Alcaraz, Medvedev Seek QF Berths At Australian Open; Moms Azarenka, Svitolina Women’s Favorites

The last of the quarterfinals puzzle will be fit Monday at the Australian Open.

Carlos Alcaraz will seek his first Australian Open quarterfinals — and complete the Grand Slam set at just 20 — and look to keep pace with Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz will meet a different Serb in Miomir Kecmanovic who’s saved match points to make the final 16.

”He needs to be aggressive,” Kecmanovic coach Ivan Cinkus told ATPTour.com. “If he’s going to just put the ball in, Carlos is going to kill him. He will then have to run more and more. And being aggressive is what we want to do this year in his matches. We want to be attacking and finish points, so he’s not running all the time.

“Alcaraz has improved since their last match in 2022 and Miomir is much more aggressive, so it’s going to be a good match. The first two shots after the serve and after the return are going to be so important.”

Daniil Medvedev is on during the day against the surprising Nuno Borges who will try to make history trying to become the first player from Portugal to make a Grand Slam quarterfinal.

“It’s big for Portugal,” Borges said. “I’m proud to be Portuguese and be here competing in [one of] the biggest tournaments in the world.”

“I hope I’m showing the younger kids that it is possible. A little bit of luck and working hard, it is possible to achieve.”

Hubert Hurkacz will try to lead Poland into the quarters against rising French 21-year-old Arthur Cazaux who is having the tournament of his life.

“I knew I could play this kind of level, but I had never proven it in a real match,” Cazaux said. “Proving it in the first round gave me even more confidence and now I know I can beat this kind of player during a real match.

“Now I’m not feeling any pressure. I’ve worked very hard on my mentality and I’m ready to fight everyone; I’m ready to fight in every match and to give everything on the court.”

And in perhaps the best match of the day, Alexander Zverev battles Cameron Norrie.

A wide open women’s top half resumes with Victoria Azarenka and Elina Svitolina leading the way. Azarenka is a 2-time Australian Open champion while fellow-mom Svitolina has been hot in her return.

Qinwen Zheng might be the favorite to emerge from her quarter, but anything is possible is this section with Jasmine Paolini, Anna Kalinskaya, Oceane Dodin and 19-year-old Linda Noskova, who stunned Iga Swiatek, will try to make their mark.

MONDAY AUSTRALIAN OPEN SCHEDULE
Starts at 12:00 PM
Rod Laver Arena
Victoria Azarenka (18) vs Dayana Yastremska (Q)
Nuno Borges vs Daniil Medvedev (3)

7:00pm
Miomir Kecmanovic vs Carlos Alcaraz (2)
Qinwen Zheng (12) vs Oceane Dodin

Starts at 1:00 PM
John Cain Arena
Santiago Gonzalez/Neal Skupski (5) vs Ariel Behar/Adam Pavlasek
Arthur Cazaux (WC) vs Hubert Hurkacz (9)
Jasmine Paolini (26) vs Anna Kalinskaya

Starts at 1:30 PM
Margaret Court Arena
Linda Noskova vs Elina Svitolina (19)
Alexander Zverev (6) vs Cameron Norrie (19)

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