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Novak Djokovic brushed speech Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli 6-3 6-2 6-2 connected Thursday (January 22, 2026) to scope the Australian Open 3rd round, arsenic women's champion Madison Keys overcame a second-set wobble against Ashlyn Krueger to besides advance.
Fourth effect Djokovic, seeking a record-extending 11th Melbourne Park rubric and 25th Grand Slam trophy wide to interruption the deadlock with Margaret Court, maintained his dependable grip connected the second-round clash without needing to displacement into apical gear.
"I didn't cognize overmuch astir him (Maestrelli) until a fewer days ago, it happens much often than not these days," Djokovic said astir his 23-year-old opponent.
"But the respect is ever determination and I didn't underestimate him. He's got a large service and a large game, lone lacking a spot of experience. He's got the crippled to spell acold and precocious successful the satellite rankings and I wish him that."
Djokovic, 38, raced done the opening acceptable and pounced again successful the opening game of the 2nd acceptable to heap unit connected satellite fig 141 Maestrelli.
The triumph was Djokovic's 399th Grand Slam lucifer victory, and his 101st successful Melbourne, leaving him 1 shy of record-holder Roger Federer. Djokovic volition adjacent conscionable Botic van de Zandschulp.
Musetti downs Pal Sonego
Lorenzo Musetti, the 5th seed, won the conflict of the Italians connected Margaret Court Arena arsenic helium defeated Lorenzo Sonego 6-3 6-3 6-4 and volition adjacent look either Stefano Tsitsipas oregon Tomas Machac.
"It was not an casual lucifer to prepare, to play, and to woody with due to the fact that Lorenzo is one of my champion friends connected tour," said Musetti.
"We precocious had a rubric unneurotic in doubles, truthful we shared a batch of bully memories, truthful it's not casual to abstracted those things successful the court."
Eighth seeded Ben Shelton had fewer issues against Australia's Dane Sweeny, the American claiming a 6-3 6-2 6-2 triumph to acceptable up a 3rd circular gathering with Valentin Vacherot, who defeated Australia's Rinky Hijikata successful consecutive sets.
Keys stumbles but defeats Krueger
Women's rubric holder Keys, the ninth effect successful the draw, notched up a 6-1 7-5 triumph implicit chap American Krueger but was little than convincing aft powering her mode done the opening set.
The defending champion allowed doubts to creep into her crippled successful the 2nd set, handing Krueger 2 breaks connected service with a succession of treble faults earlier battling backmost to advancement to the adjacent circular to look Karolina Pliskova.
"I started truly well, and I deliberation Ashlyn started a small slow, and past I was afloat expecting her to rise her level, which she did," Keys said.
"Once I benignant of got that momentum, I tried to descend my teeth into the set, and bash immoderate I could to get backmost into it."
Sixth effect Jessica Pegula had fewer issues against doubles partner McCartney Kessler, handing retired a broad 6-0 6-2 decision to her chap American successful 58 minutes and set up a gathering with Russia's Oksana Selekhmeteva successful the 3rd round.
Amanda Anisimova, besides from the United States, booked her spot successful the adjacent signifier with a 6-1 6-4 triumph implicit Katerina Siniakova and the 4th effect volition adjacent look compatriot Peyton Stearns.
Play continues connected Thursday erstwhile defending men's champion Jannik Sinner takes connected Australian wildcard James Duckworth, portion women's 2nd seed Iga Swiatek meets Marie Bouzkova and doubly champion Naomi Osaka plays Sorana Cirstea.
