Alcaraz claims entertaining win over Moutet, Sabalenka battles past Potapova at AO26

VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS FROM AUSTRALIAN OPEN WINS BY CARLOS ALCARAZ AND ARYNA SABALENKA. MATCH POINT FROM WINS BY DANIIL MEDVEDEV, TOMMY PAUL, AND VICTORIA MBOKO SHOWS: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (JANUARY 23, 2026) (TENNIS AUSTRALIA – See restrictions) 1. AERIAL OF MELBOURNE PARK AT START OF DAY 6 CARLOS ALCARAZ (SPAIN) V CORENTIN MOUTET (FRANCE) 1ST SET 2. BOTH PLAYERS WITH GREAT RETURNS, MOUTET HITS INTO NET 2ND SET 3. BOTH PLAYERS WITH GREAT SHOTS, ALCARAZ WINS POINT WITH BACKHAND 4. ALCARAZ WITH FOREHAND WINNER TO GO TO SET POINT, HE WOULD GO ON TO WIN SET 6-4 AND TAKE 2-0 LEAD 3RD SET 5. MOUTET APPEARS TO HAVE SLAM WINNER BUT ALCARAZ MAKES NICE RETURN AND THEN MOUTET HITS SOFT DROP SHOT INTO NET, MOUTET TRIES AGAIN FOR FUN AND FAILS TO GET BALL IN, ASKS FOR ANOTHER BALL AND THEN GETS SHOT IN AND CELEBRATES 6. BOTH PLAYERS WITH GREAT RETURNS, MOUTET WINS POINT WITH VOLLEY 7. MOUTET WITH NICE VOLLEY RETURN TO WIN GAME AND CUT ALCARAZ LEAD TO 4-1, AND TAKES A BOW 8. MOUTET HITS WIDE ON MATCH POINT, ALCARAZ WINS 6-2 6-4 6-1 9. ALCARAZ AND MOUTET HUGGING AT NET 10. ALCARAZ WAVING TO CROWD DANIIL MEDVEDEV (RUSSIA) V FABIAN MAROZSAN (HUNGARY)  11. MATCH POINT – MAROZSAN HITS WIDE, MEDVEDEV WINS 6-7(5) 4-6 7-5 6-0 6-3 ALEJANDRO DAVIDOVICH-FOKINA (SPAIN) V TOMMY PAUL (USA) 2ND SET 12. DAVIDOVICH-FOKINA HITS INTO NET, PAUL BREAKS SERVE TO WIN 2ND SET 6-1 AND DAVIDOVICH-FOKINA THEN RETIRES FROM MATCH, PAUL WINS 6-1 6-1 ARYNA SABALENKA (BELARUS) V ANASTASIA POTAPOVA (AUSTRIA) 1ST SET 13. SABALENKA WITH BACKHAND WINNER TO WIN TIEBREAKER 7-6(4) 2ND SET 14. SABALENKA WITH VOLLEY WINNER TO TAKE 4-0 LEAD 15. POTAPOVA WITH NICE RETURNS AND SABALENKA HITS WIDE, POTAPOVA BREAKS SERVE TO EVEN SET 4-4 16. SABALENKA WITH VOLLEY WINNER TO TAKE 8-7 LEAD IN TIEBREAKER AND GO TO MATCH POINT 17. POTAPOVA HITS INTO NET ON MATCH POINT, SABALENKA WINS 7-6(4) 7-6(7) 18. SABALENKA AND POTAPOVA HUGGING AFTER MATCH 19. SABALENKA WAVING TO CROWD 20. SABALENKA SIGNING CAMERA GLASS CLARA TAUSON (DENMARK) V VICTORIA MBOKO (CANADA)  21. MATCH POINT – TAUSON WITH NICE RETURN BUT MBOKO WITH VOLLEY WINNER ON MATCH POINT TO WIN 7-6(5) 5-7 6-3 STORY: Carlos Alcaraz turned on the style as he raced into the Australian Open fourth round on Friday (January 23) with a highlight-laden 6-2 6-4 6-1 clinic against France's own trick-shot maestro Corentin Moutet. The world number one was in peak form in his 100th Grand Slam match as he racked up 30 winners in just over two hours against the left-handed 32nd seed at Rod Laver Arena. At 15-0 in the first game of the second set, Alcaraz won arguably the rally of the tournament, chasing down a lob with a cross-court 'tweener' from the baseline then rushing forward to retrieve a volley, sending a backhand passing shot down the line. Though completely dismantled, Moutet never lost his sense of humor throughout the entertaining, if one-sided, encounter. He danced a jig behind the baseline after lobbing Alcaraz successfully at 4-0 down in the third set, and then bowed theatrically to the crowd when he finally held serve. It was Alcaraz's first match against the Frenchman but ended up his 14th win in 14 against lefthanders. Women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka passed her first major test in Melbourne, fending off a serious challenge from Anastasia Potapova to reach the fourth round with a tense 7-6(4) 7-6(7) win. At a Grand Slam spiked with geopolitical tension, Potapova played for Austria after a recent nationality switch from Russia, and represented the central European nation with distinction in the early match at Rod Laver Arena. Seemingly down and out at 4-0 in the second set, the world number 55 broke Sabalenka three times and nudged ahead to 6-5, forcing the Belarusian into a surprising scrap to the finish. Potapova will rue failing to take her chances, though, seeing four set points slip through her fingers in the final tiebreak. Sabalenka was more clinical, setting up a match point with a drive-volley down the line before sealing victory when Potapova thumped a backhand into the net. Four-times Grand Slam champion Sabalenka booked her sixth consecutive appearance in the fourth round at Melbourne Park, where she won the title back-to-back in 2023-24. Her win set up an intriguing duel against Canadian 17th seed Victoria Mboko, who edged Clara Tauson to reach the last 16 in her Australian Open main draw debut. (Production: David Grip)

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