American Cameron Young held a three-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic as defending champion Rory McIlroy remained well off the pace.
Young added a second round of 64 to his opening 67 at Emirates Golf Club to reach 13 under par, with England’s Andy Sullivan and Poland’s Adrian Meronk his nearest challengers on 10 under.
Seeking a record fourth win in the event, McIlroy recorded five birdies and three bogeys in a round of 70 which left him 10 strokes off the lead.
Young, who has yet to win on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour, carded nine birdies and a solitary bogey on the ninth, his final hole of the day, after finding the water left of the green with his approach.
“I putted fantastic,” the world number 25 said. “I made a couple of long ones yesterday and then made a few more today that had no right going in I feel like.
“I hit a bunch of good putts, but just one of those days where you kind of have a couple of 30-footers and you look up and they are going right in the middle, which doesn’t happen all that often to have a bunch of them in one round.
“I’m doing a really good job of staying out of my own way. Kind of realised it was going well early, but the back nine, at the same time, it feels like you should do that to some extent, especially in the morning with not much wind.”
Meronk, who won three times on the DP World Tour last year and was voted player of the year by his peers, added a flawless 66 to his opening 68, while Sullivan returned a second successive 67.
“The experience [of winning] gives you a little more confidence that you’ve done it before, so you can do it again,” Meronk said.
“The key is just to stick to your plan for your game, trust your shots, full commitment. Don’t get too ahead of yourself.
“It’s easy to say, but I think you have to experience it first and then it gets easier, but it’s never easy. But at least I have some experience under my belt.”
McIlroy looked set to climb up the leaderboard after he birdied the second and seventh, but he bogeyed the eighth after a sliced drive plugged in the desert and also dropped a shot on the ninth following another wayward tee shot.
The world number two also followed a birdie on the 10th with a bogey on the next and took an angry swipe at the rough following a fluffed pitch on the 17th, but at least ended the day on a high with a birdie from 20 feet on the 18th.
Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura threatened to card just the second 59 in DP World Tour history when he covered his first 12 holes in 10 under par thanks to an eagle and eight birdies, but bogeyed his penultimate hole and had to settle for a 63.
Nevertheless, that was a 12-shot improvement on his opening round and lifted Kawamura into a tie for seventh on six under par.
Dubai Invitational winner Tommy Fleetwood celebrated his 33rd birthday with a 70 to finish five under.
Paris St Germain boss Luis Enrique has warned against complacency when they travel to third-tier Orleans in the last 16 of the Coupe de France.
Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick helped PSG thrash amateurs Revel 9-0 in the last round.
With Enrique’s men sitting eight points clear at the top of Ligue 1, another convincing victory is expected when they travel to the Stade de La Source on Saturday night.
Enrique, though, insisted his squad – set to be without injured goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who picked up a knee problem against Lens last weekend – will have to stay fully focused to avoid suffering a shock result.
“We have analysed a team which plays two divisions below us, they are a professional team,” Enrique said.
“Even if they are in difficulty in the (National) Championship, they were able to get through the rounds in the Coupe de France, beating teams ranked higher than them.
“It is different from what we encountered against Revel. Orleans are a well-structured team. They play with a back five and take up good spaces, they are capable of countering with strong attackers.
“It is a dangerous competition for the favourites because in normal conditions, over 90 minutes, you can be knocked out. But we are approaching the Coupe de France with a lot of seriousness and a lot of desire.”
With goalkeeper Alexandre Letellier slowly getting back to training after a viral infection, Enrique was giving little away about who would start on Saturday.
Defender Manuel Ugarte will not not feature after sustaining a slight thigh injury against Lens.
Enrique has some concerns over what state the playing surface will be in at the Stade de La Source.
“It’s the only thing that really concerns me beyond the competition,” he said.
“I hope the pitch will be in a good state, not just in terms of playing good football.
“I am concerned about the health of the players, mine and those of Orleans.”
Enrique added: “If it were normal circumstances, yes, it would be a case of rotating and involving young players because we want to give them a chance.
“But bearing in mind the circumstances of this match, the experience of playing away on a pitch that had been recently changed, I will decide who will play when I see the state of the pitch.”
Orleans coach Karim Mokeddem is relishing the prospect of facing the Ligue 1 giants.
“It (beating PSG) would not be an achievement – there is no word yet to describe it if it happens,” he told reporters.
