THREE former Australian Open winners are out of the women’s draw on a day that wrecked absolute havoc on the top seeds in the competition.

While world number one, Ash Barty strolled through to the Round of 16 in her best performance yet, her 6-3 6-2 win over Elena Rybakina showed just how much the Kazakhstan 20-year-old had improved, and could improve in the future. Barty faces 18th seed American, Alison Riske in the Round of 16 after Riske defeated her German doubles partner, Julia Goerges. The American won 1-6 7-6 6-2, coming agonisingly close to being sent out in straight sets by the German, but instead turned it around to win the tiebreaker 7-4, then run away with it 6-2 in the final set. Her serving left a lot to be desired with 10 double faults and a 60 per cent efficiency, though it was higher than her opponents’ 51 per cent. She did capitalise on it when her serve went in, winning 71 per cent of her points on her first serve, while hitting 17 winners. Goerges had 42 winners but 45 unforced errors, and faded away late in the game.

In the other fourth round match of that quarter, seventh seed Petra Kvitova will take on 22nd seed, Maria Sakkari. Both players recorded straight sets wins, with Kvitova ending 25th seed Russian, Ekaterina Alexandrova’s unbeaten run in 2020 with a 6-1 6-2 thrashing to announce her title hopes. The match lasted just 58 minutes on Margaret Court Arena as the Czech won 84 per cent of her first serve points and 56 per cent of her second serve points. By comparison, her opponent won just 63 and 25 per cent respectively, and served five double faults in the process. Kvitova showed little mercy with 18 winners and only 10 unforced errors in the clash, while Alexandrova ended the game with 12 and 24 respectively. Four breaks to none and a 43 per cent success rate on receiving games, and it was just about the complete game from the Czech seed.

Sakkari did not have it quite as easy, causing an upset in the third round with her 6-4 6-4 victory over 10th seed, Madison Keys. The American was highly touted coming into the event and was considered one of the outside chances, but it was the up-and-coming Greek star who took the chocolates in an hour and 15 minutes. Sakkari did not serve an ace for the match and had a lower first serve winning percentage, but the difference was in her second serve success, with a 65 per cent winning record compared to Keys’ meagre 29 per cent. With nine winners but only 21 unforced errors, Sakkari played conservatively, while her opponent hit 17 winners but 40 unforced errors, including nine directly off the return. While Keys did break twice, Sakkari doubled that with four breaks from 10 opportunities to win a place in the Round of 16.

[1] A. Barty (AUS) defeated [29] E. Rybakina (KAZ) 6-3 6-2
[18] A. Riske (USA) defeated J. Goerges (GER) 1-6 7-6 6-2

[22] M. Sakkari (GRE) defeated [10] M. Keys (USA) 6-4 6-4

[7] P. Kvitova (CZE) defeated [25] E. Alexandrova (RUS) 6-1 6-2

In the upset of the day, 27th seed Wang Qiang downed 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in an amazing three-set victory for the ages. In a strange turn of events, she will face Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur who also defeated a Grand Slam winner at Melbourne Park, downing Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki in her last professional tennis match. Jabeur won 7-5 3-6 7-5 in two hours and seven minutes, hitting six aces and winning 73 per cent of her first serve points. During the match she overpowered Wozniacki, who managed just the nine winners, while the Tunisian winner recorded a massive 43 herself, though with 60 unforced errors. It was not the cleanest tennis going around, but Jabeur broke five times to four and won 74 per cent of her points at the net to book a spot in the Round of 16.

As if not to be outdone by Qiang, Coco Gauff decided to throw another spanner in the works of this quarter of the draw, downing reigning champion and third seed, Naomi Osaka in straight sets. The 15-year-old sensation won 6-3 6-4 in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena to break the draw wide open. She needed just an hour and seven minutes to defeat the Japanese star, winning 76 and 64 per cent of her first and second serves, though her first srve was particularly damaging. Osaka was dominant at the net and had more aces and winers, but also more unforced errors as Gauff played some inspired tennis, particularly off the backhand. In a moment to savour, the American young gun was overcome after match points, shocked that she was able to win after losing here first round in juniors two years ago. She now is into the last 16 in a remarkable rise to fame over the past 12 months.

The teenager now faces compatriot, Sofia Kenin after the 14th seed defeated Zhang Shuai in two tight sets. Kenin won 7-5 7-6 in two hours and two minutes with both players trading set points in the second set tiebreaker. In the end, it was Kenin who got up, coming from 7-6 down to win the last three points of the match and book a spot in the Round of 16. Both players were evenly poised with Kenin marginally ahead in winners (34-30) but Shuai having less unforced errors (30-33). Both players had chances to break with Kenin one more than her opponent with four for the match. She also recorded a 75 per cent first serve efficiency and was stronger on her second serve, winning 64 per cent of those points compared to Shuai’s 46 per cent.

C. Gauff (USA) defeated [3] N. Osaka (JPN) 6-3 6-4
[14] S. Kenin (USA) defeated S. Zhang (CHN) 7-5 7-6
O. Jabeur (TUN) defeated C. Wozniacki (DEN) 7-5 3-6 7-5
[27] Q. Wang (CHN) defeated [8] S. Williams (USA) 6-4 6-7 7-5