Marquee players Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are all through to the fourth round of the men’s and women’s singles events at the Australian Open.
The top seeded Djokovic marched into the round of 16 after posting a 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 win over Andreas Seppi.
The defending champion, who will next face Frenchman Gilles Simon, has now won 33 straight matches against Italian opponents dating back to 2004 where he suffered his only Tour-level defeat Filippo Volandri. The 14th-seeded Simon had earlier advanced after smashing Argentina’s Federico Delbonis 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.
A patient Roger Federer weathered a second set storm from Grigor Dimitrov before slapping down the Bulgarian 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to clinch his 300th win in grand slams.
The Swiss third seed who celebrated his 1,000th tour win in Brisbane last year is only behind overall leader Martina Navratilova who has 306 wins at the majors. Among the men, Jimmy Connors is a distant second to Federer with 233.
Other winners were Roberto Bautista and Tomas Berdych.
In the women’s draw, defending champion Williams breezed into the next round with a 6-1, 6-1 demolition of Russian teenager Daria Kasatkina.
Serena Williams plays a shot against Daria Kasatkina at the Australian Open
Williams, bidding for seventh title at Melbourne Park and a 22nd grand slam trophy, faces another unseeded Russian in Margarita Gasparyan in the next round.
Sharapova, the 2008 champion and a finalist last year, dominated the first set but then had to see off a stern challenge from Lauren Davis, currently ranked number 103 in the world, before prevailing 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-0 in two hours and 14 minutes.
Also through to the round of 16 were Margarita Gasparyan, Carla Suarez and Agnieska Radwanska.