Qiang Wang

The world number one battled to victory in an hour and 36 minutes to book a quarter-final meeting with Petra Kvitova, who came from a set down to beat Maria Sakkari.

Coco Gauff saw her brilliant week end in disappointment as she lost to compatriot Sofia Kenin, who is into the last eight of a grand slam singles tournament for the first time.

Qiang Wang, who stunned Serena Williams in round three, was defeated in straight sets by Ons Jabeur – another woman making major history in Melbourne.

NO REWARD FOR RISKE AS BARTY BATTLES ON 

Australia's hope for a home champion continues after Barty recovered from a miserable second set to defeat Riske for the first time. 

Riske won their first encounter in Eastbourne in 2016 before taking victory at Wimbledon last year, but Barty ended that losing streak with a 6-3 1-6 6-4 success. 

Barty was clinical in the opening set against too many errors from Riske, but the 29-year-old rallied in the second, breaking twice and dropping just five points on her own serve to force the decider. 

At 5-4, Barty set up match point with a backhand pass and Riske produced just her second double fault to hand victory to the favourite. 

"It was third time's a charm for me tonight," said Barty. "I just had to hang in there. It was very tough from both ends playing very differently. I just had to give myself a chance." 

Barty will face Kvitova next in a repeat of last year's quarter-final, the Czech having fought from a set down to defeat Sakkari.

"I love Petra, but let's hope she doesn't break my heart again on Tuesday!" said Barty, who was beaten 6-1 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena in 2019.

COCO MANIA DEPARTS MELBOURNE​, JABEUR MAKES HISTORY

Gauff's fairytale run came to an end at the hands of countrywoman Kenin, who steamrolled the 15-year-old 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-0 on Melbourne Arena.

American sensation Gauff dethroned defending champion Naomi Osaka in the previous round and she looked on track to reach the quarters in Melbourne.

However, fellow rising star and 14th seed Kenin blitzed Gauff to reach her first grand slam quarter-final.

Next up for Kenin is Jabeur after the Tunisian beat Chinese star Qiang Wang 7-6 (7-4) 6-1.

Wang eliminated 23-time slam singles champion Williams in the third round, however, she was unable to back it up on Sunday.

Jabeur, who hit 29 winners, became the first Arab woman to ever make a slam quarter-final.

KVITOVA RETURNS TO QUARTERS

Australian Open runner-up Kvitova avoided a major upset as she rallied past Sakkari 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.

After losing a tight first set, two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova hit 33 winners and broke Sakkari eight times en route to a fourth quarter-final in Melbourne.

Playing in front of a vocal Green contingent supporting Sakkari, Kvitova said: "When I was shaking the hand with the umpire, I told him it was like a soccer match today. I mean, it's nice on one side. On the other side, it's the tennis, and it's not a Fed Cup. It's strange. But it didn't bother me at all."

The American great fell to a surprise 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 loss to Wang Qiang on Rod Laver Arena on Friday.

Williams committed 56 unforced errors to slump to her earliest Australian Open exit since 2006, while her wait for a record-equalling 24th grand slam singles title goes on.

The 38-year-old said losses were still painful, but she was better at hiding her disappointment.

"I am just a better actress, as I always say now. I'm no happier than I was 10 years ago," Williams told a news conference.

"But I just have to pretend like I don't want to punch the wall, but in reality I do."

Williams lamented her errors against Wang, who was consistent throughout a battle lasting two hours, 41 minutes.

Wang was crushed 6-1 6-0 when the pair met just months ago at the US Open, but managed a stunning win in Melbourne.

"I made a lot of errors," Williams said. "I didn't hit any of those shots in New York or in general in a really long time. So that's good news.

"I just made far too many errors to be a professional athlete today."

Williams, a 23-time major winner, was on the wrong end of the first big upset of the week at Melbourne Park, going down 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 to Wang Qiang in the third round on Friday.

The American great's wait for a record-equalling triumph goes on, her previous grand slam success coming at this tournament three years ago.

Williams, who has lost four major finals and given birth to her first child then, insists she would not still be playing if she was not confident of adding to her honours list.

"I definitely do believe or I wouldn't be on tour," she told reporters in Melbourne. "I don't play just to have fun. To lose is really not fun, to play to lose, personally.

"I don't know. I seemed to do well the last two slams of the year. I don't know. I have won them all several times. Each one is definitely an opportunity for me to go out there and win.

"It's not even about the slams, it's about just me playing good tennis, and I didn't do that today. That is more disappointing.

"So it's not even about the win, it's just more about I'm better than that. That is what it is for me today."

Williams turns 39 this year but sees no reason why she will not be back to challenge at the Australian Open in 2021.

"I feel like I'm on the way up, so we'll see. I don't know," she said. "I'm not even thinking about anything, about not being here."

