Melbourne (AFP) – Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka can set up a blockbuster clash as the Australian Open enters the third round on Friday while Novak Djokovic steps up his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam title. Women’s number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will also be in action with a potential clash against highly rated 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva the prize awaiting in the fourth round. Carlos Alcaraz, who has raced into the last 32 for the loss of just 12 games, and second seed Alexander Zverev will also look to book their places in the second week of the opening Grand Slam of the year.
American third seed Gauff had to battle back from 5-3 down in the second set against Britain’s Jodie Burrage in round two after dropping her serve three times. She knows she will need to improve against former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, even though she recently beat the Canadian at the United Cup. “Obviously I did well at the United Cup. It’s a different match, different story. Anything can happen,” said Gauff, who plays in the night session on Margaret Court Arena. Awaiting the victor will be either two-time Melbourne champion Osaka or Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, the Tokyo Olympics gold medallist. Following two tough three-set wins in Melbourne, Osaka is in the third round of a Slam for the first time since the birth of her daughter in 2023. Former world number four Bencic only returned to the circuit in December after her own maternity leave, but has not dropped a set so far. “She’s an incredibly tough player. She fights a lot,” said Osaka. “I think it’s really cool that she also had a baby and she came back as well.”
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Sabalenka will open proceedings on Rod Laver Arena at 11:30am (0030 GMT) against Denmark’s Clara Tauson with the prize a potential last-16 date with 14th seed Andreeva. The Russian Andreeva announced her burgeoning talent by beating Sabalenka in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros last year. She faces Poland’s 23rd seed Magdalena Frech. Seventh seed Jessica Pegula, the US Open finalist last year, will take on Serbia’s Olga Danilovic to round off the action on centre court.
– Djokovic eyes Alcaraz – In the men’s draw Djokovic and Alcaraz will look to remain on track for a quarter-final clash. Ten-time Melbourne champion Djokovic first must dispose of Czech 26th seed Tomas Machac in a prime-time 7:00 pm centre court match to reach the last 16, while Alcaraz faces Portugal’s unseeded Nuno Borges earlier in the day. Djokovic set another record in the second round when he played his 430th Slam contest to claim sole ownership of most singles matches played, men or women, in the Open Era ahead of Roger Federer (429) and Serena Williams (423). No one else has played 400 or more.
Zverev came into Melbourne at a career-high number two ranking and has barely been troubled in two straight-sets victories. He faces up-and-coming Briton Jacob Fearnley, who saw off an ailing Nick Kyrgios in the first round. Jakub Mensik, the Czech teenager who shocked sixth seed Casper Ruud in round two, will make his bid to reach the second week against Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
© 2024 AFP
