Djokovic and Sabalenka through to Brisbane quarters

With a straightforward 6-3, 6-3 victory over Gael Monfils in the Brisbane International last 16, Novak Djokovic maintained his goal of capturing his 100th career ATP title.

The Serb, 37, will face Reilly Opelka in the last eight after the American’s 7-6 (11-9) 7-6 (7-4) victory against Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi.

In the first set, Djokovic took advantage of his only break point opportunity, allowing him to advance 4-1 and win the match within 36 minutes.

With Djokovic breaking early in the second set, Monfils, 38, missed a straightforward forehand on serve at 1-1, leaving the Frenchman without scoring for the game the entire way through.

Djokovic completed his 20th career victory against the Frenchman with a three-game break that included Monfils.

Opelka awaits Djokovic in the quarter-finals, when the pair will play each other for the first time.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner says he will have to tailor his game to face the big-serving American, who hit 25 aces against Arnaldi.

“Opelka has been injured and he struggled a lot for a couple of years”, said Djokovic.

Marie Bouzkova, the world’s top tennis player, will face her in the quarter-finals after beating Yulia Putintseva.

The Belarusian beat Putintseva 6-4 7-6 (7-2) as she aims to win her 18th career title in Australia.

The 26-year-old will face world number 44 Bouzkova, who beat former world number one Victoria Azarenka, 6-4 6-4 earlier in the day.

Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina beat China’s Yue Yuan 6-1 6-4 to set-up a last-eight match against Australia’s Kimberly Birrell, while world number 64 Ashlyn Krueger will take on Russia’s Polina Kudermetova.

Former world number two Ons Jabeur will play Russia’s Mirra Andreeva in the final quarter-final fixture.

Elsewhere, Russia’s Andrey Rublev was beaten 5-7 6-3 3-6 by Fabian Marozsan in the last-16 of the Hong Kong Open.