Australian Open 2026: Novak Djokovic Into Round Four
Novak Djokovic continued his excellent development at the Australian Open with a straight-sets win over Denis Istomin.
The Serb, who has 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 obstacle 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 a concern for players, with the temperature level reaching a high of 41.4 C a day after matches were suspended on Thursday since 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 appeared to be battling with the heat, though she still showed too strong for Hantuchova.
The world top raced into a 5-3 lead however needed to save two break points to hold serve before clinching the very first set.
Williams, who has yet to drop a set in the tournament, broke early in the second but her challenger remained in fighting mood and reacted to level at 3-3.
Hantuchova's hopes were short-term, nevertheless, as Williams took the initiative in the Slovakian's next service video game and served out for the success, sealing it with an effective forehand winner on her 4th match point.
"It was a hard match," stated Williams. "Daniela is an excellent challenger so I'm really pleased to come out with the win. It was hot but you have to play, you have to be prepared and prepare yourself mentally. I'm thrilled to survive."
Serena and sister Venus Williams later on withdrew from the doubles quickly before their first-round match due to the fact that 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 consecutive time as he relieved previous Chardy.
After the Spaniard won the opening set in straightforward style, Chardy set up a more powerful obstacle in the second however was unable to transform any of his 5 set points, enabling Ferrer to take it on a tie-break.
That proved the decisive moment in the match, as Ferrer finished the victory to establish a conference with Germany's Florian Mayer for a in the quarter-finals.
"The secret was when I won the second set," Ferrer stated. "At 4-3 in the second 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 best 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 preferred Stosur edged a thrilling first set after rain stopped play with when she was 8-7 up in the tie-break.
Former world top Ivanovic, 26, broke serve as soon as in the 2nd set and two times in the decider as she finished up triumph with a basic volley into an open court.
"It was a match of the highest quality. She is an extremely difficult opponent and I simply hung in there," stated Ivanovic, who reached the Australian Open last in 2008.
"Winning in Auckland provided me a lot of self-confidence and I'm looking forward to the difficulty of playing Serena."
Djokovic (Ser) [2] beat Istomin (Uzb) 6-3 6-3 7-5
Four-time champion Djokovic eased securely into round four with an uncomplicated success over Uzbekistan's Istomin.
The Serb, whose last defeat in this tournament came in the 2010 quarter-finals, broke in the 3rd and ninth games to cover up the very first set and another break proved definitive in the fourth game of the 2nd set.
Djokovic looked set to clinch triumph 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 give Istomin a lifeline.
However, the 2nd seed instantly broke back and made no error 2nd time around in serving out the match.
"I needed to have very fast footwork and an accurate first service, as high a percentage as possible, using every opportunity to take control over the rally," he stated. "I've done actually 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 avoided becoming the highest-ranked casualty of the first week in a contest enduring two hours and 37 minutes.
Safarova, who has never beaten a top-10 challenger in a WTA Tour occasion, served for triumph in the ninth game of the 2nd set and held a match point in the 12th but Li hung on before controling the tie-break to require a decider.
The 3rd set was delicately poised till Li broke the Czech in the eighth game, and Safarova had no answer.
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', however the biggest noise around Melbourne Park on Friday originated from an unexpected love affair between Australia and Canada.
Genie Bouchard, the increasing star and 30th seed, is through to the 4th round of a Grand Slam for the very first time and on course for a quarter-final with Serena Williams.
And the 19-year-old has been vociferously supported throughout by a group of Australian students, 'Genie's Army', who have actually sung a brochure of tunes about the Canadian and offered her gifts including a toy kangaroo after her first 2 wins.
"They showed up to my preliminary away on Court 15 with their t-shirts," Bouchard told BBC Sport.
"They're really into it and helpful and it's terrific to see I have 'extremely fans' in Australia. They create a huge environment on the court and it's enjoyable to play when they exist."
Quotes of the day
"I inform you this: I'm not equipped to respond to that question. I'm going to leave it alone." Serena Williams is asked for her thoughts on the tournament doctor's suggestion that guy "progressed on the high plains of Africa chasing after antelope".
"Serena is on top of the game for so long now. You understand, she's someone we appreciate. I eagerly anticipate that challenge. I have actually been playing some great tennis and it's going to be great test to see where I'm at." Ana Ivanovic is resilient ahead of her fourth-round match with the world number one.
"Because I didn't practice much, I was not able to get all set for the next match. Today I was entirely 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 think 5 centimetres saved my competition. If she hit it in, my entire team was on the way to the airport." Li Na on how Lucie Safarova was within a hair of knocking her out on match point.
"I was a little bit sick and also my mind was not working. I just enjoyed the ball and simply hit it. I didn't understand where I struck it." Li's compatriot Zheng Jie after her 6-2 6-4 defeat by Australia's Casey Dellacqua
"They are very sad. Especially when you inform the fashion brand name that they have to make white, they are like, 'Oh, OK, what can we do?' It's just for ideally 2 weeks. Then they can go again." Tomas Berdych on breaking it to his kit sponsors that the blue-and-white striped number he's using in Melbourne will not wash at Wimbledon.
"I've constantly said I delight in playing in the heat, the conditions and things. But today wasn't an example of that." South African Kevin Andersen might have done without spending 4 hours returning from two sets down to beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
"Some of the newspapers and TV stations called me after the match. They said the entire of Bosnia didn't sleep tonight, that everybody remained in front of their TV and they were so happy." Damir Dzumhur, the 21-year-old qualifier, who became the very first Bosnian to reach the primary draw of a Grand Slam tournament, after losing to Tomas Berdych.
Players 'require clear heat guidelines'
17 January 2014
Murray powers into fourth round
18 January 2014
Tennis medic defends heat policy
In photos: Melbourne melts in 43C heat
Sharapova wins amid severe heat
16 January 2014
I feared I might pass away in heat - Dodig
15 January 2014
World Tour Finals on BBC TV, radio and online
8 November 2016
Singles and doubles draws
30 May 2013
Order of play - who plays when?
9 November 2016
How to enter tennis
17 June 2019
Tennis on the BBC
BBC tennis on iPlayer
Australian Open
ATP World Tour
WTA
ITF
LTA
allplay tennis scheme