IMAGES from the Australian Open matches played at Melbourne Park in Melbourne on Thursday.
Osaka tones down outfit to reach third round
Naomi Osaka pared down her show-stopping jellyfish-inspired outfit and overcame a second-set wobble to beat Romania's Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in the second round of the Australian Open on Thursday.
In her first-round win over Antonia Ruzic this week, Osaka walked onto the court carrying a white parasol and wearing a veil and broad-brimmed hat.
The outfit, which also featured a marine-themed top complete with pastel yellow tassels on the sleeves, made waves at the season's opening Grand Slam, with top men's and women's players commending the bold fashion choice.
Asked if she had expected the response to her outfit, Osaka said: "Honestly, not really.
"For me, it's just something fun I love to do on the court. I don't really talk that much but I like to express myself through clothes."
The four-times Grand Slam champion's entrance on Thursday was tame by comparison as she ditched the accessories, though fans at the Margaret Court Arena made up for it by wearing replicas of the hat and veil.
"I'm really glad that you guys loved it. You guys look really cool by the way," Osaka said to the fans.
"I grew up with Serena and Venus (Williams), (Maria) Sharapova, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and for me it's a great honour if there's a kid out there somewhere that comes and plays this tournament and remembers me in a way."
Osaka, who won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021, made a shaky start against Cirstea, dropping the opening game on her serve and committing early errors.
She soon shook off the cobwebs and broke to level at 2-2, before breaking again for a 5-3 lead and then defending a break point to hold serve and take the opening set.
The 35-year-old Cirstea, who will retire at the end of the year, again took an early lead in the second set and though Osaka levelled at 2-2, the Romanian broke in a decisive moment to force a final set.
Osaka, the 16th seed, took a break between sets and then another medical timeout while leading 3-1 in the decider, but any concern was short-lived.
With her movement seemingly hampered, the Japanese former world number one responded by dialling up the intensity of her ground strokes and overwhelming Cirstea to seal the win.
The final set was also tinged with some drama as Cirstea took issue with Osaka pumping herself up by shouting "come on" between the Romanian's first and second serves.
"(There were) apparently a lot of 'come ons' that she was angry about. I mean I tried to play well. I think I hit a lot of unforced errors but I tried my best," Osaka said.
"She's a great player. I think this was her last Australian Open, so sorry she was mad about it."
Osaka faces Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis in the third round.
Supreme Sinner overpowers home hope Duckworth
Two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner outclassed home wildcard James Duckworth 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 to stroll into the third round.
The Italian World No. 2 was in no mood for an extended shift on a cool Rod Laver Arena as he set up a last-32 clash with American Eliot Spizzirri.
It was Sinner's 27th successive Tour-level victory against Australian players, his last defeat against one coming against Duckworth in Toronto in 2021.
But a repeat of that never looked likely as Sinner produced an immaculate display from the back of the court.
"Every match is difficult, so happy to be in the next round," Sinner, who has won his last 12 matches without dropping a set, said on court. "Very happy with my performance.
"I know how much work I've put in so the body feels good and the mind is in a good moment."
From the moment he drilled a backhand winner into the corner to break Duckworth's serve in the fourth game he was in control and was gifted a second service break with a double-fault.
Sinner claimed the first set in 26 minutes and although Duckworth offered more resistance in the second with some aggressive play, the Italian's controlled power and placement was too much for his 34-year-old opponent.
A forehand winner earned him a break point at 3-3 and Duckworth blazed wildly long as the pressure told.
Duckworth's winners were loudly applauded by the evening crowd but the end came quickly and Sinner finished it off with an ace -- his 18th of the match.
Sinner has spent less than three hours on court to reach the third round and he will be heavy favourite against 85th-ranked Spizzirri who survived a five-setter against China's Wu Yibing.
"I've been watching him also last year a little bit, very aggressive on the court and a big server also," Sinner said.
"I don't know him as well because we haven't played yet but I'm hoping for a great match."
Record hunter Djokovic mows down Maestrelli
Novak Djokovic systematically dismantled Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to reach the Australian Open third round, continuing his bid to make more history.
Fourth seed Djokovic, who is seeking a record-extending 11th Melbourne Park title and 25th Grand Slam trophy overall to break the deadlock with Margaret Court, maintained his steady grip on the second-round clash without needing to shift into top gear.
The 38-year-old raced through the opening set on the back of a break in the second game and pounced again in the opening game of the next set to heap pressure on world number 141 Maestrelli, who struggled to capitalise on his few openings.
