Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka have been in ominous type forward of the Australian Open as each powered into the Brisbane Worldwide quarter-finals on Thursday. On a day when rising stars Mirra Andreeva and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard underlined their potential, Djokovic cruised previous fellow veteran Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-3 in 72 minutes. Within the girls’s draw, world primary Sabalenka — who’s aiming to win the Australian Open for the third time in a row — beat Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.
Djokovic and Monfils performed an entertaining match, however the 37-year-old Serb was at all times in management as he notched his twentieth straight win over the Frenchman.
Former world primary Djokovic performs large American Reilly Opelka within the final eight.
“We have been enjoying a very long time, I’ve recognized Gael since I used to be 15 and he was 16,” mentioned Djokovic, who’s pursuing a file twenty fifth Grand Slam singles title when the Australian Open begins on January 12.
“I’ve had a great rating towards him through the years however we have had some unbelievable battles on totally different surfaces.
“Hopefully we will play some extra earlier than we each retire.”
The 17-year-old Russian Andreeva demolished Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-0 within the girls’s draw whereas Mpetshi Perricard downed fourth-seeded American Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) to achieve the quarter-finals.
A yr after dropping to the identical participant on the season-opening occasion, Andreeva displayed her enchancment over 2024 with a 63-minute romp over the Czech Republic’s Noskova.
{The teenager} faces Ons Jabeur of Tunisia subsequent.
“Final yr she (Noskova) nearly killed me within the quarter-finals so I used to be pondering it is time to take my revenge,” Andreeva mentioned.
The Russian began the yr ranked sixteenth on this planet and is tipped by many to problem for a Grand Slam in 2025.
“My primary objective for the 2025 season is to crack the highest 10,” mentioned Andreeva, who’s coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez.
The towering Mpetshi Perricard, 21, who beat Australian Nick Kyrgios in an entertaining round-one conflict, once more served fantastically to defeat US Open semi-finalist Tiafoe.
After serving 36 aces in his three-set win over Kyrgios, the Frenchman despatched down one other 20 towards the extra skilled Tiafoe.
Mpetshi Perricard performs the 19-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik.
“It was a great match, not very simple to play towards Francis,” Mpetshi Perricard mentioned.
“The primary set was very tight on serve however I managed to place some strain on his second serve and it labored.”
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