Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime breezes into round of 16 at Australian Open with straight-sets winMontreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open. Auger-Aliassime defeated Britain's Dan Evans in straight sets 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 on Saturday at the Grand Slam event.

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Halep, Sabalenka, Świątek advance on women's side; Ottawa's Dabrowski eliminated

Stephanie Myles · The Canadian Press(Simon Baker/The Associated Press)comments

For the second year in a row at the Australian Open, Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to the second week.

The 21-year-old Canadian, the No. 9 seed, swiftly dispatched No. 24 seed Dan Evans 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 Saturday to move into the round of 16.

On Monday, he'll play No. 27 seed Marin Cilic for a spot in the quarter-finals. Cilic knocked off No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-3 on Saturday.

This is the fourth time in his last five Grand Slam appearances that Auger-Aliassime has reached the second week. That includes a semifinal effort at the US Open last September, and a Wimbledon quarter-final last July.

WATCH | Auger-Aliassime tops Evans at Australian Open:

Auger-Aliassime beats Evans in straight sets at Australian Open

1 day agoDuration 2:54Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime advances to the fourth round of the Australian Open with a 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Britain's Daniel Evans.(Andy Brownbill/The Associated Press)

The 25-year-old Russian was a conspicuous fan favourite on Margaret Court Arena, too, two days after being unsettled by the boos and jeers of a parochial crowd on Rod Laver Arena when he ended the run of mercurial Aussie Nick Kyrgios.

He was critical of a lack of respect in that match — mostly about the noise between first and second serves — and this time offered some relationship advice to the crowd.

"Every good relationship must have its ups and downs," he said in his on-court TV interview, explaining that he planned to be back on court quite often in the future. "I hope it's going to be more good times than bad times, otherwise it doesn't work."

Medvedev later clarified he didn't have a problem with the Australian crowds and had been fully expecting to have them against him when he played Kyrgios — just not while he was in his service motion.

Medvedev avoided a showdown with Djokovic after the world's top-ranked player had his visa cancelled and was deported on the eve of the tournament for failing to meet Australia's strict COVID-19 vaccination criteria.

• Bring It InDjokovic saga overshadows major storylines at Australian Open

He also avoided another match against an Australian in the fourth round when wildcard entry Chris O'Connell lost to Maxime Cressy 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-2.

Cressy's win means there's two 24-year-old Americans who'll be in the fourth round of a major for their first time.

No. 70-ranked Cressy is in his fourth Grand Slam tournament. No. 20-ranked Taylor Fritz finally made it in his 22nd attempt, with a 6-0, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over No. 15 Roberto Bautista Agut, and said it "means a ton."

Fritz will next play fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas, a runner-up at the French Open and semifinalist in Australia last year, who fended off Benoit Paire 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (2), 6-4.

Australia's Alex de Minaur, seeded 32nd, beat Pablo Andujar 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in the first of the night matches on Day 6 on the main show court at Melbourne Park.

De Minaur, a quarter-finalist at the 2020 U.S. Open, will next play No. 11 Jannik Sinner, who beat Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the third round.

Halep, Sabalenka, Świątek also advance

On the women's side, two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep is into Week 2 at Melbourne Park for the fifth consecutive year after a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Danka Kovinic.

None of the other players remaining the women's draw has won as many tour-level titles as Halep's 23.

Halep's next opponent will be Alize Cornet, who celebrated her 32nd birthday with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over No. 29 Tamara Zidansek, a 2021 French Open semifinalist.

Cornet followed up her upset of No. 3 Garbine Muguruza by reaching the fourth round at the Australian Open for the first time since 2009.

WATCH | Cornet pulls off upset over Muguruza:

Cornet upsets world No. 3 Muguruza in Australian Open 2nd round

4 days agoDuration 1:12France's Alize Cornet, ranked 61st in the world, defeats two-time Grand slam champion Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 6-3 and advances to the third round at the Australian Open.More tennis coverage

(editor：)