The American star made her earliest exit in Melbourne since 2006 with a stunning 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 defeat to Chinese 27th seed Wang on Rod Laver Arena.

Williams' bid to match Margaret Court on a record 24 grand slam singles titles will have to wait a little longer after her error-riddled display.

A seven-time Australian Open champion, Williams lost before the fourth round at the tournament for just the fourth time in her illustrious career.

Wang, meanwhile, was impressive throughout, settling early and rebounding in the third set to close out victory in two hours, 41 minutes.

Wang – crushed 6-1 6-0 when the pair met at the US Open last year – quickly settled despite Williams' pressure and saved three break points during a lengthy sixth game.

Williams looked the more likely to find a break before Wang did just that with a forehand winner to take a 5-4 lead.

A long backhand return saw Wang serve out the opening set to 15, stunning Williams.

Williams fell into a 0-40 hole in the fifth game of the second set and Wang delivered a forehand winner to take a 3-2 lead.

Struggling to find her range, Williams saved a break point in the seventh game before squandering one in the eighth.

But Williams stepped up when Wang served for the match, breaking back to 15 with a ripping forehand cross-court winner.

Williams fought back from 15-40 down in the following game before delivering in what was a tense tie-break to force a deciding set.

Wang stayed with Williams despite the second-set disappointment as they held serve, the former squandering two match points with nervous errors in the 12th game.

But she took her third chance when Williams sent a backhand into the net to fall to a stunning defeat.

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN 
Wang Qiang [27] bt Serena Williams [8] 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-5

WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS 
Wang – 25/20
Williams – 43/56

ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS 
Wang – 2/1
Williams – 8/4

BREAK POINTS WON 
Wang – 3/12
Williams – 1/6

FIRST SERVE PERCENTAGE 
Wang – 63
Williams – 56

PERCENTAGE OF POINTS WON ON FIRST/SECOND SERVE 
Wang – 69/60
Williams – 70/50

TOTAL POINTS 
Wang – 121
Williams – 111

Williams - stuck on 23 major championships since winning the Australian Open in 2017 - trails Margaret Court's 24-trophy tally.

It has been a long time coming for Williams as the anticipation builds at Melbourne Park, where the 38-year-old American superstar is yet to drop a set this week.

We take a closer look at Williams' form ahead of the seven-time Australian Open champion's meeting with Wang.

Form and results

In her own words, it was not perfect but Williams did what she had to do en route to the third round. Celebrating her 400th slam singles match and 351st victory, Williams was untidy as she hit 28 unforced errors against Tamara Zidansek - who only tallied 13 in the straight-sets loss. She has looked comfortable so far in Melbourne, but the American great will have to improve as the tournament progresses.

R1: bt Potapova 6-0 6-3
R2: bt Zidansek 6-2 6-3

Next up

Wang - the 27th seed - is back in the Australian Open third round for the second successive year. The 28-year-old blitzed Fiona Ferro 6-1 6-2 on Wednesday. Wang, who enjoyed a breakout 2018 season with two WTA titles, was steamrolled by Williams in the US Open quarter-finals last year. She did, however, benefit from a walkover at the Miami Masters.

Draw

It is a tantalising draw in Melbourne, but maybe not for Williams. A clash with good friend Caroline Wozniacki, who will retire at the end of this tournament, looms in the fourth round. Meanwhile, a quarter-final showdown with either defending champion Naomi Osaka or 15-year-old American sensation Coco Gauff could await.

What she said

"It's always a goal for me to make the Championships. That's always my goal, the slams and the Championships. Those are something that's super important for me."

Wang, 28, produced a shock 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 third-round victory over the eighth seed on Rod Laver Arena on Friday.

The loss marked Williams' earliest exit in Melbourne since 2006 and again delayed her bid to draw level with Margaret Court's record of 24 grand slam singles titles.

Wang's win was particularly remarkable given she lost 6-1 6-0 when the pair met in the US Open quarter-finals in 2019. 

"I think my team always believed I could do it," Wang told the Nine Network in an on-court interview.

"After last time, I've done a lot of hard work on the court and off the court. During the second set, I was a little bit confused. I had to be calm.

"I was a little bit confused but my mind always told me I had to focus on the court, focus on every point and trust myself."

Wang will now face Ons Jabeur for a place in the quarter-finals, the Tunisian having earlier beaten the retiring Caroline Wozniacki in three sets.

Asked if she planned to celebrate the triumph, Wang said: "Nope. Take a rest and just prepare for the next match."

Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff are among the 27th seed's potential quarter-final opponents should she get past world number 78 Jabeur.

The American wrapped up a 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 victory and will now face top seed Barty, who will still be smarting from her surprise quarter-final exit at the Australian Open.

Barty is the reigning champion in Adelaide and will be seeking to put that loss to Karolina Muchova firmly behind her.

