The Latest on the Australian Open (all times local):
4:10 p.m.
Aslan Karatsev has beaten Felix Auger-Aliassime to become the first man since 1996 to reach the quarterfinals on his Grand Slam debut.
The 27-year-old Russian qualifier dropped the first two sets but lifted his level and cut down his error-rate to beat the 20th-seeded Auger-Aliassime 3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
Not since Alex Radulescu at Wimbledon in 1996 has a player on debut reached the men’s quarterfinals at a Slam. He’s the first qualifier since Bernard Tomic at Wimbledon in 2011 to reach the last eight at a major.
The No. 114-ranked Karatsev said it took him two sets “to find a way how” to break down Auger-Aliassime’s game.
He’ll play either U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem or Grigor Dimitrov next and he says he doesnt’ have a preference.
He said: “I’ll be ready for anyone.”
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3:45 p.m.
Serena Williams has returned to the Australian Open quarterfinals by getting past No. 7 seed Aryna Sabalenka in three sets.
The 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory put Williams one step closer to her record-tying 24th Grand Slam title overall and eighth championship at Melbourne Park.
Her most recent major trophy came at the Australian Open in 2017.
This was Williams’ 62nd fourth-round match at a major tournament — and Sabalenka’s second.
They played a similar brand of powerful tennis but Williams was barely better, stealing the last two games after what had been a 4-1 lead in the final set evaporated.
The 39-year-old American next faces either Simona Halep or Iga Swiatek.
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3:05 p.m.
Serena Williams has been pushed to a third set by No. 7 seed Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open with a quarterfinal berth on the line.
Williams took the opening set 6-4, but Sabalenka broke serve three times in a row in the second to grab it by a 6-2 score.
Williams is trying to get closer to her 24th Grand Slam singles title and eighth at Melbourne Park.
Sabalenka has never made it past the fourth round at a major tournament.
The winner will face either Simona Halep or Iga Swiatek.
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1:10 p.m.
Naomi Osaka fought off two match points and came back to eliminate Garbiñe Muguruza in a big-hitting fourth-round matchup of Grand Slam champions at the Australian Open.
The third-seeded Osaka grabbed the last four games to win 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in Rod Laver Arena.