Australian Open Women’s Draw: Ash Barty And Naomi Osaka On Course For Fourth Round Showdown - UBITENNIS

Australian Open Women’s Draw: Ash Barty And Naomi Osaka On Course For Fourth Round Showdown

The two Grand Slam winners have been drawn in the same section. Meanwhile, US Open champion Emma Raducanu has bveen handed a tough opening match.

By Adam Addicott
3 Min Read
Ashleigh Barty (AUS) celebrates defeating Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) in the fourth round of the Ladies' Singles on No.1 Court at The Championships 2021. Held at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon. Day 7 Monday 05/07/2021. Credit: AELTC/Florian Eisele

Ash Barty’s bid to become the first home player to win the Australian Open women’s title in more than 40 years could see her square off with the reigning champion before the second week.

The two-time Grand Slam champion is the top seed in Melbourne for the third consecutive year. She will begin her campaign against a qualifier but it is later in the first week where she will be firmly tested. Should all go according to the seedings, Barty will take on Naomi Osaka in the fourth round. The two haven’t played each other on the Tour since 2019 with their head-to-head split at two wins each.

Osaka, who is seeded 13th in the draw, will start her campaign against Colombia’s Camila Osorio who won her maiden WTA title last year. She has been placed in a section with plenty of dangerous players surrounding her. Should she beat Osorio, she will take on either Madison Brengle or Dayana Yastremska who can push the Japanese star if they produce their best tennis. Then Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and former French Open semi-finalist Amanda Anisimova are her potential third round opponents. Osaka is seeking to win her third Australian Open title this year.

Aryna Sabalenka leads the bottom section of the draw as she aims to get back some form. The Belrussian has lost her opening matches at two tournaments already this year with her serve being problematic. According to OptaAce, Sabalenka has made 74 double faults in her four most recent matches played. She will start her Melbourne bid against wildcard Storm Saunders. In her section she could play Markéta Vondroušová in the third round followed by either Angelique Kerber and Leylah Fernandez.

WTA Finals champion Garbine Muguruza will be bidding to go one place better than her run to the final two years ago. The Spaniard will play France’s Clara Burel in the first round and has been drawn in the same section as Simona Halep. Meaning the two former Grand Slam winners could clash in the fourth round.

Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu will take on another former winner at Flushing Meadows in the shape of Sloane Stephens. The Brit is playing in the main draw at Melbourne for the first time in her career and is seeded 17th. She is in the same section as Muguruza and Halep, who she may both have to play if she wishes to reach the second week.

Elsewhere barbora krejcikova will start against Andrea Petkovic, Maria Sakkari takes on Tatjana Maria and Anett Kontaveit faces Katerina Siniakova.

The Australian Open will begin on Monday.

Full draw

Top half

Bottom half

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