Alex de Minaur presents as an amiable Australian but there is an element of steel to the “Demon” born from the competitive fire that rages within him.
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When the world No.8 arrived at Roland Garros for his opening round match eight months ago, the amiable Australian had a message that he wanted to send to an emerging pro.
His rival was Alex Michelsen, the powerful and extremely talented American he will play at Melbourne Park on Monday for a spot in the Australian Open quarterfinals.
And revenge was on his mind, with good reason. The world No.8 is a proud man but a few months earlier he lowered his colours in ignominious fashion in a rare poor showing.
His then teenaged-rival was understandably delighted after blitzing the Aussie 6-4 6-1 in Acapulco in Mexico.
‘He’s overrated!’ Host taunts Djokovic | 00:17
“(The goal was to) go out there and play as best you can, see what happens,” Michelsen said on Saturday.
“I went out there and didn’t miss a ball for an hour and a half, or however long that match went. I couldn’t miss. I was playing way above my level at the time.
“My level was here, and I was playing way up there. It’s always nice when that happens. It’s pretty rare. That’s what happened last time. (I) just couldn’t miss a ball, I feel like.”
But there was a caveat that needed to be applied to the result.
A couple of days earlier de Minaur had fallen to reigning Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner in the final in Rotterdam after a stellar week where he defeated Seb Korda, David Goffin, Andrey Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov.
The transition from Europe to Mexico, and from the middle of winter to the warmer climate, left the Sydneysider vulnerable and he was beaten up on the court by Michelsen.
If revenge is a dish best served cold, the 25-year-old had a few months to stew on that defeat and was determined to right what he considered a wrong when he played Michelsen.
“It was quite a quick turnaround, so I probably wasn’t quite ready to play that match, but I was definitely ready today,” he told a couple of Aussie journalists in Paris afterwards.
De Minaur’s response was savage. In less than two hours, he whipped the American for the loss of three games in one of the most lop-sided victories of his career. This was a thrashing.
And the American effectively lost his mind on the court in an extremely lopsided match.
His childish tantrum in the final set even drew derision from Nick Kyrgios, who is no stranger to losing his temper on the court.
A warning. The lesson de Minaur delivered in Paris was on clay on a particularly chilly day. Michelsen is a far better player than that and far more comfortable on hard courts.
Coached by former US Open semifinalist Robby Ginepri, the Next Gen Finals qualifier is a powerful all-court player who has knocked out three-time major finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas and dual-grand slam semi-finalist Karen Khachanov already in Melbourne.
“He’s been playing really well,” de Minaur said.
“He’s a dangerous opponent with a lot of confidence now. He’s taken some big scalps this week, so (I have to be) ready for a battle.
“He’s going to go out there with no fear. I’m going to do my best to make it difficult for him.”
HOW DEMON WON OVER THE DJOKER
Similarly to Michelsen, de Minaur knows what it is like to be on the receiving end of a hammering from a rival seeking redress against someone who irked them.
It is now three years since the 25-year-old, who is the first Australian since Phil Dent in the 1980s to reach the Rd of 16 in their home major for four straight years, was thrashed by Novak Djokovic in a fourth round mismatch on Rod Laver Arena.
Djokovic had been irritated by the Aussies comments related to vaccine mandates in tennis and delivered a lesson, but the 10-time Australian Open is now an admirer.
“(He has made) terrific improvement. I think his serve (has) become a big weapon. Maybe it wasn’t before,” Djokovic said.
“He was always fast, so he kept that … speed on the court. And I think he’s coming into (the net and) he’s approaching much more than he used to do.
“We all know how good he’s defending, but his offence has improved a lot. His court positioning has improved. It’s not a surprise that he ended up in the top 10 last season in his best season yet.
“I think we’re going to see … great things from Alex in this tournament. I have watched him play a few matches and the level is great. He’s playing really well.”
Those comments were made prior to de Minaur’s clash with Francisco Cerundolo.
