2024 Australian Open: Gauff, Fritz, Anisimova power into fourth round

Reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff extended her Grand Slam winning streak to 10 matches to equal her best result at the year's first major. The 19-year-old is joined by Taylor Fritz and Amanda Anisimova in the Australian Open fourth round, with all three bidding to reach the Melbourne quarterfinals for the first time.

Both Gauff and Anisimova have yet to drop a set in the women's singles draw, while Taylor Fritz has rode wins of five, three and four sets into the last 16.

Gauff wins all-U.S. matchup vs. Parks

Both born in Atlanta and raised primarily in Florida, childhood friends Gauff and Alycia Parks contested their first competitive match on Friday in Melbourne.

Despite being four years younger than Parks, Gauff has far more big-match experience than the 23-year-old, who won her first WTA title last year in Lyon. The world No. 4 used that to her advantage in Margaret Court Arena with a veteran-like display.

Gauff was all business in a 6-0, 6-2 victory that extended her perfect record to 8-0 this season following her Auckland title run.

"I've never hit with her. It was tough to kind of put something into action," she said of her game plan. "I was really just trying to do what I do against everybody else: Keep the ball deep, open up the court, try to move her as much as I could."

Anisimova edges Badosa, gets Sabalenka next

Anisimova continues to reap the rewards of her time away from tennis in the second half of 2023. The unseeded American defeated former world No. 2 Paula Badosa, 7-5, 6-4, on Friday to return to the Aussie Open last 16 for a third time.

Read more: 'Refreshed' Anisimova dazzles on return from mental health break

Anisimova broke serve five times against the Spanish star to book a fourth-round showdown with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. The American owns a 4-1 head-to-head record against the world No. 2, including an upset win at the 2019 Aussie Open.

Fritz earns Tsitsipas rematch

Fritz completed a methodical comeback against Fabian Marozsan on Friday, knocking off the Hungarian, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. Marozsan, who made headlines by beating Carlos Alcaraz last May in Rome, was denied another big upset as Fritz stayed the course after a slow start.

The American's powerful, deep hitting was a constant throughout the two-hour, 23-minute match. Once Fritz claimed the pivotal second set, he took full control in John Cain Arena by commanding the middle of the court with his big forehand.

The 12th seed's next opponent—returning finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas—rivals him with another one of the biggest forehands on the ATP Tour. The Greek defeated Fritz in the 2022 AO fourth round and owns a 3-1 advantage in their head-to-head, but Fritz claimed their most recent matchup at the 2023 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.