By Tony Fairbairn
- Carlos Alcaraz [2] v Miomir Kecmanovic
- Elina Svitolina [19] v Linda Noskova
- Hubert Hurkacz [9] v Arthur Cazaux [WC]
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Carlos Alcaraz searches for his maiden Australian Open quarter-final when he takes on Miomir Kecmanovic on day nine of the first Grand Slam of the season.
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Carlos Alcaraz [2] v Miomir Kecmanovic H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Carlos Alcaraz [2] v Miomir Kecmanovic | H2H: Alcaraz leads 1-0 |
| Australian Open 2024 | Melbourne, Australia |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $375,000 |
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After a mini-blip against Lorenzo Sonego, Carlos Alcaraz recomposed himself to reach the second week of the Australian Open for the first time in his career. The Spaniard has bigger goals though as he knows winning the title in Melbourne would mean he would have won three of the four Grand Slams at just 20 years of age. It would be an incredible feat for the world number two but bigger tests await in the second week and when there is a certain Novak Djokovic awaiting in the top half of the draw, Alcaraz knows that winning the title will be far from easy.
Before thinking about the final, Alcaraz will need to get past Miomir Kecmanovic in the last 16. The Serb has had a fantastic tournament so far as he reached the last 16 by knocking out both Jan-Lennard Struff and Tommy Paul in five sets by playing powerful tennis from the baseline. The world number 60 had an underwhelming season last year but the 24 year-old will hope that a deep run in Melbourne will be a platform for bigger things this season as he aims for a first Grand Slam quarter-final.
Alcaraz will look to use a mixture of depth and power to force Kecmanovic behind the baseline with the Spaniard adding in variety to make his play unpredictable. Meanwhile Kecmanovic will hope to be aggressive on return as well as trying to improve his serve when under pressure as it has often faltered in the big moments. The Serb will give the second seed a test in the early stages but the Spaniard should be too physical and consistent for Kecmanovic here.
Prediction: Alcaraz in four sets.
Elina Svitolina [19] v Linda Noskova H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Elina Svitolina [19] v Linda Noskova | H2H: First Meeting |
| Australian Open 2024 | Melbourne, Australia |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $375,000 |
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Since returning to the tour last year, Elina Svitolina has been in fine form having reinvented her style of play as the Ukrainian followed her Roland Garros quarter-final with a Wimbledon semi-final. The new season has seen Svitolina maintain her aggression with a run to the Auckland final as she now looks to achieve her Grand Slam dream in Melbourne. Now with the top half of the draw wide open, there may never be another chance as good as this one for Svitolina to win her maiden Grand Slam title.
However Svitolina must be aware of the conveyer belt of Czech Republican talent with Linda Noskova the latest product who is waiting to shine on the Grand Slam stage. No fear and all power was Noskova’s motto as she caused the biggest upset of the tournament so far by knocking out world number one Iga Swiatek. The world number 50 made her breakthrough in Adelaide last year when she reached the final as a qualifier and a year later the 19 year-old has made an even bigger statement. Now with nothing to lose and everything to gain, Noskova has every right to believe that she will be the one to challenge for the title.
Svitolina will look to be aggressive on serve as she will try to prevent Noskova’s aggressive power through depth and a variety of paces throughout the match. While Noskova will look to continue her aggression on the backhand, taking the ball as early as possible in order to pressure on Svitolina’s defensive skills. This will be an interesting match with Svitolina not always performing well under pressure. Svitolina’s experience gives her the advantage but if Noskova produces the level she did against Swiatek then an upset could be brewing on Margaret Court Arena.
Prediction: Noskova in three sets.
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Hubert Hurkacz [9] v Arthur Cazaux [WC] H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Hubert Hurkacz [9] v Arthur Cazaux [WC] | H2H: First Meeting |
| Australian Open 2024 | Melbourne, Australia |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $375,000 |
| Third on John Cain Arena (Not before 04:00 GMT) | Discovery+ Add-on via Amazon Prime
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Hubert Hurkacz is one of the tour’s most consistent players not only in terms of achieving results but also in terms of challenging the world’s top players. The Pole has though often lacked consistency at Grand Slams and his five set second round win over Jakub Mensik was proof that he is often vulnerable in the best of five set format. Now with a wide open draw, Hurkacz will look to take advantage as he aims for a second Grand Slam quarter-final.
Standing in Hurkacz’s way is wildcard Arthur Cazaux who is the first wildcard since Lleyton Hewitt in 2006 to reach the second week of the Australian Open. The 21 year-old has a blistering baseline game that has so far taken out Holger Rune and Tallon Griekspoor. There are no signs of the Frenchman showing any nerves as he will look to continue his confident form as he searches to extend his dream tournament in Melbourne.
Hurkacz will look to be consistent on serve, giving no free points and attacking Cazaux’s second serve. Meanwhile the Frenchman will attack the forehand of Hurkacz as he aims for depth and power to force the Pole behind the baseline. The Frenchman will take Hurkacz to his very limits but the Pole’s experience should prove pivotal here.
Prediction: Hurkacz in five sets.
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