Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka were in ominous form ahead of the Australian Open, (starting on January 12) as both powered into the Brisbane International quarter-finals on Thursday. 

Djokovic cruised past fellow veteran Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-3 in 72 minutes. Djokovic and Monfils played an entertaining match, but the 37-year-old Serb was always in control as he notched his 20th straight win over the Frenchman. Former world number one Djokovic plays giant American Reilly Opelka in the last eight. In the women’s draw, World No. 1 Sabalenka — who is aiming to win the Australian Open for the third time in a row — beat Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.