Carlos Alcaraz's dominant win over Yannick Hanfmann at the Australian Open on Wednesday means two players remain on course to complete a historic career Grand Slam at Melbourne Park this year.
The Spanish top seed edged a first-set tiebreak against his big-hitting German opponent before stepping up through the gears on his way to a 7-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory on Rod Laver Arena.
Six-time major winner Alcaraz – who has won two titles apiece at the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open – only needs an Australian Open crown to seal a clean sweep of Grand Slam crowns at the age of 22.
He would join Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the elite club who have achieved the feat in the Open era. Laver captured all four Majors in one season in 1969, before the ATP rankings were introduced four years later.
Also still in the career slam mix is Iga Swiatek with the Pole aiming to maintain her push for history in Round 2 on Thursday when the 24-year-old second seed takes on Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic.
Alcaraz has already secured his third-round spot which will see him face French 32nd seed Carlos Moutet for the first time in his career on Friday.
“I knew he was going to play great, I knew his level,” said Alcaraz after the match against Hanfmann. “We came through Challengers together, I played Challengers against him. But it was tougher than I thought at the beginning, I didn't feel the ball that good.
“The ball was coming as a bomb. Forehand, backhand, serves. So I had to be ready for those. Really happy that I got through a difficult first set.
“I felt better with my shots and played much better so happy to have played a really good level at the end of the match and get through to another round.”
After ending his 370-day drought for a Grand Slam victory in Monday's first round, 11th seed Daniil Medvedev tasted victory again two days later, recovering from an early blow to defeat Frenchman Quentin Halys in four sets.
Medvedev, a three-time runner-up in Melbourne, battled for more than an hour before losing a first-set tiebreak and was then broken early in the second by the world No 83.
But the Russian regained his composure before taking control of the match, going on to win 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to secure a third-round clash with Hungary's Fabian Marozsan.
“I feel I was playing much better in Brisbane,” said Medvedev, who won the Brisbane International tune-up event.
“I still can't get exactly used to the court here. I feel I am missing a bit of power in my shots. But while you continue winning in a tournament, you find it step-by-step.
“It's for the first time in a couple of years I am in a third round of a Grand Slam, so feeling good.”
In the women's draw, world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka overcame a first-set stumble before beating Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan 6-3, 6-1,
The Belarusian raced into a 5-0 lead inside 15 minutes on Rod Laver Arena before suddenly losing three games a row allowing Bai back into the set.
But it would prove to be a false dawn as the two-time Melbourne champion regained her grip on the match, going on to win in just 72 minutes.
Sabalenka has now won 45 of her last 50 sets at the tournament – a record bettered only by Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Monica Seles and Serena Williams in the Open era.
“I just never thought that people will compare me to these names, even though I'm really far away from their achievements,” said the 27-year-old, who will be up against the Russian-born Austrian Anastasia Potapova in Round 3.
“It motivates me to keep doing my thing. It just means for me that I'm on the right way.”
Third seed Coco Gauff produced what the American described as a “near perfect” performance to hammer Serbia's Olga Danilovic 6-2, 6-2 in 78 minutes. Gauff now faces countrywoman Hailey Baptiste for a place in Round 4.
Russian eighth seed Mirra Andreeva brushed aside Greece's Maria Sakkari in impressive fashion with the teenager winning 6-0, 6-4.
