The Japan Times - Alcaraz eases into Melbourne last 16 as Sabalenka 'all over the place'

Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev battled through on day six at a warm and sunny Melbourne Park, where third seeds Coco Gauff and Alexander Zverev play later in the day.

Top seed Alcaraz was never in danger against French 32nd seed Moutet, easing through 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 at Rod Laver Arena in 2hrs 5mins.

It was the Spaniard's 100th Grand Slam match and he boasts a remarkable 87-13 win-loss record, matching the legendary Bjorn Borg at the same stage of his career.

Victory thrust Alcaraz into a clash for a place in the quarter-finals with American 19th seed Tommy Paul, who progressed when Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina retired with an apparent knee injury when two sets down.

"It wasn't easy. To be honest, when you play someone like Corentin you don't know what's going to be next," said the 22-year-old Alcaraz, who is attempting to clinch the one major missing from his collection.

"But I had fun on the court. I think we both pulled off great shots, great points."

Women's top seed Sabalenka did not have it at all easy against unseeded Russian-born Anastasia Potapova of Austria, pulling through 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (9/7) in just over two nervy hours.

The Belarusian is trying to win the title for a third time in four years, having been stunned in last year's final by Madison Keys.

"I was always on the back foot, one of those days you have to fight to try and get the ball back," said the world number one.

"Emotionally I was all over the place," added the 27-year-old four-time Grand Slam champion, who faces Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko next.

"It was such a fight and I really enjoyed it."

The 19-year-old Mboko defeated Clara Tauson of Denmark 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 6-3.

Gauff has been mostly impressive so far, saying she was "near perfect" in making the third round.

The 21-year-old has won the US Open and French Open, but her best performance in Melbourne is the semi-finals.

She faces fellow American Hailey Baptiste, ranked 70, while fast-rising Russian eighth seed Mirra Andreeva plays Romania's Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

Jasmine Paolini, the seventh seed from Italy, comes up against dangerous United States teenager Iva Jovic.

- Medvedev revenge mission -

Russia's 11th seed Medvedev faces 25th seed Learner Tien of the United States in the last 16.

It is a rematch of their late-night five-set epic last year, when the youngster stunned Medvedev in the second round in a match that finished just before 3:00 am.

The gutsy Medvedev on Friday fought back from two sets down against unseeded Fabian Marozsan of Hungary.

The 2021 US Open champion, who had a wretched record at the majors last year, scraped through 6-7 (5/7), 4-6, 7-5, 6-0, 6-3 in 3hr 43min.

It was the fifth time in his career that the former world number one has come back from two sets down to win a match.

"Five sets again," he wrote afterwards on the on-court camera.

In other matches, Germany's Zverev, well beaten by Jannik Sinner in last year's final, dropped a set in both his opening two matches and will have an evening clash against British 26th seed Cameron Norrie.

Home hope and sixth seed Alex de Minaur has again been awarded the prime time night slot on Rod Laver Arena.

This time he will encounter the dangerous American Frances Tiafoe, who made the Melbourne quarter-finals in 2019 before losing to Rafael Nadal.

H.Nakamura--JT