Collins' compatriot Shelby Rogers also prevailed, beating Veronika Kudermetova 6-3 7-6 (7-4) to set up a clash with third seed Johanna Konta.

Anastasija Sevastova overcame Caroline Garcia 6-2 6-4, while eighth seed Wang Qiang was a 6-4 6-3 winner over teenager Olivia Gadecki.

Top seed Barty required medical attention during her first-round win over Bernarda Pera two days earlier, with a hip injury the cause for concern.

The 25-year-old – back at Roland Garros for the first time since winning her maiden grand slam title in Paris in 2019 – vowed to "play through the pain barrier", yet the injury prevented her from continuing when 1-6 2-2 down against her Polish opponent, who will face Ons Jabeur in the next round. 

The Australian's retirement throws the draw wide open, with both of the top seeds now out after Naomi Osaka decided to withdraw amid her disagreement with tournament organisers.

Barty's clay-court season ended with a title in Stuttgart, a runner-up finish in Madrid and an appearance in the quarter-finals in Rome, and she could scarcely hide her disappointment at the way things ended for her in the French capital. 

"It's heartbreaking," she told a media conference. "I mean, we have had such a brilliant clay-court season, and to get a little bit unlucky with timing and have something acute happen over the weekend and just kind of run out of time against the clock is disappointing. 

"It won't take away the brilliant three months that we have had, as much as it hurts right now.

"We did everything, absolutely everything we could to give myself a chance. It was a small miracle that we were able to get on court for that first round.

"I just tried to give myself a chance and see how it felt. Obviously practicing, we've had our restrictions and essentially tried to stay as fresh as possible and not aggravate it in any way, but in a match that's unavoidable at times.

"It got worse today and it was becoming at the stage where it was unsafe. As hard as it is, it had to be done. Right from the first game, I was battling the pain, and it just became too severe."

SVITOLINA CRUISES THROUGH, PLISKOVA DUMPED OUT

Fifth seed Elina Svitolina booked a third-round meeting with Barbora Krejcikova after seeing off Ann Li 6-0 6-4. 

Svitolina landed 74 per cent of her first serves and struck 10 winners to cruise past the American in the opening set. 

Li bounced back in the second, roaring into a 4-1 lead, but Svitolina clawed her way back to ensure she reached at least the third round in seven of her nine appearances at Roland Garros. 

Svitolina, who overturned a 2-5 deficit in the second set to beat Oceane Babel in the first round, said: "In the end, what I'm really happy with is the way that I was down in both matches in the second set and found a way. 

"I found a good level and didn't give up on the second set. That was a really good point for me, and I was really playing composed in both matches. It was two different players, but I was really happy that I could win in two sets in both matches."

Up next is Krejcikova, who overcame Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2 6-3.

There is no place in the third round for ninth seed Karolina Pliskova, who was soundly beaten 7-5 6-1 by Sloane Stephens, while number 13 seed Jennifer Brady battled past Fiona Ferro 6-1 1-6 6-4. 

KENIN WINS BATTLE OF THE AMERICANS

Fourth seed Sofia Kenin defeated fellow American Hailey Baptiste, a qualifier who won four matches in Paris on her French Open debut, 7-5 6-3. 

Kenin will now face another compatriot in 28th seed Jessica Pegula, who beat Tereza Martincova 6-3 6-3.

Elsewhere, defending champion Iga Swiatek thumped Rebecca Peterson 6-1 6-1, Coco Gauff got the better of Wang Qiang 6-3 7-6 (7-1), and Elise Mertens edged out Zarina Diyas 6-4 2-6 6-4.

At the Emilia-Romagna Open, Gauff scored a 7-5 1-6 6-2 victory over the player who shocked top seed Serena Williams in round two of the clay-court tournament.

It means Gauff faces a first final appearance since landing the Linz Open title as a 15-year-old in October 2019, with Wang Qiang awaiting her in the title match after a dramatic win over former US Open champion Sloane Stephens.

Gauff served eight double faults against Siniakova, a familiar weakness in her game, but her opponent was similarly afflicted and coughed up 10 doubles across the two hours and eight minutes of their contest.

Having reached the semi-finals of the WTA 1000 event in Rome last week, Gauff is enjoying her stay in Italy ahead of competing at the French Open.

"I need to play more aggressive. I learned to trust my shots and they ended up working out," she said on Amazon Prime. "The Italians, they cheer me on and bring me good luck, and hopefully I can keep this going tomorrow."

Wang beat Stephens 6-2 7-6 (7-3), but the scoreline barely told the story of the second semi-final. It seemed sure to go to a third set as Stephens raced to a 5-1 lead in the second, but Wang reeled her in before easing through the tie-break.

