Nadal, Zverev, Barty cruise; Osaka ousted

MELBOURNE, Jan 21: Alexander Zverev admitted he had been far from perfect but still eased into the fourth round of the Australian Open without dropping a set after a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Radu Albot on John Cain Arena on Friday.

The World No 3, still seeking the Grand Slam title that many have predicted for him, struggled with his serve at times but was always in full control against the 32-year-old Romanian qualifier.

Reigning champion Naomi Osaka crashed out in the third round with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10-5) defeat to American Amanda Anisimova, ranked 60th in the world.

It was the first meeting between the four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka and Anisimova, who will next meet Australian world number one Ash Barty for a place in the quarter-finals of the year's opening major at Melbourne Park.

Ashleigh Barty cantered past Camila Giorgi in just over an hour at the Australian Open on Friday to set up a potential blockbuster fourth round tie against defending champion Naomi Osaka.

The world number one, who is aiming to end Australia's 44-year wait for a homegrown champion, was in dominant form in her 6-2, 6-3 victory over the Italian on Rod Laver Arena.

Sixth seed Rafael Nadal dropped his first set at this year's Australian Open but still powered through to the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 defeat of Karen Khachanov.

The Spaniard, seeking to claim a record 21st Grand Slam title in the absence of great rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, was sensational as he took a two-set lead.

But Khachanov, seeded 28th, threw caution to the wind in the third set, stalling Nadal's charge with some ferocious hitting.

Olympic runner-up Khachanov had lost all seven previous meetings with 2009 Australian Open champion Nadal but briefly looked capable of mounting a comeback.

Nadal seized back control with a break of serve at the start of the fourth and with the clock having ticked past midnight he finished off the match in a hurry.

World No 7 Matteo Berrettini overcame a gripping fightback from teenage Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz to edge a heavyweight slugfest 6-2, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 2-6, 7-6 (10-5) and book his spot in the fourth round.

The Italian won a final set super tie-break after an enchanting four hours and 10 minutes, the see-saw contest resembling more of a boxing match than tennis, on a balmy afternoon at the Rod Laver Arena.

Victoria Azarenka dismantled 15th seed Elina Svitolina 6-0, 6-2 to storm into the fourth round showing glimpses of the form that earned her back-to-back Melbourne Park titles, but the 32-year-old said she will not get carried away.

French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova fought back from going a set behind to hand Jelena Ostapenko a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 defeat and advance to the fourth round.

The Czech, seeded number four, clawed her way back from a set and a break down midway through the second set to see off the 2017 French Open winner.

In-form world number six Paula Badosa had to fend off a comeback from Ukrainian teenager Marta Kostyuk in an arm-wrestle of a baseline battle to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time on Friday.

Badosa had to fight right until the very last point but finally secured the 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory on her fifth match point after two hours and 19 minutes in the Melbourne sunshine, extending her winning streak to eight matches.

The No.28 seed, Maria Sakkari won 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-1 third-round victory over No.28 seed Veronika Kudermetova, booking her spot in the second week without the loss of a set.

Sakkari will next face American Jessica Pegula, the No.21 seed and 2021 quarterfinalist, who defeated Spain's Nuria Parrizas-Diaz, 7-6 (3), 6-2.

Also read: Raducanu, Murray ousted; Medvedev advances

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