‘I’ll have my running shoes on!’ – Ashleigh Barty ready for tough Australian Open fourth round foe

Ashleigh Barty will have her work cut out for her as she faces American Amanda Anisimova after the 20-year-old knocked out defending Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka.

The home favourite continued to cruise through the draw as she made short work of 30th seed Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-3 in just over an hour on Rod Laver Arena.

Simultaneously, Anisimova took on Osaka for a chance to face Barty in the fourth round, with the world number one expecting a tough time with either opponent.

“[They are] both incredible ball strikers,” Barty told Jim Courier in her on-court interview.

“Naomi [Osaka] in particular has a phenomenal serve, one of the best in the game and the way that she is able to control the court with her serve and first shot is remarkable.

“Amanda has the ability as well to take time away on return, control the centre of the court as well.

“So, either match-up, a little bit different, tactically [I’ll] change a few things.

“But, all in all, running shoes on, try to bring in some variety. The slice backhand will come out I promise.

“We’ll try to junk them around and get them off balance as much as possible.”

Anisimova is into the fourth round of a Slam for just the second time in her career, and the first time since her breakthrough run to the semi-finals of the 2019 French Open.

The other occasion when she got as far at a Major was in 2019 at the Australian Open, going out in the fourth round to eventual finalist Petra Kvitova then.

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