Alcaraz dazzles in 100th Grand Slam match as Sabalenka grinds through to fourth round

MELBOURNE, Jan 23 : Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff took a rocky path to the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday but Carlos Alcaraz's road was paved with gold in his 100th Grand Slam match.

A day after 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka led a parade of yesterday's heroes into the third round, the TikTok generation had their moment in the Melbourne Park sun.

American 18-year-old Iva Jovic knocked out seventh seed Jasmine Paolini 6-2 7-6(3) while Canadian 19-year-old Victoria Mboko beat 14th seed Clara Tauson to book a last-16 blockbuster against twice-champion Sabalenka, a 7-6(4) 7-6(7) winner against Anastasia Potapova.

Alcaraz produced a highlight-reel 6-2 6-4 6-1 demolition of French drop-shot merchant Corentin Moutet before 21-year-old Gauff recovered from losing her first set of the tournament to overhaul fellow American Hailey Baptiste 3-6 6-0 6-3.

Chasing a first title at Melbourne Park, 22-year-old Alcaraz is bidding to become the youngest man to win all four majors and has appeared unstoppable in the first week.

In the second match at Rod Laver Arena, he won what might end up the rally of the tournament against the flamboyant Moutet, chasing down a lob with a tweener then threading a passing shot down the line.

The 32nd seed Moutet is no slouch but he was reduced to the fall guy in Alcaraz's magic show, becoming the 14th victim in the Spaniard's unbeaten run against lefthanders.

Despite the ease of the win, chasing down Moutet's drop shots became a chore, Alcaraz joked.

"I thought we were in a drop-shot competition - but definitely he won," he said.

TIEBREAK TYRANT

Sabalenka is favourite to win the women's title but had a torrid time at Rod Laver Arena against Russia-born world number 55 Potapova, who represented her