Serena Williams overcame an error-strewn start Friday to thwart Anastasia Potapova and set up a blockbuster fourth-round clash with seventh seed Aryna Sabalenka while 2019 champion Naomi Oska was set for a showdown with last year’s runner up Garbine Muguruza at the Australian Open.

Williams had 31 unforced errors but wore down the Russian 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 in 97 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Naomi Osaka had to deal with a butterfly landing on her but was otherwise little bothered as she breezed into the last 16 and a showdown with Muguruza, who beat Zarina Diyas 6-1, 6-1 in just 56 minutes.

Later, French Open champion Iga Swiatek, 19, seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time, beat France’s Fiona Ferro 6-4, 6-3 to set up a meeting with Simona Halep, a 6-1, 6-3 winner over Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova.

Serena, the 10th seed had been in strong form so far in Melbourne as she chases Margaret Court’s record 24 Grand Slam tally, but was out-of-sorts in an error-strewn start to fall down a break.

But Potapova, 19, had a meltdown trying to serve out the first set with five double faults squandering the golden opportunity. A refocused Williams then lifted her intensity and won a tiebreak before cruising through the second set.

Williams, the seven-time Australian Open champion, will on Sunday play Sabalenka who thrashed American Ann Li 6-3, 6-1, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

Osaka, the third seed, champion in Melbourne two years ago, gently carried the insect intruder to safety at the side of the court before closing out an easy 6-3, 6-2 victory over Tunisian 27th seed Ons Jabeur in 1hr 18min.

Hsieh Su-Wei, who has beaten Bianca Andreescu in the last match, came back from 3-5 down in the third set and reeled off our straight games to beat Sara Errani 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 and reach the fourth round. The world No 1 in doubles will play 19th seed Marketa Vondrousova next.

Watch: Naomi Osaka interrupted by a butterfly on court in picture-perfect moment at Australian Open

Play
Play

Results

Third round

Hsied Su-wei (TPE) bt Sara Errani (ITA) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5

Marketa Vondrousova (CZE x19) bt Sorana Cirstea (ROM) 6-2, 6-4

Garbine Muguruza (ESP x14) bt Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 6-1, 6-1

Naomi Osaka (JPN x3) bt Ons Jabeur (TUN x27) 6-3, 6-2

Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x7) bt Ann Li (USA) 6-3, 6-1

Serena Williams (USA x10) bt Anastasia Potapova (RUS) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2

Iga Swiatek (POL x15) bt Fiona Ferro (FRA) 6-4, 6-3

Simona Halep (ROM x2) bt Veronika Kudermetova (RUS x32) 6-1, 6-3

With AFP Inputs