Andy Murray beats Joao Sousa in Australian Open third round

Making the most of their absence, 2008 Australian Open runner-up Anna Ivanovic was thrust into the spotlight on Rod Laver Arena and scored a 6-3, 6-3 win over Latvian Anastasija Sevastova.

Azarenka has been hampered by injuries lately, most notably in 2014, but appears to be ready to add to her grand slam collection.

Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic waves after defeating Garbine Muguruza of Spain in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016.

Murray should have few problems against Sousa, having beaten the world number 33 in all of their past six meetings, most recently in the French Open second round a year ago.

He reasserted control, however, to go on another run of games and in doing so take the set 6-4. The players stayed on the court during the break, getting regular updates from tournament officials.

In the locker-room before the match, the wily Scot overheard Australia’s Groth saying he was playing at Rod Laver Arena, with all the pressures of a big home crowd, for the first time. He’s in the hospital cracking awful jokes he cracks all the time, and a TV was wheeled into his room so he could watch the match.

Play on the outside courts was delayed as a band of rain moved across the Melbourne area with some matches – including Lleyton Hewitt’s men’s doubles match – being cancelled for the day.

Sammel told Press Association Sport: “There was a Russian player who approached two of my guys”. He started off the match not serving so well, which helped me. “I just couldn’t find the court, my shots”.

“There was a really good atmosphere out there”, Konta said.

The Australian Open live blog identified him as Sears, who is not only Ivanovic’s coach but the father of Murray’s pregnant wife Kim Sears, who is due to give birth within weeks. The 22-year-old is the highest-ranked player left on her side of the draw after second-seed Simona Halep crashed out in the first round on Tuesday. Azarenka, like Murray a two-time grand slam victor, pummeled Danka Kovinic 6-1 6-2, a round after thrashing Alison van Uytvanck 6-0 6-0.

Stan Wawrinka won his 400th tour-level match with a 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory over Lukas Rosol in the third round at the Australian Open.

Johanna Konta, who beat Venus Williams, became the first British woman to reach the fourth round at the Australian Open since Joe Durie in 1987, giving the Brits and Aussies something to celebrate. Her next match is against 2015 semifinalist Ekaterina Makarova, who ousted No. 9 Karolina Pliskova.

The Scot and Brazilian beat Britain’s Jonny Marray, the former Wimbledon champion, and Pakistan’s Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi 6-3 6-4. “I don’t think he maybe needs to serve and volley as much as he does, because, you know, from the back he hits the ball well too”. “I pride myself on being an Australian throughout the year and representing our great country and the love and support that I’ve had throughout my career has been unbelievable”. “But that’s normal and I’m going to encounter that every single time I play, and I hope to be able to encounter that every single time I play because that means there’s a lot of enjoyment there and a lot of good competitiveness”.