Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka celebrates after defeating Russia’s Mirra Andreeva during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, on January 19, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP
World number one Aryna Sabalenka swept into the Australian Open quarterfinals on Sunday (January 19, 2025) and was joined by Coco Gauff, while Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz set up a blockbuster clash.
Double defending champion Sabalenka blew away Russian 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-2 in a ruthless display on the hottest day of the tournament so far.
As temperatures hit 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit) in Melbourne, Gauff dropped a set for the first time this season but fought back to beat Belinda Bencic 5-7, 6-2, 6-1.
Sabalenka and Gauff will meet in the semifinals should they win their respective matches in the last eight.
Coco Gauff of the U.S. in action during her fourth round match against Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
Belarus’s Sabalenka was out on a roasting centre court for only 62 minutes before registering an 18th consecutive win at Melbourne Park.
“I’m super happy to get through this difficult match in straight sets,” said Sabalenka, who faces Russian 27th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova next.
Pavlyuchenkova beat ailing Croatian 18th seed Donna Vekic 7-6 (7/0), 6-0.
Sabalenka struggled with her serve in colder conditions during the first week, but was untouchable as the mercury soared at the start of the second.
“The ball was flying like a rocket. I hope conditions are going to be the same till the end of the tournament,” said Sabalenka.
The world number three American Gauff next faces Spain’s 11th seed Paula Badosa, who swept past Serbia’s Olga Danilovic 6-1, 7-6 (7/2).
“I thought in the first set she played great tennis and it was tough for me to be on the offensive,” Gauff said after outlasting Bencic to extend her unbeaten streak to 13 matches going back to last year’s WTA Tour Finals.
“I just played more aggressively in the second set and then also the third set. But overall, I’m happy with how I played.”
Djokovic braced for ‘big battle’ with Alcaraz
Novak Djokovic said he was braced for “a big battle” after setting up a blockbuster Australian Open quarter-final with Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday.
The 37-year-old Serb, who is gunning for a record 25th Grand Slam title and 11th Melbourne crown, beat 24th seed Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) on Rod Laver Arena.
It sent him into the last eight at Melbourne Park for a 15th time, a record he now shares with Roger Federer and one ahead of Rafael Nadal.
His reward is a showdown on Tuesday (January 21, 2025) with third seed Alcaraz, who is already a four-time Slam winner aged 21 but has never gone beyond the Australian Open quarter-finals.
Alcaraz progressed after Jack Draper retired hurt during their last-16 match when the Briton was losing 7-5, 6-1.
Djokovic and Alcaraz have played each other seven times with the Serb leading 4-3, including victory in their last clash in the Paris Olympics final.
Marathon man
In the men’s draw, American 12th seed Tommy Paul plays Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina as he bids to match or better his semifinal appearance from 2023.
Whoever comes through that clash will meet either German second seed Alexander Zverev, who is yet to drop a set, or French 14th seed Ugo Humbert. They face each other on John Cain Arena.
Published – January 19, 2025 12:10 pm IST