American teenager Amanda Anisimova upstaged 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 6-2 to storm into the fourth round of the Australian Open. (Reuters Photo)
Highlights of Friday's fifth day of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year
US TEEN ANISIMOVA ANNOUNCES ARRIVAL WITH SABALENKA UPSET
American teenager Amanda Anisimova upstaged 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 6-2 to storm into the fourth round of the Australian Open and signal the arrival of a new force in women's tennis on Friday. The fearless 17-year-old bullied her much higher ranked opponent who looked shell-shocked by the power being generated at the other end of the court. It was Anisimova's third consecutive straight sets win, which included a 6-0 6-2 destruction of 24th seed Lesia Tsurenko. She will play the winner of Petra Kvitova and Belinda Bencic in the fourth round. The youngest player in the draw said she wouldn't mind being a teenage Grand Slam winner like one of the players she most looks up to, Maria Sharapova. "I want to win this tournament right now," the Miami teen said, when asked what she longed for.
KHACHANOV 'ASHAMED' AFTER EARLY EXIT
Tipped to challenge the Grand Slam dominance of the old guard of men's tennis at the Australian Open, Russian young gun Karen Khachanov was instead left hanging his head after a stinging third-round loss to Roberto Bautista Agut on Friday. The 22-year-old 10th seed was sent packing after a 6-4 7-5 6-4 defeat to Spaniard Bautista Agut, who has continued his fine start after knocking out injured former world number one Andy Murray in the first round "I’m a little bit ashamed of my attitude today," Khachanov told Reuters ruefully at Melbourne Park. "That could be better. But again, I couldn’t manage this during the match. Now I see it more clear, but it was too late.
BIRTHDAY GIRL KERBER STORMS INTO 4TH ROUND
Birthday girl Angelique Kerber humiliated Australian wildcard Kimberly Birrell 6-1 6-0 to storm into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday and complete a late-night horror show for the locals at Rod Laver Arena. Shell-shocked under the lights in front of a packed centre court crowd, Birrell simply had nowhere to hide as the former world number one celebrated her 31st birthday by pummelling her opponent.
TIAFOE RIPS INTO FOURTH ROUND
Young American Frances Tiafoe extended his stellar run at the Australian Open with a 6-7(3) 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-3 third round victory against Italian veteran Andreas Seppi on Friday. Tiafoe, who turns 21 on Sunday, has become a crowd favourite in Australia because of his shirt-ripping, fist-pumping routines which he said are spontaneous, but inspired by the basketball great LeBron James.
CILIC SURVIVES AFTER VERDASCO DOUBLE-FAULTS ON MATCH POINT
A relieved Marin Cilic squeezed into the fourth round of the Australian Open in the early hours of Saturday after Fernando Verdasco double-faulted on match point to allow the sixth seed to complete an epic comeback win. Beaten by Roger Federer in last year's final, Cilic was pushed to the brink by Spanish veteran Verdasco who had the Croat on the ropes in the fourth set tiebreak. But having fired 27 aces, Verdasco's serve let him down at the crucial moment, and he fell 4-6 3-6 6-1 7-6(8) 6-3 after a four-hour 18-minute classic at Margaret Court Arena.
DIMITROV DOWNS FABBIANO
Grigor Dimitrov endured a stern test early in his third round match against Italian Thomas Fabbiano before the 20th seed prevailed 7-6(5) 6-4 6-4 in a little over two hours.
STEPHENS OVERCOMES MARTIC
American Sloane Stephens, seeded fifth, beat Croatia's Petra Martic 7-6(6) 7-6(5) to move into the fourth round where she meets Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Former U.S. Open champion Stephens has won both previous meetings with the unseeded Russian, including a three-set victory at Beijing last year.
BERDYCH QUELLS SCHWARTZMAN CHALLENGE
Tomas Berdych dropped the opening set but recovered to overcome Diego Schwartzman 5-7 6-3 7-5 6-4. The Czech missed the last six months of 2018 due to a back issue but has since returned to form, reaching the final of the Qatar Open earlier this month.
TSITSIPAS POWERS PAST BASILASHVILI
Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3 3-6 7-6(7) 6-4 to reach the last 16 at Melbourne for the first time and equal his best Grand Slam result.
BARTY WINS FIRST MATCH OF THE DAY
Australia's Ashleigh Barty beat Maria Sakkari 7-5 6-1 under a closed roof at Rod Laver Arena following morning showers.
Reuters
