'Not again' - Medvedev battles back from brink

It is fitting that Daniil Medvedev has become the first player at this year's Australian Open to win a match from two sets down.

The Russian's run to the 2024 final included four matches that went to five sets and a total play time of 24 hours and 17 minutes - the longest time on court at a major in the Open era.

However, during his dreadful run at the Slams last year, Medvedev came back from two sets down in three matches, only to lose them in the deciding set.

And after beating Hungary's Fabian Marozsan 6-7 (5-7) 4-6 7-5 6-0 6-3 to reach the fourth round on Friday, Medvedev admitted to some nerves.

"Last year, all my Grand Slam matches when I was 2-0 down, I made it to 2-2 and a break up, and then I lost," the 11th seed said.

"Here, I had a break [in the fifth] and he broke me back and I was like 'not again'.

"But I managed to stay strong and I'm happy about it."

Medvedev has now won seven of the 11 five-setters he has played at the Australian Open and has a 10-13 win-loss record in deciding sets.

After beating Quentin Halys in four sets in the second round, Medvedev wrote: "not five sets :)" on the camera - but switched it up to "five sets again :|" after his victory over Marozsan.

He also joked with on-court interviewer Mats Wilander: "I saw you at the end of the third set and I was like: 'Oh, Mats is looking at not my best match'.

"Now I understand why you were there - it was getting close to end so you had to be there to interview him."

Medvedev came back from a break down in the third set against Marozsan and reeled off eight games in a row on his way to forcing a decider.

Despite a wobble at 4-2, Medvedev held firm and ultimately served out the match after three hours and 43 minutes to set up a meeting with Learner Tien.

American Tien, who beat Medvedev in a five-set epic at last year's Australian Open, beat Portugal's Nuno Borges 7-6 (11-9) 6-4 6-2.

World number one Carlos Alcaraz showed off his full range of trick shots but kept enough of his wits about him to beat Corentin Moutet earlier on Friday.

Frenchman Moutet is known for his drop shots and tweeners, and the third-round match between him and Alcaraz at times resembled an exhibition.

Spain's Alcaraz, bidding to complete the career Grand Slam, let his 3-0 second-set lead slip before regrouping to win 6-2 6-4 6-1.

"When you don't know what's coming and he could do whatever he wants to do, it's just tricky," the 22-year-old said.

"I just started to play my style of my game. Just pleased and happy that I got my good focus during the whole match."

Alcaraz will face American 19th seed Tommy Paul for a place in the quarter-finals.

However, Russian 13th seed Andrey Rublev fell 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 to Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo.