MELBOURNE, Australia — Coco Gauff continues her impressive performance at the Australian Open, maintaining an unbeaten streak this season without losing a set. On Friday night, she advanced to the fourth round at Melbourne Park with a comfortable 6-4, 6-2 win against Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open runner-up.
In a tournament that has seen various surprises in the men’s division, many of the top-seeded women players have cruised through their matches. This includes victories for No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka, who is the two-time defending champion in Australia, as well as No. 3 Gauff, No. 11 Paula Badosa, and No. 14 Mirra Andreeva.
However, the tournament dealt a blow to the No. 7 seed Jessica Pegula, who was eliminated by world No. 55 Olga Danilovic in straight sets, 7-6 (3), 6-1. Danilovic made a remarkable impact with 28 winners and successfully defended against all six break points she faced, marking her third victory over a top-10 player in her career.
Naomi Osaka, a two-time Australian Open champion, withdrew from her match against Belinda Bencic due to an abdominal muscle strain after losing the first set.
In the men’s third-round matches, notable winners included No. 2 Alexander Zverev, No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, No. 7 Novak Djokovic, No. 12 Tommy Paul, and No. 15 Jack Draper. Djokovic, a ten-time Australian Open champion, overcame some mid-match breathing difficulties to secure a win against No. 26 Tomas Machac with a score of 6-1, 6-4, 6-4, demonstrating satisfaction with his performance saying, “I think I played really well. I’m very happy with my game.”
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina had a challenging match, coming back from two sets down for the second consecutive time, saving two match points to win against 19-year-old Jakub Mensik 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-2. This marks a noteworthy achievement as he becomes the first man since 2005 to win back-to-back matches in Australia after trailing 2-0 in sets.
Reflecting on his journey, Davidovich Fokina said, “In all these years, I had a lot of ups and downs. I had decided this year to fight for every point.” He will next face alcaraz, whose upcoming opponent will either be No. 15 Jack Draper or Aleksandar Vukic.
Coco Gauff, last year’s semifinalist, is on an 8-0 winning streak this season and remains unbroken in sets as she looks to secure her second major title. Her victory over Fernandez adds to her recent success against the Canadian left-hander after previously defeating her at the United Cup. Gauff acknowledged that this match was tougher as Fernandez knew what to expect, noting, “I definitely think she played a little different today.”
In her quest for improvement, Gauff has made adjustments to her coaching team and tweaked her serving and forehand mechanics after reflecting on her performances in 2024. “Tennis feels so high stakes, but it’s really not. I’m so lucky to do what I do — also get paid for it,” said the 20-year-old from Florida. Gauff has also emphasized the importance of cherishing the moment, stating, “My biggest takeaway from last year is not to take anything for granted.”
In a separate match, Aryna Sabalenka faced off against Clara Tauson. The pair struggled to maintain strong serves, with the first seven games resulting in breaks. Sabalenka eventually found her rhythm, leading to her victory over Tauson 7-6 (5), 6-4, expressing pride in her ability to fight through the match despite challenges.
Next, Sabalenka will compete against the 17-year-old Andreeva, who won her match against No. 23 Magdalena Frech in three sets. Meanwhile, Badosa edged past No. 17 Marta Kostyuk while 2021 French Open runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated Laura Siegemund in straight sets. This marks a contrast to Siegemund’s previous success in defeating No. 5 Qinwen Zheng.
In other men’s matches, Alcaraz faced Nuno Borges, winning in four sets. Zverev and Paul also secured effective victories as Draper overcame Vukic, setting up a clash with Alcaraz in the fourth round.
