Australian Open 2021: Rafael Nadal, Ashleigh Barty Highlight Saturday's Results

Rafael Nadal and Ashleigh Barty were among the championship contenders to secure victories during Saturday's third-round play in the 2021 Australian Open at Melbourne Park.

Nadal defeated Cameron Norrie in straight sets as part of another quiet day in the bottom half of the men's draw. Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev and Matteo Berrettini also advanced, leaving five top-10 seeds in that part of the bracket.

Barty made quick work of No. 29 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova as the Australian tries to establish herself as the player to beat in her home major. American Jessica Pegula also continued her underdog run by dismantling Kristina Mladenovic to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.

Saturday's Australian Open Results

Men's Draw

(2) Rafael Nadal d. Cameron Norrie; 7-5, 6-2, 7-5

(4) Daniil Medvedev d. (28) Filip Krajinovic; 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-0

(5) Stefanos Tsitsipas d. Mikael Ymer; 6-4, 6-1, 6-1

(7) Andrey Rublev d. Feliciano Lopez; 7-5, 6-2, 6-3

(9) Matteo Berrettini d. (19) Karen Khachanov; 7-6 (1), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5)

(16) Fabio Fognini d. (21) Alex de Minaur; 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

(24) Casper Ruud d. Radu Albot; 6-1, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4

Mackenzie McDonald d. Lloyd Harris; 7-6 (7), 6-1, 6-4

Women's Draw

(1) Ashleigh Barty d. Ekaterina Alexandrova; 6-2, 6-4

(5) Elina Svitolina d. (26) Yulia Putintseva; 6-4, 6-0

(25) Karolina Muchova d. (6) Karolina Pliskova; 7-5, 7-5

(18) Elise Mertens d. (11) Belinda Bencic; 6-2, 6-1

Shelby Rogers d. (21) Anett Kontaveit; 6-4, 6-3

(22) Jennifer Brady d. Kaja Juvan; 6-1, 6-3

(28) Donna Vekic d. Kaia Kanepi; 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-4

Jessica Pegula d. Kristina Mladenovic; 6-2, 6-1

Nadal entered the season's first major with uncertain expectations while tending to a back injury, but he breezed through the first three rounds without dropping a set.

The 34-year-old Spanish superstar, who won the Australian Open in 2009 and reached the final on four other occasions, won 40 percent of his return points and generated five breaks against Norrie. It helped overcome some mistakes as he recorded more unforced errors than winners (35-33).

"Of course, playing against the best players in the world, not taking your chances, you're going to suffer a bit," Nadal said. "Very happy, good feelings and I need to keep improving. I'm in the second week and that's the main thing for me right now."

His form will need to improve as the field narrows and the matchups become more difficult starting against Fognini in Round 4.

Barty is also through to the round of 16 without a blemish on any of her scorelines, highlighted by knocking out Danka Kovinic without losing a single game in the opening round.

She didn't produce her most efficient performance against Alexandrova, tallying 19 unforced errors and three double faults while converting just five of her 17 break chances. Her ability to make consistent inroads on the Russian's serve allowed her to still move through rather routinely.

The Aussie also won despite not having the crowd support she enjoyed in her first two matches as the tournament barred spectators amid rising concerns about a COVID-19 variant.

"It changes the sound of the court a little bit," Barty told reporters about the empty stadium. "Something I've never experienced before ever in my life, so it's very strange."

Pegula upset 12th-seeded Victoria Azarenka in the first round, and she's been downright dominant since, dropping just four games combined in wins over Samantha Stosur and Mladenovic.

The daughter of Terry and Kim Pegula, the owners of the NFL's Buffalo Bills and NHL's Buffalo Sabres, won 56 percent of her return points and converted six of eight break opportunities Saturday.

Her toughest test of the tournament so far comes in the fourth round when she takes on Svitolina. A win there and it'll be time to start dreaming big for the unseeded 26-year-old upstart.

The 2021 Australian Open rolls on Sunday with Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka, Dominic Thiem and Simona Halep among the stars on the schedule.