Czech wonderkid Fruhvirtova powers in fourth round

Czech teenager Linda Fruhvirtova continued her breakthrough grand slam by defeating countrywoman Marketa Vondrousova to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open. The 17-year-old is currently heading a crop of young Czech women who are expected to make a big impression over the next decade or so.

Her 15-year-old sister Brenda, who qualified for the main draw here, is also among them along with 18-year-old Linda Noskova and 16-year-old Sara Bejlek. Linda Fruhvirtova is already a top-100 player having won her first WTA Tour title in Chennai in September, and showed her all-court talents and love of the big stage in a 7-5 2-6 6-3 victory over former French Open finalist Vondrousova.

Both women struggled physically in the final set, with Fruhvirtova taking a medical time-out for what appeared to be a groin problem, but it was Vondrousova who was the more compromised and the teenager reeled off the last five games. She has a good chance to go further, with her fourth-round opponent a fellow unseeded player, albeit a much more experienced one in Croatian Donna Vekic.

There will be a heavyweight contest between fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka and 12th seed Belinda Bencic, who came into the fortnight as two of the form players. Sabalenka, finally over the serving struggles that saw her hit 56 double faults in four matches here last year, is yet to lose a set this year and eased to a 6-2 6-3 win over 26th seed Elise Mertens.

The Belarusian is normally one of the most demonstrative players on court but has made a vow to be more boring to keep herself focused and calm. "I think like there were a few moments when I was about to throw my racket or scream something, and because I held myself really strong in those moments, I feel like