Women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was ruthless in reaching the Australia Open quarters whereas veteran Novak Djokovic additionally surged to arrange a conflict in opposition to in-form Carlos Alcaraz with respective victories Sunday.
Double defending champion Sabalenka is on a collision course with in-form world quantity three Coco Gauff within the semifinals in Melbourne if each win within the final eight.
On the most popular day of the match to this point with temperatures hitting 34 levels Celsius (93 Fahrenheit), Alcaraz went by way of when Britain’s Jack Draper retired injured.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka blew away Russian 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-2 in a chilling warning to brush into the quarterfinals.
The Belarusian was out on a roasting heart court docket for under 62 minutes earlier than registering an 18th consecutive win at Melbourne Park.
“I’m super happy to get through this difficult match in straight sets,” stated Sabalenka, who faces Russian twenty seventh seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova subsequent.
Sabalenka struggled together with her serve in colder circumstances in the course of the first week however was untouchable because the mercury soared.
“The ball was flying like a rocket,” stated Sabalenka.
A harmful Gauff faces Spain’s eleventh seed Paula Badosa after the American fought again to beat Belinda Bencic 5-7, 6-2, 6-1.
Gauff dropped a set for the primary time in 2025 however prolonged her unbeaten streak to 13 matches going again to final yr’s WTA Tour Finals.
“Two out of three sets at this stage of my career is not that physically hard for me,” stated the 20-year-old Gauff, who’s chasing a primary Melbourne title.
“The off-season I just put in so much work physically so I’m not worried at all about recovering emotionally or mentally.”
Badosa declared she “loves” Gauff – however stated that won’t forestall her searching for “revenge.”
The pair have a 3-3 head-to-head document however Gauff gained each their conferences in 2024, with every going to a few units.
The final time was within the semi-finals of the WTA China Open in Beijing, the place Gauff gained 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 on her approach to lifting the title.
Heat on, off-court
The 37-year-old Djokovic, in the meantime, stored up his finish of the cut price with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) win over Czech twenty fourth seed Jiri Lehecka within the prime-time match on Rod Laver Arena.
Djokovic seems to be rising into the match in an ominous signal for his rivals, as he pursues a record-extending eleventh Melbourne crown and historic twenty fifth Grand Slam title.
He dropped a set in every of his opening two matches however has gained the earlier two in straight units.
Djokovic and Alcaraz have performed one another seven occasions with the Serb main 4-3, together with victory of their final conflict within the Paris Olympics remaining.
But they’ve by no means performed at Melbourne Park, the place Djokovic has achieved his biggest success.
“When we are seeing him playing, he seems like he’s young again … it’s unbelievable. He’s in a really good shape,” stated Alcaraz, who has vowed to get a kangaroo tattoo if he wins the Australian Open for the primary time.
The 21-year-old Spaniard, who has by no means gone past the quarterfinals in Melbourne, was main 7-5, 6-1 when Draper pulled the plug.
Draper had come by way of all three of his earlier matches in 5 units, and all from 2-1 down, and it appeared to have taken its toll.
“It’s not the way I wanted to win, but obviously I’m happy to play another quarter-final here in Australia,” stated Alcaraz.
The 23-year-old Draper, whose rise has been held again by points along with his physique, stated his hip harm had been a “ticking time bomb” and he had “multiple areas really in pain.”
American twelfth seed Tommy Paul destroyed Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for the lack of simply three video games as he bids to match or higher his semifinal look from 2023.
Paul will meet German second seed Alexander Zverev, who survived a mid-match wobble to oust France’s Ugo Humbert.
Zverev, who’s zeroing in on a maiden Grand Slam title, gained 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Source: www.dailysabah.com