Musetti reaches the quarterfinals but cannot withstand Djokovic; Sinner swiftly defeats compatriot to face the tennis king

The men’s singles round of 16 at the Australian Open continued with straight-set wins. In the two completed matches, Musetti played Fritz, and Sinner faced compatriot Darderi. Both contests were resolved swiftly.

The initial match featured a showdown between Italy’s second-best and America’s top player. Musetti set two records in this match: first, he reached a career-high third place in the live rankings; second, he advanced to his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Previously, his best result at the Australian Open was only the second round. After defeating Mahach in the previous round, he had already set a new personal best. Against Fritz this time, he won comfortably, demonstrating that he now has the ability to maintain a top-ten world ranking over the long term.

In the afternoon’s all-Italian derby, although Darderi vowed before the match to give the defending champion a tough challenge, the outcome was contrary to his hopes. Even though the third set went to a tiebreak and he led 2-0, he was ultimately overturned by his opponent.

In another round of 16 match, Menchik withdrew due to injury, giving Djokovic a walkover and preventing a repeat of last year’s Miami Masters final between them. This means Djokovic will have four days of rest, which is quite fortunate for a nearly 40-year-old veteran.

In the next round against the underdog Musetti, Djokovic should advance comfortably without much trouble.

Looking ahead at the quarterfinals in the top half, Alcaraz will face Demina, and Zverev will play against Linner. In the bottom half, except for the setback Djokovic experienced against Musetti at the French Open when he came back from two sets down, he has generally handled this younger rival with ease and is expected to advance smoothly.

Sinner will face the winner between Ruud and Shelton, and based on historical matchups, Sinner’s progression is also unlikely to be in doubt.

Meanwhile, the women’s singles quarterfinal matchups have been finalized,

Sabalenka vs Jovic

Gauff vs Svitolina

Pegula vs Anisimova

Rybakina vs Swiatek

The most captivating clash will be the Grand Slam champion showdown between Rybakina and Swiatek. The latest women’s singles title odds have just been released, showing Rybakina’s recent strong form edging out Swiatek.

Sabalenka: 2.2 to 1

Rybakina: 5.5 to 1

Swiatek/Anisimova: 6 to 1

Gauff: 7.5 to 1

Pegula: 13 to 1

Jovic: 17 to 1

Svitolina: 34 to 1(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Luo Cheng Qiye)