Caroline Garcia and Aryna Sabalenka advance to the eighth

(Melbourne) Caroline Garcia, 4^e world, reversed a very badly started match to finally beat the German Laura Siegemund (158^e) 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 and thus reach the round of 16 of the Australian Open where she will be the only French representative.

“She played very well, used the speed of my ball very well”, admitted the 29-year-old Lyonnaise who will face the Polish Magda Linette (45^e) for a place in quarters.

Unable in the first set (4 winning strokes, 16 unforced errors) to set up his game against an opponent who succeeded in everything, Garcia had to wait for the second set to regain efficiency in the service and thus rebalance the debates and equalize at one set everywhere.

But Siegemund hung on without ever making it easier for her opponent.

So when Garcia broke to lead 4-3 in the third set, she had to fight to confirm on her own faceoff.

And it was finally she who concluded on Sigemund’s service on her second match point and when the German had had three chances to win her game.

“The last game sums up the whole game,” said Garcia, who saved a total of six break points out of nine conceded. But she finished with 29 winners for 37 unforced errors.

The Australian Major is the one of the four that has been the least successful for her historically: she only reached the round of 16 there once (2018) and was left with a defeat in the first round last year.

Sabalenka continues on her way

Aryna Sabalenka, 5^e world, clearly dominated the Belgian Elise Mertens (32^e) 6-2, 6-3 on Saturday in the third round and reached the knockout stages in Melbourne for the third time in a row.

“I’m playing better than last year and maybe that’s why I’m having more fun,” said the 24-year-old Belarusian who will face Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic (10^e) to try to climb for the first time in the quarter-finals of the Australian Major.

She has reached the Grand Slam semi-finals three times (Wimbledon 2021, United States Open 2021 and 2022).

Sabalenka is yet to drop a single set not only of the tournament but of the year, which began with a title in Adelaide 1.

“That’s a great stat, but I don’t care. I just try to keep playing my best,” she said.

His next opponent Bencic also remains on a title before the Australian Open, in Adelaide 2.