“I told the players to enjoy every moment, but I think there isn’t anyone who hasn’t dreamed of eliminating PSG.”
Derek McInnes urged Kilmarnock to fight to the final whistle in their Scottish Gas Scottish Cup tie against Dundee after suffering a double disappointment against the Dens Park side in the cinch Premiership this season.
The Dee grabbed a last-gasp equaliser through captain Joe Shaughnessy in the 2-2 draw in Ayrshire on December 30 after the home side had taken the lead with a Rory McKenzie goal in the third minute of added time.
Killie had also succumbed to Dundee late in the game in September when Zak Rudden’s added-time goal for the 10-man hosts gave Tony Docherty’s side a point in a 2-2 draw.
McInnes, happy to add striker Greg Stewart to his squad on Thursday after the 33-year-old arrived from Indian Super League side Mumbai City, reflected on the two late setbacks against his former assistant Docherty as he looked forward to the fourth-round tie on Saturday.
He said: “We score in the 93rd, 94th minute and you automatically feel that’s the game in the bag, but the people who can’t think that way are the players and you’ve still got to see the job through.
“Dundee have scored a lot of goals from set-plays so the one thing you can guarantee in any game is the ball is coming in your box so you’ve got to withstand that.
“I think in open play we’ve been pretty comfortable against them. They do carry a threat at set-plays with the size they’ve got and both equalising goals were from corner kicks in the dying embers of the game.
“That’s allowed us to drop four points in the league which always nags away at you. I think it’s important that we try and focus on the good when we’ve played Dundee and just remember that we’ve got a job to see it through if we’re in a similar position, but we’re going to have to work hard to get ourselves in front.
“I think it will be a tight match, a competitive match, a lot of good players in both teams. It’s a cup tie and we want to do well in the cup, we see the importance of the cup as well as having a strong league campaign.”
Tottenham have opened talks with Club Brugge over the signing of attacker Antonio Nusa, the PA news agency understands.
Spurs have held a long-standing interest in the 18-year-old and have moved to secure the services of the highly-rated Norway international this month.
The potential recruitment of Nusa would be Tottenham’s third addition of the January transfer window, but he would return to Club Brugge on loan for the remainder of the campaign, PA understands.
Nusa has built up a strong reputation since he made his Norwegian top-flight debut at the age of 16 in 2021 while at Stabaek.
He moved to Club Brugge later that year and hit the headlines when he scored on his Champions League debut against Porto.
Tottenham have continued to keep tabs on Nusa, who marked his full Norway debut in September with a goal against Jordan.
Ange Postecoglou has already secured the signings of Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner this month.
Spurs have also been busy with outgoings with Djed Spence, Japhet Tanganga, Ash Phillips, Sergio Reguilon and Alfie Devine all finding new clubs for the second half of the season, while long-serving players Hugo Lloris and Eric Dier have departed.
Tottenham will listen to offers for Ryan Sessegnon, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Bryan Gil and Ivan Perisic, but young duo Alfie Dorrington and Jamie Donley are set to remain part of Postecoglou’s first-team squad despite numerous loan interest.
Simon and Ed Crisford hold a strong hand as they go in search of back-to-back victories in Lingfield’s BetMGM Winter Oaks Fillies’ Handicap on Saturday.
The father and son operation claimed the £100,000 contest with Al Agaila 12 months ago and likely big-race favourite Oh So Grand has plotted a similar course to the Winter Million Festival event by landing the Winter Oaks Trial over track and trip last month.
Jack Mitchell was in the saddle for both that triumph and a previous success at Newcastle and resumes the partnership, as his mount now seeks to build on her impressive all-weather record.
Meanwhile, the Gainsborough Thoroughbreds team have a more than handy second string to their bow with Twirling, who has won two of four starts at a mile and now steps up in trip with Ryan Moore in the plate.
Simon Crisford said: “Both Oh So Grand and Twirling are in good form and we have been very happy with their preparations for this race.
“Both of them will need to run career-best figures to feature, but we are hopeful that they are capable of doing that.”
Oh So Grand is the highest rated in the field, but only 2lb behind her is recent Wolverhampton scorer Miss Bluebelle, who bids to quickly double up for handler Marcus Tregoning.
The five-year-old received a 7lb rise for a facile three-length victory at Dunstall Park and, although having a career-high mark to overcome, her handler is optimistic of a bold showing.
