Fired-up Djokovic sends Melbourne warning, Osaka bows out injured

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MELBOURNE: “Very hot-headed” Novak Djokovic produced a vintage display to join Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Xavier in the last 16 of the Australian Open on Friday, but Naomi Osaka’s bid for a third Melbourne crown ended with injury. .

Also on day six, defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka “pushed to the limit” to set up an exciting showdown with teenage talent Mira Andreeva. The red-hot Coco Gaff was a resounding winner to once again underline her title credentials.

Djokovic, who is chasing an 11th Melbourne title and a historic 25th Grand Slam crown, is on course to clash with Alcaraz in the quarterfinals. Both lived up to that daunting prospect with ruthless victories.

Led by new coach and old rival Andy Murray, the 37-year-old Djokovic needed four sets in his opening two matches. But not this time, Czech 26th seed Tomas Mackay swept aside 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 and roared to the end.

Djokovic also pointed to his ear and then someone in the crowd at Rod Laver Arena. “I’m hot right now,” said the fiery Serb, but added: “This is definitely the best match I’ve played in the tournament.”

Djokovic, who needed a medical break in the second set and used an inhaler, faces 24th seed Jerry Lehika. Spain’s Alcaraz, who lost just 12 games to reach the last 32, suffered a third-set defeat against unseeded Nuno Borges of Portugal.

But the third seed, who has won four majors but never past the quarterfinals in Melbourne, regained his focus 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2. The 21-year-old knows how he plans to celebrate if he wins the tournament for the first time.

Alcaraz, who is sporting a new buzz cut in Melbourne, promised to get a kangaroo tattoo if he went all the way. “It’s a kangaroo, that’s for sure. That’s what I think,” he said. Germany’s second seed Xavier also booked his place in the second week by defeating Great Britain’s Jacob Fearnley 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Zverev has not dropped a single set in three matches so far and faces 14th seed Hugo Humbert of France. Czech teenager Jakub Mencic, who defeated sixth seed Kaspar Rudd in round two, lost in five sets to Spain’s Alejandro Davidovic Fokina.

Defending men’s champion and world number one Jenk Sinner will face American Marcos Gervin in the third round on Saturday. Top-ranked Sabalenka had to work hard behind a weak serve before defeating Denmark’s Klara Tosson in the third round on Rod Laver Arena.

Sabalenka was broken four times in a row early in the match but rallied to win 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 after more than two hours of tennis. “I’m very happy that I was able to just stay in the game and I was able to push myself to the limit to get this win, to be honest,” said Sabalenka, who is chasing a third straight Melbourne title. have been

Her win pitted her against 14th seed Andreeva, 17, who defeated 23rd seed Magdalena Frech of Poland in three sets. Andreeva defeated Sabalenka in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros last year.

Two-time Melbourne champion Osaka was set to face third seed Goff in the next round. But the former world number one needed treatment on a stomach during the first set against Belinda Bencic and dropped out after losing the opener on a tiebreak.

Osaka, who retired from the final in Auckland with an abdominal injury in Melbourne, said: “If I could have served, I could have probably won and maybe I could have gone much further in the tournament.” He added: “It’s useless.”

Bencic will face Goff after the American cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Canadian 30th seed Leila Fernandez. Goff is yet to drop a set in eight matches this season, winning all five of his singles matches at the United Cup.

Seventh seed Jessica Pegula, a US Open finalist last year, suffered a shock loss in straight sets to Serbia’s Olga Danilovich. Second seed Iga Swiatek plays Emma Raducanu in Saturday’s selection of women’s matches, a clash between former US Open champions.