Amanda Anisimova, a 20-year-old American ranked 60th in the world, upset the defending champion in three sets Friday.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - Defending champion Naomi Osaka failed to make the much-anticipated fourth round of the Australian Open against top-ranked Ash Barty.
Amanda Anisimova, a 20-year-old American ranked 60th in the world, made sure the so-called final-before-the-final wouldn't happen when she defeated the four-time major champion 4-6, 6-3, 7. -6 (5) Friday.
"I knew I had to play fast if I wanted to give myself a chance," said Anisimova, who knocked out Olympic champion Belinda Bencic in the second round and then accounted for the 2021 Australian Open champions.
After losing the first set, Anisimova knew she needed to be more aggressive or she would drop out of the tournament.
It worked.
Anisimova saved two match points in the third set to help her stay in the match and end it with an ace. He hit 46 winners out of Osaka's 21.
After winning the title last year - her second at Melbourne Park in three years - Osaka withdrew from the French Open in the second round and skipped Wimbledon as she took a break for her mental health. US After a third-round loss at the Open, she made an extended layoff to reset and reached the first Major of the year with the No. 13 seed.
Barty advanced to a 6–2, 6–3 victory over 30th seed Camilla Giorgi at Rod Laver Arena, the match starting later and ending before the Osaka–Anisimova contest at the adjacent Margaret Court Arena.
Barty has won only eight games in the first three rounds at Melbourne Park and spent less than three hours on the court. The Wimbledon champion and 2019 French Open winner aims to become the first Australian woman since 1978 to win her home championship.
Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka defeated 15th seed Elina Svitolina 6-0, 6-2 to enter the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2016.
Before she had a chance to analyze the two players she might meet next, her son was asked a question about the two-time Australian Open champion's third-round performance.
Five-year-old Leo, wearing his sunglasses in the news conference room and sitting on his mother's knee, replied briefly: "Awesome!"
Azarenka thanked her son, then listed the positive points from her perspective. They include: "The amount of aggression I could bring, applied a lot of pressure, consistency. Taking control of my end of the court."
She will next take on French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova, who won a set and break-down 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 against 26th seed Jelena Ostapenko.
Since her quarterfinal run in Australia in 2016, Azarenka has lost first-round matches last year and in 2019, and missed hard-court tournaments in 2017, 2018 and 2020.
The 32-year-old from Belarus is currently feeling comfortable in Melbourne playing the dual roles of former No. 1 player and mother.
"I've always felt lucky to have him here," Azarenka said. “Moments like these are really precious to me. It's so incredible for me to be able to share this with my son. ,
Fourth-round pairings were established on Friday with fifth seed Maria Sakkari against 21st seed Jessica Pegula and eighth seed Paula Badosa against Madison Kee, who defeated Wang Qiang 4-6, 6-3, 7-6. (2) defeated. on Friday.
On the men's side, Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev won 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 over 124th-place qualifier Radu Albot of Moldova to set up a fourth-round match against Denis Shapovalov.
Shapovalov, seeded 14th, defeated No. 23 Reilly Opelka 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini defeated 18-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz 6-2, 7-6(3), 4-6, 2-6, 7-6(5).
Miomir Kekmanovic continued to make the most of the absence of fellow Serbian Novak Djokovic, reaching the fourth round for the first time with a 6–4, 6–7 (8), 6–2, 7–5 victory in the 25th. -Seeded Lorenzo Sonego.
He will now face 17th seed Gael Monfils, who beat 16th seed Christian Garin 7-6(4), 6-1, 6-3.
Kekmanovic was drawn in the first round to play nine-time Australian Open champion top-ranked Djokovic. But Djokovic was relegated on the eve of the tournament for failing to meet Australia's strict COVID-19 regulations.
Rafael Nadal was playing a late match against number 28 Karen Khachanov, aiming to continue his bid for a record 21st Grand Slam title.