Argentine Francisco Cerundolo delivered a strong performance to knock out Russian Andrey Rublev in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday, getting a 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 victory in just over two hours. The 18th-seeded Cerundolo dominated from the baseline, breaking Rublev early in the first set and holding firm through a tense tiebreaker in the second. This marks Cerundolo’s first trip to the fourth round in Melbourne, where he will face third seed Alexander Zverev next.
Cerundolo came into the match with confidence, holding a 3-1 head-to-head edge over the 13th-seeded Rublev. He converted three of his five break points while saving all four he faced, showcasing steady play under pressure. Rublev, known for his powerful groundstrokes, struggled to find rhythm and committed 32 unforced errors compared to Cerundolo’s 18. The Argentine sealed the win with a forehand winner on match point, celebrating with a fist pump toward his team.
This result stands out as one of the day’s bigger surprises, given Rublev’s experience in deep Grand Slam runs. Cerundolo, ranked 21st in the world, has shown growth this season, and this win pushes him further in a tournament where he previously reached only the third round.
The day’s action at Melbourne Park saw several top players advance amid challenging conditions, with temperatures hovering around 27 degrees Celsius. World number one Carlos Alcaraz cruised past Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 in under two hours. The Spaniard, seeking his first Australian Open title, broke Moutet five times and won 85 percent of his first-serve points, setting up a fourth-round clash with American Tommy Paul.
Paul, the 19th seed, benefited from Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s retirement after two sets, winning 6-1, 6-1. The Spaniard cited an injury, ending his run early.
Eleventh seed Daniil Medvedev staged a remarkable comeback against Hungarian Fabian Marozsan, rallying from two sets down to win 6-7(5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-0, 6-3. Medvedev turned the match around by improving his return game, winning the final three sets convincingly after trailing 2-0 in the third. This keeps the former champion in contention for another deep run.
Home favorite Alex de Minaur thrilled the crowd with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 win over American Frances Tiafoe. The sixth seed broke Tiafoe four times and saved all seven break points he faced, advancing to face Cerundolo’s next opponent, Zverev. Zverev, the third seed, outlasted Briton Cameron Norrie 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. The German hit 42 winners and overcame a second-set lapse to dominate the later stages.
Tenth seed Alexander Bublik ended Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry’s campaign with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 victory. Etcheverry, who had upset higher seeds earlier, couldn’t match Bublik’s serving prowess. American Learner Tien continued his strong form, defeating Portugal’s Nuno Borges 7-6(9), 6-4, 6-2. The 25th seed will meet Medvedev next.
On the women’s side, top seed Aryna Sabalenka survived a tough test from Anastasia Potapova, winning 7-6(4), 7-6(7) in two tiebreakers. The defending champion saved multiple set points in the second to advance. Third seed Coco Gauff recovered from a slow start to beat fellow American Hailey Baptiste 3-6, 6-0, 6-3. Gauff won 12 of the last 15 games after dropping the first set.
American teenager Iva Jovic pulled off the day’s biggest upset, defeating seventh seed Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 7-6(3). At 18, Jovic becomes the youngest woman to reach the fourth round here since 2008. Eighth seed Mirra Andreeva beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-4, while 12th seed Elina Svitolina defeated 23rd seed Diana Shnaider 7-6(4), 6-3.
Seventeenth seed Victoria Mboko edged 14th seed Clara Tauson 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-3, and 19th seed Karolina Muchova routed Magda Linette 6-1, 6-1. Zeynep Sonmez and Yulia Putintseva were locked in a third set late in the day, with Sonmez leading after splitting the first two.
Doubles action featured several upsets, including Australian wildcards knocking out a seeded pair, but singles dominated the headlines. With the third round wrapping up, the tournament shifts to the round of 16, where matchups like Alcaraz-Paul and Zverev-Cerundolo promise more excitement.
