I used each likelihood I had.”
No. 7 Stefanos Tsitsipas was equally spectacular, beating Luca Van Assche 6-3, 6-0, 6-4. He’ll meet No. 12 Taylor Fritz, who defeated Fabian Morozsan 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
