Australian Open: The 9 best Round 2 matches to watch – ft Raducanu, Osaka, Medvedev

L-R: Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka, and Daniil Medvedev.
Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka, and Daniil Medvedev.

Round One of the Australian Open is officially done and dusted, and there has certainly been plenty to talk about over the opening three days Down Under.

Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff, Carlos Alcaraz, and Aryna Sabalenka were among those to progress but it was less good news for the likes of Andrey Rublev and Victoria Azarenka – who fell at the first hurdle.

There is no rest for the wicked, with the second round of action underway on Wednesday.

Ahead of second-round action in Melbourne, we pick our nine best matches to keep an eye on.

Matteo Berrettini vs (13) Holger Rune – Men’s singles

H2H: Rune leads 3-1

Former Wimbledon finalist and Australian Open semi-final Berrettini has been waiting to break back through at Grand Slams – is this his opportunity?

The former world No 6 was impressive in a four-set opening win over Cameron Norrie, and now takes on 13th seed Holger Rune in the second round,  the Dane having scraped past Zhizhen Zhang.

Rune’s form and confidence have wavered in recent months and the 13th seed was beaten in the second round 12 months ago, though has won his last three matches against the Italian.

(20) Karolina Muchova vs Naomi Osaka – Women’s singles

H2H: Muchova leads 2-1

Perhaps the pick of the women’s second-round matches pits the mercurial Muchova up against two-time Australian Open winner Osaka in a blockbuster clash.

Muchova, the 20th seed, has the kind of game that has repeatedly troubled Osaka in the past, and the Czech beat the Japanese in two tight sets at this stage of the US Open last September.

However, Osaka looked sharp in a high-quality opener against Caroline Garcia and is arguably playing with more confidence than she was in New York.

(Q) Learner Tien vs (5) Daniil Medvedev – Men’s singles

H2H: First meeting

After scraping past world No 418 Kasidit Samrej in five sets in the opening round, will three-time Australian Open runner-up Medvedev find things a little easier in Round 2?

On paper, the Russian should be a comfortable victor against Learner Tien, the rising US star who has come through qualifying to reach the second round of a Slam for the first time.

Medvedev should win this one, but all eyes will be on whether he can prevail more efficiently – and if Tien can do anything to trouble the former world No 1.

Elise Mertens vs (7) Jessica Pegula – Women’s singles

H2H: Mertens leads 3-0

Despite reaching the Adelaide final last week, dropping just three games in her opening-round match, and reaching the final of the last Slam played, it feels as if Pegula is under the radar in Melbourne.

The seventh seed was always going to be a heavy favourite against wildcard Maya Joint in her opener but next is a more significant test against Mertens, a former semi-finalist at this tournament.

Both women are strong ball strikers, and this will be a significant test for Pegula – who has never beaten the Belgian – to pass if she wants to win her first Grand Slam title.

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(15) Jack Draper vs Thanasi Kokkinakis – Men’s singles

H2H: Draper leads 2-1

One of the most entertaining Round 2 matches pits Draper, who shot up the ATP Rankings in 2025, against home favourite Kokkinakis in a blockbuster clash.

It is the Brit that holds a slender advantage in the head-to-head but the 15th seed looked far from convincing in a five-set opening-round win versus Mariano Navone.

Kokkinakis found things slightly easier, rallying from a set down to be Roman Safiullin, and the 28-year-old will likely look to rile up home support in this intriguing encounter.

(Q) Destanee Aiava vs (10) Danielle Collins – Women’s singles

H2H: First meeting

One of the feel-good stories of the week so far has been Aiava who, wearing a range of vintage tennis dresses, came through qualifying before saving match points in a first-round win over Greet Minnen.

Now, the 24-year-old Aussie – ranked 195th in the world – faces one of the biggest matches of her career against 10th seed Collins, the 2022 runner-up in Melbourne.

The American has struggled for form in recent months, but an opening win over Daria Snigur may have set her back on the right track.

(6) Casper Ruud vs Jakub Mensik – Men’s singles

H2H: First meeting

Sixth seed and three-time Grand Slam finalist Ruud narrowly avoided a big upset in his first match in Melbourne, though may not be so lucky this time.

The Norwegian struggled in a five-set win over Jaume Munar and things don’t get any easier with 19-year-old Mensik, one of the hottest ATP prospects, facing him on Wednesday.

Czech star Mensik already had four top-10 wins to his name; it would not be a major surprise should he pick up his fifth here.

Emma Raducanu vs Amanda Anisimova – Women’s singles

H2H: First meeting

Friendship will be put aside when Raducanu and Anisimova face off in arguably the most intriguing clash between two unseeded players in the women’s draw.

Big-hitting Anisimova has reached the second week three times in Melbourne and may start this one as the favourite after a convincing win against Maria Lourdes Carle.

However, it is difficult to rule out Raducanu, who beat 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in a gutsy performance in her first match – despite serving 15 double faults.

(PR) Kei Nishikori vs (12) Tommy Paul – Men’s singles

H2H: Nishikori leads 1-0

Almost eight years after their sole meeting, former world No 4 Nishikori and impending top 10 star Paul meet for the second time – both off the back of five-set epics.

Nishikori rolled back the years to rally from two sets – and two match points – down against Thiago Monteiro in round one, while Paul survived a huge scare against Aussie Christopher O’Connell.

The 12th seed in Melbourne, Paul is the favourite for this one – though Nishikori has found some form in recent weeks.

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