Gauff, Sabalenka move closer to rematch

TENNIS >> AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Osaka stops for injury; Djokovic and Alcaraz win on the men’s side

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Coco Gauff of the U.S. plays a forehand return to Leylah Fernandez of Canada during their third-round match at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia on Friday. VINCENT THIAN — ASSOCIATED PRESS

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By Howard Fendrich

Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia >> Coco Gauff still hasn’t lost a match or even at set at the Australian Open — or, actually, this season. She moved into the fourth round at Melbourne Park with a straightforward 6-4, 6-2 victory over 2021 U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez on Friday night.

While there have been plenty of surprises in the men’s bracket so far, most of the top women have progressed through the draw without an issue. That includes wins on Friday for No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who is the two-time defending champion in Australia, No. 3 Gauff, No. 11 Paula Badosa and No. 14 Mirra Andreeva.

However, No. 7 seed Jessica Pegula was ousted by world No. 55 Olga Danilovic in two sets.

The Serbian player beat the U.S. Open runner-up 7-6 (3), 6-1 after she hit 28 winners and saved all six break points she faced. It was Danilovic’s third career win over a top-10 player.

Naomi Osaka, a two-time champion in Australia, stopped playing because of a strained abdominal muscle after dropping the first set of her match against Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Belinda Bencic.

Men’s winners in third-round action included No. 2 Alexander Zverev, No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, No. 7 Novak Djokovic, No. 12 Tommy Paul and No. 15 Jack Draper. Djokovic — who won 10 of his 24 Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open — overcame some mid-match breathing trouble to dismiss No. 26 Tomas Machac 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 at night.

“I think I played really well,” Djokovic said. “I’m very happy with my game.”

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina had a much more difficult path, coming back from two sets down for the second match in a row and saving two match points to sneak past 19-year-old Jakub Mensik 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-2. Davidovich Fokina is the first man since 2005 to win twice in a row in Australia after falling behind 0-2 in sets.

“In all these years I had a lot of up-and-downs,” Davidovich Fokina said. “I had decided this year to fight every point.”

Alcaraz’s next opponent will be No. 15 Jack Draper or Aleksandar Vukic.

Alcaraz ceded a set for the first time this week but beat Nuno Borges 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2, Zverev defeated Jacob Fearnley 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, and Paul got past Robert Carballes Baena 7-6 (0), 6-2, 6-0. Draper rallied to beat Aleksandar Vukic 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8) and set up a fourth-round meeting with Alcaraz.

A year ago, 2023 U.S. Open champion Gauff had her best run in Melbourne, getting to the semifinals before bowing out against Sabalenka, who extended her winning streak at the tournament to 17 matches by eliminating Clara Tauson 7-6 (5), 6-4 on Friday.

Like Gauff, Sabalenka is unbeaten in the early going in 2025. They could meet in the semifinals again this time around next weekend.

Gauff needed just 75 minutes to get past Fernandez, a left-hander who was seeded 30th. Gauff was broken just once and compiled an 18-7 advantage in total winners.

“My biggest thing I learned last year is just not to take anything for granted,” Gauff said, “and just realized this time is going to go by so fast. ... I’m just trying to enjoy it while I’m here.”

Sabalenka’s next matchup is 17-year-old Andreeva, a 6-2, 1-6, 6-2 winner against No. 23 Magdalena Frech.