Melbourne (AFP)

Last French representative in the running, Kristina Mladenovic was quickly overwhelmed in the third round of the Australian Open on Saturday.

In reconfigured Melbourne, tennis rings low for at least five days.

Rafael Nadal, he had to fight a little more than the first two laps, but his "biggest victory" is that his back "hurts less".

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Mladenovic picking up speed

Drunk with blows: Mladenovic (50th), who runs after a second week in Grand Slam for nearly four years (Roland Garros 2017), was taken by the throat by Jessica Pegula (61st), victorious 6-2, 6- 1 in just 68 minutes.

Very quickly, the pace imposed by the American, especially in the forehand, proved irresistible, and she never let Mladenovic breathe.

Until the end, Pegula, not clumsy in touching either, distributed her strikes flat without batting an eyelid.

With 21 winning strokes for only 13 unforced errors, she offered herself "with the manner" her first round of 16 in a Grand Slam, at 26 years old.

She will challenge the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (5th).

"It's not every day that you take so many winning shots without being able to really set up your game. I exploded, I was overwhelmed", summarizes "Kiki", who was the last Frenchwoman in the race, women's tables and male confused.

This third round remains a breakthrough for her.

She had not reached this stage of Grand Slam competition for two and a half years (Wimbledon 2018).

Neither have won two games in a row on the main circuit since October 2019.

Karolina Pliskova (6th) was surprised by Karolina Muchova (7-5, 7-5) in a 100% Czech duel, not without having won 5 games to 0 in the second set.

World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty showed authority to eliminate Ekaterina Alexandrova (32nd) 6-2, 6-4.

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Nadal is better!

"I have less pain": Nadal did not hide his satisfaction after beating the Briton Cameron Norrie (69th) 7-5, 6-2, 7-5.

The Spaniard, handicapped by back pain in the first two rounds to the point of having had to adapt his service gesture, has still not lost a single set and appeared very satisfied to have made it to the second week of the tournament.

But, "my biggest victory is that my back is better," he said.

"I did not train yesterday (Friday) and I found my normal service gesture today", he said, stressing that the condition of his back had not improved little by little. .

"Today for the first time he is better," he insisted, displaying a spirit he had not had since the start of the tournament.

He clearly sees himself set off again in the quest for a 21st Grand Slam record trophy.

It will have to pass Monday by Fabio Fognini (17th), easy winner of Alex de Minaur (23rd) 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

Pain, it was Matteo Berrettini (10th) who suddenly felt it during his duel against Karen Khachanov (20th).

"I don't know what happened, but I felt pain under my ribs (left). The physio said there was no stretching, that it must be a little muscle problem, "said the Italian who finally won.

For his first round of 16 in Melbourne, he will face Stefanos Tsitsipas (6th) who quickly got rid of Mikael Ymer (95th) 6-4, 6-1, 6-1.

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Medvedev, the fifth element

Daniil Medvedev (4th) won his first match against Filip Krajinovic in five sets after six failures (6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-0).

Obviously, it was not easy.

And especially on the mental level.

With invective forces, the hot Russian pushed his trainer Gilles Cervara to leave the stands.

"He told me that he was sure I was going to win but that he was going to leave me alone to calm down," said the player.

Straddling 2020 and 2021, he is now on a series of seventeen victories after his titles at the Masters 1000 in Paris and the Masters at the end of last season.

Next opponent: the unexpected American Mackenzie McDonald (192nd).

Andrey Rublev (8th), striker of Feliciano Lopez (65th) 7-5, 6-2, 6-3, did not drag either and will face the Norwegian Casper Ruud (28th).

© 2021 AFP