Australian Open 2025: Stars and Stripes Soar in Australia.Three Yonex Stars Advance to the Quarterfinals

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - As record-breaking crowds flock to Melbourne Park for this year's Australian Open, the tournament has settled into its second and decisive week. Among the "Elite Eight" in both the men's and women's draws, three members of the Yonex family have made their mark.

Let's take a closer look at their journey so far and the challenges that lie ahead.

Emma Navarro - "Queen of Three" - Advances to the Quarterfinals

"I've just been stayin' alive, so hoping to continue on that train," laughed Emma Navarro (USA) on court after her three-set seesaw against Daria Kasatkina.

The American No. 8 seed gave a nod to the John Cain Arena DJ for their Bee Gees pick as she reached the finish line against Kasatkina in what was Navarro's fourth consecutive three-set win this AO.

When asked in a press conference about the key to winning such grueling matches, Navarro explained: "For me, I feel like it's more of a test of mental will than anything. I have worked really hard on my fitness to be able to go three sets and play over two hours, three hours, whatever it takes. Yeah, I feel like my fitness has definitely paid off here in my first four matches."

Navarro also highlighted her versatility as another advantage in long matches.

"It's definitely something that I can hang my hat on a little bit, that I have a lot of tools in the toolbox, and I can bring different things out when I need," the 23-year-old explained. "I definitely utilized the slice a good bit in the third set [against Kasatkina]. I rely on my defensive skills and my ability to move laterally, but also up and back."

Her hope for her maiden Australian Open quarterfinal, where she's set to face four-time major champion Iga Swiatek? "I prefer to win in two sets," she said, smiling.

The last time the two met was way back in 2018 at an ITF tournament in Charleston, South Carolina, Emma's hometown, with Swiatek winning 6-0, 6-2. But back then, Swiatek was ranked 412th, and Navarro was at No. 1123 making that match nearly irrelevant for their upcoming clash.

What will happen in their rematch in Melbourne? Navarro laughed and said, "We will see."

Two Americans Bring Electricity to Elite Eight

In contrast to Navarro's marathon matches, Tommy Paul (USA) had a relatively straightforward fourth-round win. His opponent, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, seemed physically drained from his own journey into the second week.

Davidovich Fokina took a medical timeout after the first set and struggled to stay on court until the end of the match in hot, summery conditions. Paul secured a straight-sets victory with a scoreline of 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 in just 1 hour and 27 minutes.

Two years ago, Paul reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, marking the start of his shift into the next gear of top-level tennis. He also made the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last year.

Reflecting on what he's learned from those experiences, Paul shared:　"I would say just like taking care of your body is so important [during a Slam]. You want to go on the court for these three-out-of-five set matches willing and able to play five."

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.