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Images from Day 7 of the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
Swiatek storms into fourth round
Second seed Iga Swiatek charged into the fourth round of the Australian Open with a 6-1, 6-0 humbling of Emma Raducanu in a meeting of former US Open champions at a sunny Melbourne Park on Saturday.
Polish number one Swiatek targeted Raducanu's backhand and feasted on the Briton's second serve to win the last 11 games of the contest and reach the last 16 in Melbourne for the fifth time in just 70 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
"I just enjoyed playing, I played a few shots where I thought 'yeah, this is what I practised for'," the 23-year-old said after improving her career record against Raducanu to 4-0.
"I felt really confident so at the end I could push more and converting all those break points was really important for me."
Swiatek converted five of the 12 break points she earned but faced none on her own serve from the hapless Raducanu, who has endured a string of injuries since capturing her only major at Flushing Meadows in 2021.
The world number 61 managed to hold serve at the first attempt but Swiatek was soon scurrying around the court finding the lines with her winners and showcasing her incredible consistency.
The five-times Grand Slam champion, whose best performance in Melbourne was a run to the semi-finals in 2022, has yet to drop a set this year on her way to the fourth round, where she will play lucky loser Eva Lys or Jaqueline Cristian.
After a few days of cooler weather, temperatures started to rise on Saturday with projected highs of around 31 degrees Celsius (88F) over the weekend.
"For sure it helps," said Swiatek. "But on the other hand you also have to keep the control, so it's a mix.
"In tennis, the most important thing is adjusting ... I felt like it was going to be a challenge to adjust but obviously from the beginning I felt like I'm playing well, my hand is fast."
Vintage Monfils sends Fritz packing
French flair topped American firepower as Gael Monfils turned back the clock to dump fourth seed Taylor Fritz out of the Australian Open and book a place in the last 16.
At 38, Monfils is enjoying a late-career flourish and Fritz felt the full brunt of it as the Frenchman rallied from a set down to claim a thrilling 3-6 7-5 7-6(1) 6-4 win in the afternoon sunshine at Margaret Court Arena.
Soaking up punishment from Fritz with a stonewall defence, Monfils dismantled the American with tennis IQ and danced a jig after sealing the win with an ace down the 'T'.
Monfils will play the winner of American Ben Shelton and Italy's Lorenzo Musetti.
Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina joined Swiatek in the last 16 with a 6-3 6-4 win over Dayana Yastremska, but only after receiving treatment on her back.
Rybakina fights through injury
Rybakina needed seven match points to close out her win over Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska, who reached the semi-finals as a qualifier last year.
Sixth seed Rybakina was clearly hampered by injury for much of the contest on John Cain Arena.
"I knew I was not going to be able stay long in the rallies so I had to be aggressive and I'm happy I was able to get it done," she said.
"I'll see my physio and he will do some magic."
American Alex Michelsen was also an early winner on day seven of the championships, racing past 2023 semi-finalist Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-2 on John Cain Arena.
The 20-year-old Michelsen, who rallied from 3-0 down in the second set, joined compatriot Tommy Paul in the fourth round with four more Americans playing third-round ties on Saturday.
Navarro joined the American charge with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win over Tunisian Ons Jabeur in a topsy-turvy match on Margaret Court Arena.
Next up for Navarro is Russian Kasatkina, who downed Kazakh Yulia Putintseva 7-5, 6-1 on Kia Arena to reach the second week for the first time on her 10th trip to Melbourne Park.
Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina joined Swiatek in the last 16 with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Dayana Yastremska, but only after receiving treatment on her back.
Rybakina needed seven match points to close out her 6-3 6-4 win over Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska, whe reached the semi-finals as a qualifier last year.
Sixth seed Rybakina was clearly hampered by injury for much of the contest on John Cain Arena.
"I knew I was not going to be able stay long in the rallies so I had to be aggressive and I'm happy I was able to get it done," she said.
"I'll see my physio and he will do some magic."
German Eva Lys became the first lucky loser to reach the women's fourth round since 1988 when she beat Romanian Jaqueline Cristian 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, her reward a date with Swiatek.
