Osaka headlines Monday’s loaded order of play alongside Serena and Venus Williams, Novak Djokovic, and Stan Wawrinka.
As Jon Wertheim recently highlighted on Twitter, Naomi and Serena are two of four women that arrive in Melbourne having won their last match at a Major. The other two are 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and 2020 Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek. All four of those women will play their first round matches on Monday. For Andreescu, it will be her first match in 16 months.
Turning to the men’s side, the Australian Open has been the best Major in the career of Grigor Dimitrov, but he drew the unseeded 2014 US Open champion in his opening round. Meanwhile, 2014 US Open runner-up Kei Nishikori is still fighting his way back from elbow surgery, and will face a top 15 seed who has twice reached the US Open semifinals. And in what may be Monday’s most anticipated encounter, 21-year-old Denis Shapovalov takes on a fellow rising phenom in 19-year-old Yannik Sinner, who won his second ATP title on Sunday.
Each day during the coming fortnight, this preview will analyze the day’s most prominent matches, and note the other intriguing matchups on the schedule. Monday’s play will begin at 11:00am local time.
Naomi Osaka (3) vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – First on RLA
A year ago at this event, Osaka was upset by then-15-year-old Coco Gauff. Since that day, Osaka has only played three events, winning one (the US Open) and withdrawing at the latter stages of the other two as a precaution due to their proximity to the start of a Major. Pavlyuchenkova is a six-time Slam quarterfinalist, and has advanced that far three of the last four years in Melbourne. They’ve split two previous meetings, both contested on hard courts. Most recently, Osaka prevailed in straight sets in her home country during September of 2019. Naomi looked pretty sharp in the three matches she played this past week, while Anastasia won two rounds before becoming one of Garbine Muguruza’s many victims. The 29-year-old Russian is just 6-7 since last year’s Australian Open quarterfinals. And Pavluchenkova’s strengths are outmatched by that of Osaka’s. Recent form dictates Naomi being considered the favorite to survive a tough first round draw.
Bianca Andreescu (8) vs. Mihaela Buzarnescu (LL) – Third on JCA
In 2019, Andreescu went on a stretch where she won 46 out of 50 matches at all levels, including titles at Indian Wells, the Rogers Cup, and her maiden Major in New York. After losing her last three matches that season, she did not play at all in 2020, due to injuries and pandemic restrictions. Bianca was scheduled to make her return to action last week, but decided to hold off until today, as she was one of the players put under hard quarantine upon arrival in Australia. Buzarnescu is a 32-year-old veteran who debuted inside the top 20 during the summer of 2018, but immediately suffered an ugly ankle injury and has not been able to recapture her form. She hasn’t won a WTA-level match in 18 months. When they played two years ago in Acapulco, Andreescu prevailed in straight sets. Despite her recent inactivity, Bianca is a strong favorite to win again today.
Grigor Dimitrov (18) vs. Marin Cilic – Third on on Court 3
Cilic leads their head-to-head 4-2, and 4-1 on hard courts. Their only meeting at a Major was at the 2019 French Open, which Dimitrov took in five sets. Three of Grigor’s five Slam quarterfinals have come at this event, while Marin has reached the second week for three consecutive years, which includes a run to the final in 2018. Cilic has struggled over the past few seasons, and is just 6-9 since the tour restart. This could easily become a prolonged battle, with Dimitrov a slight favorite based on current form.
Pablo Carreno Busta (15) vs. Kei Nishikori – Not Before 4:30pm on 1573 Arena
The only previous time they played was epic. In 2019 at this event, when Nishikori prevailed in a fifth set tiebreak after five hours and five minutes. But Kei is only 2-6 since returning from elbow surgery that ended his 2019 season. And the steady, fit Carreno Busta is not a good player to draw when you’re trying to regain your confidence and match legs. Pablo has reached the quarterfinals at two consecutive Majors. The 29-year-old Spaniard should be able to avenge his painful loss from two years ago.
Denis Shapovalov (11) vs. Jannik Sinner – Last on MCA
This could be a great match, if Sinner is still standing today. Just yesterday, the Italian won his second consecutive ATP title, coming off his first in Sofia last November. But in Sunday’s final, he looked exhausted, if not slightly injured, in his fifth match in six days. On Saturday and Sunday alone, Sinner was on court for over five hours. Shapovalov went 0-2 in the ATP Cup, but played well against both Novak Djokovic and Sascha Zverev. And more importantly, he’s had four days of rest. Their first career meeting may not be as exciting as hoped, but these young stars likely have many more to come.
Other Notable Matches on Day 1:
Serena Williams (10) vs. Laura Siegemund. Serena claimed both of their previous meetings in straight sets.
Venus Williams vs. Kirsten Flipkens. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Flipkens upset Venus 7-6 in the third.
Eight-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic (1) vs. Jeremy Chardy. Djokovic is 13-0 against the veteran Frenchman, and has won all 30 sets they’ve contested.
2014 champion Stan Wawrinka (17) vs. Pedro Sousa, who reached four ATP and Challenger finals last season on clay.
2016 champion Angelique Kerber (23) vs. Bernarda Pera. The 26-year-old American reached a career-high ranking of No.59 last year.
Two-time Major champion Petra Kvitova (9) vs. Greet Minnen (Q), who only owns one main draw win at a Slam, which came at this event a year ago.
Two-time Major champion Simona Halep (2) vs. Lizette Cabrera (WC), a 23-year-old Australian ranked 140th in the world.
US Open champion Dominic Thiem (3) vs. Mikhail Kukushkin. Thiem went 1-1 at this past week’s ATP Cup.
French Open champion Iga Swiatek (15) vs. Arantxa Rus, who is the player that defeated Swiatek last year in Rome right before Iga’s Roland Garros title run.
In an appetizing matchup of unique styles, Su-Wei Hsieh vs. Tsvetana Pironkova (Q), who was a shocking 2020 US Open quarterfinalist in her first tournament since 2017.
Monday’s full order of play is here.
