Sabalenka rolls into last eight as Alcaraz steps up Melbourne bid

Aryna Sabalenka will face impressive 18-year-old American Iva Jovic in the Australian Open quarter-finals, where Carlos Alcaraz aims to join them in his history bid later Sunday.

After brutal heat nearing 40C disrupted play on Saturday, temperatures eased to a comparatively cool 22C at Melbourne Park as the business end of the tournament started.

Belarusian top seed Sabalenka, a two-time Melbourne champion, opened the day on Rod Laver Arena and saw off the brave challenge of 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko.

Sabalenka won 6-1, 7-6 (7/1) and faces another exciting prospect in Jovic in the last eight.
The 29th-seeded Jovic destroyed unseeded Yulia Putintseva 6-0, 6-1 in just 53 dominant minutes.

"What an incredible player for such a young age," said Sabalenka of the 17th-seeded Canadian Mboko, who has emerged as a serious threat in the past year.

"I feel like I am a kid still! She pushed me really hard today and played incredible tennis."
Sabalenka raced through the second-set tiebreak -- the 20th Grand Slam tiebreak in a row she has won -- to seal victory.

She has yet to drop a set at the tournament as her title charge ominously gathers pace.

But in Jovic, who only turned 18 last month, she clashes with a player in red-hot form and rising fast, now ranked 27 having been 191 this time last year.

Jovic, who stunned two-time Grand Slam finalist and seventh seed Jasmine Paolini in the third round, said: "I feel great. I'm really glad to get through.

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates after defeating Tommy Paul of the US in their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, on Sunday. AP

"I said it last year, I hope to be able to play her this year because you definitely want to play the best and see how it goes," she added of Sabalenka.

Third seed Coco Gauff faces Czech 19th seed Karolina Muchova while Ukraine's Elina Svitolina takes on another 18-year-old, Russian Mirra Andreeva, in the other women's round-four matches.

The winners will face each other in the quarter-finals.

Alcaraz steps up

Six-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz follows Sabalenka on to centre court to take on American journeyman Tommy Paul after warning he was getting "better and better".

Alcaraz has never gone past the last eight in his four previous trips to Melbourne Park, with the Australian Open the only Grand Slam missing from his burgeoning collection.

The 22-year-old is bidding to become the youngest man to win the career Grand Slam of all four majors.
Should he get past Paul, either sixth-seeded home hope Alex de Minaur or Kazkahstan's 10th seed Alexander Bublik will be waiting for him.

They headline the night session on Rod Laver Arena.

Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev survived a five-set fright in round three and could face another marathon against up-and-coming American Learner Tien.

Tien and former number one Medvedev met three times last year, with the younger man winning twice, including a five-setter in the second round of the Australian Open.

"Will try to do my best to maybe surprise him somewhere," said Medvedev, from Russia.

Whoever comes out on top will face third seed Alexander Zverev of Germany or the unheralded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina.

Agence France-Presse