Even the Aussie would have queried the accuracy of the assessment as he struggled for anywhere near his best against the 31st seed, who ran him ragged for nearly two hours.
The world No.8, who will bid to make the quarterfinals at the Australian Open for the first time when he plays Michelsen, was unusually errant and double-faulted on big points.
But he said afterwards that there is a beauty in managing to pull through when below par, with the Aussie turning his fortunes around after making a superb reflex volley at 5-6 in the second set.
Swiatek through after early altercation | 01:37
In an interesting concession, de Minaur said it was the first time he had felt the pressure associated with delivering at home, which is a sign he has significant expectations.
“I feel like I learned a lot. I mean, looking back at this, I reckon this is probably the first match that I’ve played here in Oz where I’ve felt, like today, that I didn’t feel comfortable,” he said.
“I felt all of a sudden (there was) a little bit of pressure playing (and) I didn’t know what to do. (But) I just told myself … to go out there and compete.
“A part of me knew that at some point there was always going to be always a match where pressure was going to be there and the nerves were going to be there, (that the) kind of the expectation was going to be there. I knew it was going to be a part of it. I just told myself to go out there, compete.
“Geez, I’d rather win ugly any day over losing pretty, right? Ultimately I lived to fight another day. My next one I’ll make sure I bring a better level.”
And as for the compliment from the most successful man in tennis history?
“Ultimately when you hear any compliments coming from someone like Novak, who’s virtually perfect in every aspect of his game, it’s obviously very nice to hear,” he said.
“I always will appreciate it because you put in the work with your team behind closed scenes. But it’s always good that other players in the locker room are noticing, right? It means you’re doing something right. That’s a great feeling.”
BIG-NAME AUSSIE JUNIORS MAKE STRONG START
Standing on a balcony overlooking Melbourne Park as the sun set on Saturday, Emerson Jones was all smiles after securing an opening round win in the girls’ singles.
At the start of the week Jones received a lesson on the gulf between junior stardom and the very best players in the world when she was beaten 6-1 6-1 by 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in her Australian Open debut.
The outing followed a promising week in the Adelaide International where the Gold Coast teenager clinched a first round win and pushed world No.9 Daria Kasatkina.
A finalist in the girls’ singles at Melbourne Park last week, the world’s top-ranked junior started her campaign in promising fashion with a 6-3 6-3 triumph over Anastasia Lizunova.
Jones said she was initially upset by the manner of her defeat against Rybakina, a former Australian Open finalist who progressed to the last 16 with a 6-3 6-4 win over Dayana Yastremska on Saturday after receiving medical treatment in the second set.
Monfils: ‘Warmed the court for her’ | 00:57
But on reflecting over the next couple of days, she was able to put the result into context.
“I was pretty bummed about my match against Elena,” she said.
“It was just annoying because I wasn’t really in the match, but then looking at all the girls she’s played, I didn’t really do a bad job. So I feel a bit better about that.
“Obviously it gives me a lot of confidence to go into the juniors knowing that she’s the top level, and I know what it’s like now.”
Jones was not the only high-profile junior in action on Saturday, with a near-capacity crowd enjoying a warm Melbourne evening to watch Cruz Hewitt in action on Court 3.
Twenty years after his dad Lleyton Hewitt was beaten in the Australian Open final by Marat Safin, his son was too strong for South Korean Moo Been Kim in the first round, 6-3 6-3.
LOVE WINS
It was also 20 years ago when a junior prodigy expected to make massive strides in men’s tennis made his debut at Melbourne Park with a four set win over Robby Ginepri, who is now coaching Michelsen, Alex de Minaur’s next opponent at Melbourne Park.
Gael Monfils arrived on the back of a stellar year at junior level in grand slams, with the Frenchman winning the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon before Andy Murray snared the US Open boys’ singles.
It was the best year in junior singles since Swedish great Stefan Edberg completed the boys’ grand slam in 1983.
