Carlos Alcaraz eased into the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time on Saturday after Chinese wild card Shang Juncheng retired hurt while trailing their uneven contest 6-1, 6-1, 1-0.

The main contenders for the men’s title have all breezed into the fourth round with Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev joining the charge on day seven.

In the unusual position of playing someone younger than himself, twice grand slam champion Alcaraz had simply dominated 18-year-old Shang for just over an hour on Rod Laver Arena.

“It’s not the way anybody wants to move on and I wish him a speedy recovery,” said second seed Alcaraz, who will play Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic in the last 16. Kecmanovic, the world No. 60, upset American 14th seed Tommy Paul 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (9-7) 6-0.

Medvedev made short work of Felix Auger-Aliassime with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory. Sixth-seeded German Zverev also went through after a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 win over American Alex Michelsen.

China’s Zheng Qinwen beat compatriot Wang Yafan 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (10-8). The 21-year-old received a surprise visit after the match from compatriot Li Na, who was the first Chinese player to win a grand slam and triumphed at Melbourne Park in 2014.

Ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz kept Poland’s flag flying with a 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 win over Ugo Humbert.

Cameron Norrie ousted 11th seed Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 6-3 to reach the fourth round for the first time.

Nuno Borges became only the second Portuguese player to reach the second week of a major when he battled back to beat Grigor Dimitrov 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2).

Azarenka wins

Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska will return to the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time since Wimbledon 2019 after her 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 win over Emma Navarro.

She next faces Victoria Azarenka, who battled back from 1-4 down in the second set to beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-1, 7-5 in a battle of former grand slam champions.

Elina Svitolina easily beat Viktorija Golubic 6-2, 6-3.

Balaji out

India’s N Sriram Balaji and his Romanian partner Victor Vlad Cornea lost their second-round men’s doubles match to Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador and Mate Pavic of Croatia 3-6, 3-6.

Rohan Bopanna and his partner Timea Babos pulled out of the mixed doubles competition.