Sabalenka battles inconsistency to reach Australian Open fourth round

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz produced a commanding display at the Australian Open on Friday, brushing aside France’s Corentin Moutet in straight sets to storm into the fourth round, reaffirming his status as one of the tournament favourites.

In contrast, Daniil Medvedev endured a gruelling battle under searing Melbourne conditions, fighting back from two sets down to defeat Fabian Marozsan in a five-set marathon. The former US Open champion showed resilience and experience, surviving both his opponent and the oppressive heat to stay alive in the men’s draw.

The day also saw strong performances from several leading contenders. Alex de Minaur thrilled home fans with a solid win over Frances Tiafoe , while American Learner Tien continued his impressive run, advancing past Nuno Borges in straight sets.

On the women’s side, top seed Aryna Sabalenka overcame erratic moments to defeat Anastasia Potapova in two tight tiebreak sets, reaching the fourth round as she chases a third Australian Open title in four years. Rising star Victoria Mboko also advanced after a hard-fought victory over Clara Tauson .

Friday’s matches were played amid extreme heat protocols , with the tournament implementing longer breaks, closed-roof play on show courts and medical timeouts as temperatures soared beyond 35 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, tennis fans across the world are watching closely as Stan Wawrinka contests what is widely believed to be his final Australian Open campaign . The three-time Grand Slam champion faces a stern third-round test against Taylor Fritz , with curiosity building over whether the veteran can summon one more deep Melbourne run.