The buzz around Monfils was massive and the athleticism he displayed on his first visit to Melbourne Park demonstrated he was a supreme talent.
It seemed the future of tennis had arrived. And he remains a superb athlete, quipping on Saturday that he thinks “I’m the best athlete at 38 years old on the tour, yes. That for sure.”
But similarly to several other elite talents, Monfils had the misfortune of arriving in the era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who has won all 20 outings against him.
But he has enjoyed a stellar career and, aside from semi-finals appearances at Roland Garros in 2008 and the US Open in 2016, he has peaked at No.6 and won 13 titles.
The most recent of those successes came last week in Auckland and at the age of 38, Monfils still has what it takes to rattle the best and pulled off a major upset on Saturday.
38 y/o Monfils dances into 4th round! | 01:02
Pitted against last year’s US Open finalist Taylor Fritz, the mercurial Monfils produced a masterclass, mixing pace and rhythm, touch and power to win 3-6 7 -5 7-6 (1) 6-4.
In a stellar day for the Monfils family, he returned to Margaret Court Arena to watch his wife Elina Svitolina upset Wimbledon and Roland Garros finalist Jasmine Paolini 2-6 6-4 6-0.
Monfils, who celebrated his success with an on-court dance that has gone viral online, said he was delighted to be expressing “his joy” as one of the grand veterans of the tour.
But Monfils, who faces exciting American Ben Shelton next, also put into context what is important to him, with the prospect of pulling off a major miracle far from the top of his list of priorities.
“To be honest with you, (it) is not even a dream to win the tournament. My dream is to be old and with a lot of kids and healthy,” he said.
“My dream is to have an unbelievable family. Tennis is cool. Of course, you want to have a goal, dream, whatever. But my dream is out there (with my family).”
Day 7 Talking Points Analysis: Alex de Minaur’s Rivalry with Alex Michelsen, French Open Meltdown, Win vs Francisco Cerundolo, Fourth Round Match, Latest News
As we enter the second week of the French Open, one of the most intriguing storylines has been the budding rivalry between Alex de Minaur and Alex Michelsen. The two young stars have faced off multiple times in recent tournaments, with each match proving to be a fierce battle of skill and determination.
De Minaur, known for his speed and tenacity on the court, has been in top form throughout the tournament. However, his recent French Open meltdown against Michelsen in the third round was a shocking turn of events. After a heated exchange of words on the court, De Minaur lost his composure and ultimately lost the match in a dramatic fashion.
Despite this setback, De Minaur bounced back in impressive fashion in his fourth round match against Francisco Cerundolo. The Australian star showed his mental toughness and resilience as he fought back from a set down to secure a hard-fought victory.
Looking ahead, De Minaur is set to face off against Michelsen once again in the fourth round. With tensions running high between the two players, this match is sure to be a must-watch for tennis fans around the world.
In the latest news, De Minaur has been training hard and focusing on his mental game in preparation for the upcoming match. With a spot in the quarterfinals on the line, De Minaur will be looking to put the French Open meltdown behind him and continue his quest for Grand Slam glory.
Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting rivalry and all the latest news from the French Open.
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Day 7 Talking Points analysis, Alex de Minaur, Alex Michelsen, French Open meltdown, Francisco Cerundolo, fourth round match, latest news, tennis rivalry, player showdown, grand slam tournament, match analysis, sports news.
#Day #Talking #Points #analysis #Alex #Minaur #rivalry #Alex #Michelsen #French #Open #meltdown #win #Francisco #Cerundolo #fourth #match #latest #news
There are unseeded players all over the place in the top half of the Australian Open draw, including Miomir Kecmanovic. The Serb will try to keep his run going against Holger Rune, while Alex de Minaur faces Francisco Cerundolo.