“She’s come out of her race (at Wolverhampton) well and is in good form,” said Tregoning.
“That was only a week ago but she has come out of it very well and we won’t worry about that. She has a good draw and we will hope for the best.
“It’s a fairly open race and hopefully she will run really well.”
John and Thady Gosden’s Queen Regent has just over a length to find with Oh So Grand on their meeting in the Winter Oaks Trial and is now tried in first-time cheekpieces representing big-name connections, while no one arguably arrives in better form than Storymaker, who has been unbeatable of late.
It was not until the 15th race of her career that Storymaker got on the scoresheet but that opened the floodgates for George Boughey’s four-year-old, who will be bidding for a fifth-straight success.
“She’s been an amazing filly for us and it’s incredible really, she raced 14 times last year and the penny didn’t drop, but she’s just gone bang, bang, bang, bang now – and she’s a filly in form,” said Sam Hoskins, racing manager for owners Hot To Trot Racing.
“She should get the trip and has won round the track. It’s a much better race and worth £100,000 and we’ve got to support races worth that amount of money.
“She’s in top form and enjoying it and I know George feels she is not showing any signs of exertion – she’s looking great. She has got a chance and the rider Tommie Jakes is good value for his claim. Hopefully, she will run a really good race.”
Former world champion Shaun Murphy has backed the announcement of Saudi Arabia’s first ever invitational snooker event and the introduction of a new golden ball which could increase the maximum break to 167.
The inaugural Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker will take place in March with seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan set to feature in the 10-player field alongside 2019 world champion Judd Trump and current holder Luca Brecel.
The tournament will see the introduction of a 23rd golden ball, known as the Riyadh Season ball, which will be worth 20 points, but can only be potted once a maximum break of 147 has been completed.
Murphy urged traditionalists to give the novel idea a chance, likening it to the single-frame Snooker Shoot-Out, which was met with plenty of resistance when it was introduced, but has evolved into a permanent fixture on the world ranking calendar since 2017.
Murphy, who as the current world number six is set to feature in the tournament, told the PA news agency: “It was heresy when the Shoot-Out was brought in as a ranking event – people were nearly out with torches on the streets – but I haven’t met a single person who has been to the Shoot-Out and not enjoyed it.
“You should never criticise something unless you’ve tried it. It’s just something different and it’s not the first time the sport has tried new ideas.
“I imagine they (World Snooker Tour) had to make a few concessions to get the event over the line, and the new promoters in Saudi will want their event to stand out and be different. At the end of the day you’d rather have the event than not.”
Precise details of the format relating to the golden ball are yet to be revealed, but the PA news agency understands that WST is not considering the introduction of the ball for any other tournaments.
The Saudi tournament, due to be held in Riyadh from March 4-6 and featuring the top eight players in the world and a prize pool of one million US dollars, will not offer the highest break in the sport’s history.
A short-lived experiment in 1959 saw the introduction of a ‘Snooker Plus’ tournament, which included two additional colours, an orange ball worth eight points and a purple worth 10, which raised the theoretically available maximum to 210.
The announcement of the Saudi event, hailed as a “huge breakthrough” by WST chairman Steve Dawson, was met with some resistance from lower-ranked players, with 2023 Shoot-Out semi-finalist Steven Hallworth tweeting: “Was starting to lose sleep with worry that the top 8 players might run out of events and cash soon, thank God for this”.
Amnesty International criticised snooker’s addition to the growing list of sports heading to the kingdom, calling on those involved to seize the opportunity to speak out about human rights abuses.
Peter Frankental, Amnesty International UK’s Economic Affairs director, said: “It was just a matter of time before Saudi Arabia’s huge sportswashing machine sucked in snooker along with almost every other major world sport.
“If the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump play in Riyadh, they shouldn’t hesitate to speak out about human rights.”
For all that Murphy accepts the relevance of continued expressions of concern, the 41-year-old insists neither those prospective invitees, nor the sport itself, should be in any quandary about being part of the historic deal.
“Obviously there is a question over human rights as there should be, but if we (WST) only traded with countries with perfect human rights records, it would be a very, very small pool to pick from,” added Murphy.
“We wouldn’t be trading with the UK either. We haven’t covered ourselves in glory over hundreds of years, going around invading other countries, so people in glass houses need to be careful where they throw their stones.”
