AS the second round got underway at Melbourne Park, the first of the 2022 Australian Open third round matches became clear. There were a handful of upsets, and some epic contest, but on the most part everything seemed to go fairly to plan.
Twelve seeds still remain in the men’s draw, with just one more casualty added to the list. Polish talent Hubert Hurkacz suffered defeat at the hands of Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in straight sets. A few other seeds, such as Dennis Shapovalov, Cristian Garin and Pablo Carreno Busta all had to fight through five-set contests to earn their places in the third round. It was far easier for the two highest ranked players in the half, with both Alexander Zverev and Rafael Nadal remaining on a crash course for the quarter finals with straight sets wins. The two Australians both fell in John Millman and Aleksandar Vukic as well.
MEN’S SINGLES – ROUND OF 64:
[3] Alexander Zverev (GER) defeated John Millman (AUS) 6-4 6-4 6-0
[6] Rafael Nadal (ESP) defeated [Q] Yannick Hanfmann (GER) 6-2 6-3 6-4
[7] Matteo Berrettini (ITA) defeated [WC] Stefan Kozlov (USA) 6-1 4-6 6-4 6-1
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) defeated [10] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 6-4 6-2 6-3
[14] Denis Shapovalov (CAN) defeated Soonwoo Kwon (KOR) 7-6 6-7 6-7 7-5 6-2
[16] Cristian Garin (CHI) defeated Pedro Martinez (ESP) 6-7 7-6 2-6 6-2 6-2
[17] Gael Monfils (FRA) defeated Alexander Bublik (KAZ) 6-1 6-0 6-4
[18] Aslan Karatsev (RUS) defeated Mackenzie McDonald (USA) 3-6 6-2 6-2 6-3
[19] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) defeated Tallon Griekspoor (NED) 6-3 6-7 7-6 3-6 6-4
[23] Reilly Opelka (USA) defeated Dominik Koepfer (GER) 6-4 6-3 7-6
[25] Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) defeated Oscar Otte (GER) 2-6 6-2 6-3 6-1
[28] Karen Khachanov (RUS) defeated Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) 6-4 6-0 7-5
[31] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) defeated Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 6-2 6-1 7-5
Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) defeated Tommy Paul (USA) 7-6 7-5 7-6
Sebastian Korda (USA) defeated Corentin Moutet (FRA) 3-6 6-4 6-7 7-5 7-6
[Q] Radu Albot (ROU) defeated [WC] Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 6-4 7-6 6-4
MATCHES TO WATCH TODAY – ROUND OF 64:
[2] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) vs. Nick Kyrgios (AUS)
[32] Alex de Minaur (AUS) vs. Kamil Majchrzak (POL)
[24] Daniel Evans (GBR) vs. Arthur Rinderknech (FRA)
[13] Diego Schwartzman (ARG) vs. Christopher O’Connell (AUS)
[11] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs. Steve Johnson (USA)
[20] Taylor Fritz (USA) vs. Frances Tiafoe (USA)
[9] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
[WC] Andy Murray (GBR) vs. [Q] Taro Daniel (JPN)
Meanwhile in the women’s draw, it was a similar story. Just one seed fell in the second round, with American young gun Amanda Anisimova taking down 22nd seed Belinda Bencic to set up a third round clash with reigning champion Naomi Osaka. Both Osaka and Ash Barty cruised through to the Round of 32, as did Paula Badosa and Victoria Azarenka. In-form Madison Keys kept her hot start to 2022 going with a third round entrance, whilst Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, Latvian Jelena Ostapenko and China’s Qiang Wang were the only three winners to need three sets to get it done.
