By Ros Satar
- Iga Swiatek will be keen to back up her US Open win, while Ons Jabeur still searches for that elusive maiden Slam
- Emma Raducanu faces a race to get fit in time after a freak ankle-role in her season-opening tournament
- Harriet Dart is also in the same half of the draw as Raducanu and Swiatek
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Are we in for another clash between the tour’s most consistent players, Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur?
 |
[1] Iga Swiatek
Best Result: Semi-final (2022)
Having taken on the mantle of World No, 1 impressively after Ashleigh Barty went out on a high, winning her home slam, Swiatek has backed that up solidly with two Slams in the same year. Can she make it back-to-back Slams?
On paper her draw is favourable, but her emotions can still get the better of her, as we saw in the United Cup as she struggled to hold back tears after being beaten comprehensively by her potential semi-final opponent Jessica Pegula.
Swiatek’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)
- R1: Jule Niemeier| H2H: Swiatek leads 1-0
- R2: Camila Osorio | H2H: First Meeting
- R3: Marie Bouzkova [25] | H2H: First Meeting
- R4: Danielle Collins [13] | H2H: Tied at 1-1
- QF: Coco Gauff [7] | H2H: Swiatek leads 5-0
- SF: Jessica Pegula [3] | H2H: Swiatek leads 4-2
- F: Ons Jabeur [2] | H2H: Swiatek leads 3-2
[2] Ons Jabeur
Best Result: Quarter-final (2020)
You have to feel that a maiden slam is not far away for the engaging Tunisian, but she will have to overturn a deficit against Aryna Sabalenka – who also has been one of the most consistent players on the tour in recent years and has reached three semi-finals in two of the four Grand Slams.
Jabeur’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)
- R1: Tamara Zidansek | H2H: Tied at 1-1 (incl. ITF)
- R2: Alison Riske-Amritraj | H2H: Tied at 1-1
- R3: Kaia Kanepi [31] | H2H: Jabeur leads 3-0
- R4: Beatriz Haddad Maia [14] | H2H: Jabeur leads 1-0 (ITF)
- QF: Aryna Sabalenka [5] | H2H: Sabalenka leads 3-1
- SF: Caroline Garcia [4] | H2H: Jabeur leads 3-0
- F: Iga Swiatek [1] | H2H: Swiatek leads 3-2
 |
[3] Jessica Pegula
Best Result: Quarter-final (2021, 2022)
Another consistent player on the tour, Pegula looks like she could have a bumpy ride, on paper at least, from the end of the first week, as she looks to get past the quarter-final of a Slam for the first time.
Pegula’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)
- R1: Jaqueline Adina Cristian | H2H: First Meeting
- R2: Aliaksandra Sasnovich | H2H: Pegula leads 1-0
- R3: Amanda Anisimova [28] | H2H: Pegula leads 1-0
- R4: Petra Kvitova [15] | H2H: Kvitova leads 3-1
- QF: Maria Sakkari [6] | H2H: Sakkari leads 4-2
- SF: Iga Swiatek [1] | H2H: Swiatek leads 4-2
- F: Ons Jabeur [2] | H2H: Jabeur leads 4-2
[4] Caroline Garcia
Best Result: Fourth Round (2018)
Garcia’s resurgence has bought joy to many people, but it was her win at the WTA Finals that has brought her right back into focus for the Slams, but the blue courts of Melbourne have not been a happy hunting ground for her of late. She will be hoping to get past the first round after exiting early last year.
Garcia’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)
- R1: Katherine Sebov [Q] | H2H: First Meeting
- R2: Alize Cornet | H2: Garcia leads 4-3 (incl. ITF)
- R3: Irina-Camelia Begu [27] | H2H: Garcia leads 4-2
- R4: Anett Kontaveit [16] | H2H: Kontaveit leads 3-2
- QF: Daria Kasatkina [8] | H2H: Garcia leads 2-1
- SF: Ons Jabeur [2] | H2H: Jabeur leads 3-0
- F: Iga Swiatek [1] | H2H: Swiatek leads 2-1
How to Watch/Follow the Australian Open
| TV | Discovery+, Eurosport
BBC Radio 5 Live Extra |
| Live Stream | Discovery+ Add-on via Amazon Prime
Sign up for 30 day free trial of Prime Video and a 7-day free trial of Discovery+ Player
|
The Australian Open takes place between 16-29 January (GMT +11 hours).
| Follow Britwatch - Sport in General, Brits in Particular! | |
|---|---|
| Soundcloud | |
| YouTube | |
| We may receive compensation for products purchased via affiliate links on this website | |