Australian Open 2026: Novak Djokovic Into Round Four

Novak Djokovic continued his outstanding development at the Australian Open with a straight-sets win over Denis Istomin.


The Serb, who has actually won the past 3 titles in Melbourne, won 6-3 6-3 7-5 and plays Fabio Fognini in round 4.


Serena Williams won a tournament-record 61st singles match by beating Daniela Hantuchova 6-3 6-3 in round 3.


Ana Ivanovic, who Sam Stosur 6-7 (8-10) 6-4 6-2, is next for top seed Williams, while China's Li Na beat Lucie Safarova 1-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-3.


Third seed David Ferrer beat 29th seed Jeremy Chardy in straight sets and 15th-ranked Fognini saw off the difficulty of Sam Querrey 7-5 6-4 6-4.


Spain's Tommy Robredo, the number 17 seed, beat France's ninth seed Richard Gasquet 2-6 7-5 6-4 7-6 (8-6).


The conditions continued to be a concern for gamers, with the temperature reaching a high of 41.4 C a day after matches were suspended on Thursday due to the fact that of 43.3 C heat,


Rod Laver Arena


S Williams (US) [1] beat Hantuchova (Svk) [31] 6-3 6-3


Five-time champion Williams was not at her finest and appeared to be battling with the heat, though she still showed too strong for Hantuchova.


The world number one raced into a 5-3 lead but needed to save 2 break indicate hold serve before clinching the first set.


Williams, who has yet to drop a set in the tournament, broke early in the 2nd but her opponent was in battling mood and reacted to level at 3-3.


Hantuchova's hopes were short-term, however, as Williams took the effort in the Slovakian's next service game and served out for the triumph, sealing it with an effective forehand winner on her fourth match point.


"It was a hard match," stated Williams. "Daniela is a terrific opponent so I'm really pleased to come out with the win. It was hot but you need to play, you need to be all set and prepare yourself psychologically. I'm delighted to get through."


Serena and sister Venus Williams later withdrew from the doubles quickly before their first-round match due to the fact that of an injury to Venus's left leg.


Ferrer (Spa) (3] beat Chardy (Fra) [29] 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 6-2


Ferrer reached the 4th round of a Grand Slam for the 15th successive time as he reduced past Chardy.


After the Spaniard won the opening set in simple style, Chardy installed a stronger challenge in the second however was not able to transform any of his 5 set points, allowing Ferrer to take it on a tie-break.


That showed the definitive moment in the match, as Ferrer completed the success to establish a meeting with Germany's Florian Mayer for a location in the quarter-finals.


"The secret was when I won the 2nd set," Ferrer said. "At 4-3 in the 2nd set I made a great deal of mistakes. I had actually set points down and after winning the 2nd set I played more relaxed. Maybe it was my best match today."


Dellacqua (Aus) beat Zheng (Chn) 6-2 6-4


Ivanovic (Ser) [14] beat Stosur (Aus) [17] 6-7 (8-10) 6-4 6-2


Home favourite Stosur edged a thrilling first set after rain stopped have fun with when she was 8-7 up in the tie-break.


Former world primary Ivanovic, 26, broke serve when in the 2nd set and two times in the decider as she wrapped up victory with a simple volley into an open court.


"It was a match of the highest quality. She is an extremely tough opponent and I simply hung in there," said Ivanovic, who reached the Australian Open final in 2008.


"Winning in Auckland offered me a great deal of self-confidence and I'm eagerly anticipating the obstacle of playing Serena."


Djokovic (Ser) [2] beat Istomin (Uzb) 6-3 6-3 7-5


Four-time champion Djokovic eased safely into round four with a straightforward victory over Uzbekistan's Istomin.


The Serb, whose last defeat in this competition can be found in the 2010 quarter-finals, broke in the 3rd and ninth games to finish up the very first set and another break proved definitive in the fourth game of the second set.


Djokovic looked set to clinch success without dropping his serve, but while serving for the match at 5-4 up in the 3rd set, he double-faulted and hit a backhand into the internet to give Istomin a lifeline.


However, the 2nd seed instantly broke back and made no error 2nd time around in serving out the match.


"I needed to have very fast footwork and an accurate very first service, as high a percentage as possible, utilizing every chance to take control over the rally," he said. "I have actually done truly well."


