The one girls’s match that includes Grand Slam singles champions within the third spherical on the Australian Open turned out to be an overwhelming win by Iga Swiatek over Emma Raducanu on Saturday (January 18, 2025).
Swiatek received the ultimate 11 video games of the match to beat 2021 U.S. Open champion Raducanu 6-1, 6-0 and turn into the primary participant via to the fourth spherical.
The No. 2-ranked Swiatek, who agreed to simply accept a one-month suspension in a doping case late final yr, has received the French Open 4 instances and the U.S. Open in 2022. She is sort of midway to a doable Australian title — her greatest consequence right here has been a semifinal look in 2022, dropping to eventual runner-up Danielle Collins.
“I hit a couple of pictures and afterwards I assumed, That is what I follow for.’ From the start I felt like I used to be taking part in nicely,” stated Swiatek, who received 59 factors and misplaced 29 within the match. “I felt fairly assured, so on the finish I may push for much more.” Eighth-seeded Emma Navarro can also be into the fourth spherical after beating Ons Jabeur 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Navarro has now performed in 30 three-set matches at WTA stage for the reason that begin of 2024, essentially the most of any participant over that span.
Navarro was joined by one other American into the fourth spherical, 20-year-old Alex Michelsen, who beat Stefanos Tsitsipas within the first spherical. On Saturday, Michelsen beat Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-2.
“I performed unbelievably, I do not actually know what is going on on,” he stated on-court after his win. ”I’m tremendous pleased . . . not quite a lot of phrases proper now.”
Scratchy Navarro dumps Jabeur out
Emma Navarro ended the Australian Open of triple Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur, nevertheless it was one other scratchy efficiency from the three-set specialist.
The 23-year-old American eighth seed clawed via 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 on Margaret Courtroom Enviornment to make the final 16 in Melbourne for the primary time
Emma Navarro of the U.S. celebrates successful her third spherical match towards Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur
| Photograph Credit score:
Reuters
She is going to play both Russian ninth seed Daria Kasatkina or Kazakh twenty fourth seed Yulia Putintseva for a spot within the quarter-finals.
However Navarro, the daughter of billionaire American businessman Ben Navarro, proprietor of Credit score One Financial institution, once more struggled to show the killer contact.
She solely transformed six from 14 break factors and was herself damaged six instances.
It was the third match in a row she has wanted three units to progress.
No different WTA participant has been via extra three-setters than Navarro for the reason that starting of 2024, with the American going the space 31 instances.
“I like three units,” she joked afterwards.
Navarro’s frailties had been uncovered within the first set when she raced 5-0 clear however then imploded, giving up the following 4 video games, however held on.
She was damaged twice once more early in set two and once more at 5-3 with the Tunisian producing some astonishing drop pictures to stage the match.
However Jabeur fluffed her probability in set three, squandering three break factors within the third recreation, with Navarro then breaking for 3-2 and rounding out the win
“I got here out taking part in rather well, however she had a very nice 4 video games (in set one),” stated Navarro, a US Open semi-finalist final yr.
“Within the second set I simply needed to stay in there.”
Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina joined Swiatek within the final 16 with a 6-3 6-4 win over Dayana Yastremska, however solely after receiving remedy on her again, whereas eighth seed Emma Navarro and ninth seed Daria Kasatkina additionally superior.
German Eva Lys grew to become the primary fortunate loser to succeed in the ladies’s fourth spherical since 1988 when she beat Romanian Jaqueline Cristian 4-6 6-3 6-3, her reward a date with Swiatek.
Michelsen additionally an early winner
American Alex Michelsen was additionally an early winner on day seven of the championships, racing previous 2023 semifinalist Karen Khachanov 6-3 7-6(5) 6-2 on John Cain Enviornment.
The 20-year-old Michelsen, who rallied from 3-0 down within the second set, joined compatriot Tommy Paul within the fourth spherical with 4 extra People taking part in third-round ties on Saturday. “It’s straightforward to have a look at the rating and be like, ‘Oh, he’s cruising’ nevertheless it doesn’t really feel like that throughout the match,” stated Michelsen.
“These guys are at all times making use of strain, giving power to attempt to knock you off your recreation.”
Gael Monfils sends Taylor Fritz packing
French aptitude topped American firepower as Gael Monfils turned again the clock to dump fourth seed Taylor Fritz out of the Australian Open on Saturday (January 18, 2025) and e-book a spot within the final 16.
At 38, Monfils is having fun with a late-career flourish and Fritz felt the total brunt of it because the Frenchman rallied from a set down to say an exhilarating 3-6 7-5 7-6(1) 6-4 win within the afternoon sunshine at Margaret Courtroom Enviornment.
Absorbing punishment from Fritz with a stonewall defence, Monfils dismantled the American with pure tennis “IQ” and danced a jig after sealing the win with an ace down the “T”.
The win made Monfils the second oldest man to succeed in the fourth spherical since 1988 when the match began having full, 128-player attracts. Solely Federer, in 2020, was older.
“It was an unbelievable match,” stated Monfils, who’s driving an eight-match successful streak. “Taylor is that sturdy, serving very nicely.
“I felt like I may transfer nice right this moment and the game-plan was to carry my greatest line and positively change the tempo. I feel I’ve finished the job,” he added.
Revealed – January 18, 2025 10:11 am IST