MELBOURNE, JAN 25: Carlos Alcaraz powered into the Australian Open quarter-finals on Sunday and Novak Djokovic joined him without hitting a ball, as the next generation roared.
Aryna Sabalenka surged through but Coco Gauff was forced to fight at Melbourne Park, where temperatures eased to 22C after the brutal heat of a day earlier.
Top seed Alcaraz was in ominous touch at Rod Laver Arena, dismissing the American Tommy Paul 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 7-5 in a masterclass.
The 22-year-old plays home hope and sixth seed Alex de Minaur, who defeated 10th seed Alexander Bublik in straight sets.
Djokovic, chasing a record 25th Grand Slam crown, was scheduled to face Jakub Mensik in the last 16 on Monday but the Czech player pulled out injured.
Djokovic will face American ninth seed Taylor Fritz or fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy for a place in the semi-finals.
Alcaraz, who like Djokovic is yet to drop a set at this year's tournament, has never gone beyond the quarter-finals in Melbourne.
If he can finally break his Australian duck he will become the youngest man in history to win a career Grand Slam of all four majors.
The Spaniard has in the past struggled with precision and a lack of consistency in his serving technique.
He is now sporting a new-look serve that has become a handy weapon -- and been compared to Djokovic's serve.
"I had a Djokovic message saying, 'you have to pay me'," he said in his on-court interview after making light work of 19th seed Paul, to laughter from an adoring crowd.
Alexander Zverev, well beaten by Jannik Sinner in last year's final, plays Learner Tien of the United States next.
Germany's third seed demolished Argentina's 18th seed Francisco Cerundolo in straight sets.
The 25th seed Tien ran out a surprisingly easy three-set winner over three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev.
Tien, 20, eased into his first Grand Slam quarter-final despite a nosebleed in the first set that required lengthy treatment.
He later said his nose was just dry.
"Every year since I've been coming here, the crowd support has been amazing," said Tien, the youngest men's quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park since Nick Kyrgios in 2015. "AFP
