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Melbourne, January 19 (IANS) As the sun set on Melbourne Park, Day 6 of the Australian Open unfolded with a sense of order and predictability, a welcome change after the previous day's chaos and drama. The tennis world witnessed some stellar performances from the big names, as they smoothly sailed into the fourth round with commanding victories.
Aryna Sabalenka, the defending champion, delivered a flawless performance, storming past Lesia Tsurenko without conceding a single game. The fourth seed, Jannik Sinner, continued his impressive run, dispatching Argentine Sebastian Baez with ease, not dropping a set in the tournament so far.
The day also saw the swift progression of rising stars Coco Gauff and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Gauff, the reigning US Open champion, raced past compatriot Alycia Parks with a dominant 6-0, 6-2 victory. Tsitsipas, on the men's side, displayed his prowess with a commanding 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 win over Frenchman Luca Van Assche.
Novak Djokovic, marking his 100th match at Melbourne Park, showcased his class with a comprehensive 6-3, 6-3, 7-6(2) victory over Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry, ensuring both last year's singles champions advanced to the second week.
In the women's draw, 16-year-old sensation Mirra Andreeva, fresh off her stunning win against sixth seed Ons Jabeur, produced another memorable comeback. She overcame a 1-5 deficit in the final set to defeat Diane Parry in a deciding tiebreak. The teenager's next challenge awaits against ninth seed Barbora Krejcikova.
Maria Timofeeva, a qualifier ranked 170 in the world, scored the biggest win of her career by defeating 10th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia. Other notable victories in the women's draw came from Amanda Anisimova, Marta Kostyuk, and Magdalena Frech.
In the men's event, the surprise came when French veteran Adrian Mannarino dismantled 16th seed Ben Shelton in a thrilling five-set encounter, setting up a showdown with Djokovic. Taylor Fritz secured a convincing win over Fabian Marozsan, earning a date with Tsitsipas.
Last year's semifinalist Karen Khachanov and local favorite Alex de Minaur also progressed, setting up intriguing matchups with Jannik Sinner and Andrey Rublev, respectively.
As the tournament progresses, the stage is set for more thrilling encounters, with the new top-10 star, "Demon" de Minaur, ready to face the formidable Andrey Rublev. The Australian Open continues to captivate fans with its mix of seasoned champions and emerging talents, promising more exciting battles in the days to come.
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