Australian Open: Top Seeds Alcaraz, Sabalenka Move Into Fourth Round
Top seeds progress in contrasting fashion on Day Six at Melbourne Park as Medvedev and Zverev also book fourth round spots.
Australia, Jan 24 : Carlos Alcaraz powered into the fourth round of the Australian Open with a commanding straight sets victory, while Aryna Sabalenka had to dig deep to overcome a stern challenge as third round action unfolded at Melbourne Park on Friday.
Sabalenka opened Day Six by holding her nerve in two tense tie breaks to defeat Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7). The reigning champion extended her run of consistency in Melbourne by reaching the second week for a sixth consecutive year. She acknowledged the intensity of the contest, crediting Potapova’s aggressive play before turning her attention to an upcoming clash with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko.
Third seed Coco Gauff also advanced after recovering from a slow start against fellow American Hailey Baptiste. The US Open champion dropped the opening set before responding emphatically to close out a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 win and set up a fourth round meeting with Karolina Muchova.
Several seeded players progressed in the women’s draw, including Mirra Andreeva and Elina Svitolina. However, seventh seed Jasmine Paolini suffered a shock exit at the hands of teenager Iva Jovic, whose straight-sets victory marked the standout upset of the day.
Alcaraz dominant, Medvedev digs deep
In the men’s singles, Alcaraz delivered one of the most convincing performances of the tournament so far, overwhelming Corentin Moutet 6-2, 6-4, 6-1. The Spaniard, still chasing his first Australian Open title, said his form was building steadily as he reached a milestone victory in his grand slam career.
Alcaraz will next face Tommy Paul after the American advanced when Alejandro Davidovich Fokina retired while trailing by two sets.
Daniil Medvedev was forced into a battle of endurance, clawing his way back from two sets down to defeat Fabian Marozsan in a marathon five-set encounter lasting nearly four hours. The former finalist credited a shift in aggression for turning the match in his favour, continuing his reputation for resilience in Melbourne.
Zverev, de Minaur advance
Alexander Zverev closed out the night session with a four-set win over Cameron Norrie, finding his rhythm late to secure progress. Last year’s runner-up now prepares for a fourth-round meeting with Francisco Cerundolo.
Australian hopes remained alive as Alex de Minaur reached the last 16 for the fifth straight year with a straight-sets victory over Frances Tiafoe. The sixth seed continues his pursuit of ending the host nation’s long wait for a men’s singles champion.
In women’s doubles, China’s Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan exited the tournament after a straight-sets loss to top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend.
Third-round play resumes on Saturday, with Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek and Novak Djokovic among the top names set to take centre stage.
