MELBOURNE, Jan 18, (V7N) — American eighth seed Emma Navarro battled past Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in a hard-fought three-set encounter, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time in her career.

Navarro, 23, continued her trend of marathon matches, needing three sets for the third consecutive round. Despite moments of inconsistency, she held her nerve on Margaret Court Arena to knock out the triple Grand Slam finalist.

Navarro will next face either Russia’s ninth seed Daria Kasatkina or Kazakhstan’s 24th seed Yulia Putintseva for a spot in the quarter-finals.

Struggles in Victory

Navarro’s performance was far from flawless. She converted only six of 14 break points and was broken six times herself, highlighting the rollercoaster nature of the match.

Her vulnerabilities surfaced in the first set when she raced to a 5-0 lead but nearly let it slip as Jabeur clawed back four consecutive games. Navarro eventually sealed the set but struggled to maintain momentum.

In the second set, Jabeur’s signature drop shots and creative play broke Navarro’s rhythm, allowing the Tunisian to level the match.

The decisive third set saw Jabeur miss three crucial break points in the third game. Navarro capitalized, breaking for a 3-2 lead and holding on to clinch the match.

Endurance on Display

Navarro has now played more three-set matches than any other WTA player in 2024, enduring 31 such encounters.

"I love three sets," Navarro joked after the match.

Reflecting on the battle, Navarro said, "I came out playing really well, but she had a really great four games in the first set. In the second set, I just wanted to stick in there."

The American, a US Open semi-finalist last year, continues to prove her resilience but will need to sharpen her finishing touch as the competition intensifies.

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