Three to See, Australian Open Day 10: Tsitsipas vs. Sinner; Collins vs. Cornet; Medvedev vs. Auger-Aliassime

After a pair of one-sided women's quarterfinals and two men's five-setters, how will Wednesday's bottom half of the draws shake out?

BySteve Tignor

Published Jan 25, 2022

INTERVIEW: D. Medvedev; Australian 4R Win

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INTERVIEW: Daniil Medvedev goes for his second straight Slam

Before each day's play in Melbourne, we'll preview three must-see matches

Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Jannik Sinner

Tsitsipas and Sinner have played three times and Tsitsipas has won twice. As the Greek says, that’s not enough to really indicate what might happen in this match, which will be their first meeting at a major.

Sinner will come in on a roll; he’s dropped just one set in four matches and seems to have his game clicking. Tsitsipas will come in a little more banged up after a five-set comeback win, over Taylor Fritz, and two four-setters before that. Will those hard yards leave him tired, the way he was in the semifinals here last year? Or will his ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat against Fritz give him confidence if he falls behind again?

Or, will Sinner’s level be too high for it to matter? Winner: Sinner

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Collins and Cornet, who will tangle in the quartefinals, have never been shy to let their emotions show.

Danielle Collins vs. Alize Cornet

To say there’s opportunity in the bottom half of the women’s draw would be an understatement. The four players left are Collins, Cornet, Iga Swiatek and Kaia Kanepi; only Swiatek is ranked in the Top 25, and only she has been to a Grand Slam final before. So there may be some pressure on Collins and Cornet as they meet for the first time. Who will handle it better?

Collins has been this far in Australia before, while Cornet, in her 63rd major, will be playing her very first Slam quarterfinal at age 32. Collins, with her ability to hit through the court and her ever-present game face, seems less susceptible to nerves, and better equipped to take the match into her own hands. Winner: Collins

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Daniil Medvedev vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime

The Next Genners are jockeying for position: Medvedev, Tsitsipas and Zverev started the year in front, but Sinner, Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov are already moving up on the outside in Australia. Here Auger-Aliassime will have a chance to overtake the leader; if that sounds like a tough task, that’s because it will be.

Medvedev is 3-0 against FAA, and he’s coming off a 6-4, 6-0 win over him at the ATP Cup three weeks ago. Medvedev has been tested Down Under, by Nick Kyrgios and Maxime Cressy, but his self-belief and determination to win his second Slam don’t seem shaken. Winner: Medvedev

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