In men’s tennis, “The Big 3” have now claimed all of the last 12 Majors. Will this finally be the Slam when someone new breaks through? It will be interesting to see if the ultra-competitive ATP Cup impacts the form of Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic, and how the lack of any warm-up event impacts Roger Federer.
In women’s tennis, 23-time Major singles champion Serena Williams has reached the final at four of the last six Slams, but is 0-4 in those championship matches. Coming off her first title in three years last week in Auckland, can she finally tie Margaret Court with 24 Majors in Court’s home country? Or will the lack of parity on the women’s side continue? 10 different women have prevailed at the last 12 Majors.
Simona Halep (4) vs. Jennifer Brady
Embed from Getty Images
This is a dangerous first round draw for the 2018 finalist. In their only previous meeting, last August in Canada, Halep barely survived a third-set tiebreak against the 24-year-old American. And Brady is off to a strong start in 2020, having come through qualifying in Brisbane and going on to defeat world No.1 Ash Barty. Meanwhile since playing what she called “the match of her life” in the Wimbledon final six months ago, Halep is just 8-8. She was soundly defeated last week in Adelaide at the hands of Aryna Sabalenka. Considering Halep’s credentials, and with Darenn Cahill back as her head coach, I don’t expect her slump to last much longer. But considering Simona has lost in the first round in five of the last 18 Majors, a loss today to an in-form threat would be not shocking.
Karolina Pliskova (2) vs. Kiki Mladenovic
Embed from Getty Images
These two have split their four previous encounters, though they haven’t met in nearly three years. Pliskova has only gotten better during that time. She’s reached the quarterfinals or better in Melbourne in all of the last three years, and started off this season by defeating Naomi Osaka and Madison Keys to claim the title in Brisbane. Mladenovic’s last few seasons haven’t been as impressive. Since reaching the 2017 French Open quarterfinals, she hasn’t advanced beyond the third round at any Major. Last year her singles ranking dropped all the way to 68th in the world. The Frenchwoman achieved some positive results after adding Sascha Bajin to her team in 2019, and publicly expressed her frustration with his decision to leave her team at the end of last season. Despite his departure, she was the star of the Fed Cup final just a few weeks later, leading her team to the championship. She is listed as currently being without a coach. Pliskova also just made a coaching change, parting ways with Conchita Martinez and hiring Daniel Vallverdu, who is splitting his time nowadays between her and Stan Wawrinka. Despite Kiki’s recent Fed Cup triumph, Pliskova is one of the tour’s best hard court players, and is a strong favorite to advance.
Daniil Medvedev (4) vs. Frances Tiafoe
Embed from Getty Images
A year ago, Tiafoe made the run of his career in Melbourne, with several dramatic wins on his way to the quarterfinals. But in the year that’s followed, he’s struggled to capitalize on that success. He arrives here on a four-match losing streak, and is in danger of dropping outside the top 80 with a loss today. Unfortunately for Frances, he drew one of the ATP’s best hard court players over the last 18 months. Despite cooling off a bit to end 2019, Daniil was in great form at the ATP Cup to start off this year. He went 4-1, with his only loss coming against Novak Djokovic in a high-quality affair. In their only previous main draw match, Medevev prevailed in straight sets last summer. There’s no reason to believe the result today will be any different.
Stan Wawrinka (15) vs. Damir Dzumhur
Embed from Getty Images
Surprisingly, Dzumhur owns a winning record over the 2014 champ. The 27-year-old Bosnian is 2-1 against the Stanimal, though this will be their first time playing best-of-five. It’s a matchup in which the speedy Dhumhur can use Wawrinka’s power against him. And Stan comes into this event without a ton of match play, as he missed some of the fall season due to injury. But defeating the three-time Major champion at a Slam is an entirely different ask, especially for a player who has lost in the first round at four of the last five Majors. Wawrinka has never been defeated in the opening round of this tournament, and I expect him to extend that streak to 15 straight years.
Donna Vekic (19) vs. Maria Sharapova (WC)
Embed from Getty Images
The five-time Major champion finds herself ranked 145th in the world, needing a wild card from Tennis Australia to get into this event. The 32-year-old Sharapova played only 15 matches last year, as injuries continued to plague her career. But for her opponent, 2019 was the best year of her career. The 23-year-old Vekic recently made her top 20 debut, with 37 match wins last season. Donna reached her first Major quarterfinal at the US Open, though she’s a meek 4-9 since that breakthrough. Sharapova won their only previous meeting, though that was two years ago on clay. And in her only match this season, Maria lost to Jennifer Brady in a third set tiebreak. Based on Sharapova’s lack of play, Vekic should be favored to advance.
Other notable matches on Day 2:
- At the only Major he’s only won once, Rafael Nadal (1) begins his quest to tie Roger Federer’s mark of 20 Major singles titles vs. Hugo Dellien, a 26-year-old from Bolivia making his Australian Open debut.
- Indian Wells champ Dominic Thiem (5) vs. Adrian Mannarino. Thiem is 7-0 lifetime against Mannarino.
- Last year’s surprise Roland Garros finalist Marketa Vondrousova (15), coming off an extended injury layoff due to wrist surgery, vs. two-time Major singles champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.
- Sascha Zverev (7) vs. Marco Cecchinato, the surprise semifinalist from the 2018 French Open who had a dismal 2019. Zverev himself struggled mightily at the recent ATP Cup, going 0-3 and hitting 31 double faults in those three losses.
- Aryna Sabalenka (11), who upset Simona Halep in Adelaide last week, vs. Carla Suarez Navarro, a quarterfinalist here in two of the last four years.
Order of play (show courts only in local time)
Rod Laver Arena
Day session (from 11am)
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) vs Karolina Pliskova (CZE) [2]
Donna Vekic (CRO) [19] vs Maria Sharapova (RUS)
Rafael Nadal (ESP) [1] vs Hugo Dellien (BOL)
Night session (from 7pm)
Daniil Medvedev (RUS) [4] vs Frances Tiafoe (USA)
Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) vs Angelique Kerber (GER) [17]
Show Court 1
Day session (from 11am)
Belinda Bencic (SUI) [6] vs Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK)
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) vs Dominic Thiem (AUT) [5]
Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) vs Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) [31]
Night session (from 7pm)
Jennifer Brady (USA) vs Simona Halep (ROU) [4]
Marco Cecchinato (ITA) vs Alexander Zverev (GER) [7]
Melbourne Arena
From 11am
Polona Hercog (SLO) vs Rebecca Peterson (SWE)
Madison Keys (USA) [10] vs Daria Kasatkina (RUS)
Damir Dzumhur (BIH) vs Stan Wawrinka (SUI) [15]
Not before 4pm – Alexei Popyrin (AUS) vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) [28]
Not before 7pm – Nick Kyrgios (AUS) vs Lorenzo Sonego (ITA)
1573 Arena
Johanna Konta (GBR) [12] vs Ons Jabeur (TUN)
Reilly Opelka (USA) vs Fabio Fognini (ITA) [12], resumes at 6-3 7-6(3) 1-0
Ernests Gulbis (LAT) vs Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) [20]
Elina Svitolina (UKR) [5] vs Katie Boulter (GBR)
Not before 4pm – Gael Monfils (FRA) [10] vs Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE)
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) vs Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) [11]
Click here for the full order of play
