Alcaraz, Sabalenka Target Quarter-Finals at Australian Open
25 Jan 2026 7:43 AM IST25 Jan 2026 7:43 AM IST
After brutal heat disrupted play on Saturday, temperatures are set to ease from 40C to a more manageable 23C at Melbourne Park
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain plays a forehand return to Tommy Paul of the U.S.during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
MELBOURNE: A flurry of bumper last-16 clashes kicks off week two of the Australian Open with Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka among the top stars bidding to secure quarter-final berths on Sunday.
After brutal heat disrupted play on Saturday, temperatures are set to ease from 40C to a more manageable 23C at Melbourne Park as the business end of the tournament gets started.
Belarusian top seed Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, opens the day on Rod Laver Arena in a mouth-watering clash with fearless rising star Victoria Mboko.
The 19-year-old Canadian came through a gripping three-set battle with Danish 14th seed Clara Tauson to make the last 16 on her Australian Open debut.
But playing the world number one on centre court will be a different beast.
"I'm just really excited. It's something not many people get to experience. To be doing that on Sunday is, I think, really cool. Just to show what I got," said Mboko.
Sabalenka was given a thorough examination by Anastasia Potapova in her last match, taken to two tie-breaks while admitting she was "emotionally all over the place".
"I have to go out there, I have to bring my best tennis and fight for every point. That's my approach," she said of facing Mboko.
The winner will meet another teenager in American Iva Jovic or Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva in the last eight with the pair playing an afternoon match on John Cain Arena.
Third seed Coco Gauff faces Czech 19th seed Karolina Munchova while Ukraine's Elina Svitolina takes on 18-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva in the other women's round four matches.
The winners will face each other in the quarter-finals.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz follows Sabalenka on to centre court to take on American journeyman Tommy Paul after warning he was getting "better and better".
Alcaraz has never gone past the last eight in his four previous trips to Melbourne Park, with the Australian Open the only Grand Slam missing from his burgeoning collection.
Should he get past Paul, either sixth-seeded home hope Alex De Minaur or Kazkahstan's 10th seed Alexander Bublik will be waiting for him.
They headline the night session on Rod Laver Arena.
Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev survived a five-set fright in round three and could face another marathon against up-and-coming American Learner Tien.
Tien and former number one Medvedev met three times last year, with the younger man winning twice, including a five-setter in the second round of the Australian Open.
"Will try to do my best to maybe surprise him somewhere," said Medvedev, from Russia.
Whoever comes out on top will face third seed Alexander Zverev of Germany or the unheralded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina.
( Source : AFP )
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