Ex-winner Osaka marches to 4th round in Australian Open

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - The 2019 Australian Open champion in women's singles, Naomi Osaka, booked her place for the 2021 AO fourth round on Friday.

Osaka -- the world no. 3 -- beat Ons Jabeur 6-3, 6-2 at the John Cain Arena, Melbourne, to qualify for the next phase in this year's first Grand Slam, the Australian Open.

The 23-year-old Japanese player will face Spain's Garbine Muguruza in the next round.

Ranked 14th in the globe, Muguruza, 27, was the 2020 Australian Open finalist.

Muguruza thrashed her Kazakh opponent Zarina Diyas, winning both sets 6-1 at the Margaret Court Arena on Friday to be in the fourth round.

- Carreno-Busta retires with injury

Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov won a third-round game in men's singles after his Spanish opponent Pablo Carreno Busta withdrew himself over an injury.

The 18th seed, Dimitrov, won the first set 6-0 and was leading the second set 1-0 at the Margaret Court Arena.

Carreno Busta has been eliminated from the tournament.

Dimitrov qualified for the next round, where he will play against either the world no. 3, Dominic Thiem from Austria, or Australia's Nick Kyrgios.