Four best third round matches at the 2024 Australian Open

The 2024 Australian Open is continuing with the third round underway. Here are the four best third round matches that will take place over the next 36 hours.

(5) Andrey Rublev–RUS vs. (29) Sebastian Korda–USA

Russia’s Andrey Rublev has not been to a grand slam semifinal in his career, but he has been to nine quarterfinals, including three in 2023, as he reached the final eight at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and United States Open. Rublev also won the Hong Kong Open leading up to the Australian Open, as he beat Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori in the final, 6-4, 6-4. Korda reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 Australian Open, and made the semifinals of Adelaide leading up to the Australian Open before losing 6-2, 6-1 to Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic. Rublev has won both prior meetings. Rublev’s first win came in the quarterfinals of Miami in 2021 (7-5, 7-6), and second win came in the final of Gijon, Spain in 2022, 6-2, 6-3.

(3) Dmitri Medvedev–RUS vs. (27) Felix Auger-Aliassime–CAN

Here we have Daniil Medvedev of Russia, the 2021 United States Open champion and third seed, against Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada, the 2021 United States Open semifinalist and 27th seed. Medvedev has dominated Auger-Aliassime in the past by winning all six meetings, including two matches in Australia in 2022. Medvedev won 6-4, 6-0 at the 2022 ATP Cup, and 6-7, 3-6, 7-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Australian Open.

(11) Casper Ruud–NOR vs. (19) Cameron Norrie–GB

This match has Ruud, the three-time grand slam finalist, against Norrie, the 2022 Wimbledon semifinalist. The three grand slam finals Ruud has been to are the French Open in 2022 and 2023, and the United States Open in 2022. Ruud has beaten Norrie in three prior meetings. They came in the final of San Diego in 2021 (6-0, 6-2), the ATP Finals in 2021 (1-6, 6-3, 6-4), and the fourth round of Miami in 2022 (6-3, 6-4).

(11) Jelena Ostapenko–LAT vs. (18) Victoria Azarenka–BLR

This juicy all-Eastern European matchup is by far the best women’s third round matchup. Azarenka of Belarus, the 2012 and 2013 Australian Open champion faces Ostapenko of Latvia, the 2017 French Open champion. Azarenka has won all three prior meetings. They came in the first round of the 2019 French Open (6-4, 7-6), the semifinals of Indian Wells in 2021 (3-6, 6-3, 7-5), and the quarterfinals of Brisbane earlier this month (6-3, 3-6, 7-5).