Sinner faces Rune, Swiatek looks to end Lys' dream run at Australian Open

MELBOURNE : Jannik Sinner will face his trickiest test yet at the Australian Open when the defending champion battles Dane Holger Rune in the fourth round on Monday, while five-times Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek will be the heavy favourite against lucky loser Eva Lys.

Frenchman Gael Monfils will look to eliminate another American after shocking U.S. Open runner-up Taylor Fritz when the 38-year-old meets 21st seed Ben Shelton, who is 16 years his junior.

Home favourite Alex de Minaur is also in action against American Alex Michelsen while Learner Tien, the youngest man to reach the round of 16 at Melbourne Park since Rafa Nadal, faces Italian Lorenzo Sonego.

TOP MEN'S MATCH: SINNER V RUNE

Italian Sinner is tied at 2-2 in head-to-head meetings with Rune but has won their last two meetings.

The top seed, who is making his fourth appearance in the round of 16 at Melbourne Park, was not at his fluent best in beating unseeded American Marcos Giron in the previous round and the 23-year-old knows he will have to be better against Rune.

"We always had tough matches in the past. He is someone who can raise the level very, very high," Sinner told reporters.

Rune had to dig deep to overcome unseeded Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic in the third round and knows must be close to perfect if he is to get past the world number one and book his place in the quarters at Melbourne Park for the first time.

TOP WOMEN'S MATCH: SWIATEK V LYS

Second seed Swiatek is on the hunt for a sixth Grand Slam title but it is a free swing for German Lys.

A late tournament addition following the withdrawal of Anna Kalinskaya, Kyiv-born Lys is the first lucky loser to book a place in the women's last 16 at Melbourne Park.

Her fellow 23-year-old Swiatek has yet to drop a set