There was a real feel-good factor at Australian Open 2025 in third round.
The 'first-time' feelings continued to bloom, whilst married duo Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils brought the romance. Here's what you may have missed…
'Next Gen' prodigies Learner Tien and Alex Michelsen also extended their stays Down Under.
There was a real feel-good factor at Australian Open 2025 in third round.
The 'first-time' feelings continued to bloom, whilst married duo Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils brought the romance. Here's what you may have missed…
“I want to say I got inspired after my husband’s win," said Elina Svitolina with a chuckle during her on-court interview on Saturday. The Ukrainian had just completed a "great day for us" as the couple pulled off back-to-back upsets of world No.4 opponents on MCA.
Svitolina flicked the switch in a 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 dismissal of Roland-Garros 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini. The former world No.3's return from maternity in the spring of 2023 has been mightily impressive, still producing big time results on the main stage with her fifth venture into the Australian Open Last 16. Svitolina version 2.0 is some player.
Husband Gael Monfils watched on from the stands just after his own astonishing comeback. The 38-year-old, a recent champion in Auckland, is competing with a sense of freedom and the Frenchman was dancing, laughing, pumping his chest - you name it - following a statement 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(1), 6-4 triumph over No.4 seed Taylor Fritz.
Monfils, into the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time since AO 2022, advances to meet Ben Shelton. Two supreme athletes, two sizzling shotmakers, what a prospect. Shelton reached the fourth round with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) victory over No.16 seed Lorenzo Musetti.
"I have a strong belief I can still do some damage," said a defiant Monfils, before joking, “I think I warmed up the court for her (Svitolina).”
He sure did. What a day for the tennis power couple, bringing smiles across Melbourne Park and worldwide.
Eva Lys keeps having to re-book her flights out of Australia.
The 23-year-old struck 34 winners past Jacqueline Cristan for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 scoreline, sinking to her knees as the first women's Lucky Loser to reach the Last 16 at the Australian Open since the tournament relocated to Melbourne Park in 1988.
“Definitely doesn't feel real for me right now, I don't know when the realisation will kick in," said Lys, who had only been past the first round of a major once at US Open 2023.
“It's definitely an insane story, how fast it happened, it's been just a couple of days. Those days have totally changed my life. I’m very, very happy… I feel like second week was always such a dream for me.”
Lys claims self-inflicted pressure was holding back her progress, but now the German must overcome world No.2 Iga Swiatek on Monday. The five-time major winner breezed to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Lys on Stuttgart clay in 2022.
"Definitely really excited to play her. She's an amazing player. I'm definitely waiting for matches like that. This is the reason why I play tennis," said Lys, already assured of a Top 100 debut post AO 2025. "I do think that you always have a chance going out. You never know what's going to happen in the match. I will just try to keep my streak going, try to keep my spirit going. I'm just going to go out and enjoy."
Serbian Olga Danilovic followed her countryman Novak Djokovic onto Rod Laver Arena on Friday night and channelled the 24-time major winner to navigate past world No.6 Jessica Pegula 7-6(3), 6-1.
In doing so, Danilovic replicated her RG 2024 run into the Last 16. Into the second week, the 23-year-old will duel with No.11 seed Paula Badosa.
Jack Draper and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina are leaving it all out there.
In yet another AO late show, Great Britain's Draper found his way through a third successive five-set tug of war 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6(5), 7-6[10-8] against green and gold hope Aleksandar Vukic.
Is the No.15 seed the new marathon man? "It's not something that I'm used to being called, to be honest," said Draper laughing. "Usually done after two sets, but I think it's a real testament to the work I've put in physically and the competitive side of things and the mental part as well. So very proud of my efforts so far."
Draper will need to re-fill the tank sharp for a clash with career Grand Slam chasing Carlos Alcaraz, who has been in imperious form at AO 2025.
Over to 'ADF' and the Spaniard bounced back from two sets down to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime and then 48 hours later saved two match points to claw past Czech teenage sensation Jakub Mensik 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-2.
“In all these years I had a lot of ups and downs. I had decided this year to fight every point," said the 25-year-old, who will play Tommy Paul for a quarter-finals spot on Sunday. "It doesn't matter how is the result. Don't look at the result.”
American hotshot Learner Tien backed up his miraculous match tie-break victory over three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev by outsmarting Corentin Moutet 7-6(10), 6-3, 6-3 to become the youngest man since a certain Rafael Nadal (18) at AO 2005 to hit the Last 16 Down Under. The 19-year-old qualifier has world No.55 Lorenzo Sonego next in his path.
In a similar fashion, Tien's fellow American Alex Michelsen continues to rip up the draw. On Saturday the 20-year-old, who has already conquered 2023 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas, blazed past No.19 seed Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6(5). 6-2 to book a primetime battle with Australia's leading light Alex de Minaur.
Tien and Michelsen have been close friends from their juniors days and started training together back in 2021.
"A lot of both here (talking and texting). We did pretty much every single day of off-season together. Really good to see the hard work is paying off. We put in a lot of hard yards," revealed world No.42 Michelsen.
"I stayed up pretty late watching his match against Medvedev the other night. He is paying unbelievable. Maybe I get like one per cent credit for that because I hit with him every day. Yeah, definitely my best friend on tour."
Plenty of major names have made it smooth sailing into the second week.
Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka booked a potentially pulsating Last 16 tussle with Mirra Andreeva courtesy of 7-6(5), 6-4 versus Denmark's Clara Tauson.
Swiatek remains in the hunt, swatting aside Emma Raducanu 6-1, 6-0, whilst No.3 seed Coco Gauff maintained her momentum 6-4, 6-2 over Leylah Fernandez. A free-hitting Belinda Bencic, back from maternity leave, could represent a dangerous prospect for Gauff on Sunday.
10-time champion Djokovic produced his most commanding performance so far with an entertaining, yet authoritative 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 route past Tomas Machac. Next up, another Czech young gun in the shape of Brisbane champion Jiri Lehecka.
World No.1 Jannik Sinner's title defence remains intact in emphatic fashion, gliding past Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. However, the explosive shotmaking of No.13 seed Holger Rune awaits.
The Dane won their two opening bouts, before Sinner claimed victory at the 2023 ATP Finals and 2024 Monte Carlo Masters – with both matches going the distance.
“He’s the defending champion, and I have nothing to lose," said Rune after going the distance against Miomir Kecmanovic. Get ready to rumble, this could be an electric contest.