Djokovic leads march in Melbourne

MANILA, Philippines — A “hot-headed” Novak Djokovic sent an Australian Open warning to join Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev in the Last 16 on Friday, but Naomi Osaka’s bid for a third Melbourne crown is over with injury.

Women’s defending champion Aryna Sabalenka “pushed to the limit” to set up an intriguing showdown with teenage talent Mirra Andreeva.

Djokovic is on a collision course with Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

Djokovic, 37, needed four sets in both of his opening two matches. But not this time, swatting aside Czech 26th seed Tomas Machac 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 and letting out a roar at the end. 

Spain’s Alcaraz suffered a wobble in the third set against Portugal’s unseeded Nuno Borges but regained his focus to ease through 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2.

Germany’s second seed Zverev also booked his place in the second week with a methodical 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Britain’s Jacob Fearnley.

Top-ranked Sabalenka was made to work hard behind a faltering serve before beating Denmark’s Clara Tauson 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 .

Two-time champion Osaka was on course to clash with third seed Coco Gauff, who moved into the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over 2021 U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez.

But the former world number one needed treatment on her stomach during the first set against Belinda Bencic and called it quits after losing the opener on a tiebreak.

Last year’s runner-up Daniil Medvedev was dumped out by 19-year-old qualifier Learner Tien in a massive Melbourne shock at close to 3 a.m. Friday 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (8/10), 1-6, 7-6 (10/7).