WOMEN’S SINGLES – ROUND OF 64:
[1] Ash Barty (AUS) defeated [Q] Lucia Bronzetti (ITA) 6-1 6-1
[4] Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) defeated [WC] Xiyu Wang (CHN) 6-2 6-3
[5] Maria Sakkari (GRE) defeated [Q] Qinwen Zheng (CHN) 6-1 6-4
[8] Paula Badosa (ESP) defeated [Q] Martina Trevisan (ITA) 6-0 6-3
[13] Naomi Osaka (JPN) defeated Madison Brengle (USA) 6-0 6-4
[15] Elina Svitolina (UKR) defeated Harmony Tan (FRA) 6-3 5-7 5-1 RET
[21] Jessica Pegula (USA) defeated Bernarda Pera (USA) 6-4 6-4
Amanda Anisimova (USA) defeated [22] Belinda Bencic (SUI) 6-2 7-5
[24] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) defeated Jil Teichmann (SUO) 6-1 6-2
[26] Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) defeated Alison Riske (USA) 4-6 6-2 6-4
[28] Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse (BEL) 6-2 7-5
[30] Camila Giorgi (ITA) defeated Tereza Martincova (CZE) 6-2 7-6
Marta Kostyuk (UKR) defeated [32] Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 7-6 6-3
Qiang Wang (CHN) defeated Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) 2-6 7-6 6-3
Madison Keys (USA) defeated Jaqueline Cristian (ROU) 6-2 7-5
Nuria Parrizas Diaz (CHN) defeated Maryna Zanevska (GER) W/O
MATCHES TO WATCH TODAY – ROUND OF 64:
[6] Anett Kontaveit (EST) vs. Clara Tauson (AUT)
[WC] Maddison Inglis (AUS) vs. [Q] Hayley Baptiste (USA)
[10] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) vs. [WC] Samantha Stosur (AUS)
[27] Danielle Collins (USA) vs. Ana Konjuh (CRO)
[7] Iga Swiatek (POL) vs. Rebecca Peterson (SWE)
[12] Elena Rybakina vs. Shuai Zhang (CHN)
[17] Emma Raducanu (GBR) vs. Danka Kovinic (MON)
[2] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) vs. Xinyu Wang (CHN)
Sinner finds way to heaven in Aus Open comeback
IT looked bleak for the best part of two and a half sets, but Italian fourth seed Jannik Sinner never gave in, and forced his way back from a two sets to love deficit to knock off third seed Daniil Medvedev and win his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open last night. In […]
Straight sets Sabalenka does it again to claim crown
BELARUSIAN world number two Aryna Sabalenka successfully defended her Australian Open singles title last night, going back-to-back after a comprehensive 6-3 6-2 victory over 12th seed, Qinwen Zheng. In a performance that capped off her overall two weeks at Melbourne Park, Sabalenka did not look like dropping a set, instead securing her second crown in […]
Jamrichova completes dream Aus Open with title
SLOVAKIAN young gun Renata Jamrichova lived up to her top seed billing by taking home the 2024 Australian Open Junior Girls Singles crown. The 16-year-old proved too strong and consistent for local hope and sixth seed Emerson Jones, running out a 6-4 6-1 victory on Rod Laver Arena today. After a tight opening set that […]
Sinner stuns deflated Djoker in Aus Open upset
DESPITE the respective formlines during the Australian Open suggesting an upset could be on the cards, few could believe what had taken place after just 73 minutes on court yesterday afternoon. The greatest Australian Open champion of all time – Novak Djokovic – gunning for his 11th title won just three games in two sets […]
Junior Jones aims to emulate Barty Party
MELBOURNE Park might well reach fever pitch today when Australian Emerson Jones takes to Rod Laver Arena for the Junior Girls Singles final. The 15-year-old is the first Aussie girl to reach a Junior Grand Slam final since former world number one Ash Barty and the comparisons do not end there. The Queensland teenager took […]
Sabalenka and Zheng progress to historic decider
ARYNA Sabalenka and Qinwen Zheng are the Women’s Singles Finalists at the 2024 Australian Open 2024, after they won their respective semi-finals yesterday. Sabalenka was the first to progress through after she defeated Coco Gauff in straight sets. After winning the first set in a tie breaker, Sabalenka had things a little easier in the […]
Money for Jam(richova) in Aus Open blitz
SLOVAKIAN top seed Renata Jamrichova continued her blitz of the Australian Open Junior Girls singles draw with another rout, this time a 51-minute win in the quarter finals. Jamrichova made light work of French wildcard Ksenia Efremova, running out a 6-2 6-1 winner in impressive fashion. The 16-year-old has far been the most impressive of […]
Daniil digs deep to outlast Hurkacz
IT was a battle of epic proportions, but third seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev earned his place in the Australian Open semi-final with a five-set victory over Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in three hours and 59 minutes. In a see-sawing match that was entertaining from the get-go, both players showed off their contrasting traits to get the […]
Two history makers make first Aus Open semis
DAYANA Yastremska has made her first ever Australian Open singles semi final, after she defeated Linda Noskova in yesterday quarter final. In about 80 mins, Yastremska proved too strong for Noskova, ending the impressive run of the Czech in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 to become the first qualifier since Christine Dorey in 1978 to make […]