Tunisia head coach Jalel Kadri is expecting a positive reaction as his squad look to keep alive their Africa Cup of Nations hopes against Mali.
The Eagles of Carthage slumped to a shock defeat by Namibia in their opening Group E match and now face an uphill battle to reach the knockout stages.
Kadri, whose position is reported to be under threat should they fail to qualify, feels the squad can pull together to produce the required performance in Korhogo on Saturday.
“There are two matches remaining – and our reaction must be positive,” he told reporters.
“Then, God willing, we can get out of this situation we have put ourselves in.
“Argentina lost its first World Cup match against Saudi Arabia, but ultimately won the title.”
Tunisia will be without forward Taha Yassine Khenissi, who is set to miss the remainder of the tournament with a knee injury picked up during the first half against Namibia.
Mali kicked off their campaign with a 2-0 win over South Africa to sit top of the table.
Coach Eric Chelle, though, is not getting carried away as Mali aim to make the knockout stages for the first time.
“I would not say we are favourites to win the group just yet. Yes, we got the victory but a lot can still happen,” Chelle said at a press conference.
“We still have matches to play and so we have to keep working hard.”
A decision has yet to be made on whether “unknown quantity” Gentlemansgame runs in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.
Grade One-placed over hurdles, the Mouse Morris-trained eight-year-old has only had three chasing start, but has won two of those – including Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase, in which he beat last year’s King George winner, Bravemansgame.
The Robcour-owned gelding was being prepared for Leopardstown over Christmas when he would have met Willie Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs before a setback intervened. However, that clash could still happen pre-Cheltenham at the Dublin Racing Festival.
“If he runs anywhere he’ll go to Leopardstown for the Gold Cup,” said Morris.
“If not he’ll just go straight to Cheltenham. Touch wood at the minute he’s well.
“It was just a stone bruise, but it went right up his foot. He wasn’t out of training for too long which was great.
“He worked at Punchestown the other day and he worked well.
“He’s still still the unknown quantity really, he hasn’t run against Galopin Des Champs yet.”
Jalen Brunson was praised for his "special" ability by New York Knicks teammate Donte DiVincenzo after he had 41 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to help his team get past the Washington Wizards.
New York won 113-107 after Brunson shot 14 of 27 from the field and scored 18 of the Knicks’ 21 points during a long stretch of the fourth quarter, as they extended a one-point lead to 105-97 with 86 seconds to play.
Julius Randle added 21 points, while DiVincenzo and OG Anunoby each had 19 to help the Knicks improve to 8-2 since acquiring Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors.
Jordan Poole scored 24 points for Washington, which has lost eight of nine.
The Wizards looked frustrated after consistently appearing to have blocked Brunson's lane to the basket, only for the guard to spin away from trouble to get a shot up or draw a foul.
Brunson has scored 29 or more points in six of the last seven games he has played.
"That is what great players do to teams. They get you frustrated and they get you upset," DiVincenzo said, per ESPN.
"You do everything you can defensively and they still make a tough shot. But I think Jalen, what makes him special is he makes the right play every time."
Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. said: "It is frustrating and to his credit he is a hard one to guard – very shifty."
Brunson ended up scoring 20 points in his impressive fourth quarter.
"You are at the end of the game, you are trying to win, so it is a little different," he said. "But I mean, the approach stays the same. I think I had the same attacking mindset."
The Knicks (25-17) have a 13-5 record at home this season and are back in action when they host the Raptors (16-26) on Saturday.
Toronto is slumping after losing six of its last eight games, including a 116-110 loss at home to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.
Raptors forward Scottie Barnes had 31 points, just one short of his career high, but the Bulls prevailed after Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 14 rebounds, while DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points against his former team.
Jamaican Formula Woman driver Sara Misir is the Motorsport Athlete of the Year in the women's category for the RJR/Gleaner Sportsman and Sportswoman Awards 2024.
Misir's victory marks her third consecutive year taking home the award.
Misir, who dominated the MP3 class in 2022, took on the new challenge of competing in the MP4 class for the 2023 local season. Despite an early setback due to mechanical failure, she completed the season with a solid performance, securing a P1 and P2 finish at the Dover Raceway in St. Ann at 'Heroes of Speed' on October 16. Misir also recorded the quickest lap of the day by any driver, recording 1.25.84 seconds.
