Two-time defending Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka extended a few impressive streaks on Friday while becoming one of the first players to advance to the fourth round of the year's opening Grand Slam tournament.

Sabalenka's fourth-round challenge will be the 14th seed Mirra Andreeva, who she leads 3-1 in head-to-head record. Andreeva secured her first win against Sabalenka at the French Open quarterfinals last year.

A four-time Grand Slam champion, Osaka returned from maternity leave last year and lost in the first or second round of all four major tournaments. The 27-year-old Japan native has not won any event on the WTA Tour since capturing her second Australian Open title to start 2021.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka was pushed to the limit in setting up an Australian Open showdown with teenager Mirra Andreeva on Friday but Naomi Osaka's run ended with an injury retirement in round three.

Aryna Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka, Zheng Qinwen, Diana Shnaider, Mirra Andreeva and Jessica Pegula all delivered magic winners on Day 3 of the Australian Open.

It wasn’t often pretty, but two-time defending Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka has extended a few impressive streaks while becoming one of the first players to advance to the fourth round of