Ash Barty's dominant form at the Australian Open continued as the world number one saw off Amanda Anisimova to reach the quarter-finals.
Anisimova shocked 2021 champion Naomi Osaka in the last round but the in-form Barty proved a step too far on Sunday.
Barty had not dropped a set in any of her previous matches and the Australian continued that trend with a 6-4 6-3 triumph that took just 74 minutes.
The 25-year-old missed five chances to break before she finally nosed herself ahead in a tightly contested first set when Anisimova went long.
Anisimova made the same mistake in the next game, failing to grasp the opportunity for an immediate response, and Barty struck a forehand winner to claim the set.
World number 60 Anisimova responded by racing into a 40-0 lead at the start of the second set, only for some sloppy shots to allow Barty to haul herself level.
The American held her nerve though and looked to be right back into it when she broke Barty in the next game.
Yet two-time major winner Barty hit straight back, with a missed backhand from Anisimova gifting her a reprieve, and she did not look back, holding serve before breaking again to go 4-3 ahead.
Anisimova saved two match points in her win over Osaka, yet another overhit backhand sent Barty through to a tie against Jessica Pegula at the first time of asking.
DATA SLAM: BARTY'S HOLD STREAK OVER
There was one negative for Barty, who failed to hold serve for the first time in 63 games when she was broken in the second set. However, the Queenslander responded to that streak ending with a display of her title-winning quality to reach a fourth successive Australian Open quarter-final.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Barty – 23/17
Anisimova – 20/34
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Barty – 7/3
Anisimova – 4/1
BREAK POINTS WON
Barty – 4/11
Anisimova – 1/5
Dominant Djokovic breezes past Cobolli in Shanghai
Novak Djokovic's hopes of claiming a 100th tour-level title are still alive after cruising past Flavio Cobolli at the Shanghai Masters.
After being pushed all the way by Alex Michelsen in his opener, the Serb looked much more comfortable as he triumphed 6-1 6-2 in the third round in just 64 minutes.
He got an early break to take control in the first set, racing into a 3-0 lead before Cobolli got on the board, but another three-game winning streak for Djokovic gave him the first set.
The Italian started the second set brighter, going toe to toe as they traded blows in the opening games.
However, Djokovic soon regained control, and though Cobolli managed to save five of the nine break points he faced during the match, he could do little as the 37-year-old won the final five games to progress.
Djokovic will now face Roman Safiullin in the fourth round.
Data Debrief: Cruise control
Since the format's inception in 1990, Djokovic (82.02%, 406-89) has surpassed Rafael Nadal (82.00%, 410-90) for the highest winning percentage of any player at ATP Masters 1000 events - minimum 10 matches.
And he did so in dominant fashion. He struck 11 winners in the first set (19 overall), and won 20 of his 24 first-serve points throughout the game (83%).
Gauff reassured she is moving in 'right direction' after China Open win
Coco Gauff believes she has proven to herself that she is going in the "right direction" after winning the China Open in Beijing.
Gauff triumphed 6-1 6-3 in Sunday's final, beating Karolina Muchova in just 76 minutes to claim her second title of 2024, after winning the Auckland Open in January.
She is also now the first player to win each of her first seven WTA hard-court finals in the Open Era.
However, after winning the Cincinnati Open and her maiden grand slam at the US Open last year, Gauff struggled at the start of the hard court swing this time around.
After an early exit at the Paris Olympics, she only won once across at Toronto and Cincinnati before seeing her US Open title defence ended in the last 16 by Emma Navarro.
"Everybody can do everything in practice," Gauff told WTA Insider. "This time, when the pressure is on the line, I was just trying to force myself to do things I was uncomfortable with.
"So yeah, I think the result is now reassurance that I am in the right direction.
"A lot of times people forget that I'm still in the developmental phase of my career and nothing is going to be great.
"Most of the people doing well are 25 and older in the top 10, maybe with the exception of Iga [Swiatek]. We have a long way to go, and I still have a lot that I need to work on, and I'm proud of myself thus far.
"I didn't have a complete game at 15, and I don't have one right now, but I've been on tour playing every week almost, trying to be better. I'm just super proud of that."
Gauff will be in action next at the Wuhan Open, making her first appearance at the tournament.
Osaka pulls out of home Japan Open through injury
Naomi Osaka will not play at her home Japan Open next week due to a back injury, organisers confirmed on Monday.
The 26-year-old was forced to retire during the last 16 against eventual champion Coco Gauff at the China Open in Beijing last week because of the same injury.
Osaka was on a three-match winning streak before her meeting with Gauff, having also registered her first comeback victory in two years earlier in the tournament when she beat Yulia Putintseva in the second round.
However, the four-time grand slam winner has not recovered in time and will not be able to play on home soil when the tournament starts on October 14.
"Due to injury, Naomi Osaka has decided to withdraw from the tournament," the Japan Tennis Association said in a statement.
Osaka is still scheduled to play in the Pan Pacific Open Tennis Tournament 2024 in Tokyo, which begins on October 21.
Her last appearance in her home country was at that tournament in 2022, when she withdrew in the second-round match with abdominal pains.
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