Australian Open: Serena survives scare, Muguruza sets up Osaka clash

SERENA Williams has overcome a slow star and quick-starting teenager Anastasia Potapova to book a return to the Australian Open fourth round on Friday.

The 39-year-old seven-time Australian Open champion and winner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles fought back with her back against the wall at 3-5 in Friday’s opening set, before she ground out a 7-6(5) 6-2 result.

In-form Aryna Sabalenka must overcome Serena to reach her maiden Grand Slam quarter-final, following a clinical victory over Ann Li on Friday

Seventh seed Sabalenka was in complete control from the moment the first ball was struck on Rod Laver Arena on as she clobbered the 20-year-old Li 6-3 6-1.

It marked the Belarusian’s first time through to the fourth round at Melbourne Park and meant she had claimed 18 of her past 19 matches.

Last year’s finalist Garbine Muguruza was equally ruthless as she thumped Zarina Diyas for the chance to take on 2019 champion Naomi Osaka, while Czech 19th seed Marketa Vondrousova ended Sorana Cirstea’s run to reach the second week at a major for the first time since her 2019 French Open runner-up showing.

Spanish 14th seed Muguruza will face fellow major champion Osaka in a blockbuster fourth-round showdown after her 6-1 6-1 dismissal of Kazakhstan’s Diyas.

A runner-up to Ash Barty in Sunday’s Yarra Valley Classic final, the 27-year-old has now won nine of her past 11 matches.

Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Su-Wei backed up her defeat of eighth seed Bianca Andreescu with a 6-4 2-6 7-5 victory over former top-tenner Sara Errani on Friday.

Hsieh will square off against 2019 French Open finalist Vondrousova, following the Czech’s 6-2 6-4 victory over Petra Kvitova’s conqueror Cirstea.

ausopen.com.