The second round of the Adelaide International is set to sizzle, with several blockbusters set for the last 16.
Few come bigger than the clash scheduled for Wednesday night on Centre Court between world No.1 Ash Barty and American rising star Coco Gauff.
That will be followed on Thursday by a battle pitting defending champion Iga Swiatek – who won Roland Garros in 2020 – against last year’s US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez.
All four players find themselves in the top half of the draw, meaning the two winners would take a step closer to a highly-anticipated semifinal showdown.
> DRAW: Adelaide International women’s singles
We examine these match-ups which are poised to light up the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre.
[1] Ash Barty v Coco Gauff
The two players came face-to-face in doubles on Tuesday, with Barty and fellow Australian Storm Sanders overcoming Gauff and countrywoman Caty McNally, the No.4 seeds, 6-0 7-6(4).
Gauff saw some benefit to that doubles outing, especially given her only meeting with Barty on the singles court – in last year’s Rome quarterfinals – ended prematurely when the Australian retired due to a right-arm injury despite winning the first set.
“I think it will help both of us with feeling each other’s ball out,” said Gauff, who won her opening-round singles match for the loss of just three games against Ulrikke Eikeri.
“But doubles is a very different game than singles. I think the only thing that maybe helped is just getting some returns off her serve. I think for her, she can kind of say the same.”
Gauff on facing Barty: “You want to play the best player early in the season because everything will maybe not seem easy, but you're starting off strong. This is probably the best matchup I could get.
"I think this would be a perfect kind of test for me.”#AdelaideTennis pic.twitter.com/DKkfEwdNOk
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) January 4, 2022
Gauff, at just 17, is far less experienced than the 25-year-old Barty, who is nearing three years at the top of the rankings as well as being the reigning Wimbledon champion.
But the young American, who reached her first major quarterfinal at Roland Garros last year and who hovers just outside the top 20, believes meeting such a quality opponent so early in her season is “the best match-up I could get”.
“The timing of playing her (now) I don’t think matters much. I think, if anything, you want to play the best player early in the season because everything will maybe not seem easy but you’re starting off strong,” said Gauff, a semifinalist in Adelaide in 2021.
“Obviously you want to win every tournament you play. But the big focus is the Grand Slams. For me playing this tournament was to see how many matches, consecutive matches, I could get in before Australian Open.
“I think this would be a perfect kind of test for me.”
[5] Iga Swiatek v Leylah Fernandez
Both Swiatek and Fernandez came through their opening-round matches in straight sets, by almost identical scorelines.
Fernandez saw off Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3 6-4 the night before Swiatek kicked off her title defence with a 6-3 6-3 win over Daria Saville.
After reaching the final at Flushing Meadows and the fourth round at Indian Wells to close out her 2021 season, Fernandez has now won nine of her past 11 matches and carries great momentum into her clash with the Polish star.
“It’ll be a very interesting match and fun match-up,” the 19-year-old told adelaideinternational.com.au.
“We kind of grew up together in the juniors; we never really hung out or practised together, but we were watching each other and respected each other very much throughout our careers.
.@iga_swiatek & @leylahfernandez wrap up their Friday practice in Adelaide pic.twitter.com/UKa5a5EJTh
— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) December 31, 2021
“Now to see both of us in the WTA and in the top 30 is a great achievement for the both of us.”
Fernandez may have the momentum, but Swiatek has an unblemished record in the South Australian capital.
The world No.9 has won all six of her matches in Adelaide – five to win last year’s title, and one so far in 2022 – and has never dropped a set at the tournament.
“For sure she’s a great player and she has really loosened up on court,” Swiatek observed of Fernandez.
“Even though she’s pretty small, she can really have huge power. I have to be aware of that. Also she can move really fast and quick.
“The thing is that right now on WTA Tour we have many players that may suddenly rise up. Also we have many solid players that have been here for few years, and they’re also great. If I would get excited (about this match-up) I would be constantly excited because we constantly play big matches like that.
“Right now I’m kind of like in my calm mood. I had a lot of excitement in previous season, in Guadalajara (at the WTA Finals), maybe too much excitement.
“Right now I’m just going to chill and see what’s going to come really.”