After an upset-filled Day 1 at the Australian Open, here are five matches worth tuning into on Day 2:
Ashleigh Barty vs Aryna Sabalenka
After the Venus Williams-Belinda Bencic match, this is the best matchup of the opening round as the top-ranked Aussie woman meets the sensational teenager. Barty is coming in with momentum after reaching the finals of Sydney and she will be cheered on by a fervent home crowd. Sabalenka presents the 19th seed with a host of problems, namely her massive serve and groundstrokes. Capable at net, the Belarussian should look to this strategy to end points even quicker than she normally does. She’s shown she can handle big stages as evidenced by her performance in the Fed Cup for Belarus last year, leading them to the final. Being played as a night match on Rod Laver Arena, the patrons should be treated to a thriller.
Kristyna Pliskova vs Agnieszka Radwanska
A match of completely contrasting styles with the Czech looking to use her lefty serve and power while the Pole will continue to rely on her craftiness and variety. Court speed does help Pliskova and she must feel confident seeing Radwanska’s current form, but perhaps this is Radwanska’s last hurrah with her ranking set to slip out of the Top 30. With the field already decimated as some of the biggest names in the draw went out yesterday, Aga may be presented with an opportunity she didn’t expect if she gets through this.
Carina Witthoeft vs Caroline Garcia
It’s quite amazing that the Frenchwoman isn’t being talked about as a threat to go deep. Granted, she has a ton of big hitters in her draw and she is new to the pressures of playing as top seed at a major, but there’s no one she can’t beat in her way in her section. It starts with the young German, who took home her maiden title last fall in Luxembourg. This will be first strike tennis at its finest. Witthoeft played well in Melbourne last year and took Angelique Kerber to three sets in the third round. If you like aggression and power, this is the match for you.
Kristina Mladenovic vs Ana Bogdan
It’s not hard to figure out why Mladenovic’s match is on this list. Without a victory since the first round of Wimbledon last year, the Frenchwoman has lost 14 consecutive matches. As with many of her other losses during the streak, this is a match she should win, but until she actually does it, you can’t pick her. Bogdan is appearing in the main draw in Melbourne for the second straight year and when she saw she drew Mladenovic, she must have felt like she hit the jackpot.
Tatjana Maria vs Maria Sharapova
I really didn’t want to put this match on the list, but due to no other matches looking all that appealing after the above four, here it is. The subplot is that Sharapova tested positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open and two years later, she’s back. Residing back in the Top 50 after returning with no ranking points is a credit to her no matter how you feel about her. The issue for Maria here is she doesn’t have the firepower to trouble the five-time major champion, but could benefit if Sharapova has a poor serving day. If everything is right, the biggest story coming out of this match will be how the former Aussie Open champion is received as she returns.
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