Serbian veteran Novak Djokovic superior to the Australian Open third spherical whereas celebrating Grand Slam historical past Wednesday, as final 12 months’s girls’s finalist Zheng Qinwen suffered a shocking early exit.
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, in-form Coco Gauff, former Melbourne winner Naomi Osaka and a rampant Carlos Alcaraz have been all victors on a wet day 4.
Alexander Zverev additionally progressed however Norway’s Casper Ruud went down in 4 units to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik to change into the very best males’s seed to fall at six.
Playing underneath the roof at Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic wanted 4 units for the second match in a row earlier than defeating Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-2.
It was Djokovic’s 430th singles match at a serious to say sole possession of most ever performed, males or girls, within the Open Era forward of Roger Federer (429) and Serena Williams (423).
The Serb is chasing a record-extending eleventh Australian Open title and a historic twenty fifth Grand Slam crown.
“Whether I win or lose, I will always leave my heart out on the court. I’m just blessed to be making another record,” stated Djokovic, 37, now coached by former rival Andy Murray.
Djokovic faces Czech twenty sixth seed Tomas Machac subsequent and is drawn to satisfy Spain’s Alcaraz within the final eight.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz dropped simply 5 video games in an ominous show to dash into the third spherical.
The third seed confirmed no mercy to Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in a 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 rout in 81 minutes.
“The less time you spend on court in the Grand Slams, especially in the beginning, it is going to be better,” stated Alcaraz, who’s but to transcend the quarterfinals in Melbourne.
Second seed Zverev swept via with a straight-sets victory over Spain’s Pedro Martinez.
Heading dwelling on Wednesday with Ruud was qualifier Hady Habib, who on Sunday grew to become the primary participant from Lebanon to win a Grand Slam match.
He exited in three units to France’s Ugo Humbert.
‘Nothing extra’
Olympic champion Zheng was despatched packing 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 by world quantity 97 Laura Siegemund, the second-oldest participant within the girls’s draw at age 36.
“I knew I just had to play more than my best tennis. I had nothing to lose so I just told myself to swing free,” stated the German.
“It’s tennis. Nothing more,” stated China’s Zheng, 22, who was given two-time violations and misplaced her cool as her tilt at a maiden main crown evaporated in solely the second spherical.
Sabalenka dropped her serve thrice and confronted 11 break factors earlier than overcoming Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 7-5, rattling off the final 5 video games in a row.
“I have to fight. Today’s match proved that. Girls can go there and just play without any fear, without anything to lose. They can put you in really uncomfortable positions,” stated Sabalenka, who beat Zheng within the 2024 ultimate.
The win stored the Belarusian world primary on the right track for a uncommon hat-trick of consecutive Australian Open titles, a feat final achieved 26 years in the past by Martina Hingis and solely matched by 4 different girls in historical past.
Former world primary Osaka, the 2019 and 2021 champion in Australia however now unseeded, stormed again to defeat twentieth seed Karolina Muchova 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Osaka referred to as it a “little revenge” for defeat on the U.S. Open in August to the Czech.
World No. 3 Gauff, who completed 2024 by profitable the China Open and the WTA Tour Finals, fought again from 5-3 down within the second set to see off Britain’s Jodie Burrage 6-3, 7-5.
Asked what she needed to do to beat thirtieth seed Leylah Fernandez subsequent, Gauff advised reporters: “Obviously serve better!”
Gauff’s fellow American Jessica Pegula, crushed within the U.S. Open ultimate by Sabalenka final 12 months, eased via towards Belgium’s Elise Mertens.
On Thursday, males’s No. 1 Jannik Sinner steps up the protection of his Melbourne crown when he faces Australian wildcard Tristan Schoolkate.
Daniil Medvedev, Iga Swiatek and Brazilian teenage sensation Joao Fonseca are additionally in second-round motion.
Source: www.dailysabah.com