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The Latest: Zverev moves into 4th round at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - The Latest on Friday at the Australian Open (all times local):

7:45 p.m.

Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev has advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Radu Albot, a No. 124-ranked qualifier from Moldova.

The third-seeded Zverev finished it off with his third match point in just under two hours. He converted three of his six break-point chances and fended off all five on his own serve.

Zverev hit 44 winners and 16 aces to prepare for his next match against No. 14-ranked Denis Shapovalov of Canada.

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7:30 p.m.

Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini has fended off 18-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz 6-2, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 2-6, 7-6 (5) to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open.

The seventh-seeded Berrettini wasted a match point when Alcaraz was serving to force a fifth-set tiebreaker, netting a return to a second serve.

But the 25-year-old Italian dominated the match super tiebreaker, taking a 9-5 lead to get four more match points before No. 31-ranked Alcaraz finished with a double-fault.

'œHe's unbelievable. At his age, I didn't even have an ATP point,'ť Berrettini said. 'œHe's impressive. He'll only improve, playing matches like this. He's showed everyone his potential.'ť

Berrettini advanced to the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the second straight year and for the eighth time at a Grand Slam event, equaling Fabio Fognini and Andriano Panatta's Open-era record for the most by an Italian man.

No. 14-seeded Denis Shapovalov beat No. 23 Reilly Opelka 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in another men's third-round match.

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3:10 p.m.

French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova rallied from a set and a break down against No. 26-seeded Jelena Ostapenko to win 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 and advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time.

The fourth-seeded Krejcikova will next play two-time Australian champion Victoria Azarenka, who ousted 15th-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-0, 6-2.

In other results on Day 5, fifth-seeded Maria Sakkari beat No. 28 Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 6-1 to move into a fourth-round match against American Jessica Pegula, who beat Nuria Parrizas Diaz 7-6 (3), 6-2.

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12:35 p.m.

Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka is into the fourth round for the first time since 2016 after overpowering 15th-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-0, 6-2.

Azarenka accumulated nearly twice as many winners, 17, as unforced errors, nine, and never faced a break point. Svitolina made mistake after mistake, 26 unforced errors in all.

Azarenka improved to 5-0 against Svitolina.

The 24th-seeded Azarenka won the title at Melbourne Park in 2012 and 2013, and she also has been the runner-up at the U.S. Open three times, most recently in 2020.

She next will play No. 4 Barbora Krejcikova or No. 26 Jelena Ostapenko, who each has won the French Open.

Since a quarterfinal run in Australia in 2016, Azarenka lost first-round matches last year and in 2019, and missed the hard-court tournament in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

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11:20 a.m.

Day 5 at the Australian Open features two much-anticipated matchups that could lead to an even bigger one.

Defending champion Naomi Osaka faces Amanda Anisimova at Margaret Court Arena, while No. 1 Ash Barty plays hard-hitting Camila Giorgi at Rod Laver Arena. Both are on the night schedule.

The winners of those two matches will meet each other in a fourth-round contest that could have the feel of a Grand Slam final a week early if it's Osaka vs. Barty.

Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka is taking on No. 15 seed Elina Svitolina to get things started in the third round.

Later Friday, Rafael Nadal will continue his bid for a record 21st Grand Slam title with a third-round match against No. 28 Karen Khachanov, and Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini takes on No. 31 Carlos Alcaraz.

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More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Matteo Berrettini of Italy plays a backhand return to Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill) The Associated Press
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain serves to Matteo Berrettini of Italy during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill) The Associated Press
Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic celebrates after defeating Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill) The Associated Press
Victoria Azarenka of Belarus reacts after defeating Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill) The Associated Press
Naomi Osaka of Japan is interviewed after defeating Madison Brengle of the U.S. in their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill) The Associated Press
Ash Barty of Australia reacts after defeating Lucia Bronzetti of Italy in their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill) The Associated Press
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