Australian Open: Navarro, Svitolina enter quarters

Emma Navarro during her win in Melbourne yesterday. PIC/AFP

Emma Navarro said she was just "staying alive" after winning a fourth consecutive three-set marathon to set up an Australian Open quarter-final against Iga Swiatek. The American eighth seed eventually beat Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 in 2hr 40min after blowing three match points in the second set.

"They played that song that goes ‘staying alive' at 5-4 in the third set," said Navarro, who created an astonishing 25 break points only to see her Russian opponent save 16 of them. "And I kind of felt like that was really appropriate this whole tournament," added Navarro.

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Meanwhile, Elina Svitolina delivered a stunning first-set comeback before overwhelming Veronika Kudermetova to reach the quarter-finals, but the Ukrainian did not shake hands with her Russian opponent.

Svitolina, the 28th seed, followed up her shock win over World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini in the third round with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over the World No. 75 on Rod Laver Arena. It put her into the last eight at Melbourne Park for a third time, but her first since 2019.

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