DEFENDING CHAMPION Jannik Sinner raced to victory at the Australian Open on Saturday to sweep into the last 16 as Iga Swiatek demolished Emma Raducanu.
Also into the second week is 38-year-old Gael Monfils after he stunned fourth seed Taylor Fritz — with the veteran’s wife Elina Svitolina also enjoying a shock win immediately after on the same court.
American qualifier Learner Tien, 19, won in straight sets to extend his fairytale run on his debut in Melbourne.
Italian world number one Sinner dropped a set for the first time in 14 matches in the second round.
But there was no such wobble against the unseeded Marcos Giron on Rod Laver Arena as he sprinted home 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in 2hr 1min, slamming 35 winners and eight aces.
Awaiting him next is either Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic or Danish 13th seed Holger Rune.
“Trying to stay there mentally, which I think is the most important aspect for us tennis players,” said the 23-year-old Sinner.
French showman Monfils rolled back the years to storm back and defeat the American Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4.
The unseeded Monfils, who hit a career-high ranking of six in 2016 but is now 41st, is enjoying a late-career flourish.
A week ago he became the oldest singles champion in ATP Tour history when he swept to victory at the Auckland Classic.
He is married to Ukrainian Svitolina, who emulated his giant-killing efforts when she defeated world number four Jasmine Paolini, also on Margaret Court Arena.
Svitolina came through 2-6, 6-4, 6-0.
“I warmed up the court for her,” joked Monfils.
Tien became the youngest man to reach the fourth round since Rafael Nadal in 2005 when he overcame injured Frenchman Corentin Moutet.
The gifted teenager won 7-6 (12/10), 6-3, 6-3 with Moutet collapsing clutching his leg in the third set before gingerly carrying on.
“Honestly it feels pretty crazy to be in the second week,” he said.
Tien stunned three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev in a five-set epic in the previous round.
Home hope Alex de Minaur, the eighth seed, went through in four sets against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo and will face American Alex Michelsen for a place in the quarter-finals.
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- Rampant Swiatek -
In a one-sided battle of former US Open champions, Swiatek romped to a 6-1, 6-0 triumph in a statement victory over Raducanu as she pursues a first Melbourne crown.
Emma Navarro, the eighth seed from the United States, joined the Pole in the next round with a gritty three-set win over Ons Jabeur.
Sixth seed Elena Rybakina also advanced despite a back problem.
“I felt like the ball is listening to me,” Swiatek said after rattling off 11 straight games in a brutal display against Britain’s Raducanu on Rod Laver Arena.
The 23-year-old Swiatek is a five-time major winner but has never gone beyond the semi-finals at Melbourne Park.
She faces world number 128 German Eva Lys next.
Lys beat Jaqueline Cristian of Romania in three sets to become the first women’s singles “lucky loser” to reach the fourth round since the event moved to Melbourne Park in 1988.
Navarro credited her billionaire father for teaching her “toughness” as she clawed through 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 against three-time Slam finalist Jabeur.
No WTA player has played more three-set matches since the beginning of 2024 than Navarro, with the American having a 23-9 win-loss record over the distance since then.
Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina of Kazakhstan needed a medical timeout to treat a back spasm before winning 6-3, 6-4 against Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine.
Asked if her back would be OK, she replied: “Not really. So I will see my physio and hopefully, he does some magic.”
Danielle Collins faced a smattering of boos as she walked in and out of the arena in losing 6-4, 6-4 to fellow American Madison Keys at the Australian Open on Saturday.
The 31-year-old Collins became the pantomime villain of Melbourne Park on Thursday when she sarcastically thanked hecklers for “paying my bills” after she defeated home hope Destanee Aiava in the second round.
She also blew kisses to the fiercely partisan crowd, cupped her ear and even pointed to her backside.
“Every person that’s bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me or do what they do, it’s all going towards the Danielle Collins Fund,” she said.
Collins smiled as she was given a mixed reception when she walked out at Rod Laver Arena, centre court, for the third-round meeting with Keys, the 19th seed.
Cheers went up when 10th-seeded Collins made her first double fault.
At the end of the first set, the chair umpire reminded fans to respect both players.
Collins required a medical timeout at 4-3 down in the second set and had heavy strapping applied to her left leg.
A half-empty stadium was mostly cheering for both players by the end, although more boos accompanied Collins out of the stadium
Results on day seven of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Saturday (x denotes seeding):
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Swiatek destroys Raducanu at Australian Open
Updated at 12.27
DEFENDING CHAMPION Jannik Sinner raced to victory at the Australian Open on Saturday to sweep into the last 16 as Iga Swiatek demolished Emma Raducanu.
Also into the second week is 38-year-old Gael Monfils after he stunned fourth seed Taylor Fritz — with the veteran’s wife Elina Svitolina also enjoying a shock win immediately after on the same court.
American qualifier Learner Tien, 19, won in straight sets to extend his fairytale run on his debut in Melbourne.
Italian world number one Sinner dropped a set for the first time in 14 matches in the second round.
But there was no such wobble against the unseeded Marcos Giron on Rod Laver Arena as he sprinted home 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in 2hr 1min, slamming 35 winners and eight aces.
