Sinner highlights busy day for Italians, Swiatek keeping expectations low

Jannik Sinner kicks off the late session at Rod Laver Arena on a busy day for Italians at the Australian Open on Thursday, while claycourt specialist Iga Swiatek is keeping her expectations low as she bids for a first title on the blue courts of Melbourne.

Italians Jasmine Paolini and Matteo Berrettini are among those in action on the showcourts while other top seeds on the schedule include American Taylor Fritz and Russia's Daniil Medvedev.

TOP MEN'S MATCH: MATTEO BERRETTINI V HOLGER RUNE

Judging by the last two encounters between Berrettini and Rune last year, fans at John Cain Arena may be in for a marathon contest.

Both matches, at hardcourt Masters events in Cincinnati and Shanghai, went the distance, with Rune running out the victor.

Order of Play | Watch Live on DStv

Berrettini, once a top-10 player who reached the semifinals in 2022, made a comeback from injury last year after nearly seven months on the sidelines and has slowly clawed his way back into the top 40.

"Matteo is a great player. I think it's obviously different conditions here, it's best-of-five sets. That's going to change a little bit," Rune said.

"We had good matches last year. Both three-set matches we played, (I) won both. Definitely tight matches and small things that made the result on my side."

TOP WOMEN'S MATCH: JASMINE PAOLINI V RENATA ZARAZUA

Paolini arrived in Australia after a breakthrough season in 2024 where she reached two Grand Slam finals, won an Olympic doubles gold medal as well as the Billie Jean King Cup and attained a career-high ranking of No 4 in the world.

The 29-year-old had never won at match at the Melbourne slam until last year when she had a memorable run to the last-16 without dropping a set.

"It's different because last year I came here, like, 'Please, I want to win a match in this slam'. Then it happened," she said.

Her opponent Zarazua is the first Mexican woman in 25 years to reach the second round.

SWIATEK'S LOW EXPECTATIONS

Poland's Swiatek has struggled at the Australian Open since a semifinal appearance in 2022, barely lasting the first week in the last two years, and the second seed hopes a coaching change might do the trick this season.

"I think overall the preparation is a bit changed because of a different coach. I feel like that was enough of a change," said Swiatek, who plays Slovakia's BJK Cup finalist Rebecca Sramkova.

"I guess I need to keep my expectations low, just focus on the work and focus on playing better and better if I can, because for sure this is not the easiest surface for me."

AUSTRALIAN OPEN ORDER OF PLAY ON THURSDAY

Here is the order of play on the main showcourts on the fifth day of the Australian Open (prefix number denotes seeding):

ROD LAVER ARENA

Day session (0030 GMT/1130 AEDT)

Rebecca Sramkova (Slovakia) v 2-Iga Swiatek (Poland)

Tristan Boyer (US) v 8-Alex de Minaur (Australia)

Night session (0800 GMT/1900 AEDT)

1-Jannik Sinner (Italy) v Tristan Schoolkate (Australia)

Renata Zarazua (Mexico) v 4-Jasmine Paolini (Italy)

MARGARET COURT ARENA

Day session (0030 GMT/1130 AEDT)

8-Emma Navarro (US) v Wang Xiyu (China)

4-Taylor Fritz (US) v Cristian Garin (Chile)

Night session (0800 GMT/1900 AEDT)

19-Madison Keys (US) v Elena-Gabriela Ruse (Romania)

Learner Tien (US) v 5-Daniil Medvedev (Russia)

JOHN CAIN ARENA

Day session (0000 GMT/1100 AEDT)

18-Hubert Hurkacz (Poland) v Miomir Kecmanovic (Serbia)

6-Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan) v Iva Jovic (US)

Twilight session (0600 GMT/1700 AEDT)

Matteo Berrettini (Italy) v 13-Holger Rune (Denmark)