Sabalenka, Gauff enter quarters

Coco Gauff; (right) Aryna Sabalenka during her win over Mirra Andreeva in Melbourne yesterday. Pic/AFP

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka swept into the quarter-finals at a scorching-hot Australian Open on Sunday and was joined by Coco Gauff.

Double defending champion Sabalenka blew away Russian 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-2 in a ruthless display on the hottest day of the tournament so far.

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As temperatures hit 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit) in Melbourne, Gauff dropped a set for the first time this season but fought back to beat Belinda Bencic 5-7, 6-2, 6-1.

Sabalenka and Gauff will meet in the semi-finals should they win their respective matches in the last eight. Belarus' Sabalenka was out on a roasting centre court for only 62 minutes before registering an 18th consecutive win at Melbourne Park. "I'm super happy to get through this difficult match in straight sets," said Sabalenka, who faces Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova next.

World No. 3 Gauff next faces Spain's 11th seed Paula Badosa, who dismantled Serbia's Olga Danilovic 6-1, 7-6 (7/2).

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