Australian Open 2018: Halep endures marathon to reach last 16

Top seed Simona Halep saved three match points as she won a marathon third round encounter 4-6, 6-4, 15-13 against Lauren Davis Saturday.

American Davis lost a toenail in a third set lasting more than two hours and Halep served for the match four times before finally getting across the line on her very first match point.

“I never played a third set so long. I’m almost dead,” said the Romanian.

Halep nows plays either 18th seed Ashleigh Barty of Australia or Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the last 16 after almost four hours of incredible action — the longest match of the women’s tournament

Madison Keys makes serene progress

US Open finalist Madison Keys continued her serene progress through the Australian Open draw with a 6-3, 6-4 win over unseeded Ana Bogdan on Saturday.

The 17th seed, who made the semis at Melbourne Park in 2015, has not dropped a set and breezed past the plucky Romanian, ranked 104, in 73 minutes in their third-round match on Margaret Court Arena.

Madison Keys of the U.S. reacts during her match against Ana Bogdan of Romania on day 6 of the 2018 Australian Open in Melbourne on Saturday.

“I’m really excited. I definitely feel I’m playing well,” said Keys, who was one of only three Americans to make the round of 32.

She had only dropped seven games going into this match, taking just 41 minutes to get past Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-0, 6-1 in the second round and must now be rated one of the favourites going into the second week.

“Ana played great today and made me play my best tennis,” Keys added.

The American, coached by former great Lindsay Davenport, next faces either French eighth seed Caroline Garcia or Belarussian Alaksandra Sasnovich in the last 16.

“Lindsay is amazing. We’ve had three years together and she has taught me how to handle big moments like this,” said Keys.

Pliskova battles into last 16

Karolina Pliskova outmuscled fellow Czech Lucie Safarova to make the Australian Open fourth round on Saturday in a testing two-set encounter.

The tattooed sixth seed, looking to win her first Grand Slam, came through the tight match on Margaret Court Arena against her 29th seeded compatriot 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 in 1hr 37mins.

“It was a tough match, it always is against Lucie,” said Pliskova, who made the quarterfinals last year.

“I’m happy I held my serve in the last game, It’s a good sign because my serve is the most important key for me.”

She will next play either American Bernarda Pera or another Czech Barbora Strycova who clash later.