Australian Open, three Italian women’s players will try to advance to the third round while for world number one Swiatek there is U.S. Collins.
Hopes of seeing at least one Italian tennis player in the third round lie with Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Jasmine Paolini and Martina Trevisan.
The easiest task, but only on paper, has the current world number 31 – as well as Italy’s number one – who will face the experienced German Tatjana Maria. A player who is no longer in her prime but who has all the right cards – and especially the experience – to put Paolini, who is coming off an excellent debut against Russian Schnaider (6-3 6-4), in trouble. She will undoubtedly serve one of the best versions of the gritty Lucchese player: any misstep could cost her dearly. On the other hand, it will not be at all easy to land in the next round for Cocciaretto, who on the other side of the court will find one of the most in-form tennis players in the last period, the American Emma Navarro, tempered by the tough battle with Chinese Wang in the first round.
The Marche player is expected to have a real test of physical endurance with the U.S., who triumphed in Hobart last weekend-no gifts in sight. She will have to deal with the aggressiveness of Frenchwoman Oceane Dodin the Florentine Martina Trevisan, never at ease away from clay. In the first round, the Roland Garros 2022 semifinalist had to struggle to get the better of qualifier Zarazua.
There’s China’s Wang for Raducanu
On the night it’s also the turn of world number one Iga Swiatek, back from an impressive 17 wins in a row. It won’t be a walk in the park, at any rate, her challenge with U.S. Danielle Collins, who appeared in fine form in her debut with German champion Kerber.
There are never low expectations for Emma Raducanu: the US Open ’21 champion archived Rogers’ practice without much trouble in her debut and could easily repeat with China’s Wang, fresh from her comeback over Romania’s Cirstea. Bookmakers may be too naive toward Dutch Rus, world number 45, who will play her chances with Russian Kalinskaya. Ajla Tomljanovic can create some headaches for the feisty Ostapenko, as can the always unpredictable U.S. Stephens, not starting off beaten against Russian Kasatkina.
Possible winners
Rus in Rus-Kalinskaya
Dodin in Dodin-Trevisan
Paolini in Maria-Paolini
Navarro in Navarro-Cocciaretto
Raducanu in Raducanu-Wang
US Open, matches of at least 20 games
Swiatek-Collins.
Stephens-Kasatkina
Ostapenko-Tomljanovic