She also extended her Formula Woman run, competing in the GT Cup Championships at the Donnington Race Track in England on September 16 and 17. Misir and teammate Alana Carter finished seventh in class at the GT Cup Championships finale at Snetterton on October 7 and 8.
Misir was grateful for the award and expressed what motivates her most, "It's always an honour to represent women in motorsports both here in Jamaica and internationally. It is also a team effort, and I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the hard work of my amazing team and my coach, Rugie Misir, who is by my side every step of the way."
Despite experiencing mechanical failures at some of the earlier meets on the local calendar, Misir remains committed to inspiring another generation in motorsport. "I know that I represent so many women and girls who compete in male-dominated spaces, so that fuels me to keep going. I know how important this is beyond myself." Misir added.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits Mohamed Salah’s impeccable fitness record meant the hamstring problem he felt on international duty was a “shock”.
In six and a half seasons since arriving at Anfield the 31-year-old has missed just 10 Premier League matches – one of which was due to Covid-19 and another because of concussion.
So the sight of Salah being forced off just before half-time in Egypt’s 2-2 draw with Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations unsurprisingly set alarm bells ringing.
“In the moment it was a shock. He felt it and we all know how rarely Mo needs to go off so there was definitely something,” said Klopp.
“I don’t have any more information right now. I spoke with him last night. They are doing further assessments and then we will know more.”
After the game Egypt coach Rui Vitoria said he hoped Salah’s injury was not a big problem, adding: “I think it’s not dangerous, but let’s see if Salah recovers.”
Klopp said they would await further updates before deciding whether to send club medical staff to the Ivory Coast.
“It’s too early. We will see. It depends on what the diagnosis is,” he added.
“They (Egypt) will do an ultrasound and an MRI and then we will know what it is and what Egypt’s plans are.”
While Liverpool did not expect Salah to return until early next month, any injury would be a blow as they seek to maintain top spot in the Premier League.
They head to Bournemouth on Sunday looking to extend their advantage to five points but will do so without a number of players.
Wataru Endo is at the Asian Cup with Japan while full-backs Andy Robertson (shoulder), Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee) and Kostas Tsimikas (collarbone), midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai (hamstring), Thiago Alcantara (hip), Stefan Bajcetic (adductor) and Ben Doak (knee) and defender Joel Matip (ACL) are all at various stages in their recovery.
Robertson, Alexander-Arnold and Szoboszlai are closest to a return but the earliest will be Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Fulham.
“They’re all positive but not ready. They’re all getting closer and closer and closer and some of them might be in team training next week but for the Bournemouth game I don’t expect anyone back,” said Klopp.
“After Bournemouth maybe for Fulham we will see how the boys do, but they are all close. Trent close, Dom close, Robbo close.”
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite found solace in the efforts of his bowlers but lamented the lacklustre performance of his batters as they succumbed to a 10-wicket defeat against Australia in the first Test at Adelaide.
Brathwaite particularly lauded the impact of debutant Shamar Joseph, expressing confidence in the young cricketer's bright future in Test cricket.
As the West Indies resumed from their overnight score of 73-6, hopes for a resilient batting display were dashed. The team was eventually bowled out for 120, with Alzarri Joseph's 16 and Shamar Joseph's 15 offering some resistance. The standout performances of the Joseph duo forced Australia to bat again.
Australia swiftly achieved their target, scoring 26-0 and securing a resounding 10-wicket victory. Brathwaite acknowledged the success of his bowlers in restricting Australia within 300 runs but underscored the need for improvement in the batting department.
"Bowlers did well to bowl out Australia inside 300. Batters did not get going. As batsmen, it is good for guys to get a feel of playing cricket and what it is like to play the No. 1 team. It is about learning how to score and how to put away the bad ball," Brathwaite remarked, emphasizing the importance of a swift learning curve.
Praising debutant Shamar Joseph, who took 5-94 in Australia’s first innings and had scores of 36 and 15, Brathwaite commented on the youngster's infectious energy and humor, foreseeing a promising future for him in Test cricket. He noted, "[Shamar] is full of energy. Makes me laugh. Has a bright future and also scores runs."
During the Test, Shamar Joseph became the first player in Test history to
The match concluded with Australia's 10-wicket victory before lunch on the third day. Josh Hazelwood, with career-best match figures, played a pivotal role. However, the highlight came when Shamar Joseph, on his debut, drew blood from Usman Khawaja with a bouncer, forcing him to retire hurt.
