Aussie Bites: Locked in.

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Nuts and Bolts

Results | Updated Draws

The Upshot: It was a weekend to forget for a variety of reasons – [waves angrily at everywhere] – but after a two days of one-way traffic at Melbourne Park, the Australian Open quarterfinals are set. And they should be good ones.

Women's Quarterfinals

Let's start with the women's draw. All but one Round of 16 match went to a deciding set. That came in Coco Gauff's 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win over Karolina Muchova, which still felt like a result that was Never In Doubt. When the dust settled, the Top 6 seeds have barreled into the Elite Eight.

[1] Aryna Sabalenka vs. [29] Iva Jovic (first meeting)
[3] Coco Gauff vs. [12] Elina Svitolina (2-1)

[6] Jessica Pegula vs. [4] Amanda Anisimova (3-0)
[5] Elena Rybakina vs. [2] Iga Swiatek (5-6)

STAT: It's the first time the Top 6 seeds gave made the quarterfinals at a Slam since the 1998 U.S. Open.

Men's Quarterfinals

Turning to the men's draw, the highlight of the Round of 16 was Learner Tien's absurd demolition of Daniil Medvedev, winning 6-4, 6-0, 6-3 in a match that seemed to just break Medvedev's rediscovered spirit. Also notable: Novak Djokovic received a walkover after Jakub Mensik withdrew due to injury.

[1] Carlos Alcaraz vs. [6] Alex de Minaur (5-0)
[3] Alexander Zverev vs. [25] Learner Tien (1-1)

[5] Lorenzo Musetti vs. [4] Novak Djokovic (1-9)
[8] Ben Shelton vs. [2] Jannik Sinner (1-8)

Round of 16 Highlights and Reads

• Not to get all JUSTICE FOR NO OTHER CHOICE here, but remember when Learner Tien didn't even get a nomination for 2025 ATP Breakthrough Player of the Year? (Esquire/ATP)
• Anyway, he's the first player to bagel Daniil Medvedev at a Slam and the first born in 2005 to make a Slam quarterfinal. And the youngest American to do it since Andy Roddick. Seems pretty good:

• After beating Maddison Inglis 6-0, 6-3, Iga became the youngest woman since Serena in 2003 to make six straight Slam quarterfinals. (OptaAce on Bluesky)
• Jim Courier has the tea over the tug-o-war over the decision to schedule Swiatek-Inglis at night:

• Pretty wild: The women's quarterfinalists have dropped three sets. Six players – Aryna, Amanda, Elena, Jess, Elina, and Iva – haven't lost one.

• This is absolutely bonkers: Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Aryna Sabalenka were all told they could not wear their WHOOP bands in matches and had to take them off. Wearables are permitted on the ATP and WTA Tours. WHOOP signed on to be the official wearable on the WTA Tour in 2021. (BBC)

"Athletes have a fundamental right to understand their own performance and health - including during competition at events like the Australian Open," said Whoop, the brand worn by Alcaraz.

"Blocking access to personal health data does not protect sport."

The Australian Open says it is "involved in ongoing discussions" about players wearing the devices in future. But it is unclear why they are not allowed now.

Whoop founder Will Ahmed described the Alcaraz decision as "ridiculous" in a post on X, adding: "Let the athletes measure their bodies."

• Obviously this would result in totally normal and reasonable and not at all problematic headlines in Australia:

• If Madison Keys had beaten Jessica Pegula, the Queen of Buffalo was going to have to wear a Kansas City Chiefs jersey. No wonder Jess won in straight sets. (The Athletic)

• Well that's a curveball: Juan Carlos Ferrero is going to...golf?

• No more Mr. Nice Guy, says Alex De Minaur. (ABC.au)

"I got tired of the narrative that these big hitters can take the racquet out of my hands."

De Minaur was more defiant when asked directly about his doubters ahead of his impending quarterfinal meeting against Carlos Alcaraz — an opponent he has never beaten as a pro.

"It's not my job to give them optimism, right?" he said.

"They ultimately can sit on their couch and decide X, Y, Z. Then, after the match is done, they will have whatever else they want to say about the match, but that's just it. There is nothing I can do to control that.

"I'm not going to come out here and plead Australia to believe in me."

• Elina Svitolina joins Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and Aryna Sabalenka as the only undefeated players this season. If she beats Gauff in the quarterfinals, she's projected to return to the Top 10 for the first time since 2021. (Live-Tennis)

• Things we love to see: Louisa Thomas waxes poetic on Amanda Anisimova. (New Yorker)

In 2019, she upset Sabalenka, the eleventh seed, at the Australian Open, and made the semifinals of the French Open. By the time the U.S. Open arrived, she was being talked about as the next big thing. ESPN ran an article titled “Inside Amanda Anisimova’s Plan to Become Tennis’s Next Superstar,” which depicted her as savvy and determined. But the “plan” seemed less her own than a vision of those around her. In the piece, her agent discussed his strategy for making her a star like Maria Sharapova, whom he also represented—but more relatable. (She was encouraged to post pictures of her breakfast to social media.) Both her coach and physiotherapist described her, with excitement, as a “project.”

It was tough to blame them. I watched her play in Miami that year, and seeing her technique and power up close, I was as transfixed by her potential as everyone else. I made plans to write about her on the eve of the U.S. Open, and was in a taxi on the way to the tournament when I got a call saying that the interview had to be cancelled, because her father had died suddenly.

• Maddison English took home over $330,000 USD after her qualifying run to the Round of 16. Get the Balmuda, girl! (WTA)
• Should (can?) Taylor Fritz shut it down for a few weeks to heal up? (ATP)
• Learner Tien you're ridiculous:

• A few hours after dismantling Yulia Putintseva 6-0, 6-1 to make her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, Iva Jovic was back out on court with Vicky Mboko doing some wacky stuff:

• Get Darren Cahill back on a mic, what are we even doing here:

• Pam Shriver is completely correct. WHY do we not have this yet:

• Theory: There is this really juvenile instinct ingrained in the DNA of this sport that celebrates suffering. Obviously we see this in the constant discourse surrounding the heat rule, medical treatment, and best of five. But it bleeds into fandom as well, where we all like to brag about the efforts we've gone to watch the sport. It's goofy!
• Oh while we're on the topic: The first time I went to Wimbledon I queued for a ticket every day that it was available and slept in a tent and bottle-showered and all that jazz. For the love of the game. Witness me.
• Gone but not forgotten: Love this post from Joanna Garland. "It hurts being one point away from something that genuinely would’ve changed my family’s life, but no amount of money could ever buy the experience of sharing a sold out Rod Laver Arena with some of the goats of the game. What money could also never buy is the heartfelt overwhelming amount of support and positivity I’ve received as a result of this. The people met and friendships formed over the past few weeks, spending time with my bestie and some wonderful human beings, has all been priceless. Sounds like winning to me ❤️"

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A post shared by Joanna Garland 葛藍喬安娜 (@jojogarland)

• As a Californian who has traveled internationally extensively over the years, this is 100% true:

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A post shared by Kristen Howerton (@kristenhowerton)

• Aryna Sabalenka and tiebreaks, man.

• Huge credit to Lorenzo Musetti, who we can no longer call a clay merchant.

• Midnight Snack Review: Trader Joe's Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake Mix is legit. Just use half of the crumb topping, otherwise it's too sweet. 9/10 want to eat it all the time. (All Recipes)
• Bop of the Day: God bless the great state of Minnesota.