Australian Open: American quartet turns up the heat amid winter storm back home

A massive winter storm may literally be freezing everything back in the US, but Down Under, the Americans are busy turning up the heat at the already steaming Australian Open.

On Monday, for the first time in two-and-half decades, four American women were through to the last 8 after Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula joined Coco Gauff and 18-year-old sensation Iva Jovic in the quarter-finals.

Anisimova defeated China's Wang Xinyu in straight sets and plays fellow US title contender Pegula who defeated another American, defending champion Madison Keys, 6-3, 6-4 in the fourth round.

That means half of the women left in the draw are from the US, and one is guaranteed to reach the last four.

"Sucks that one American has to go out in the quarter-finals," Anisimova said.

Pegula had a slightly different take: "At least one of us will get through and I think that's great for American tennis. Yeah, it's been pretty crazy how well the women have been doing and how many top-ranked girls there are. I'm just happy to be a part of that conversation."

Third seed Gauff, who faces Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, added, "We're all rooting for each other.... I think it's cool."

The last time four or more American women made the singles quarter-finals of the Australian Open was in 2001 with Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Monica Seles and Lindsay Davenport.

"I don't know what's in the water, but I think we have a strong tennis identity in the United States," Gauff said.

"So I think that just causes the natural call to produce great players.

"Also, I think when you have friends and people you practice with being at a high level, if you're not at that level yet, you know that you can reach there."

Teenager Jovic has the stiffest task of the US quartet, coming up against world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka.