Five most intriguing second round matches at 2024 Australian Open

The second round of the 2024 Australian Open begins on Tuesday evening in North America (Wednesday in Australia). Here are five very intriguing second round matches that is worth to keep an eye on.

Jordan Thompson–AUS vs. (7) Stefanos Tsitsipas–GRE

Here we have Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, the seventh seed, and two-time grand slam finalist against rising Australian Jordan Thompson of Sydney. Thompson had an excellent run at the Brisbane International earlier this month where he made the semifinals before losing to Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, 6-3, 7-5. Thompson’s most significant win in Brisbane came in the quarterfinals, where he beat 22-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal of Spain, 5-7, 7-6, 6-3. Tsitsipas’s two grand slam finals came at the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open. Tsitsipas has won two of three prior meetings. Tsitsipas beat Thompson 6-3, 7-6 in the third round of the 2019 Citi Open in Washington, and 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of Wimbledon in 2022. Thompson won 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 in the second round of Indian Wells in 2023.

(10) Alex de Minaur–AUS vs. Matteo Arnaldi–ITA

This match has the local favourite Alex de Minaur of Sydney, who reached the quarterfinals of Paris in the fall, against Matteo Arnaldi of Sanremo, Italy, who reached the quarterfinals of Brisbane earlier this year. De Minaur is facing Arnaldi for the first time.

Emil Ruusuvuori–FIN vs. (3) Daniil Medvedev–RUS

Here we have Medevedev, the 2021 United States Open champion, against Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland. Ruusuvuori is red hot at the moment as he reached the final of the Hong Kong Open before losing 6-4, 6-4 to Andrey Rublev of Russia. Ruusuvuori’s most memorable win came in the second round, where he beat the Hong Kong Open second seed and two time grand-slam semifinalist (2022 United States Open and 2023 Australian Open) Karen Khachanov of Russia, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2. Medvedev has beaten Ruusuvuori twice. The first time came in the second round of the 2022 Astana Open in Kazakhstan, 6-3, 6-2. The second time came in the second round of the 2023 Italian Open, 6-4, 6-2.

(1) Iga Swiatek–POL vs. Danielle Collins–USA

This match has the four-time grand slam champion in Swiatek and world number one, against Collins, the 2022 Australian Open finalist. Swiatek’s four grand slam championships have come at the 2020, 2022 and 2023 French Open, and the 2022 United States Open. Both Swiatek and Collins beat formidable opponents in round one. Swiatek beat 2020 United States Open champion Sofia Kenin of the United States, 7-6, 6-2. Collins beat three-time grand slam champion (2016 Australian Open and 2016 United States Open, and 2018 Wimbledon) Angelique Kerber of Germany, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. Swiatek has won five of six meetings head-to-head. However, Collins won their only prior meeting at a major in dominant fashion, 6-1, 6-1 in the semifinals of the 2022 Australian Open.

Sloane Stephens–USA vs. (14) Daria Kasatkina–RUS

Finally, we have Stephens, the 2017 United States Open champion, against Kasatkina, the 2022 French Open semifinalist, and 14th seed. Stephens has won three of four prior meetings. Stephens won 6-1, 5-7, 7-5 at the quarterfinals of the 2016 Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, 6-3, 6-1 in the quarterfinals of the 2018 French Open, and 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the second round of the 2021 Emilia-Romagna Open in Parma, Italy. Kasatkina’s lone win came in the third round of Indian Wells in 2018, 6-4, 6-3.