Carlos Alcaraz defeated Shang Juncheng on Saturday, sending an aggressive warning to his opponents at the Australian Open before the Chinese youngster was forced to retire because of injury.
A day after reigning champion Novak Djokovic returned to form, world number two Alcaraz put down a marker in a lopsided third-round match that lasted only 66 minutes.
The 20-year-old was winning 6-1, 6-1, 1-0 in his first tour-level game against a player younger than him when his 18-year-old opponent withdrew.
Shang began the game at Rod Laver Arena with his upper right thigh wrapped and got treatment for the injury during the second set.
Dominant Alcaraz faced no break points in advancing to the last 16 against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic, who defeated last year’s semi-finalist Tommy Paul 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6(9/7), 6-0.
The Spanish second seed is competing with Djokovic for the number one position, and if both reach the final, it will be a straight shootout for the top slot.
In another play on Saturday, women’s 12th seed Zheng Qinwen stated she was inspired by Chinese great Li Na’s 2014 final victory after defeating compatriot Wang Yafan 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (10/8).
Men’s ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz advanced, while former US Open champion Sloane Stephens was defeated by Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya.