VICTORIA MBOKO and Iva Jovic are leading a teenage takeover at the Australian Open this weekend.

Mboko’s rapid rise up the rankings will continue after she reached the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time with a 7-6 (5) 5-7 6-3 victory over 14th seed Clara Tauson.

American Jovic, who only turned 18 last month, then upstaged the Canadian by beating seventh seed Jasmine Paolini 6-2 7-6 (3).

They were two of five teenagers to reach the third round in the women’s singles, with Czech debutantes Tereza Valentova and Nikola Bartunkova also making a big impression, while Mirra Andreeva has significant experience now but is still only 18.

“There’s a lot of us teenagers on the tour who are actually still in the tournament right now,” said 19-year-old Mboko. “I think it’s really nice to see.

“I’ve known a lot of them for such a long time, played against them in the juniors. I always want them to do well and vice versa.”

The last 16 has thrown up a fascinating battle between Mboko and world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who wobbled against Anastasia Potapova but came through 7-6 (4) 7-6 (7).

At 27, Sabalenka is a veteran by comparison, and she said: “I feel like, for me, it would be really tough to handle the success at a young age.

“Now, seeing these girls so young achieving so much, playing such great tennis, being really mature, it’s incredible.”

Sabalenka will need to raise her level from her error-strewn performance against Emma Raducanu’s conqueror Potapova, who had four set points in the second-set tie-break.

Third seed Coco Gauff survived her first test of the tournament, fighting back from a set down to defeat fellow American Hailey Baptiste 3-6 6-0 6-3.