Defending champion Madison Keys reveled in the heat in Melbourne on Saturday to set up a last-16 showdown with fellow American Jessica Pegula at the Australian Open, where Novak Djokovic hopes to take another step towards a record 25th Grand Slam title.
Players, fans and tournament organizers are bracing for 40C temperatures in the afternoon, when play may be suspended.
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The game started an hour earlier than usual because of the heat wave, and Case didn’t want to linger any longer.
She earned a victory in just 75 minutes, knocking out former world number one Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena.
After admitting to feeling nervous and timid defending her title, it was more like the Keys team that shocked Aryna Sabalenka in the final a year ago.
Case, 30, said living in Florida means she’s accustomed to baking temperatures.
“I feel really good, I’m excited for the heat today and ready for it,” she said.
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The ninth seed will face friend and compatriot Pegula for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Sixth-seeded Pegula defeated unseeded Russian Oksana Selehmeteva 6-3, 6-2 in 66 minutes.
“It was nice to be first on the field and it wasn’t a super long game, no need to kill yourself in the heat today,” she said.
Another title contender, Amanda Anisimova, easily defeated fellow American Peyton Stearns, winning 6-1, 6-4.
Anisimova has become a major force over the past year, reaching the finals of Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
Multiple Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka will also appear at Melbourne Park on day seven.
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– Djokovic’s historical bid record –
Serbian great Djokovic will face the 75th-ranked Dutchman Botik van der Zandschulp for a place in the top 16.
Former world number one Djokovic, 38, is in the prime-time slot at Rod Laver Arena in the evening and will hope the heat has died down by then.
Djokovic has been in commanding form in both games so far, yet has yet to drop a set and sounded confident.
Djokovic, who has been playing fewer matches to get the most out of his aging body, said: “Given the lack of official matches for more than two months, I’m really happy to be playing in this way.
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“So far, everything is positive, positive signs.”
Before that, in what might be the hottest part of the day, Italy’s men’s champion Jannik Sinner takes on Rod Laver and another American, No. 85 Eliot Spizzirri.
Second-seeded Sinner is following Djokovic’s lead as he bids to win a third consecutive Melbourne major.
Last to appear on Center Court on Saturday was two-time Melbourne Park champion Osaka, who wowed the crowd earlier this week when she wore a jellyfish-themed outfit for her first match.
She didn’t shine as brightly on the court, facing home hopeful qualifier Maddison Inglis.
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The winner will face six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek or 31st seed Russian Anna Kalinskaya.
Swiatek is aiming to complete a career Grand Slam in all four Grand Slams, with Australia the only one missing from her resume.
Other top seeds in the field include No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, who will clash with Tomas Machak of the Czech Republic.
The winner will face American ninth seed Taylor Fritz or Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka.
After a hard-fought five-set victory in the second round, the 40-year-old Wawrinka must try to pick himself up as he bids farewell to the Australian Open.
Pacific Standard Time/DH