Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff took a rocky path to the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday but Carlos Alcaraz glided into the last 16 in his 100th Grand Slam match.
Home favourite Alex de Minaur made the last 16 for the fifth successive year, becoming the second Australian to achieve the feat in the professional era since John Newcombe’s run from 1969-76, while third seed Alexander Zverev continued to dominate Briton Cameron Norrie.
A day after 40-year-old Swiss Stan Wawrinka led a parade of yesterday’s heroes into the third round, it was the turn of the younger generation to have their moment under the Melbourne sun.
American 18-year-old Iva Jovic toppled seventh seed Jasmine Paolini 6-2 7-6(3) and Canadian 19-year-old Victoria Mboko beat 14th seed Clara Tauson to book a showdown with twice champion Sabalenka, a 7-6(4) 7-6(7) winner over Anastasia Potapova.
Russian 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva joined them by beating Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3 6-4.
Alcaraz earlier produced a highlight-reel 6-2 6-4 6-1 win over French drop-shot specialist Corentin Moutet before the 21-year-old Gauff recovered from losing her first set of the event to overhaul fellow American Hailey Baptiste 3-6 6-0 6-3.
Chasing a first title at Melbourne Park, the 22-year-old Alcaraz is bidding to become the youngest man to win all four majors and has appeared unstoppable.
In the second match at Rod Laver Arena, he won what might end up as the rally of the tournament against Moutet by chasing down a lob with a ‘tweener’ and then threading a shot down the line.
Moutet is no slouch but the 32nd seed was reduced to the fall guy in Alcaraz’s magic show, becoming the 14th victim in the Spaniard’s unbeaten run against left-handers.
Despite the ease of the win, chasing down Moutet’s drop shots became a chore, Alcaraz joked.
