Pegula dethrones Keys, Musetti blitzes Fritz to set up Djokovic showdown in Melbourne

VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS FROM AUSTRALIAN OPEN FOURTH ROUND – JESSICA PEGULA V MADISON KEYS, LORENZO MUSETTI V TAYLOR FRITZ AND MATCH POINT FROM AMANDA ANISIMOVA V WANG XINYU. SHOWS: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (JANUARY 26, 2026)(TENNIS AUSTRALIA – See restrictions) 1. WIDE OF PEOPLE AT MELBOURNE PARK AT START OF DAY 9 OF AUSTRALIAN OPEN  JESSICA PEGULA (UNITED STATES) V MADISON KEYS (UNITED STATES) 6-3 6-4 FIRST SET 2. KEYS WINS A POINT WITH BACKHAND WINNER  3. PEGULA GETTING READY TO SERVE  4. VARIOUS OF AIR SHOW OVER ARENA 5. KEYS NETS THE BALL AND PEGULA WINS FIRST SET  SECOND SET  6. PEGULA WINS A POINT WITH FOREHAND WINNER  7. KEYS NETS THE BALL AGAIN AND PEGULA WINS MATCH 6-3 6-4 8. PEGULA CELEBRATING  9. PEGULA AND KEYS HUGGING EACH OTHER AND SHAKING HANDS WITH CHAIR UMPIRE  10. VARIOUS OF PEGULA ACKNOWLEDGING THE CROWD  LORENZO MUSETTI (ITALY) V TAYLOR FRITZ (UNITED STATES) 6-2 7-5 6-4 FIRST SET 11. MUSETTI WINS A GAME POINT WITH A SMASH  12. CROWD CHEERING 13. MUSETTI HITS A FOREHAND WINNER AND WINS THE FIRST SET/ MUSETTI CELEBRATING  14. CROWD CHEERING AND WAVING ITALY FLAG  SECOND SET 15. MUSETTI WINS A POINT WITH FOREHAND WINNER/ MUSETTI'S CLOSE-UP  16. MUSETTI GOES LONG AND FRITZ WINS A GAME POINT  17. CROWD CHEERING AND CLAPPING FOR FRITZ/ FRITZ CLOSE-UP 18. MUSETTI WINS A POINT WITH FOREHAND WINNER 19. VARIOUS OF CHILDREN CHEERING FOR MUSETTI WITH ITALY FLAG IN HAND  THIRD SET  20. MUSETTI WINS A GAME POINT WITH A SMASH  21. FRITZ GOES WIDE AND MUSETTI WINS MATCH 6-2 7-5 6-4 22. MUSETTI CELEBRATING  23. CROWD CHEERING FOR MUSETTI  24. MUSETTI AND FRITZ SHAKING HANDS WITH EACH OTHER AND THE CHAIR UMPIRE  25. VARIOUS OF MUSETTI CELEBRATING AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE CROWD  MATCH POINT – AMANDA ANISIMOVA V WANG XINYU 7-6(4) 6-4 26. WANG FAILS TO RETURN ANISIMOVA'S SERVE AND ANISIMOVA WINS MATCH 7-6(4) 6-4 27. ANISIMOVA CELEBRATING  28. CROWD CHEERING  29. ANISIMOVA AND WANG SHAKING HANDS WITH EACH OTHER  STORY: Jessica Pegula knocked out defending champion Madison Keys at the Australian Open on Monday (January 26) as the American sixth seed secured a dominant 6-3 6-4 victory to reach the quarter‑finals at Melbourne Park for the fourth time. Facing a close friend with whom she hosts "The Player's Box" podcast, Pegula made a blistering start at Rod Laver Arena and only briefly let the momentum slip early in the match to remain on course for a first major title. Fourth seed Amanda Anisimova maintained her Grand Slam momentum by beating China's Wang Xinyu 7-6(4) 6-4 to reach her first Australian Open quarter-final, where she will face fellow American Pegula. The hard-hitting 24-year-old has been in imperious form at Melbourne Park this year and has not dropped a set as she bids for a first major title after runner-up finishes at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2025. Anisimova struggled to find her range in a tight first set, however, as Wang, spurred on by a vocal contingent of Chinese fans, held her own in the early exchanges and saved a set point before her American opponent won the tiebreak. In the men's contest, fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti produced an inspired display to ease past American Taylor Fritz 6-2 7-5 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena and reach the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time, setting up a meeting with 10-times champion Novak Djokovic. The Italian came through a five-set battle with Tomas Machac in the last round but it did not appear to have taken much out of him as he broke Fritz's big serve twice in the opening set. Musetti played with authority and artistry towards the end of the second set, which he secured by winning three straight games, before breaking early in the third set to heap the pressure on the American. Ninth seed Fritz, who was moved all over the court by his 23-year-old opponent, dug deep to stay in touch but Musetti served out the victory in style for a tantalizing meeting with 24-times major champion Djokovic. (Production: Suramya Kaushik)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)