Australian Open: Djokovic dominates marathon man Mannarino, set up QF clash with Fritz

Read below: Australian Open: Fritz sinks Tsitsipas to set up QF clash with Djokovic; Krejcikova beats Andreeva

MELBOURNE — Top seed Novak Djokovic has reached the last eight at the Australian Open for the 14th time, surging past Adrian Mannarino 6-0, 6-0, 6-3.

By overcoming the 20th seed Frenchman, the world No.1 secured his 58th Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance, equaling Roger Federer’s record.

IDEM🎾🎾🎾🎾🎾 #AusOpen #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/3Hxe4ne2oL

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 21, 2024

The-36-year-old extended his unbeaten record against Mannarino to 5-0 and his unbeaten record against left-handed players at Melbourne Park to 11-0 as he sealed a 32nd consecutive Australian Open win.

Mannarino, who is a career-high No. 19 in the ATP Rankings, was trying to reach his first major quarterfinal. But the game with which he troubles many of the world’s best players did not bother Djokovic.

On Tuesday, the top seed will tackle the victor of an ongoing battle between 7th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and 12th seed Taylor Fritz.

Australian Open: Fritz sinks Tsitsipas to set up QF clash with Djokovic; Krejcikova beats Andreeva

Taylor Fritz caused a major shock at the Australian Open on Sunday, the American beating last year’s runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals.

The 12th seed produced brilliant tennis throughout as he wrapped up victory in just over three hours to set up a clash with 10-time champion Novak Djokovic in the last eight.

Fritz struck 50 winners and committed just 19 unforced errors, while Tsitsipas held a 41/33 mark.

The 26-year-old has now advanced to the last eight at three of the four majors, having reached that stage at Wimbledon in 2022 and the US Open in 2023. The six-time tour-level titlist has never advanced to the semifinals at a Slam.

The American holds a 14-7 record at the Australian Open, having earned more wins at the first major of the season than any of the other three.

In other action, Jannik Sinner secured a gritty 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 win straight-sets win over Karen Khachanov to advance to last eight.

Sinner will next play the winner of Andrey Rublev (whom he leads 4-2 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series) and Alex de Minaur (6-0).

The Italian reached the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park in 2022 and last year fell to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the fourth round. He has reached the quarter-finals or better in five of the past nine majors.

In the women’s singles, Barbora Krejcikova ended 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva impressive run with 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 come-from-behind and entered the Australian Open quarterfinals for the second time in her career.

After a come-from-behind win, the Roland-Garros 2021 champion has earned a final eight showdown against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, who blasted past Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-2.

Krejcikova had previously reached the quarterfinals in Australia in 2022 — and this will be her first appearance in the last eight of a major since then. After winning her first Grand Slam singles title in Paris in 2021, she also reached the quarterfinals of the US Open later that year.