Novak Djokovic was again to his ominous greatest Friday with a straight-sets romp into the Australian Open final 16 as Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner emphatically said their title credentials.
US Open champion Coco Gauff additionally signalled her intent in a 6-0, 6-2 drubbing whereas 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva saved her dream run going with a fightback towards France’s Diane Parry.
One other younger Russian, qualifier Maria Timofeeva, joined them within the fourth spherical by upsetting tenth seed Beatriz Haddad Maia and in doing so turned the lowest-ranked girl since 2017, at 170, to get up to now at Melbourne Park.
Ten-time champion Djokovic has not been at his greatest till now, dropping units in each of his opening matches, admitting he was feeling under-the climate.
However the Serbian famous person’s bid for a record-breaking twenty fifth Grand Slam crown bought firmly again on monitor towards thirtieth seed Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry with a routine 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) win on Rod Laver Area.
“I believe one of the best efficiency I had throughout this event,” he mentioned after his one hundredth Australian Open match, with solely Roger Federer (117) and Serena Williams (105) enjoying extra.
“I’m happy with the way in which I performed by the whole match, notably the primary two units.”
The world primary will face journeyman French twentieth seed Adrian Mannarino subsequent.
Fellow defending champion Sabalenka was unstoppable in a crushing 6-0, 6-0 canter over Twenty eighth-seed Lesia Tsurenko whereas Sinner dropped simply 4 video games in crushing Sebastian Baez.
Rejuvenated former teen prodigy Amanda Anisimova was additionally a winner on day six, ending Paula Badosa’s Grand Slam damage comeback 7-5, 6-4.
Anisimova, coming back from eight months on the sidelines attributable to burnout and psychological well being points, faces Sabalenka subsequent and must elevate her stage to face any likelihood.
The second seed, who gained her maiden Grand Slam crown in Melbourne final yr, has dropped simply six video games over three dominant matches up to now.
Even higher
Sporting vivid purple, she was within the zone towards Ukraine’s Tsurenko, racing residence in simply 52 minutes.
“Final yr (world primary) Iga (Swiatek) gained so many units 6-0 and this is without doubt one of the objectives,” she mentioned. “I’m making an attempt to get nearer to her.
“I’m tremendous pleased with the extent I’m enjoying at up to now and hopefully I can preserve going like that and even higher.”
Fourth-seed Sinner got here into the opening Grand Slam of the yr after ending 2023 in one of the best type of his life.
He gained his first Masters title in Toronto and reached the championship match on the ATP Finals, beating Djokovic in group play, earlier than main Italy to the Davis Cup title.
Up to now, he has lived as much as expectations and is but to drop a set, not like the trio of gamers forward of him within the rankings – defending champion Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev.
“Usually, I’m enjoying very well and feeling nice right here,” mentioned Sinner, who will subsequent play Russian fifteenth seed Karen Khachanov.
Andreeva underlined her enormous potential by crushing sixth seed Ons Jabeur in underneath an hour in spherical two and confirmed her grit to beat Parry 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10/5).
Timofeeva’s gorgeous run continued with a 7-6 (9/7), 6-3 win over Brazil’s Haddad Maia, having already overwhelmed former champion Caroline Wozniacki.
At 170 on this planet and in her first Grand Slam, she is the lowest-ranked girl to get up to now in Melbourne since Germany’s Mona Barthel seven years in the past.
“It looks like a fairytale, however with the help of this superb crowd, I really feel like something is feasible,” she mentioned.
Fifth seed Andrey Rublev additionally gained to arrange a showdown with residence hope Alex de Minaur. Seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and twelfth seed Taylor Fritz each triumphed and can meet one another for a spot within the quarter-finals.
