Women’s wrap-up: Danilovic rejects Pegula, Badosa marches on

She finished with 28 winners compared to 27 unforced errors, saving all break points.

They were key figures, the first in each set.

Danilovic is yet to drop a set through three rounds, a year after exiting the qualifiers.

Her ranking is set to rise from no. 55 to just outside the top 40, although she goes out in the next round mod Paula Badosa.

MORE: AO 2025 Women’s Singles Draw

And all this after Danilovic struggled to find his best game for a while. She memorably won her first title at the age of 17 in an all-teens final against Anastasia Potapova.

Badosa find form

Badosa entered AO 2025 with a 1-2 record this season, but the Spaniard – reviving his career from a serious back injury – has turned it around at Melbourne Park.

Seed no. 11, formerly no. 2 in the world, raised her record to 4-0 in completed matches against Marta Kostyuk after a 6-4 4-6 6-3 victory at the Kia Arena.

Three have made it to the Australian Open.

Badosa continued to receive support from boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas, although she clarified that it was not an invitation to the AO 2023 men’s finalist to extend her racket in the direction of her box while sitting in her chair.

“I always interact with my coach,” Badosa, now in his third straight week at a major, told reporters. “He’s the one who’s there with me. Stefanos is just a support. It’s emotional support. But he’s been so, so supportive of it.

She fought back the momentum from the Ukrainian no. 17 seed by saving a break point to start the third.

Kostyuk, who reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at AO 2024, was undone with 16 double faults. At one point she even tried a forearm serve.

Vekic edges Shnaider

In the battle between seasoned campaigners who used to go deep at major events and younger foes breaking through in 2024, the former prevailed.

In this case it was Donna Vekic beat left-hander Diana Shnaider on Margaret Court Arena, 7-6(4) 6-7(3) 7-5 in three hours.

Vekic hit one more winner, 44 to 43, and finished plus-six in winner-to-force error ratio. Shnaider, wearing his usual bandana, was only minus-one.

Vekic, 28, reached the Wimbledon semifinals, won Olympic silver and reached the second week at the US Open as part of her sparkling second half of 2024.

Perhaps that made a difference in key moments against the 20-year-old 12th seed.

Vekic overturned a 4-2 deficit in the first set tiebreak and a 5-3 deficit in the third.

Vekic rose to finish the match and dropped four points in the last three games.

“She played unbelievable,” said the no. 18 seeds. “In my next life, I want to be a lefty. I can’t remember the last time I beat a lefty, so I’m really happy for that win.”

Vekic has actually won three of his last four against left-handers – after losing to Shnaider in a grass-court final ahead of Wimbledon.

Andreeva wins another decisive set

The youngest player in the draw remains Shnaider’s doubles partner, aged 17 Mirra Andreeva.

After being taken to a final set tiebreak in the second round – opponent Moyuka Uchijima also served for the match at 5-3 in the third – Andreeva went deep again to beat Magdalena Frech.

Last year’s French Open semi-finalist prevailed 6-2 1-6 6-2 at the 1573 Arena against the Pole, who moved up the rankings in 2024.

Like Badosa, saving the first break point in the final set after losing the second proved crucial.

Andreeva was never behind after that, setting up a clash with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.

Sabalenka leads their head-to-heads 4-1, including beating Andreeva in Brisbane in straight sets at the start of January.

“Here we go again,” said seed no. 14. “I know it will probably be an entertaining match and of course I will do everything possible. I will do my best.”

Andreeva’s compatriot, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkovareached the fourth round for the first time in five years.

Pavlyuchenkova downed Zheng Qinwen’s conqueror, Laura Siegemund, 6-1 6-2, at John Cain Arena. Next up for the 33-year-old Pavlyuchenkova is Vekic, her former teenage prodigy.