On Friday, Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner firmly asserted their claims to the Australian Open crown, charging ahead into the fourth round while a subpar Novak Djokovic readied himself for yet another tough challenge.
In a 6-0, 6-2 thumping, US Open winner Coco Gauff also made her intentions clear, and 16-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva continued her incredible run with a valiant comeback against France's Diane Parry.
On Rod Laver Arena, Belarus's incumbent champion Sabalenka easily defeated 28-seeded Lesia Tsurenko 6-0, 6-0.
Wearing vivid red, she was in the zone against Ukraine's Tsurenko on Rod Laver Arena, racing home in just 52 minutes.
"Last year (world number one) Iga (Swiatek) won so many sets 6-0 and this is one of the goals," she said. "I'm trying to get closer to her.
"I'm super happy with the level I'm playing at so far and hopefully I can keep going like that or even better."
While Sinner defeated 29-seeded Sebastian Baez in just four games. Fourth-seed Sinner came into the opening Grand Slam of the year after ending 2023 in the best form of his life.