Defending champion Jannik Sinner has moved into the quarterfinals at the Australian Open after beating Holger Rune during a match slowed down by medical timeouts for each player and a delay because the net got knocked loose.

Jannik Sinner and Elina Svitolina won their respective Round 3 matches and advanced to the pre-quarters. While Sinner beat Marcos Giron in straight sets, Svitolina got the better of Jasmine Paolini.

World No.1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek, Elina Svitolina, Elena Rybakina and other big players will be in action on Day 9 of the hard court major at the Melbourne Park.

Elina Svitolina advances to Australian Open quarterfinals, to face Madison Keys after defeating Veronika Kudermetova.

They also have a dead-even head-to-head record. Keys won their first two matches, and Rybakina came back to win the next two, including their only meeting of 2024, on hard courts in Miami. Keys has won eight straight matches in Adelaide and Melbourne, while Rybakina, with new coach Goran Ivanisevic, hasn’t dropped a set this week.

A smashed net became an unlikely ally of defending champion Jannik Sinner during a sweltering day's action at the Australian Open. World No 1 Sinner and fourth-round opponent Holger Rune were visibly struggling with the humid conditions on Rod Laver Arena during a match disrupted by medical timeouts for both players on Monday.

As much as any top player, Sinner has been able to expose De Minaur’s lack of first-strike weaponry. The Aussie’s strength is his scrambling and counterpunching, but Sinner serves too well, hits too hard, places the ball too precisely for his defense to be effective. De Minaur hasn’t found a way to hurt, rattle, of disrupt him.

The World No. 1, despite feeling unwell in sweltering conditions, kept up his title defense with a four-set triumph.

Melbourne: Elina Svitolina was 4-1 down before she went on a roll and took 11 of the next 12 games in a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Veronika Kudermetova on Monday to reach the Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia — (AP) — Elina Svitolina rallied from 4-1 down ... when defending champion Jannik Sinner and No. 13 seed Holger Rune meet in an afternoon match and five-time major winner ...

In a display of tennis mastery, defending champion Jannik Sinner demolished local hope Alex de Minaur in straight sets at the Australian Open, while world No. 2 Iga Swiatek continued her devastating form,

Defending champion Jannik Sinner raced into the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday in imperious fashion after Iga Swiatek was equally ruthless to close on a first Melbourne crown.