Daniil Medvedev won the first five-set match of his career despite a mid-match bust-up that led to his coach walking out at the Australian Open yesterday.
The fourth seed blew a two-set lead and needed treatment to his left glute before finally moving past Filip Krajinovic 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-0 and into the fourth round, extending his win streak to 17.
An agitated Medvedev repeatedly yelled at his box in an empty Rod Laver Arena as he struggled in the fourth set, with coach Gilles Cervara eventually walking out and not returning.
"I don't know what was going through his head, but at least what he said is that he was sure I'm going to win, and he just wanted to leave me alone to be calm," said the Russian.
"Myself, as a human, that's why we can have, let's call it, some frustrating moments, both of us, because we both want to win.
"He wants me to win so he felt like that [leaving] was the best thing to do."
Cervara's departure seemed to do the trick, with Medvedev racing through the fifth set without losing a game in just 25 minutes to seal the win.
He will play Mackenzie McDonald for a berth in the quarter-finals after the unseeded American cruised past South African Lloyd Harris in straight sets.
Defending champion and world No 1 Novak Djokovic faces a fitness battle to continue at the tournament after picking up a side injury during a five-set win over Taylor Fritz on Friday.
The 33-year-old, seeking a record-extending ninth title in Melbourne and a 17th Grand Slam victory, skipped practice yesterday ahead of his fourth-round contest against Milos Raonic.
He is due to be playing the Canadian14th seed in the last match at the Rod Laver Arena tonight.
Rafael Nadal, who shares the Grand Slam record of 20 major wins with Roger Federer, was made to work for his fourth-round spot after winning 7-5, 6-2, 7-5 against Britain's Cameron Norrie.
The Spaniard did not look at his best but still managed to see off his spirited 69th-ranked opponent and will now take on Italy's Fabio Fognini, who also won through in straight sets - 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 against home hope Alex de Minaur.
Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas also eased through, beating Mikael Ymer of Sweden 6-4, 6-1, 6-1, while Casper Ruud became the second Norwegian man – after his father, Christian – to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam.
he defeated Moldova's Radu Albot 6-1, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 and will play Andrey Rublev next after the Russian seventh seed beat Feliciano Lopez of Spain 7-5, 6-2, 6-3.
In the women's draw, world No 1 Ashleigh Barty made light work of Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova, winning 6-2, 6-4 in front of an empty Margaret Court Arena.
Barty's left thigh was again heavily strapped, but she moved around freely to dispel any injury concerns after pulling out of the women's doubles on Friday.
"It was strange. Something I've never experienced before," Barty said about playing without spectators. "Maybe a little bit rude of me, but I quite liked the sound. Man, I love the crowd but I love the sound the ball makes. It kind of felt a little bit like practice."
She will face Shelby Rogers in the fourth round after the American dispatched Estonian 21st seed Anett Kontaveit 6-4, 6-3.
World No 6 Karolina Pliskova was left frustrated after being knocked out by Czech compatriot Karolina Muchova 7-5, 7-5.
Pliskova's frustrations boiled over in the first set as she received a code violation for racket abuse and was then handed a point deduction for smashing another racket in the players' tunnel.
"It's off court, I'm allowed to do what I want," Pliskova argued after being docked a point for a second violation.
The incident seemed to fire up Pliskova as the former world No 1 then raced into a 5-0 lead in the second set before losing seven games in a row to see her bid for a maiden Grand Slam title come to an end.
Muchova will now face 18th seed Elise Mertens of Belgium, who thrashed Belinda Bencic 6-2 6-1, for a place in the quarter-finals.
Fifth seed Elina Svitolina also strolled into the next round with a 6-4 6-0 win over Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan.
The Ukrainian will play Jessica Pegula after the American defeated France's Kristina Mladenovic 6-2 6-1.
