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Australian Open: women’s singles action heading into the second weekend

By Harry Floyd

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 18: Angelique Kerber of Germany celebrates winning match point in her second round match against Donna Vekic of Croatia on day four of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 18: Angelique Kerber of Germany celebrates winning match point in her second round match against Donna Vekic of Croatia on day four of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) /
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Australian Open action is heading into its second weekend. Here’s a look at what’s happening on the women’s singles side so far.

Top seeded Simona Halep remains alive at the 2018 Australian Open. The Romanian is into the third round of play and faces American Lauren Davis next. Halep is fresh off of an easy straight set victory over Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard.

The younger Canadian fared well in her Melbourne Park opener before falling to the top seed. Bouchard will look to rebound and rise in the rankings on the 2018 WTA Tour.

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French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko is out of the action. Dropping her third round match to Anett Kontaveit, she does at least tie her best career performance so far at the major tournament. Ostapenko is a young and rising star in women’s singles and should take plenty of positives away from this past week.

Second seed Caroline Wozniacki is into the fourth round of play. She takes on 19th seeded Magdaléna Rybáriková next at Melbourne Park. While Wozniacki is the current WTA Finals champion in women’s singles, she remains in search of her first ever Grand Slam singles title. The 2018 Australian Open could be her chance at glory if she can continue on.

A premier match this weekend features former champions Angelique Kerber and Maria Sharapova.

The two former world No. 1’s and Australian Open champions face one another on Saturday at the major tournament. While Kerber is the 21st seed this year, Sharapova enters the tournament unseeded. She is continuing her return to the sport after serving a fifteen month suspension. Kerber, however, is coming off of a title win at the Sydney International. Prior to play in Sydney, she also performed well at this year’s Hopman Cup. There is no doubt that all eyes will be on the Kerber-Sharapova match this weekend.

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The women’s singles action also still features fourth seed Elina Svitolina. The third seed, Garbine Muguruza, splashed out in her second round match. Look for Halep and Wozniacki to remain the favorites going into the second weekend. Others such as Kerber or Sharapova could prove to be interesting picks moving forward though. Their veteran experience gives them an edge at the Australian Open.

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