Three to See, Australian Open Day 3: Bencic vs. Anisimova, Rafa and Osaka highlight second-round play
The winner of Belinda and Amanda could play Naomi next, and Ash after that.
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Before each day's play in Melbourne, we'll preview three must-see matches.
Belinda Bencic vs. Amanda Anisimova
The top quarter of the women’s draw is loaded. The winner of this match could play Naomi Osaka next, and Ash Barty after that. While Bencic and Anisimova wouldn’t be favored against either of those two Grand Slam champions, each has the talent to upset them—the American because of her power, and the Swiss because of her hands and court savvy.
Bencic and Anisimova have played once before, on grass in Mallorca three years ago, and Bencic won easily. But Anisimova seems poised for an uspwing. She’s working with Darren Cahill now, and she won a title to start her season. Can she overpower Bencic, or will Bencic absorb that power and get Anisimova on the move by redirecting it? Winner: Bencic
Naomi Osaka vs. Madison Brengle
Brengle is 31, ranked 54th, and hasn’t been past the second round of the Australian Open since 2016. Osaka is the defending champion, a four-time major winner, and a former No. 1. This doesn’t look like much of a contest, does it? Brengle does have a win over Osaka in their only meeting, but that was nearly nine years ago. More impressively, she also beat Serena Williams, in Auckland in 2017.
Brengle’s two-handed backhand should allow her to stand in and trade ground strokes with Osaka. Until Osaka hits one past her. Winner: Osaka
Rafael Nadal vs. Yannick Hanfmann
How much of a chance should we give Hanfmann, a 30-year-old German who is currently ranked No. 126 and has never been higher than No. 92? On the plus side, he has already won four matches in Melbourne—three of them in qualifying—and he made efficient, straight-set work of Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round, in front of a big Aussie crowd. On the negative side, in his only meeting with Nadal, he won just six games over three sets at Roland Garros in 2019. The hard courts will give him a better chance, and he should be able to push Nadal around more than the Spaniard’s first-round opponent, Marcos Giron, did. But Nadal will eventually push back. Winner: Nadal