Carlos Alcaraz turned on the style as he raced into the Australian Open fourth round on Friday with a highlight-laden 6-2 6-4 6-1 clinic against France's own trick-shot maestro Corentin Moutet.
The world number one was in peak form in his 100th Grand Slam match as he racked up 30 winners in just over two hours against the left-handed 32nd seed at Rod Laver Arena.
"It wasn't easy, to be honest, when you play someone like Corentin. You don't know what's going to be next," Alcaraz said.
"But yeah, I had so much fun there on the court. I think both (of us), we pulled off great points, great shots."
At 15-0 in the first game of the second set, Alcaraz won arguably the rally of the tournament, chasing down a lob with a cross-court 'tweener' from the baseline then rushing forward to retrieve a volley, sending a backhand passing shot down the line.
Though completely dismantled, Moutet never lost his sense of humour throughout the entertaining, if one-sided, encounter.
He danced a jig behind the baseline after lobbing Alcaraz successfully at 4-0 down in the third set, and then bowed theatrically to the crowd when he finally held serve.
Next up for Alcaraz is a meeting with 19th seed Tommy Paul, who led Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-1 6-1 when the Spaniard pulled the plug.
There will be yet another clash, meanwhile, between three-time former finalist Daniil Medvedev and young American Learner Tien.
The pair met in three memorable matches last year, including in the second round here, when 20-year-old Tien burst into the spotlight by beating the former US Open champion.
Tien has now backed up last year's run to the fourth round, and he said: "I think it's pretty crazy that we end up playing here again a year later. I'm looking forward to it.
"We've played three times. All of them have been wars. I think we both make a lot of balls. We both don't give up too many free points. I think naturally that makes the rallies very long, games very long."
French Open quarter-finalist Alexander Bublik beat Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6(4) 7-6(5) 6-4 to reach the fourth round for the first time, where the 10th seed from Kazakhstan faces Australian sixth seed Alex de Minaur.
Last year's finalist Alexander Zverev got past British 26th seed Cameron Norrie 7-5 4-6 6-3 6-1. The German third seed will play Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo.