Hisense Arena


Li (Chn) [4] beat Safarova (Cze) [26] 1-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-3


Fourth seed Li, runner-up in 2011 and 2013, made it through a Safarova match point as she narrowly avoided ending up being the highest-ranked casualty of the first week in a contest lasting 2 hours and 37 minutes.


Safarova, who has never beaten a top-10 challenger in a WTA Tour occasion, served for triumph in the ninth video game of the 2nd set and held a match point in the 12th however Li hung on before controling the tie-break to require a decider.


The 3rd set was delicately poised till Li broke the Czech in the 8th game, and Safarova had no answer.


Kerber (Ger) [9] beat Riske (US) 6-3 6-4


Berdych (Cze) [7] beat Dzumhur (Bih) 6-4 6-2 6-2


Robredo (Spa) [17] beat Gasquet (Fra) [9] 2-6 7-5 6-4 7-6 (8-6)


Margaret Court Arena


Pennetta (Ita) [28] beat Barthel (Ger) 6-1 7-5


Anderson (SA) [19] beat R-Vasselin (Fra) 3-6 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 7-5


Fognini (Ita) [15] beat Querrey (US) 7-5 6-4 6-4


Genie's army


Lleyton Hewitt has his 'Fanatics' and Bernie Tomic has 'Tomic's Kittens', however the most significant noise around Melbourne Park on Friday came from an unforeseen love affair between Australia and Canada.


Genie Bouchard, the rising star and 30th seed, is through to the 4th round of a Grand Slam for the very first time and on course for a quarter-final with Serena Williams.


And the 19-year-old has been vociferously supported throughout by a group of Australian students, 'Genie's Army', who have sung a catalogue of tunes about the Canadian and provided her presents including a toy kangaroo after her first two wins.


"They appeared to my preliminary away on Court 15 with their t-shirts," Bouchard told BBC Sport.


"They're actually into it and helpful and it's fantastic to see I have 'incredibly fans' in Australia. They develop a huge environment on the court and it's fun to play when they're there."


Quotes of the day


"I inform you this: I'm not equipped to answer that concern. I'm going to leave it alone." Serena Williams is requested her thoughts on the tournament medical professional's suggestion that male "developed on the high plains of Africa chasing antelope".


"Serena is on top of the game for so long now. You understand, she's someone we admire. I eagerly anticipate that obstacle. I've been playing some great tennis and it's going to be great test to see where I'm at." Ana Ivanovic is resilient ahead of her fourth-round match with the world primary.


"Because I didn't practice much, I was not able to prepare for the next match. Today I was totally kaput." Poland's Jerzy Janowicz produces his best German to sum up a day in which he lost in straight sets to Florian Mayer while playing in sunglasses.


"I think 5 centimetres conserved my competition. If she hit it in, my entire team was on the way to the airport." Li Na on how Lucie Safarova was within a hair of knocking her out on match point.


"I was a little bit sick and also my mind was not working. I simply watched the ball and simply hit it. I didn't understand where I struck it." Li's compatriot Zheng Jie after her 6-2 6-4 defeat by Australia's Casey Dellacqua


"They are very sad. Especially when you inform the fashion brand name that they need to make white, they are like, 'Oh, OK, what can we do?' It's simply for ideally 2 weeks. Then they can go once again." Tomas Berdych on breaking it to his package sponsors that the blue-and-white striped number he's using in Melbourne won't wash at Wimbledon.


"I've always stated I delight in playing in the heat, the conditions and stuff. But today wasn't an example of that." South African Kevin Andersen could have done without investing four hours returning from 2 sets down to beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin.


"A few of the papers and TV stations called me after the match. They said the entire of Bosnia didn't sleep tonight, that everybody was in front of their TV and they were so happy." Damir Dzumhur, the 21-year-old qualifier, who ended up being the first Bosnian to reach the main draw of a Grand Slam competition, after losing to Tomas Berdych.


Players 'need clear heat guidelines'


17 January 2014


Murray powers into 4th round


18 January 2014


Tennis medic protects heat policy


In photos: Melbourne melts in 43C heat


Sharapova wins in the middle of extreme heat


16 January 2014


I feared I may die in heat - Dodig


15 January 2014


World Tour Finals on BBC TV, radio and online


8 November 2016


Singles and doubles draws


30 May 2013


Order of play - who plays when?


9 November 2016


How to enter tennis


17 June 2019


Tennis on the BBC


BBC tennis on iPlayer


Australian Open


ATP World Tour


WTA


ITF


LTA


allplay tennis plan