Australian Open, the match schedule for January 19th: Berrettini, Nadal, Zverev and Sonego

It is too early to talk about “eyes on the prize”, of eyes on the prize. But the first step has been taken, the unknown of the debut is overcome and the field has finally regained its centrality, after days of distractions due to the Djokovic affair. “We, as players and fans around the world, are focused on the game that we are all passionate about,” reads the statement from Tennis Australia. All with the head in the second round, then: we start with the top of the board, in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Italians

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Five Italians on the field. For two of our girls there will be the Rod Laver Arena exam: Martina Trevisan will inaugurate the day session (from the Italian 1) against seed number 8, Paula Badosa; immediately following will be the rookie Lucia Bronzetti, who after having faced the qualifications and having found the first victory in a Grand Slam – in the first round against Varvara Gracheva – will face the number 1 in one of the most important fields in the world. The challenge against Ashleigh Barty is a dream for the Romagna, who knows it may not be just the beginning. The Italian 1 will also play Camila Giorgi against Tereza Martinvoca, at the Join Cane Arena: on the same pitch, not before 4.30, it will be Matteo Berrettini’s turn against Stefan Kozlov. Lorenzo Sonego will instead meet with Oscar Otte, always at 1 Italian on field 3. All at night, then.

The big ones

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In addition to ours, there will be many big players on the field. After the matches of Trevisan and Bronzetti, on the Rod Laver there will be Rafa Nadal: third match, against the qualified Yannick Hanfmann. In the evening session – from 9 o’clock in the morning – it will be up first to Naomi Osaka and then Sasha Zverev, respectively against Madison Bangle and John Millman, insidious landlord. Also on the field is the seeded number 5 of the women’s draw, Maria Sakkari: the Greek will play against Qinwen Zheng at Margaret Court.

Shapo, Monfils, Alcaraz

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For tennis aesthetes, the second main court of the Australian Open will be like playland. The fun will not be lacking with Denis Shapovalov: the seeded number 14 will play in the second match, against Soonwoo Kwon. But it is the last challenge – in the middle of the Italian morning – to be particularly tasty: Gael Monfils against Alexander Bublik, two of the most extroverted players on the circuit. Taking a tour on the other fields too, watch out for the enfant prodige: Carlos Alcaraz will play against Dusan Lakovic, third match on the 1573 Arena. Interesting match in itself, all the more so for the fact that the winner will be Berrettini’s hypothetical opponent in the third round.