Australian Open: Federer, Coco through; Serena, Osaka out

Melbourne, Jan. 24 (IANS): Swiss great Roger Federer had to dig deep to go through to the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday, beating Australian John Millman in a four-hour thriller.

In a match that included two tie-breakers, Federer prevailed 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (10) at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. This is Federer's 100th win at the Australian Open.

Federer will now face Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in the fourth round.

Earlier, defending champion Naomi Osaka was stunned by American teen sensation Coco Gauff. The 15-year-old Gauff beat Osaka 6-3, 6-4. Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki played the last match of her professional career which ended in a 5-7, 6-3, 5-7 defeat to Tunisia's Ons Jabeur.

American great Serena Williams was knocked out after a defeat to China's Qiang Wang. Williams lost the match 4-6, 7-6 (7), 5-7. World no.1 Ashleigh Barty beat Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina 6-3, 6-2.

World no.1 Novak Djokovic reached the fourth round with a fairly straightforward win over Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka. Djokovic won the match 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 and will now face Argentine Diego Schwartzman who beat Serbian Dusan Lajovic 6-2, 6-3, 7-6(9)

Serena Williams crashes out

American veteran Serena Williams sensationally crashed out but 15-year-old Coco Gauff went through as tennis got a glimpse of its past and future at the Australian Open on Friday.

Williams' bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam was halted by the unlikely figure of China's Wang Qiang, who triumphed in three tough sets -- after winning just one game when they played at the US Open in September.

Gauff then stepped up her giant-killing Melbourne debut as she ousted Japanese defending champion Naomi Osaka, 22, in dismissive style, winning 6-3, 6-4 in just 67 minutes to reach round four.

"Oh my gosh. Two years ago I lost the first round in the juniors and now I'm here -- this is crazy," said the teenager, who upset Venus Williams in the first round.

With Williams now 38, 23 years older than Gauff, the two players are at opposite ends of their careers.

And with Williams' close friend Caroline Wozniacki retiring on Friday, after a defeat to Ons Jabeur, it looked like a changing of the guard.

But Williams, who has now had eight winless Grand Slams since returning from childbirth, said she hadn't given up hope of matching Margaret Court's 47-year-old record for Grand Slam titles.

Williams was the bookies' favourite to lift the trophy for the eighth time but she came unstuck against a determined Wang, who won 6-4, 6/7 (2/7), 7-5.