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survivor

Led 6-1 after 34 minutes, Garcia managed not to panic to turn around a damn bad situation against the 158th in the world, winning 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

"I didn't play very well, but I'm very happy with the way I fought," commented the 29-year-old Lyonnaise.

Unable in the first set to set up her game (4 winning strokes, 16 unforced errors) against an opponent who succeeded in everything, the 4th player in the world had to wait for the second set to regain efficiency in the service and thus rebalance the debates.

French Caroline Garcia celebrates her victory against German Laura Siegemund after their ladies' singles match at the Australian Open, in Melbourne, January 21, 2023 © Paul CROCK / AFP

She will face the Polish Magda Linette (45th) in the round of 16 of the Australian Major, which she reaches for only the second time after 2018.

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Finished for the Blues

She will also be the only French representative at this stage out of the 19 competing in the main draws.

Because Benjamin Bonzi (48th) and Ugo Humbert (106th), the last Blues in the men's table, were clearly dominated on Saturday.

Bonzi, who was playing a Grand Slam third round for the first time in his career at 26, was beaten by Alex De Minaur (24th) 7-6 (7/0), 6-2, 6-1 on the big short Rod Laver.

Benjamin Bonzi during his Australian Open 3rd round match against Australian Alex De Minaur on January 21, 2023 in Melbourne © Martin KEEP / AFP

"For a first, it was fun to play, even if there is no score in the end," he commented.

It is therefore the Australian who will face Djokovic (5th) on Monday for a place in the quarterfinals.

The Serb, obviously still very handicapped at times by his pain in the left thigh, got rid of one of his "best friends", the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (28th) 7-6 (7/9), 6- 3, 6-4.

"Every point, every game was important and maybe the key for me was getting the break straight away in the game because I knew that physically I would have ups and downs," said the " Djoker", still in the race to equal Rafael Nadal's record of 22 Grand Slam titles.

Humbert was logically beaten by Holger Rune (10th) 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5).

"What annoys me the most is that I haven't tried to change anything, I haven't tried to do more things, even if it means trying to put only winners winners, editor's note) for two games to try to free me", regretted the Messin.

Rune is participating in his second Australian Open: last year he lost at the start, before reaching the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros, his best result in a Major so far.

Serbian Novak Djokovic during the Australian Open 3rd round match against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov on January 21, 2023 in Melbourne © ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP

He can replay a quarter in a Grand Slam tournament, provided he beat Russian Andrey Rublev (6th) on Monday.

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Pleasure

'I'm playing better than last year and maybe that's why I'm having more fun': Aryna Sabalenka was all smiles after her clear 6-2, 6-3 win over Belgium's Elise Mertens (32nd ), with which she had won the Australian Major in doubles in 2021.

The 24-year-old Belarusian has not yet lost a single set not only of the tournament but of the year, which began with a title in Adelaide 1.

She will play the 8th in Melbourne for the third time in a row, but she has never managed to go through to the quarters, while she has reached the Grand Slam semi-finals three times (Wimbledon 2021, US Open 2021 and 2022).

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka after her victory against Belgian Elise Mertens at the Australian Open on January 21, 2023 in Melbourne © MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP

His next opponent, Belinda Bencic (10th), also remains on a title before the Australian Open, in Adelaide 2.

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The return

The Czech Karolina Pliskova (31st) had not passed the third round in Melbourne since her semi-final in 2019.

It's done thanks to her quiet victory against the Russian Varvara Gracheva (97th) 6-4, 6-2.

Since the 2019 Australian Open, she has played the 2021 Wimbledon final and the quarters at the US Open in 2021 and 2022.

She will try to climb into the quarters by facing Chinese Shuai Zhang (22nd), who beat American Katie Volynets (113th and qualifying) 6-3, 6-2.

© 2023 AFP