Djokovic, Sinner, Gauff v Parks Lead Third Round Play Friday At Australian Open

The third round of play kicks off Friday at the Australian Open with defending champions Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka in action.

Djokovic has played two toughed-than-expected matches with four-set wins over Dino Prizmic and Alexei Popyrin. Tonight, the 10-time Australian Open champion take on the slugger from South America Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Djokovic has two straight set wins over the Argentine last year but the 24-year-old hasn’t dropped a set in two matches.

“He beat Monfils and Murray quite comfortably both matches. I will have to do my homework and see how he played,” Djokovic said Wednesday. “Results are really impressive. He’s obviously playing maybe tennis of his life on the hard court.”

“Tomas is a great guy. I get along very well with him and his team. Obviously on the court we’re going to be opponents. We both want to win.

“I’m going to try to learn from the previous matches we had, but I think his level of tennis on the hard court particularly has improved a lot. Results are a testament to that. I have to be very, very prepared and ready for that.”

Also today, Jannik Sinner, who hasn’t lost a set, meets his own Argentine in Sebastian Baez. Sinner and Djokovic could collide in the semifinals.

Former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas meets 19-year-old Luca Van Assche who enters off consecutive five-setters. The Frenchman is the second ranked teen in the Top 100 at No. 79.

In perhaps the men’s match of the day, Andrey Rublev battles Sebastian Korda for a third time having won their first two meetings.

In-form Australian Alex de Minaur Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz and 2023 semifinalist Karen Khachanov are also in action.

In the women’s draw Friday, Coco Gauff takes on countrywoman Alycia Parks. Parks is 23 and seeking a first Grand Slam week two.

Aryna Sabalenka continues her title defense against Lesia Tsurenko. Sabalenka has won nine straight matches in Melbourne.

FRIDAY AUSTRALIAN OPEN SCHEDULE
Rod Laver Arena
Day session – From 12:00pm AEDT
L. Tsurenko 28 v A. Sabalenka 2
L. Van Assche v S. Tsitsipas 7

From 7:00pm AEDT
N. Djokovic 1 v T. Etcheverry 30
S. Hunter Q v B. Krejcikova 9

Margaret Court Arena
Day session – From 12:00pm AEDT
J. Sinner 4 v S. Baez 26
Not before 2:00pm AEDT
A. Parks v C. Gauff 4

From 7:00pm AEDT
M. Timofeeva Q v B. Haddad Maia 10
S. Korda 29 v A. Rublev 5

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