Australian Open 2026: Novak Djokovic Into Round Four

Novak Djokovic continued his impressive development at the Australian Open with a straight-sets win over Denis Istomin.


The Serb, who has actually won the previous three titles in Melbourne, won 6-3 6-3 7-5 and plays Fabio Fognini in round 4.


Serena Williams won a tournament-record 61st singles match by beating Daniela Hantuchova 6-3 6-3 in round 3.


Ana Ivanovic, who beat Australia's Sam Stosur 6-7 (8-10) 6-4 6-2, is next for front runner Williams, while China's Li Na beat Lucie Safarova 1-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-3.


Third seed David Ferrer beat 29th seed Jeremy Chardy in straight sets and 15th-ranked Fognini saw off the difficulty of Sam Querrey 7-5 6-4 6-4.


Spain's Tommy Robredo, the number 17 seed, beat France's ninth seed Richard Gasquet 2-6 7-5 6-4 7-6 (8-6).


The conditions continued to be an issue for gamers, with the temperature level reaching a high of 41.4 C a day after matches were suspended on Thursday due to the fact that of 43.3 C heat,


Rod Laver Arena


S Williams (US) [1] beat Hantuchova (Svk) [31] 6-3 6-3


Five-time champion Williams was not at her finest and seemed struggling with the heat, though she still proved too strong for Hantuchova.


The world top raced into a 5-3 lead but needed to conserve 2 break indicate hold serve before clinching the very first set.


Williams, who has yet to drop an embeded in the tournament, broke early in the second but her challenger remained in battling state of mind and reacted to level at 3-3.


Hantuchova's hopes were brief, nevertheless, as Williams seized the effort in the Slovakian's next service game and served out for the triumph, sealing it with an effective forehand winner on her fourth match point.


"It was a tough match," stated Williams. "Daniela is an excellent challenger so I'm truly happy to come out with the win. It was hot but you need to play, you have to be ready and prepare yourself mentally. I'm delighted to survive."


Serena and sister Venus Williams later withdrew from the doubles quickly before their first-round match since of an injury to Venus's left leg.


Ferrer (Spa) (3] beat Chardy (Fra) [29] 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 6-2


Ferrer reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the 15th successive time as he alleviated past Chardy.


After the Spaniard won the opening embeded in simple fashion, Chardy set up a more powerful obstacle in the 2nd however was unable to transform any of his five set points, permitting Ferrer to take it on a tie-break.


That proved the definitive moment in the match, as Ferrer finished the triumph to set up a conference with Germany's Florian Mayer for a location in the quarter-finals.


"The secret was when I won the second set," Ferrer stated. "At 4-3 in the 2nd set I made a lot of errors. I had set points down and after winning the 2nd set I played more relaxed. Maybe it was my finest match today."


Dellacqua (Aus) beat Zheng (Chn) 6-2 6-4


Ivanovic (Ser) [14] beat Stosur (Aus) [17] 6-7 (8-10) 6-4 6-2


Home favourite Stosur edged a thrilling first set after rain stopped have fun with when she was 8-7 up in the tie-break.


Former world number one Ivanovic, 26, broke serve when in the second set and two times in the decider as she concluded victory with a basic volley into an open court.


"It was a match of the highest quality. She is a very tough challenger and I just hung in there," said Ivanovic, who reached the Australian Open last in 2008.


"Winning in Auckland offered me a great deal of confidence and I'm eagerly anticipating the obstacle of playing Serena."


Djokovic (Ser) [2] beat Istomin (Uzb) 6-3 6-3 7-5


Four-time champ Djokovic reduced safely into round four with an uncomplicated triumph over Uzbekistan's Istomin.


The Serb, whose last defeat in this competition came in the 2010 quarter-finals, broke in the third and ninth games to cover up the very first set and another break showed decisive in the fourth video game of the second set.


Djokovic looked set to clinch success without dropping his serve, however while serving for the match at 5-4 up in the third set, he double-faulted and hit a backhand into the internet to provide Istomin a lifeline.


However, the 2nd seed right away broke back and made no mistake 2nd time around in serving out the match.