Miomir Kecmanovic vs. (13) Holger Rune
Rune and Kecmanovic will be squaring off for the third time in their careers when they collide in round three of the Australian Open on Saturday. Although Kecmanovic is obviously the underdog in this one, he has played Rune tough in the past. They have split their two previous encounters; Kecmanovic prevailed 7-6(3), 6-2 on the indoor hard courts of Stockholm in 2022 before Rune won 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 the very next week in Stockholm.
This is another sneaky spot for Kecmanovic to find more success against Rune. The hard-court slams have been by far the 21-year-old Dane’s worst. He was won seven matches combined at the Aussie Open and U.S. Open compared to 17 total at the French Open and Wimbledon. On the other hand, Melbourne is by far Kecmanovic’s favorite spot of the four. The 51st-ranked Serb has reached the fourth round twice and has never advanced that far at any other major. Moreover, Kecmanovic is coming off a straight-set beatdown of Hubert Hurkacz, whereas Rune has been severely tested by both Zhizhen Zhang and Matteo Berrettini. Sound the upset alert.
Pick: Kecmanovic in 5
(31) Francisco Cerundolo vs. (8) Alex de Minaur
De Minaur went into the tournament as by far the host nation’s best hope to make a deep run; to say that nothing has changed through two rounds would be a gross understatement. The world No. 8 trounced his first two opponents–6-1, 7-5, 6-4 over Botic van de Zandschulp and 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 over Tristan Boyer. De Minaur is now 4-0 in the early stages of this season, having won his pair of United Cup matches in similarly dominant fashion.
Up next for the Aussie is what will surprisingly be a first-ever meeting with Cerundolo. Amazingly, the first week of this tournament has been even more routine for Cerundolo. In fact, nobody in the entire draw had an easier first two rounds than the Argentine. He benefited from two virtual byes, erasing a disinterested Alexander Bublik 7-6(1), 6-3, 6-2 before getting a second-set retirement from Facundo Diaz Acosta while leading 6-2, 1-0. Cerundolo is talented, but he rarely comes to play against higher-ranked opponents–with one exception being a five-set loss to Novak Djokovic at the 2024 French Open. Facing De Minaur in Australia is unlikely to be another exception.
Pick: De Minaur in 3
In an exciting day of tennis matchups, Rune faced off against Kecmanovic while De Minaur took on Cerundolo. Both matches promised to be intense battles between young, up-and-coming players.
Rune, the young Danish player known for his powerful strokes and aggressive playing style, was eager to take on Kecmanovic, a talented Serbian player with a strong baseline game. The match was expected to be a showcase of skill and determination from both players as they fought for a spot in the next round.
On the other court, De Minaur, the Australian sensation known for his speed and consistency, was set to face Cerundolo, a promising Argentine player with a deadly forehand. The match was sure to be a test of endurance and strategy as both players looked to outwit and outplay each other on the court.
Tennis fans were buzzing with anticipation as they awaited the outcomes of these thrilling matchups. Who would emerge victorious in the battle between Rune and Kecmanovic? And who would come out on top in the clash between De Minaur and Cerundolo? Stay tuned for all the action and excitement on the court.
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Key events
I’ll keep you updated on those matches, as well as a couple more that are about to get underway: Taylor Fritz (4) v Gael Monfils, and Elena Rybakina (6) v Dayana Yastremska (32).
But the focus will be on Australian No 1 Alex de Minaur (8) against Francisco Cerundolo (31).
Speaking of Putintseva (24) and Kasatkina (9), they are on serve in the opening set on Kia Arena.
While on Court 3, Jaqueline Cristian has taken the opening set against Eva Lys in their battle to become the unseeded outsider to face Iga Świątek in round four.
Another American is through to the fourth round, this time in the women’s singles, with Emma Navarro prevailing in a hard fought contest with Ons Jabeur. It was the 2024 US Open semi-finalist’s third three-setter in a row. Yulia Putintseva (24) or Daria Kasatkina (9) await.
