MELBOURNE (SNP Report): Carlos Alcaraz lit up Melbourne Park with a commanding performance in his 100th Grand Slam match, while women’s title contenders Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff had to dig deep to secure places in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday.
Alcaraz was in sublime form as he swept aside Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 in a dazzling display on Rod Laver Arena. The 22-year-old Spaniard, chasing his first Australian Open crown, produced a highlight-reel performance that included one of the rallies of the tournament, underlining why he is regarded as one of the game’s most exciting talents. The victory extended his unbeaten record against left-handers and reinforced his status as a leading contender in Melbourne.
By contrast, defending women’s champion Sabalenka endured a stern examination before edging past Anastasia Potapova 7-6(4), 7-6(7). Potapova pushed the world number two to the limit, squandering four set points in the second set, but Sabalenka held her nerve in the decisive moments to extend her remarkable tiebreak winning streak to 21. The Belarusian later said her focus in pressure situations was key to grinding out the win.
Gauff, meanwhile, dropped her first set of the tournament but responded emphatically to beat fellow American Hailey Baptiste 3-6, 6-0, 6-3. The 21-year-old showed resilience and composure to turn the match around and book her place in the last 16, where she will face Czech 19th seed Karolina Muchova.
In men’s action, three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-7(5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-0, 6-3, becoming the first player at this year’s tournament to recover from two sets down. The Russian continues to build momentum as the second week approaches. Teenagers also made headlines, with 18-year-old American Iva Jovic upsetting seventh seed Jasmine Paolini, while Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko advanced to the fourth round on her Australian Open main-draw debut.
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