Shamar Joseph's impact wasn't limited to bowling; he showcased his batting prowess at No. 11. His partnership with Kemar Roach added crucial runs, signaling a potential promotion in the batting order for Joseph in the future.
In a dramatic turn of events, Shamar Joseph, who had dismissed Steven Smith with his first ball in Test cricket, continued to leave an indelible mark on his debut. Despite not being given the new ball, he eventually entered the attack and produced a memorable bouncer that forced Khawaja to retire hurt.
The second Test is scheduled to begin in Brisbane on January 25, promising another exciting encounter, this time under the lights in a day-night format. West Indies will be eager to bounce back, with Shamar Joseph's impactful debut providing a glimmer of hope for the Caribbean side.
Australia’s Josh Hazelwood was the best of the bowlers following up his four-wicket haul in the West Indies’ first innings with remarkable figures of 5-35 in the second innings for overall match figures of 9-79.
For his score of 119 that helped the hosts establish a crucial 95-run lead on first innings, Travis Head was named Player of the Match.
Scores in the match: West Indies 188 and 120 v Australia 283 and 26-0.
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes believes Greg Stewart’s eagerness to return to Rugby Park will ensure he can hit the ground running.
Killie won the race to sign the 33-year-old forward and he could feature against former club Dundee in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup fourth round in Ayrshire on Saturday if paperwork is completed in time.
Stewart scored eight goals in 16 appearances for Killie in the first half of the 2018-19 season before joining McInnes at Aberdeen in another loan move from Birmingham.
He is now back at Kilmarnock on a deal until the end of the season after spending two-and-a-half years in the Indian Super League, most recently with Mumbai City.
McInnes told his club’s website: “We are delighted to get Greg in, his eagerness to come and be a part of what we’re trying to do here is a big factor.
“He now joins the squad and will try and help us reach our objectives for the rest of the campaign.
“The fact he’s been at the club before means there’s a familiarity about it, he will fit right in.
“We are looking forward to try and get that impact we know he can bring for the rest of the season.”
Novak Djokovic found his form at the Australian Open in a straightforward win over Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
The 10-time champion has been struggling with illness and was well short of his best in his first two matches, particularly a second-round clash with Alexei Popyrin on Wednesday that he was lucky to escape.
But Djokovic, playing his 100th match at Melbourne Park, looked much more like his usual self in a 6-3 6-3 7-6 (2) victory over Argentina’s Etcheverry, who beat Andy Murray in the first round.
The Serbian was hitting his groundstrokes with their customary ferocity again and, although there were perhaps still a few more mistakes than he would have liked, he was always fully in control of his 92nd win on these grounds.
Djokovic said: “It was a great match, the best performance I had during this tournament. I’m pleased with the way I played throughout the entire match, particularly the first two sets.”
The form players of the first week have been fourth seed Jannik Sinner and big home hope Alex De Minaur.
Sinner finished last season beating Djokovic twice in one day as he led Italy to the Davis Cup title and has eased through to the fourth round here.
He dropped just four games in a 6-0 6-1 6-3 destruction of Sebastian Baez to set up a meeting with Russian Karen Khachanov, who was a semi-finalist here last year.
Sinner said: “Today’s match was really good. I played good tennis. I love the conditions also today, because was no wind and no sun.
“I felt great… I made the right decisions and I used every chance I had today, which maybe in the first match I was struggling a little bit. But it’s good to have this match feeling back again. I’m very excited to step on the court every time.
“I’m doing my job. I try to stay focused. I try to find a solution against every player I play. The next round is going to be different, it’s going to be tough.”
Khachanov, who has reached at least the quarter-finals at three of his last four slams, had a tougher time in beating Tomas Machac 6-4 7-6 (4) 4-6 7-6 (5).
De Minaur’s rise into the top 10 just before the tournament fuelled hopes of a first home winner of the men’s singles since Mark Edmondson in 1976, and he has dealt with the pressure immaculately so far.
The 24-year-old had no trouble getting past Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli, dropping only seven games in a 6-3 6-3 6-1 victory.
Last year’s runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas also had a comfortable afternoon, beating young Frenchman Luca Van Assche 6-3 6-0 6-4 to set up a clash with American 12th seed Taylor Fritz, who came from a set down to see off Fabian Marozsan 3-6 6-4 6-2 6-2.
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