The 20-year-old American is through to the fourth round of a major for the first time after systematically unstitching the 19th seed on John Cain Arena. This might seem like a bolt from the blue but Michelsen is composed, plays within himself and has all the shots. His early career progression has been smooth and he looks set for a long spell at the top of the game. His backhand slice was effective at setting up court position and he had no hesitation opening his forehand wing and pounding winners.
After comfortably outplaying Stefanos Tsitsipas in the opening round, Michelsen now looms as an unseeded landmine. In the fourth round the seed that might have to defuse him is Alex de Minaur, who is up shortly on RLA.
Jonathan Howcroft
Thank you very much Martin. On a glorious Saturday afternoon with the temperature in the high 20s this grand slam is coming to the simmer nicely. De Minaur will be the headline act over the next few hours, but there is no shortage of action elsewhere on the Melbourne Park precinct.
Martin Pegan
I’ll now leave you in the most capable hands of Jonathan Howcroft as he follows Alex de Minaur and the eighth seed’s clash with Francisco Cerundolo that is coming up very soon on RLA. Thanks for tracking along so far …
Ons Jabeur breaks Emma Navarro and they are back on serve at 3-3 in the battle to face either Daria Kasatkina (9) or Yulia Putintseva (24) in the fourth round. That pair are under way on Kia Arena with Putintseva making a fast start to lead 3-0 as she aims to reach the round of 16 at Melbourne Park for the first time in her 13th appearance here.
To surprise of no one, Emma Navarro (8) and Ons Jabeur are into a third set. The American took out the first set 6-4 before the three-time grand slam runner-up Jabeur fought back to take the second 6-3. Navarro is now up a break and serving for a 4-2 lead in the third.
While Iga Swiatek was really outclassing Emma Raducanu on Rod Laver Arena, the action has been heating up on the other show courts.
Alex Michelsen is closing in on another upset victory, this time over 19th seed Karen Khachanov, as the American leads 6-3, 7-6(5), 4-1. The winner could play Alex de Minaur in the round of 16, though the Australian eighth seed will first have to navigate a clash with Francisco Cerundolo – that match up is starting in little more than half an hour.
The second seed could hardly have been more impressive as she breezes into the fourth round with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Emma Raducanu. Iga Swiatek just had too much firepower for the young Brit though Raducanu did herself no favours with her serve shaky from the start. The Pole looks in ominous form as she chases a sixth grand slam title.
Emma Raducanu pulls out her best service game since her hold early in the match to save a break point then win at deuce with a sublime cross-court backhand. But Iga Swiatek’s power is something to behold as the Pole finds a pair of cross-court winners from the baseline. Raducanu drops her head, double faults to give up another game, and Swiatek will serve for the match.
Iga Swiatek has arrived with a plan and continues to target Emma Raducanu’s backhand with her serve. It’s a strategy that is paying dividends as a third double fault of the day for Swiatek is Raducanu’s only joy while the second seed moves to 6-1, 4-0.
Emma Raducanu said before this third round clash with the second seed that she ‘has nothing to lose’ and would be able to play freely. Only half of that appears to be true now as Iga Swiatek breaks her again to take a 3-0 lead in the second set.
Emma Navarro (8) wins the first set against Ons Jabeur 6-4 as the American aims to reach the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the first time. But Navarro has been taken to three sets in the first two rounds and Jabeur is a renowned fighter, so expect more to come from MCA.
Emma Raducanu pressures the second seed on her service game for the first time but can’t quite make the break. Iga Swiatek drops just the third and fourth points on her serve today (and two have been double faults!) to fall behind 15-30, but then drops a blistering forehand winner onto the baseline to draw level and works Raducanu around the court twice more to seal the game.
Iga Swiatek picks up where she left off in the first set, breaking Emma Raducanu to make it six games on the trot. Raducanu was able to stay in the game with some searching winners on either side but Swiatek is chasing down anything and everything. It’s hard to see how the young Brit can turn this around.
