The women’s round of 16 features six Major singles champions, and two marquee matchups with Slam champs going head-to-head. The world No.1 from Australia will face a two-time Australian Open champion, while another two-time Major champ takes on the victor of the 2019 US Open. Men’s singles action on Monday sees some of the sport’s fastest-rising starts take the court, alongside a few former top players fighting to reestablish themselves.
Throughout this event, the women’s singles draw will be a day ahead of the men’s. On Monday, all 16 remaining women will play their fourth round matches, while the men’s bottom half completes third round play.
Each day this preview will analyze the two most prominent matches, and note the other intriguing matchups on the day’s schedule. Monday’s play will begin at 11:00am local time.
Ash Barty (1) vs. Victoria Azarenka (14) – 11:00am on Grandstand
The defending champion struggled through her opening match last week, her first time competing outside of Australia in over a year. But Barty was much-improved on Saturday in a straight-set victory against fellow French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko. Azarenka received a walkover in her first match, and dismissed three-time Major champ Angeliquer Kerber in the last round. These two players have only met twice previously, and they’ve split those meetings. Vika has achieved much more success than Ash on North American hard courts, including at this event where she is a three-time champion. And with Barty playing only 12 matches over the past year, Azarenka should be able to grit her way to victory.
Bianca Andreescu (8) vs. Garbine Muguruza (12) – Not before 8:30pm on Grandstand
Both players survived grueling battles just yesterday, with both prevailing 6-4 in the third. However, Andreescu’s match ended many hours after Muguruza’s. And the 20-year-old Canadian also called the trainer in the third set to work on her back, a worrying sign for a young player who has already battled so many injuries. Their only previous encounter, at Indian Wells in 2019, was complete domination, with Bianca winning 6-0, 6-1 in just 52 minutes. But Muguruza has regained her mojo since that time, and is having an excellent season thus far. The Spaniard is 20-4 on the year, and has reached the final of her last three tour events. Against an Andreescu who is lacking match play, and who will surely be less than 100%, Muguruza should be favored to avenge her embarrassing loss from two years ago.
Other Notable Matches on Monday:
In a clash between two top 10 players, it’s Elina Svitolina (5) vs. Petra Kvitova (9). The two-time Wimbledon champ leads their rivalry 7-2, and had claimed 12 consecutive sets against Svitolina prior to their last meeting at the 2018 WTA Finals, when Svitolina was able to end her losing streak.
Naomi Osaka (2) vs. Elise Mertens (16). Osaka is 2-1 against Mertens, and won their two most recent matches in straight sets. Naomi is currently on a 22-match winning streak, while Elise is an impressive 36-10 since the tour restart last August.
Stefanos Tsitsipas (2) vs. Kei Nishikori (28). Kei took their only previous meeting, three years ago in his home country. However, Nishikori is only 8-10 since returning from injury last September.
Aryna Sabalenka (7) vs. Marketa Vondrousova (19). Sabalenka is on a 22-4 run, though she lost her last two hard court meetings with Vondrousova.
Andrey Rublev (4) vs. Marton Fucsovics (29). This is their third match this month, with the prior two going to Rublev. And they were scheduled to play a fourth time in as many weeks in Doha, but Fucsovics withdrew before the match.
Denis Shapovalov (6) vs. Hubert Hurkacz (26). The 24-year-old from Poland is 2-1 against the 21-year-old Canadian, though Shapovalov defeated Hurkacz just two weeks ago in Dubai.
2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic vs. Lorenzo Musetti, an 18-year-old Italian who came through qualifying earlier this month in Acapulco and advanced all the way to the semifinals.
And in a match between two players who have have been skyrocketing up in the rankings, it’s shocking Australian Open semifinalist Aslan Karatsev (17) vs. Sebastian Korda, a 20-year-old American who has won two Challenger events over the last few months, and reached the final of Delray Beach in January.
Monday’s full Order of Play is here.
