Australian Open 2024: Defending champions Djokovic, Sabalenka reach quarterfinals, plus other notable results

The 2024 Australian Open quarterfinals are underway with defending champions Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka still competing. However, this tournament has also given us some very surprises.

The most stunning upset so far came on the women’s side during the third round when unseeded Linda Noskova defeated No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

After the first set, it looked like everything would go according to plan. However, Noskova came back with a vengeance and took the second set before finishing off Swiatek in the decisive third set. It was a stunner in an Australian Open that has seen several of those in the women’s bracket. As the fourth round begins, only three of the top 10 women seeds remain.

This tournament has been wide open for the women, but a couple of clear favorites have emerged now that other heavy hitters have been eliminated. No. 4 seed Coco Gauff marched past Alycia Parks in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2. Then, No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka, the defending champion, made quick work of Lesia Tsurenko, 6-0, 6-0, in the third round.

One of the most impressive runs came from 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva, who was just one set away from being the youngest player to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals since Martina Hingis in 1997. Instead, ninth-seeded Barbora Krejcikova took a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory and will be facing Sabalenka.

On the men’s side, Djokovic has advanced to his 58th Grand Slam quarterfinal after a straight-set victory over No. 20 seed Adrian Mannarino. That was the Serbian star’s 100th Australian Open match and his 31st consecutive win at Melbourne.

Djokovic will next be taking on American Taylor Fritz, who is appearing in his first-ever Australian Open quarterfinal. Fritz, seeded No. 12, earned his quarterfinal ticket after a 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 win over No. 7 Stefanos Tsitsipas — his first ever win against a top-10 opponent in any of the four major tournaments. Fritz is 0-8 all-time against Djokovic, but he was able to take him to five sets in the third round of the 2021 Australian Open. 

Sixth-seeded Alexander Zverev survived a thrilling five-set battle against No. 19 Cameron Norrie, winning 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 4-6, 7-6 (10-3). Zverev will be facing No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinal round.

One notable absence in this year’s tournament is 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, who withdrew after suffering a micro tear in his hip during the Brisbane International. Australian star Nick Kyrgios is also absent because of injury, which makes it the second consecutive Australian Open he hasn’t played.

Here is all you need to know about the 2024 US Open:

How to watch the 2024 Australian Open

• Dates: Jan. 13-27
• Where: Melbourne Park, Australia
• Watch: ESPN, ABC, Tennis Channel
• Stream: fubo (try for free)

Men’s seeding

1. Novak Djokovic (SRB)
2. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
3. Daniil Medvedev (N/A)
4. Jannik Sinner (ITA)
5. Andrey Rublev (N/A)
6. Alexander Zverev (GER)
7. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
8. Holger Rune (DEN)
9. Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
10. Alex De Minaur (AUS)
11. Casper Ruud (NOR)
12. Taylor Fritz (USA)
13. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
14. Tommy Paul (USA)
15. Karen Khachanov (N/A)
16. Ben Shelton (USA)
17. Frances Tiafoe (USA)
18. Nicolas Jarry (CHL)
19. Cameron Norrie (GBR)
20. Adrian Mannarino (FRA)
21. Ugo Humbert (FRA)
22. Francisco Cerundolo (ARG)
23. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
24. Jan-Lennard Struff (GER)
25. Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)
26. Sebastian Baez (ARG)
27. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
28. Tallon Griekspoor (NLD)
29. Sebastian Korda (USA)
30. Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG)
31. Alexander Bublik (KAZ)
32. Jiri Lehecka (CZE)

Women’s seeding

1. Iga Swiatek (POL)
2. Aryna Sabalenka (N/A)
3. Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
4. Coco Gauff (USA)
5. Jessica Pegula (USA)
6. Ons Jabeur (TUN)
7. Marketa Vondrousova (CZE)
8. Maria Sakkari (GRE)
9. Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)
10. Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA)
11. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)
12. Qinwen Zheng (CHN)
13. Liudmila Samsonova (N/A)
14. Daria Kasatkina (N/A)
15. Veronika Kudermetova (N/A)
16. Caroline Garcia (FRA)
17. Ekaterina Alexandrova (N/A)
18. Victoria Azarenka (N/A)
19. Elina Svitolina (UKR)
20. Magda Linette (POL)
21. Donna Vekic (HRV)
22. Sorana Cirstea (ROU)
23. Anastasia Potapova (N/A)
24. Anhelina Kalinina (UKR)
25. Elise Mertens (BEL)
26. Jasmine Paolini (ITA)
27. Emma Navarro (USA)
28. Lesia Tsurenko (UKR)
29. Zhu Lin (CHN)
30. Wang Xinyu (CHN)
31. Marie Bouzkova (CZE)
32. Leylah Fernandez (CAN)

Men’s quarterfinal matches:

• No. 1 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 12 Taylor Fritz
• No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz vs. No. 6 Alexander Zverev
• No. 3 Daniil Medvedev vs. No. 9 Hubert Hurkacz
• No. 4 Jannik Sinner vs. No. 5 Andrey Rublev

Notable men’s fourth-round matches:

• No. 1 Novak Djokovic def. No. 20 Adrian Mannarino 6-0. 6-0, 6-3
• No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz def. Miomir Kecmaovic 6-4, 6-4 6-0
• No. 3 Daniil Medvedev def. Nuno Borges 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 6-1
• No. 4 Jannik Sinner def. No. 15 Karen Khachanov 6-4, 7-5, 6-3
• No. 5 Andrey Rublev def. No. 10 Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-0
• No. 6 Alexander Zverev def. No. 19 Cameron Norrie 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 4-6, 7-6 (10-3)
• No. 12 Taylor Fritz def. No. 7 Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
• No. 9 Hubert Hurkacz def. Arthur Cazaux 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4

Women’s quarterfinal matches:

• No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 9 Barbora Krejcikova 
• No. 4 Coco Gauff vs. Marta Kostyuk
• No. 12 Qinwen Zheng vs. Anna Kalinskaya
• Dayana Yastremska vs. Linda Noskova

Notable women’s fourth-round matches

• No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka def. Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-2
• No. 4 Coco Gauff def. Magdalena Frech 6-1. 6-2
• No. 9 Barbora Krejcikova def. Mirra Andreeva 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
• No. 12 Qinwen Zheng def. Oceane Dodin 6-0, 6-3
• Dayana Yastremska def. No. 18 Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (8-6), 6-4
• Linda Noskova def. No. 19 Elina Svitolina 3-0 walkover