"I needed to have very quick footwork and a precise first service, as high a percentage as possible, using every opportunity to take control over the rally," he stated. "I have actually done really well."


Hisense Arena


Li (Chn) [4] beat Safarova (Cze) [26] 1-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-3


Fourth seed Li, runner-up in 2011 and 2013, made it through a Safarova match point as she narrowly prevented becoming the highest-ranked casualty of the very first week in a contest long lasting two hours and 37 minutes.


Safarova, who has actually never beaten a top-10 challenger in a WTA Tour event, served for victory in the ninth game of the second set and held a match point in the 12th however Li held on before dominating the tie-break to require a decider.


The third set was delicately poised till Li broke the Czech in the eighth video game, and Safarova had no response.


Kerber (Ger) [9] beat Riske (US) 6-3 6-4


Berdych (Cze) [7] beat Dzumhur (Bih) 6-4 6-2 6-2


Robredo (Spa) [17] beat Gasquet (Fra) [9] 2-6 7-5 6-4 7-6 (8-6)


Margaret Court Arena


Pennetta (Ita) [28] beat Barthel (Ger) 6-1 7-5


Anderson (SA) [19] beat R-Vasselin (Fra) 3-6 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 7-5


Fognini (Ita) [15] beat Querrey (US) 7-5 6-4 6-4


Genie's army


Lleyton Hewitt has his 'Fanatics' and Bernie Tomic has 'Tomic's Kittens', but the greatest noise around Melbourne Park on Friday came from an unexpected love affair in between Australia and Canada.


Genie Bouchard, the increasing star and 30th seed, is through to the 4th round of a Grand Slam for the first time and on course for a quarter-final with Serena Williams.


And the 19-year-old has actually been vociferously supported throughout by a group of Australian students, 'Genie's Army', who have actually sung a catalogue of songs about the Canadian and provided her presents consisting of a toy kangaroo after her first two wins.


"They showed up to my preliminary away on Court 15 with their tee shirts," Bouchard told BBC Sport.


"They're truly into it and helpful and it's terrific to see I have 'very fans' in Australia. They produce a big environment on the court and it's fun to play when they're there."


Quotes of the day


"I inform you this: I'm not geared up to respond to that concern. I'm going to leave it alone." Serena Williams is requested her thoughts on the competition physician's suggestion that male "progressed on the high plains of Africa chasing after antelope".


"Serena is on top of the video game for so long now. You know, she's somebody we appreciate. I look forward to that difficulty. I've been playing some great tennis and it's going to be great test to see where I'm at." Ana Ivanovic is buoyant ahead of her fourth-round match with the world primary.


"Because I didn't practice much, I was not able to prepare for the next match. Today I was totally kaput." Poland's Jerzy Janowicz produces his best German to summarize a day in which he lost in straight sets to Florian Mayer while playing in sunglasses.


"I believe five centimetres saved my competition. If she struck it in, my entire group was on the method to the airport." Li Na on how Lucie Safarova was within a whisker of knocking her out on match point.


"I was a little bit sick and likewise my mind was not working. I just viewed the ball and simply hit it. I didn't know where I hit it." Li's compatriot Zheng Jie after her 6-2 6-4 defeat by Australia's Casey Dellacqua


"They are extremely unfortunate. Especially when you inform the style brand name that they have to make white, they resemble, 'Oh, OK, what can we do?' It's simply for ideally two weeks. Then they can go once again." Tomas Berdych on breaking it to his set sponsors that the blue-and-white striped number he's using in Melbourne won't clean at Wimbledon.


"I've always stated I take pleasure in playing in the heat, the conditions and things. But today wasn't an example of that." South African Kevin Andersen could have done without spending four hours coming back from two sets down to beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin.


"Some of the newspapers and TV stations called me after the match. They stated the whole of Bosnia didn't sleep this evening, that everyone was in front of their TV and they were so happy." Damir Dzumhur, the 21-year-old qualifier, who ended up being the very first Bosnian to reach the of a Grand Slam competition, after losing to Tomas Berdych.


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