Djokovic one shy of Federer's record
Djokovic brought up set point with an acrobatic backhand and secured the frame with an unreturned shot from the same flank to close in on his 399th Grand Slam match victory, and his 101st in Melbourne, leaving him one shy of record‑holder Roger Federer.
Maestrelli had a rare moment of joy in the third set as he recovered a break after conceding two, but Djokovic raised his level again to close out the victory and book a meeting with either Botic van de Zandschulp or Juncheng Shang.
Swiatek swats aside Bouzkova to reach third round
Iga Swiatek resumed her quest for a first Australian Open title and career Grand Slam with a 6-2 6-3 victory over unseeded Marie Bouzkova to reach the third round, as she showed no signs of the sluggishness that dogged her in the previous round.
The 24-year-old arrived in Melbourne after two losses during Poland's triumphant United Cup run and had to fight past Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue in the last round. But normal service looked to have resumed against the Czech in John Cain Arena.
"It felt great playing today, I felt more free than in the first round so I wanted to go for it," Swiatek said.
"The conditions were not easy, I don't know if you can tell. It's super windy, so I needed to adjust to that so I'm happy for the performance for sure."
"This is not going to sound like I'm humble, but after winning so much, it's hard to appreciate one match. I'm usually happy after I finish the whole tournament if I win," she added.
Swiatek pushed on the backfoot in the 2nd set
"If not, I'm a bit less happy but I for sure have to learn to appreciate every match and not take everything for granted and play to win. It was a good day today and I felt good."
Swiatek eased through the first set, during which she raised the intensity early on and made several successful forays to the net, but the six-times Grand Slam champion found herself on the back foot in the second set as Bouzkova surged to a 3-1 lead.
The second seed got back on level terms after six games and then nailed a forehand winner at the net to edge ahead, going on to seal the win from there and setting up a third-round clash with 31st seed Anna Kalinskaya.
Defending champion Madison Keys overcame struggles with her game to advance to the third round of the Australian Open with a 6-1, 7-5 win over fellow American Ashlyn Krueger at Melbourne Park on Thursday.
The 30-year-old was once again less than convincing in her victory, two days after labouring in a first-round win over Ukrainian Grand Slam debutant Oleksandra Oliynykova.
Keys took 23 minutes to claim the opening set with a confident display that saw the American hit seven winners and convert all three break points against her compatriot in a one-sided start to the contest.
'I was fully expecting Krueger to raise her level, which she did'
But the current world number nine allowed doubts to creep into her game in the second set, handing Krueger two breaks in serve with a succession of double faults that saw the 21-year-old open up a three-game lead.
Keys responded, however, by winning five games in a row to close out the match and progress to the next round.
"I started really well, and I think Ashlyn started a little slow, and then I was fully expecting her to raise her level, which she did," Keys said.
"Once I kind of got that momentum, I tried to sink my teeth into the set, and do whatever I could to get back into it."
MUSETTI DOWNS PAL SONEGO IN STRAIGHT SETS
Lorenzo Musetti, the fifth seed, won the battle of the Italians on Margaret Court Arena as he defeated Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 and will next face either Stefano Tsitsipas or Tomas Machac.
"It was not an easy match to prepare, to play, and to deal with because Lorenzo is one of my best friends on tour," said Musetti.
"We recently had a title together in doubles, so we shared a lot of nice memories, so it's not easy to separate those things in the court."
Eighth seeded Ben Shelton had few issues against Australia's Dane Sweeny, the American claiming a 6-3 6-2 6-2 win to set up a third round meeting with Valentin Vacherot, who defeated Australia's Rinky Hijikata in straight sets.
PEGULA CLINICAL IN WIN
Sixth seed Jessica Pegula had few issues against doubles partner McCartney Kessler, handing out a comprehensive 6-0, 6-2, defeat to her fellow American in 58 minutes and set up a meeting with Russia's Oksana Selekhmeteva in the third round.
Amanda Anisimova, also from the United States, booked her place in the next phase with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Katerina Siniakova and the fourth seed will next face compatriot Peyton Stearns.
TSITSIPAS ELIMINATED
Fresh off his title win in Adelaide, Czech Republic's Tomas Machac defeated 31st seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(5) to set up a meeting with Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in the third round.
CILIC SENDS SHAPOVALOV PACKING
Croatian Marin Cilic, 37, pulled off a major upset as he defeated 21th seed Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to move into the third round.
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