Oh my god, time flies. The second round of singles matches will take place after the fifth day. Here’s what we’ll see on the big day in Melbourne.
See the order of matches for Day 5 here
Djokovic in matinee match
The ten-time Australian Open champion put in an impressive first-round win over Pedro Martinez, dropping just seven games to earn his 100th career Australian Open victory. On day five, he will set his sights on Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli, ranked 141st in the world, who will compete in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time after failing to qualify in his previous eight appearances.
The Italian had never faced an opponent ranked in the top 50, let alone a 24-time major champion who held the No. 1 spot for weeks on end.
So, yes, Djokovic will have an advantage in experience and he will use it to get off to a fast start and get another pressure-free win.
American women under the radar
While all eyes are on Aryna Sabalenka’s hard-court dominance and Iga Swiatek’s pursuit of a career grand slam, three of America’s top women’s players will battle it out for a spot in the third round.
Sixth seed Jessica Pegula will face compatriot McCartney Kessler in her first match on Rod Laver, while fourth seed Amanda Anisimova will face Katarina Siniakova at Margaret Court Arena. Defending champion and No. 9 seed Madison Keys also exited early, facing compatriot Ashlyn Krueger first.
Stan is the man
Stan Wawrinka, the second oldest man to win a match at the Australian Open, will return to action on day five after defeating Laslo Djere in four sets in the first round. “The Stanimal” will face Frenchman Arthur Gea, a 21-year-old qualifier who defeated No. 17 seed Jiri Lehecka in the first round.
You know what we’re going to write about next: Gia wasn’t even born when Wawrinka first qualified for the Australian Open. He was one of them when Wawrinka participated in the main draw for the first time in 2006.
Iga night
Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swaitek will head to John Cain Arena for a night training session with Czech Marie Bouzkova. The Pole defeated Bouzkova 2-0 and lost only eight games in two games.
popcorn contest
Stefanos Tsitsipas is fit and in good spirits in Melbourne and will need to be in good shape when he takes on recent Adelaide title winner Tomas Machac. The Greek team won their last match in Vienna in 2023 in three sets.
The other popcorn match is for No. 12 seed Casper Ruud, who will be upset against Spain’s Jaime Munar. Why? Because Munnar has gotten really tough on hard courts over the past year and he never deducts points. The Norwegian, who is expecting his first child and has one eye glued to his phone, will need to stay focused and alert to get through Munnar.