Awaiting him next is either Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic or Danish 13th seed Holger Rune.
“Trying to stay there mentally, which I think is the most important aspect for us tennis players,” said the 23-year-old Sinner.
French showman Monfils rolled back the years to storm back and defeat the American Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4.
The unseeded Monfils, who hit a career-high ranking of six in 2016 but is now 41st, is enjoying a late-career flourish.
A week ago he became the oldest singles champion in ATP Tour history when he swept to victory at the Auckland Classic.
He is married to Ukrainian Svitolina, who emulated his giant-killing efforts when she defeated world number four Jasmine Paolini, also on Margaret Court Arena.
Svitolina came through 2-6, 6-4, 6-0.
“I warmed up the court for her,” joked Monfils.
Tien became the youngest man to reach the fourth round since Rafael Nadal in 2005 when he overcame injured Frenchman Corentin Moutet.
The gifted teenager won 7-6 (12/10), 6-3, 6-3 with Moutet collapsing clutching his leg in the third set before gingerly carrying on.
“Honestly it feels pretty crazy to be in the second week,” he said.
Tien stunned three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev in a five-set epic in the previous round.
Home hope Alex de Minaur, the eighth seed, went through in four sets against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo and will face American Alex Michelsen for a place in the quarter-finals.
- Rampant Swiatek -
In a one-sided battle of former US Open champions, Swiatek romped to a 6-1, 6-0 triumph in a statement victory over Raducanu as she pursues a first Melbourne crown.
Emma Navarro, the eighth seed from the United States, joined the Pole in the next round with a gritty three-set win over Ons Jabeur.
Sixth seed Elena Rybakina also advanced despite a back problem.
“I felt like the ball is listening to me,” Swiatek said after rattling off 11 straight games in a brutal display against Britain’s Raducanu on Rod Laver Arena.
The 23-year-old Swiatek is a five-time major winner but has never gone beyond the semi-finals at Melbourne Park.
She faces world number 128 German Eva Lys next.
Lys beat Jaqueline Cristian of Romania in three sets to become the first women’s singles “lucky loser” to reach the fourth round since the event moved to Melbourne Park in 1988.
Navarro credited her billionaire father for teaching her “toughness” as she clawed through 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 against three-time Slam finalist Jabeur.
No WTA player has played more three-set matches since the beginning of 2024 than Navarro, with the American having a 23-9 win-loss record over the distance since then.
Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina of Kazakhstan needed a medical timeout to treat a back spasm before winning 6-3, 6-4 against Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine.
Asked if her back would be OK, she replied: “Not really. So I will see my physio and hopefully, he does some magic.”
Danielle Collins faced a smattering of boos as she walked in and out of the arena in losing 6-4, 6-4 to fellow American Madison Keys at the Australian Open on Saturday.
The 31-year-old Collins became the pantomime villain of Melbourne Park on Thursday when she sarcastically thanked hecklers for “paying my bills” after she defeated home hope Destanee Aiava in the second round.
She also blew kisses to the fiercely partisan crowd, cupped her ear and even pointed to her backside.
“Every person that’s bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me or do what they do, it’s all going towards the Danielle Collins Fund,” she said.
Collins smiled as she was given a mixed reception when she walked out at Rod Laver Arena, centre court, for the third-round meeting with Keys, the 19th seed.
Cheers went up when 10th-seeded Collins made her first double fault.
At the end of the first set, the chair umpire reminded fans to respect both players.
Collins required a medical timeout at 4-3 down in the second set and had heavy strapping applied to her left leg.
A half-empty stadium was mostly cheering for both players by the end, although more boos accompanied Collins out of the stadium
Results on day seven of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Saturday (x denotes seeding):
Men’s singles
3rd round
Jannik Sinner (ITA x1) bt Marcos Giron (USA) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
Holger Rune (DEN x13) bt Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Alex Michelsen (USA) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x19) 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2
Alex De Minaur (AUS x8) bt Francisco Cerundolo (ARG x31) 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-3
Gael Monfils (FRA) bt Taylor Fritz (USA x4) 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4
Ben Shelton (USA x21) bt Lorenzo Musetti (ITA x16) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5)
Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) bt Fabian Marozsan (HUN) 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (8/6), 6-1, 6-2
Learner Tien (USA) bt Corentin Moutet (FRA) 7-6 (12/10), 6-3, 6-3
Women’s singles
3rd round
Elena Rybakina (KAZ x6) bt Dayana Yastremska (UKR x32) 6-3, 6-4
Madison Keys (USA x19) bt Danielle Collins (USA x10) 6-4, 6-4
Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) bt Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA x15) 6-4, 6-2
Elina Svitolina (UKR x28) bt Jasmine Paolini (ITA x4) 2-6, 6-4, 6-0
Emma Navarro (USA x8) bt Ons Jabeur (TUN) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
Daria Kasatkina (RUS x9) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ x24) 7-5, 6-1
Eva Lys (GER) bt Jaqueline Cristian (ROM) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
Iga Swiatek (POL x2) bt Emma Raducanu (GBR) 6-1, 6-0
– © AFP 2025
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