Australian Open: Andreeva stages fightback to beat Parry, advances to last 16

MELBOURNE — Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva extended her impressive run at the Australian Open by staging a remarkable comeback in the third round on Friday. Trailing 1-5 in the final set and facing a match point, she displayed incredible skills to overcome France’s Diane Parry with a thrilling 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10-5) victory.

For a spot in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, she’ll face the winner of Friday night’s match between 2021 Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova, whom she beat twice last year, and Australian qualifier Storm Hunter.

Parry’s game was at its most fluid in a half-hour opening set, in which the combination of her heavy forehand at the baseline, comfort at the net, and overall all-court prowess left Andreeva befuddled.

The former junior World No.1 broke serve twice, and saved all four break points she faced — all came in the seventh game as she sought to serve out the set and, in her third Grand Slam third-round appearance was one set away from her first fourth round.

In set two, Andreeva returned the favor by winning the last five games and 18 of the last 22 points.

After two fast-paced sets, the match took a dramatic turn in the thrilling third set. Parry served for the win twice, holding a match point at 5-2, 30-40 on Andreeva’s serve. However, Andreeva mounted an impressive comeback, winning five consecutive games. Despite this, she couldn’t serve out the match herself in the end.

In the decisive 10-point tiebreak, Andreeva quickly took control, winning three consecutive points after an initial setback. She secured four more points in a row from 3-2, ultimately claiming victory on her second match point after 2 hours and 23 minutes of intense play.

Australian Open: Sabalenka trounces Tsurenko; Gauff eases past Parks

MELBOURNE — Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka moved into the final 16 with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Lesia Tsurenko in Rod Laver Arena on Friday.

Sabalenka, who claimed her first Grand Slam title 12 months ago Down Under, needed just 52 minutes to double-bagel 28th-seeded Tsurenko and win her 10th straight match in Melbourne.

Sabalenka is the first woman to reel off 10 consecutive wins at the Australian Open since Serena Williams from 2017 to 2019.

The 25-year-old is the first woman to reel off 10 consecutive wins at the Australian Open since Serena Williams from 2017 to 2019.

Despite her recent dominance at the Australian Open, Sabalenka will have to be focused in her next match when she faces an opponent she has historically struggled against — Amanda Anisimova of the United States.

Anisimova has beaten Sabalenka in four of their five career meetings. Their first clash came at the 2019 Australian Open, which Anisimova won 6-3, 6-2 to reach that year’s Round of 16.

In other match, Coco Gauff swiped aside compatriot and one-time childhood training partner Alycia Parks to reach the fourth round.

After surviving an early scare to fend off another American Caroline Dolehide in the previous round, the fourth seed had no such difficulties this time as she surged through 6-0 6-2.

Gauff will now take on either Magdalena Frech or qualifier Anastasia Zakharova for a place in the quarterfinals.

With her win over Parks, t19-year-old Gauff extended her win streak at the Grand Slams to 10 consecutive matches dating back to her triumphant title run in New York last fall. She is the fifth teenager since 2000 to win 10 consecutive matches at Grand Slam events, joining Serena Williams, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Maria Sharapova and Iga Swiatek , WTA reports.

In the Open Era, she is also only the fourth American teenager to win 10 consecutive Grand Slam singles matches, after Chris Evert, Tracy Austin and Serena Williams.

Gauff remains undefeated in the new season, moving her record to 8-0. She has lost just one set this year.

Australian Open: Sinner beats Baez; Medvedev survives 5-set thriller to reach Rd- 4

MELBOURNE — Jannik Sinner booked a ticket into the fourth round of the Australian Open with a 6-0, 6-1, 6-3 masterclass over 26th seed Sebastian Baez on Friday here at Margaret Court Arena.

The fourth seed was in the driver’s seat throughout, dropping just ten points on serve before wrapping up the win in 1 hour and 52 minutes.

The Italian has reached the round of 16 in Melbourne for a third straight year and on Sunday, takes on 15th seed Karen Khachanov.

By reaching a Grand Slam fourth round for the 11th time, Sinner broke a tie with Matteo Berrettini for second-most appearances by an Italian man at that stage of a major. His best major result was his Wimbledon semifinal showing last season.

Earlier, Daniil Medvedev scripted an incredible story before everybody finally went to bed when he hit back from the brink to beat Finn Emil Ruusuvuori in a five-set thriller that finished in the early hours of Friday morning.

Medvedev was outplayed by an inspired world No.53 during the opening two sets and was two points from defeat when he was serving at 4-5 in the fourth.

The world No.3 used all his experience and resilience to turn the match around to somehow finish on top 3-6, 6-7(1-7), 6-4, 7-6(7-1) 6-0 in a contest lasting four hours and 23 minutes that finished at 3.39 am.

It is the third time in Medvedev’s career he has recovered from a two-set deficit at a major. He will play Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime on Saturday for a place in the fourth round.

Also read: Australian Open: Sumit Nagal bows out; Bopanna-Ebden make second round in doubles