Italian journeyman Fognini battles into fourth round

Melbourne - Italy's Fabio Fognini reached the round of 16 for the second time at the Australian Open with a five-set victory over Frenchman Julien Benneteau on Saturday.

Fognini, seeded 25, downed the 59th-ranked Benneteau 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 in three hours on Hisense Arena.

He will play either Argentine 12th seed Juan Martin Del Potro or Czech 19th seed Tomas Berdych in Monday's fourth round.

The victory equalled 30-year-old Fognini's best result at the Australian Open. His best Grand Slam showing was the quarter-finals at Roland Garros in 2011.

Results from the Australian Open on Saturday:

Men's singles

3rd round

Dominic Thiem (AUT x5) bt Adrian Mannarino (FRA x26) 6-4, 6-2, 7-5

Tennys Sandgren (USA) bt Maximilian Marterer (GER) 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5)

Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Nicolas Kicker (ARG) 6-3, 6-3, 6-2

Fabio Fognini (ITA x25) bt Julien Benneteau (FRA) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3

Chung Hyeon (KOR) bt Alexander Zverev (GER x4) 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0

Women's singles

3rd round

Karolina Pliskova (CZE x6) bt Lucie Safarova (CZE x29) 7-6 (8/6), 7-5

Madison Keys (USA x17) bt Ana Bogdan (ROM) 6-3, 6-4

Simona Halep (ROM x1) bt Lauren Davis (USA) 4-6, 6-4, 15-13

Caroline Garcia (FRA x8) bt Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2

Naomi Osaka (JPN) bt Ashleigh Barty (AUS x18) 6-4, 6-2

Barbora Strycova (CZE x20) bt Bernarda Pera (USA) 6-2, 6-2