Seeded players begin to collide in the draws on Friday, making for some stellar contests throughout the day. Major champions Rafael Nadal, Naomi Osaka, Ash Barty, and Victoria Azarenka all face significant opposition, while some of the ATP’s most impressive young stars will square off to secure their spots in the round of 16.
Normally this preview will highlight the five most intriguing matchups, while outlining the other notable matches on the schedule. But with so many great matchups on Day 5, that number has been expanded to six. Friday’s play will begin at 11:00am local time.
Elina Svitolina (15) vs. Victoria Azarenka (24) – 11:00am on Rod Laver Arena
Azarenka has been dominant through two rounds, losing only seven games. She’s keeping her momentum going after her great run at Indian Wells in October. By contrast, Svitolina came into this tournament on a four-match losing streak, dating back to a dismal 6-1, 6-1 loss at the hands of Jessica Pegula at Indian Wells. And this rivalry has been completely one-sided to date. Azarenka leads 4-0, and that includes a straight-set victory last March in Doha. With warm temperatures forecast for Friday, conditions will be quick, which should reward the dictating style of Azarenka. I like Vika’s chances to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time in six years.
Matteo Berrettini (7) vs. Carlos Alcaraz (31) – Third on Rod Laver Arena
This should be a lot of fun, with two of the ATP’s heaviest hitters trading blows. They first played just a few months ago in Vienna, in an extremely tight match which Alcaraz claimed in a third set tiebreak. Berrettini is yet to play his best tennis this month. Coming off an oblique injury that forced him out of the ATP Finals, Matteo went only 1-2 at the ATP Cup, and needed four sets to prevail in both of his first two rounds. Meanwhile, Alcaraz has looked phenomenal, not dropping a set at the next Major after his thrilling Grand Slam breakthrough in New York. Berrettini will need a high percentage of first serves, and a high number of winners off his blistering forehand. But over the course of five sets, a fully-fit Alcaraz should be able to wear down the Italian and advance.
Denis Shapovalov (14) vs. Reilly Opelka (23) – Third on Margaret Court Arena
Shapovalov has struggled his way through two rounds, playing a total of nine sets. On Wednesday, he spent nearly four-and-a-half hours on court against Soon Woo Kwon. Opelka has required three less sets, and four less hours, to reach the third round. This will be the first main draw meeting between the left-handed Canadian and the big-serving American. Reilly seems primed for a deep run at a Major. Last season, he reached two Masters 1000 semifinals, and made his first appearance in the fourth round of a Slam in New York. If he can push several sets to a tiebreak, he has a strong chance to prevail, especially if Denis is feeling physically drained. But considering Shapovalov’s returning prowess, Denis remains the favorite. He’s a great shot-maker, and enjoys having a target to aim for. Opelka will likely provide him with plenty of targets, as he came to net 30 times during his three-set win on Wednesday.
Ash Barty (1) vs. Camila Giorgi (30) – 7:00pm on Rod Laver Arena
Barty’s victories thus far have been comprehensive, allowing her opposition a total of three games through four sets, and spending less than an hour on court in each match. Giorgi has been impressive as well, having yet to drop a set. And it was only five months ago, on this same surface, when Camila earned the biggest title of her career, at the WTA 1000 event in Canada. She has made great strides in better controlling her aggression, and choosing when to go for a winner. But she is 0-3 against Barty, with their most recent encounter occurring four years ago at this event. Giorgi is capable of beating almost anyone on almost any day, but Ash’s well-rounded game makes her a significant favorite.
Naomi Osaka (4) vs. Amanda Anisimova – 7:00pm on Margaret Court Arena
Both women are undefeated to start off 2022. Osaka won three matches in a tune-up event on these same grounds before withdrawing, while Anisimova won a tune-up event at Melbourne Park. With Darren Cahill added to her coaching team, Amanda has rediscovered the form that made her a French Open semifinalist in 2019. Her backhand is formidable, yet overall her groundstrokes and serve don’t quite compare to that of Osaka’s. Naomi has appeared rather confident on court despite taking a near-four-month break from competition to end 2021. But a matchup against an in-form player of Amanda’s caliber is a dangerous draw for Osaka, who has only played five matches since early September.
Rafael Nadal (6) vs. Karen Khachanov (28) – Last on Rod Laver Arena
Nadal has also only played five matches since last summer, when he underwent a procedure on his foot. And he’s often been tested by Khachanov, most notably at the 2018 US Open, when they played a high-quality four-setter which lasted well over four hours. Out of their last 10 sets played, six of those sets have been decided by tiebreaks, and two of the others ended with a score of 7-5. Yet, Rafa has managed to prevail all seven times they’ve met, with five of those occasions coming on hard courts. The big-swinging Russian possesses a style which has often flustered Nadal throughout his career, but is yet to maintain a high enough level to secure more than one set in a match. And all six of those aforementioned tiebreaks have gone the way of Rafa. Despite Nadal not being fully match tough, there’s not much evidence to support a probable outcome other than an eighth victory for the 20-time Major champion.
Other Notable Matches on Friday:
Barbora Krejcikova (4) vs. Jelena Ostapenko (26) – It’s a matchup of surprising Roland Garros champions. In Dubai last March, Krejcikova allowed Ostapenko only four games.
Paula Badosa (8) vs. Marta Kostyuk – When asked about facing Kostyuk after her second round win, Badosa stated “When they ask me who can be the next star, I always say Marta.” Kostyuk took out Sara Sorribes Tormo on Wednesday, while Badosa has lost only seven games through four sets.
Maria Sakkari (5) vs. Veronika Kudermetova (28) – Neither woman has lost a set yet. Last summer in Canada, they participated in an extended contest, with Sakkari prevailing 6-4 in the third.
Cristian Garin (16) vs. Gael Monfils (17) – Through two rounds, Garin has played 10 sets and spent over nine hours on court, while Monfils has easily claimed all six sets he’s played, and spent only three hours on court. Two years ago at the inaugural ATP CUP, Monfils defeated Garin in straight sets.
Pablo Carreno Busta (19) vs. Sebastian Korda – Both men prevailed after grueling five-set battles on Wednesday. After testing positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Australia, and barely practicing leading into this event, what will Korda have left after a nearly five-hour second round match?
Sascha Zverev (3) vs. Radu Albot (Q) – Zverev is yet to drop a set, and Albot is yet to face a player ranked inside the top 100. Though three years ago at the US Open, Radu pushed Sascha to five sets.
Friday’s full Order of Play is here.