A tense battle is brewing over on John Cain Arena after Alex Michelsen claimed the first set from Karen Khachanov 6-3. The 19th seed responded quickly to race out to a 4-1 lead in the second but now it’s the young American’s turn to fight back as he serves to try to level the set at 4-4.
Iga Swiatek wins the first set 6-1 in just 31 minutes. The second seed is holding her serve with ease while Emma Raducanu is initially struggling to land her first serve often enough (13/25) and then deal with Swiatek’s powerful returns. Raducanu’s second serve is proving to be too timid as well, taking just 3/12 points from it. The young Brit needs to quickly settle into the second set or this could be done and dusted within an hour.
The first set is slipping away quickly for Emma Raducanu as Iga Swiatek breaks her again. The second seed takes a 5-1 lead.
Iga Swiatek holds to love again. The second seed has only dropped one point in her three service games so far, as her powers – and speed – of recovery are proving too much for Emma Raducanu even when she is able to works some angles.
Iga Swiatek breaks Emma Raducanu. The second seed has been devasting with her returns as Raducanu is finding it hard to work into rallies even when she does land a first serve. Swiatek seals the 3-1 lead with a pinpoint backhand that beats Raducanu at the net in ominous signs for the young Brit.
Emma Raducanu beats off a pair of break points and two deuces to hold serve. The 22-year-old will need to land more first serves if she is to genuinely challenge the second seed today. Iga Swiatek breezes through another service game, this time only dropping the one point as she nets a forehand with a rare unforced error.
Iga Swiatek serves first and holds to love. Emma Raducanu took some time to get going in her second round clash with her good friend Amanda Anisimova, but there will be little time to waste against the second seed.
Emma Raducanu and Iga Swiatek have completed their warm-ups on Rod Laver Arena and we’re about to get under way. But hang on, the second seed is have a word to the match official and seems to be concerned about a lack of towels. Well, I guess that sets the tone for what should be a heated clash in steamy conditions.
There is plenty of action on the court to keep us entertained but it can be easy to forget the impact that tennis can have on families in the present day, let alone across generations.
Ruaridh Nicoll has a beautiful tale to tell about his grandmother Esna Boyd’s induction into Australia’s tennis hall of fame and learning more about the trailblazer that inspired women across the world. The words are well worth your time, but the old images will take you back to another age.
It’s been an odd experience. Esna died in 1966 so has always been an ethereal presence – a long-skirted woman with Princess Leia buns in an ageing photograph who my mother would chide me with when asking why I was so terrible at sport.
Alex Michelsen and Karen Khachanov (19) can’t be separated early with both holding serve so far. Khachanov is tossing the balls in the air now while the American leads the first set 4-3.
Jack Draper will face Carlos Alcaraz in the round of 16 after his trio of five-set victories have shaken off any doubts around his fitness and physicality. Tumaini Carayol spoke to the British No 1 after his latest five-setter finished just before 1am local time.
I still have a long way to go, but this is a huge drive forward, the fact that I’ve come through three five-set matches, mentally and physically, it doesn’t happen often. That’s a testament to the work I’ve done and the place I’m in. So very, very proud of that.
In another piece of clever scheduling – the organisers are on a bit of a roll in nailing their late-night match-ups – Jack Draper pulled off another five-set triumph against a local hope. Aleksandar Vukic would have gained plenty of new fans as the late bloomer pushed the 15th seed all the way across three hours, 58 minutes, before a heartbreaking 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8) defeat.
I left it all out there. Jack’s an incredible competitor who I have a lot of respect for. Unfortunately, one of us had to win.
A quick catch up the women’s singles on day six when defending champion, Aryna Sabalenka, was challenged by Clara Tauson before eventually coming away unscathed with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory.
But there was heartbreak for comeback queen and two-time champion Naomi Osaka retired during the third-round match against Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic after dropping the first set in a tie-break.
Emma Raducanu is yet to beat Iga Swiatek, or even take a set from the world No 2, in their previous three meetings. But she can take some solace from only one of those matches being played on hard-court when the Brit was at least somewhat competitive in defeat back in 2023.
