Sabalenka primed for Rybakina rematch with eyes on third Australian Open crown
The flawless performance means Djokovic has reached a century of match wins in three of the four Grand Slams, with 95 at the U.S. Open.
Coco Gauff started her quest for a maiden Australian Open title with a straight games win over Kamilla Rakhimova to reach the second round.
Novak Djokovic's quest for a record Grand Slam title continued in dramatic circumstances after fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti quit their Australian Open quarter-final match with an injury after taking a two-set lead at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
Coco Gauff was left frustrated after television cameras captured her private moment of anger following a one-sided Australian Open quarter-final defeat to Elina Svitolina.
Australian Open organizers came under fire on the Grand Slam's opening day on Sunday as frustrated fans sweated in long queues to the gates of Melbourne Park.
Djokovic brought up set point with an acrobatic backhand and secured the set 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 recordholder Roger Federer.
The day session attendance of 51,048 was some 10,000 short of day six on Friday and even less than last year's corresponding session.
Carlos Alcaraz played dream-wrecker to Novak Djokovic again as he floored the record-chasing Serb 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 for a first Australian Open title and became the youngest man to win all four majors.
Aryna Sabalenka swept to her fourth successive Australian Open final with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.
Jannik Sinner battled cramp in extreme heat in a gutsy win over American Eliot Spizzirri to enter the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday
IMAGES from Day 4 of the matches played at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka fended off a serious challenge from Anastasia Potapova to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open.
IMAGES from the Australian Open matches played at Melbourne Park in Melbourne on Thursday.
Carlos Alcaraz would rather win his first Australian Open than retain his French Open and US Open titles next year, the Spaniard said on Friday, a day after sealing the year-end world number one ranking at the ATP Finals.
The first week of the Open (Jan 12-17) will also feature free entry for kids and nightly live music at Grand Slam Oval, with the main draw running January 18-February 1.
Australian tennis great Rod Laver has wished Novak Djokovic luck in matching his feat of securing all four Grand Slams in a calendar year, a day after the Serb secured ownership of all four of the sport's major titles.
Nick Kyrgios must not let playing on Rod Laver Arena douse his natural fire when he plays Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the standout match of the Australian Open third round on Friday, according to former champion Mats Wilander.
With Sunday's win, the world number one took his Grand Slam tally to 18, just two shy of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's men's record of 20.
Roger Federer traded shots with his hero Rod Laver on Wednesday in the stadium that bears the Australian great's name before promising that his hunger for Grand Slam titles remains as strong as ever.
This year's Australian Open will be allowed to admit up to 30,000 fans a day, around 50% of usual capacity, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fred Stolle was part of a golden generation of Australian players who dominated the men's game at the end of the amateur and start of the professional era.
Factbox on Spanish second seed Carlos Alcaraz, who beat Italian world number one Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(10-2) in the French Open final on Sunday to win his fifth Grand Slam title.
While Sinner is into his fifth Grand Slam semi-final, Shelton, who turned pro in 2022, is set to play just his second after reaching the last four at the 2023 US Open.
Jannik Sinner swats aside Giron to reach Australian Open fourth round
Though having won the French Open and a second Wimbledon crown last year with his previous serving action, Alcaraz was unhappy with its accuracy and overall strain on the body.
'I've been a little bit shocked this week with how players have been treated by the broadcaster.'
Here is what you need to know about the year's Australian Open:
Images from Day 8 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Sunday.
Jannik Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz in a high-octane final to claim his maiden Wimbledon trophy and fourth Grand Slam crown on Sunday.
Aryna Sabalenka opened her bid for a third straight Australian Open title with an easy victory over Sloane Stephens on Sunday.
A ruthless Iga Swiatek slammed the door shut on German lucky loser Eva Lys with a 6-0 6-1 win on Monday to breeze into the quarter-finals of the year's opening Grand Slam for the second time.
Champion Novak Djokovic was unable to draw much support from the crowd at Rod Laver Arena during his 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 semi-final win over sentimental favourite Roger Federer on Thursday, but the Serb found vital friends in the weather and the net-cord.
Swiatek said she made far too many mistakes against Keys on Rod Laver Arena and hoped to draw lessons from it.
It was Gauff's second straights sets win at the tournament after a first round test against 2020 champion Sofia Kenin.
The German was visibly distraught ahead of the trophy ceremony, appearing emotional as he fought back tears.
Five singles matches were cancelled as persistent rain washed out a large chunk of play on the opening day of the Australian Open on Sunday, disappointing the large crowds that flocked to Melbourne Park.
Carlos Alcaraz secured his passage into the fourth round of the Australian Open with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3 victory over Nuno Borges.
'It seems it took me a day and a half, and several kilometres of walking around the grounds, to find coffee.'
Olivia Gadecki and John Peers battled back from a set down to defeat compatriots Kimberly Birrell and John-Patrick Smith
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