MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Barbora Krejcikova has become the first player to advance to the fourth round at the Australian Open this year after a 6-2, 6-3 win over Anhelina Kalinina to open play Friday at Rod Laver Arena.
The 20th-seeded Czech player won the first five games of the match and dominated her Ukrainian opponent. Krejcikova has not dropped a set in three matches.
“I was happy that I was able to put all of them under my belt, there were some close games,” the 2021 French Open champion said of her early lead. “From there I tried to stay aggressive.”
Later on the fifth day, third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas will have added motivation to advance and No. 1 Iga Swiatek and two leading American women are also in action.
Tsitsipas is the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw following the exits of top-seeded and defending champion Rafael Nadal and No. 2 Casper Ruud.
The 24-year-old Tsitsipas, a three-time Australian Open semifinalist and 2021 French Open runner-up to Novak Djokovic, takes on Tallon Griekspoor for the first time in the next match on Rod Laver.
Swiatek is playing Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa while Americans Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff are favored to advance past Marta Kostyuk and Bernarda Pera, respectively.
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