Victoria Azarenka exhibited her tennis prowess with an outstanding performance, securing her spot in the fourth round of the Australian Open. The two-time AO champion, aged 34, clinched a commanding 6-1, 7-5 victory over the 11th seed Jelena Ostapenko at Margaret Court Arena.
Azarenka's resilience came to the forefront as she unleashed 11 aces, crucially saving break points while serving for the match. Notably, the Belarusian minimized her unforced errors to 17, a pivotal factor in her triumph compared to her opponent's 30.
Her comeback from a 2-5 deficit in the second set underscored Azarenka's determination, securing the win in a swift 1 hour and 23 minutes. This win extended Azarenka's undefeated record against Ostapenko to 4-0, setting the stage for an intriguing journey in the tournament. Azarenka's upcoming challenge will be against qualifier Dayana Yastremska, who made headlines by upsetting 27th seed Emma Navarro, advancing to the round of 16 for the first time in her promising career.
In the men's draw, 20-year-old sensation Carlos Alcaraz etched his name in history at Rod Laver Arena. Facing a younger opponent for the first time in 294 matches, Alcaraz delivered a spectacular performance against teenage wildcard Jerry Shang, who unfortunately had to withdraw 66 minutes into their encounter due to a right leg injury.
Alcaraz's triumph not only marked his debut in the Australian Open's second week but also secured his place in the record books. Despite missing AO 2023 due to injury, he now holds the distinction of being the youngest player in the open era to advance to the fourth round in seven consecutive Grand Slam appearances, surpassing the legendary Bjorn Borg's record.
(With Agency Inputs)
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