Australian Open: Korda defeated Medvedev, Pegula and Coco Gauff also in the next round
Young American player Sebastian Korda defeated two-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev in straight sets in the third round of the Australian Open tennis tournament, while title contenders Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff progressed to the fourth round of the women’s singles tournament here on Friday. Korda defeated Medvedev 7-6(7), 6-3, 7-6(4) to equal his best performance at a Grand Slam. Medvedev, ranked seventh in the world, won the US Open title two years ago. In the Australian Open, he lost to Novak Djokovic in the final in 2021 and Rafael Nadal in 2022.
To reach his first quarterfinal of a Grand Slam tournament, Korda would need to beat world number 10 Hubert Herkaz. Meanwhile, in women’s singles, third seed Pegula, a two-time quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park, defeated Marta Kostyuk in straight sets 6-0 6-2 in just 65 minutes. Seventh seed Gauff beat Bernarda Pera 6-3 6-2 to reach the pre-quarterfinals.
Top seed Inga Swiatek also saw off Spanish qualifier Kristina Buxa in straight sets 6-0 6-1 in just 55 minutes, while Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina battled past last year’s finalist Danielle Collins of the United States. I was defeated 6-2 5-7 6-2. Earlier, Barbara Kreiskova became the first player this year to make it to the fourth round in women’s singles after defeating Angelina Kalinina in straight sets.
The 20th seeded Kreiskova from the Czech Republic dominated the Ukrainian by winning the first five games before taking the match 6-2 6-3. Kreiskova has not lost a single set in three rounds so far. In the men’s section, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Yannick Sinner notched up contrasting victories to advance to the fourth round where they will face each other. Third seed Tsitsipas saved a set point in the second set to beat Taylon Griekspoor in straight sets 6-2, 7-6, 6-3 to reach his third pre-quarterfinal in four years at Melbourne Park.
Sinner, on the other hand, won for the first time in his career despite losing the opening two sets. He beat Marton Fuksovics 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 in a five-set match that lasted three hours and 33 minutes. Italy’s Sinner was also behind 0-2 in the fourth set but then won 12 games in a row to enter the next round. Tsitsipas remains the top-ranked player in the men’s section following the exits of top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal and second-ranked Kasper Ruud.
He faced a tough challenge from No. 63rd Griekspoor of the Netherlands but he managed to win in straight sets. Tsitsipas and Sinner have met each other five times with the Greek winning four times and losing once. In other matches, Yoshihito Nishioka beat Mackenzie MacDonald 7-6(6), 6-3, 6-2 while Karen Khachanov beat Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(9). Defeated.