Tumaini Carayol is at Melbourne Park and spoke to Raducanu about what has gone wrong in her past clashes with Swiatek, and how she can turn it around this time.
I really relish [big occasions]. I love the big stadiums, the big matches. It’s something that I just really enjoy doing. And it’s so nice to also just go a round further than I did in the last three years that I played here. Australia is somewhere where I really like playing. I like the conditions, I like the crowd and the support here has been amazing, with a lot of union jacks in the crowd as well, which is great. It’s a match that I’m looking forward to.
The first match of note this morning is about to start on John Cain Arena where Alex Michelsen is facing 19th seed Karen Khachanov (19).
The big-serving American is searching for another big scalp after beating 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the opening round, while also hoping to reach the fourth round in a grand slam for the first time. It could be the first of many for the 20-year-old.
Khachanov will be no pushover and he enjoys the hardcourts of Melbourne Park, reaching at least the third round here for seven consecutive years including a run to the last four in 2023.
The winner could be meeting a certain Alex de Minaur in the round of 16, though Francisco Cerundolo might have something to say about that.
Now for the weather. The sun is belting down at Melbourne Park with temperatures already at 22 degrees and expected to hit a high of 29. Ideal conditions for a cracking day of tennis.
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to live coverage of day seven at the 2025 Australian Open.
We’re deep into the third round of the men’s and women’s singles at Melbourne Park with a mouth-watering morning headlined by a clash between Emma Raducanu and second seed Iga Swiatek. The pair of grand slam winners will be tossing balls on Rod Laver Arena at 11.30am before Australia’s favourite bundle of energy Alex de Minaur takes to the same stage around 2pm.
De Minaur is yet to drop a set in this home grand slam but this time faces a giant-killer in Francisco Cerundolo (32) who has 11 wins against top-10 seeds since 2022. The afternoon will also take in more of those highly-seeded types in Fritz, Rybakina, Navarro and Kasatkina as we close in on the pointy end of the tournament, with prime time set aside for the likes of reigning men’s champion Jannik Sinner and the happy slam’s newfound pantomime villain Danielle Collins.
My fingers will be bashing away to keep up with Raducanu and Swiatek’s speed around the court, but attention shall also be turned (feel free to help me out using the links below) on these match-ups:
11am: Alex Michelsen v Karen Khachanov (19)
11.30am: Emma Raducanu v Iga Swiatek (2)
11.30am: Emma Navarro (8) v Ons Jabeur
1pm: Taylor Fritz (4) v Gael Monfils
1pm: Daria Kasatkina (9) v Yulia Putintseva (24)
2pm: Alex de Minaur (8) v Francisco Cerundolo (31)
2pm: Elena Rybakina (6) v Dayana Yastremska (32)
Our learned friend Jonathan Howcroft will take the tools around the time that De Minaur should be warming up on RLA, but until then please get in touch on email, or @martinpegan on Bluesky or X. Let’s get into it!
Welcome to the live coverage of the Australian Open 2025! Today, we have some exciting matches lined up, including a showdown between Alex de Minaur and Francisco Cerundolo.
De Minaur, the Australian sensation, will be looking to continue his impressive form as he takes on the Argentine Cerundolo. Both players have been in great form leading up to this match, so we can expect a thrilling contest on the court.
In another highly anticipated match, Emma Raducanu will be facing off against Iga Swiatek. Raducanu, the young British star, has been making waves in the tennis world, but she will have a tough challenge in the form of Swiatek, the reigning French Open champion. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this exciting clash.
And let’s not forget about Jannik Sinner, who is set to take on a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the next round. Sinner has been a rising star in the men’s game, and fans will be eager to see how he performs in his upcoming match.
Stay tuned as we bring you all the action from the Australian Open 2025, including live updates, analysis, and highlights. It’s sure to be a day filled with thrilling tennis matches, so don’t miss out on any of the excitement!
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