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 past 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 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 champ Williams was not at her finest and appeared to be fighting with the heat, though she still proved too strong for Hantuchova.


The world top raced into a 5-3 lead however needed to save two break indicate hold serve before clinching the very first set.


Williams, who has yet to drop a set in the competition, broke early in the 2nd however her opponent remained in fighting mood and reacted to level at 3-3.


Hantuchova's hopes were short-term, however, as Williams seized the initiative in the Slovakian's next service game and served out for the success, sealing it with a powerful forehand winner on her 4th match point.


"It was a hard match," stated Williams. "Daniela is a fantastic challenger so I'm actually pleased to come out with the win. It was hot but you have to play, you have to be all set and prepare yourself psychologically. I'm delighted to get through."


Serena and sister Venus Williams later on withdrew from the doubles quickly before their first-round match because 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 4th round of a Grand Slam for the 15th successive time as he reduced past Chardy.


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


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


"The secret was when I won the 2nd set," Ferrer stated. "At 4-3 in the second set I made a lot of mistakes. I had actually set points down and after winning the second set I played more unwinded. 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 initially set after rain stopped play with when she was 8-7 up in the tie-break.


Former world number one Ivanovic, 26, broke serve when in the 2nd set and two times in the decider as she wrapped up success with an easy volley into an open court.


"It was a match of the highest quality. She is a really difficult opponent and I simply hung in there," said Ivanovic, who reached the Australian Open final in 2008.


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


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


Four-time champion Djokovic relieved safely into round four with an uncomplicated victory over Uzbekistan's Istomin.


The Serb, whose last defeat in this competition was available in the 2010 quarter-finals, broke in the third and ninth video games to finish up the first set and another break showed decisive in the fourth video game of the 2nd 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 give Istomin a lifeline.


However, the second seed instantly broke back and made no error second time around in serving out the match.


"I needed to have extremely fast footwork and an exact very first service, as high a portion as possible, utilizing every opportunity to take control over the rally," he said. "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, endured a Safarova match point as she directly avoided ending up being the highest-ranked casualty of the very first week in a contest long lasting two hours and 37 minutes.


Safarova, who has actually never ever beaten a top-10 opponent in a WTA Tour event, served for triumph in the ninth video game of the second set and held a match point in the 12th but Li held on before controling 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 biggest noise around Melbourne Park on Friday came from an unanticipated love affair between Australia and Canada.


Genie Bouchard, the increasing star and 30th seed, is through to the fourth 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 trainees, 'Genie's Army', who have sung a catalogue of tunes about the Canadian and provided her presents including a toy kangaroo after her first two wins.


"They appeared to my very first round away on Court 15 with their tee shirts," Bouchard informed BBC Sport.


"They're really into it and helpful and it's excellent to see I have 'incredibly fans' in Australia. They produce a big environment on the court and it's enjoyable 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 for her ideas on the tournament medical professional's suggestion that guy "developed on the high plains of Africa chasing antelope".


"Serena is on top of the video game for so long now. You know, she's someone we admire. I look forward to that obstacle. I have actually been playing some excellent tennis and it's going to be good 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 practise much, I was unable to prepare yourself for the next match. Today I was entirely kaput." Poland's Jerzy Janowicz produces his finest German to summarize a day in which he lost in straight sets to Florian Mayer while playing in sunglasses.


"I believe five centimetres conserved my competition. If she hit it in, my entire team 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 bit ill and likewise my mind was not working. I just viewed the ball and simply hit it. I didn't know where I struck it." Li's compatriot Zheng Jie after her 6-2 6-4 defeat by Australia's Casey Dellacqua


"They are extremely sad. Especially when you inform the style brand that they have to make white, they resemble, 'Oh, OK, what can we do?' It's just for ideally 2 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 wearing in Melbourne will not clean at Wimbledon.


"I have actually 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 investing four hours returning from 2 sets down to beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin.


"A few of the papers and TV stations called me after the match. They stated the entire of Bosnia didn't sleep tonight, that everybody 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 main draw of a Grand Slam competition, after losing to Tomas Berdych.


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