Chinese star Wang, coached by former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, said: "I just tried to hang in there and focus on the court, try to hit every ball back. It will be my first time to play [Gauff] and I will make a plan tonight."

At the Serbia Open, promising Colombian teenager Maria Camila Osorio Serrano set up a semi-final against Croatian Ana Konjuh by beating world number 50 Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

Osorio Serrano secured a 6-4 6-2 success, while Konjuh saw off Argentinian Nadia Podoroska 6-4 6-3. In the top half of the quarter-final draw, Spain's Paula Badosa was a 6-2 6-4 victor over Swedish player Rebecca Peterson, and Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova edged out Hungarian Reka-Luca Jani 6-1 2-6 7-5.

Third seed Gauff needed just 74 minutes to seal a straight sets success, with her Chinese opponent unable to lay a glove on her.

The 17-year-old, who had previously won the 2019 Linz Open, enjoyed a run to the semi-finals at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia last week and looks in fine fettle heading to the French Open.

She dropped only one set during her charge at Parma, a triumph which takes her into the top 30 in the WTA rankings and ensures that she will be seeded for the French Open.

Gauff had won 19 of her last 25 WTA Tour matches heading into Saturday's contest, and had little trouble in making it 20.

A brief rally from Wang at the end of the start of the first set was not enough to stop Gauff, who saved all four of the break points she faced throughout the contest.

She now has the chance to complete a clean sweep in Parma, as she pairs with Caty McNally in the doubles final, against Darija Jurak and Andreja Klepac.

Gauff recorded five breaks of serve as she overcame Italian Camila Giorgi in routine fashion, a 6-2 6-3 triumph securing the third seed a place in the quarter-finals.

The American did have a few issues on her own serve, leading to seven double faults, but ended up winning in one hour and 11 minutes.

Martic, the second seed at the event, was made to work in the first set of her match against Ludmilla Samsonova, both players saving a break point on serve as it went the distance.

There was little to split the pair in the tie-breaker too, Martic edging it 7-5 as she capitalised on her first opportunity to take the set.

The second was more straightforward for the Croatian, an early beak of serve putting her in front before she repeated the trick to wrap up victory in the ninth game.

There were wins in straight sets for fellow seeds Caroline Garcia and Wang Qiang too, as they defeated Anna-Lena Friedsam and Martina Di Giuseppe respectively.

For Garcia, the triumph means a first quarter-final appearance in the 2021 season.

Sorribes Tormo was the only seeded player to exit in the day’s action, the Spaniard forced to retire at 2-2 in the deciding set against Sara Errani due to a problem with her left thigh.

"I'm very sorry for Sara. It was a battle, I know every time we play together it is like this. I was mentally ready to fight, to suffer," Errani said in her on-court interview.

Top seed Serena Williams is already out, beaten in straight sets by Katerina Siniakova to deal the 23-time grand slam champion a further blow ahead of this year's French Open.

Former US Open champion Stephens, ranked 49th in the world, defeated Dodin 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 6-2.

Stephens progresses to the second round where the top seeds, including top three Ash Barty, Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep, will be introduced and she will face 28th seed Amanda Anisimova.

Danielle Collins, Wang Qiang, Alize Cornet and Caroline Garcia were among the other winners on Wednesday, while Svetlana Kuznetsova bowed out.

SLOANE FIGHTBACK

Stephens had endured a dismal start to 2021, enduring an 0-4 win-loss record to begin the year.

The 28-year-old American was made to do it the hard way against Dodin on Wednesday, dropping the first set in a tie-break.

Stephens improved on her return in the second set, winning 73 per cent of points off Dodin's second serve before running away with the match in the last.

"It's been a rough one for me lately, so I'm really pleased to get through that, fight my way through it and make it happen somehow," Stephens said post-match.

FORMER MAJOR WINNER GONE

Two-time grand slam winner Kuznetsova was the major first-round casualty, going down 2-6 6-2 6-1 to France's Alize Cornet.

Kuznetsova, who is now ranked 35th in the world, bows out with Cornet to face ninth seed Petra Kvitova.

Collins got past France's Kristina Mladenovic 6-3 6-3 with the 40th-ranked American setting up a second-round clash with 32nd seed Veronika Kudermetova.

Wang, ranked 38th in the world, also progressed despite dropping a set in a 6-1 3-6 6-3 win over Spanish qualifier Aliona Bolsova.

SECOND-ROUND MATCH-UPS

The round of 64 will commence on Thursday, with third seed Halep to face Garcia who got past another Romanian, Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-1 6-2.

Top seed Barty will be in action against Slovakia's Kristina Kucova, while fourth seed Sofia Kenin will take on former top-10 player Andrea Petkovic.

Second seed Osaka has an assignment against 77th-ranked Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, while 14th seed Victoria Azarenka is already into the third round with opponent Laura Siegemund withdrawing after her win on Tuesday.