Naomi Osaka played the role of smiling assassin and top seed Ashleigh Barty was ruthlessly efficient at the Australian Open on Wednesday as they moved closer to a potential fourth-round showdown. The impressive Barty, chasing a first title at her home Slam, barely broke sweat in her second round match, breezing past Italian qualifier Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 6-1 in just 52 minutes in the heat of Rod Laver Arena. Not to be outdone, defending champion Osaka rushed through the first set 6-0 against Madison Brengle but then had a couple of dicey moments in the second set, before polishing it off 6-4, greeting the beaten American with a smile at the net. Rivals Barty and Osaka, who share six major titles between them, are now one victory away from a Last 16 showdown at Melbourne Park.
Ashleigh Barty
‘An incredible ball striker’
But first Barty, the Wimbledon champion and hot favourite in Melbourne, faces a potentially tricky task against 30th seed Camila Giorgi. “She is an incredible ball striker and one of the most athletic girls out there,” said the World No.1 of the experienced Italian. Japan’s Osaka faces American Amanda Anisimova, a budding talent who sprang a shock in defeating Olympic champion Belinda Bencic.
Osaka, winner of the 2019 and 2021 Australian Opens, has vowed to have more fun on court this year, following a difficult last year in which she said she had suffered from depression. “I am a bit of a perfectionist. I feel that if I compare myself to the past I will never be satisfied,” she said, to cheers from the crowd.
Khachanov test for Rafa
Rafael Nadal ramped up his march towards an unprecedented men’s 21st Grand Slam crown but needed five match points to put away tenacious qualifier Yannick Hanfmann 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. Next up for Nadal, 35, is Russian 28th seed Karen Khachanov.
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