Swiatek, Gauff projected to repeat French Open final in Australian Open quarters

Projected semi-finals are Iga Swiatek vs Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur vs Caroline Garcia

Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff at Roland-Garros in 2022

AI/ Reuters/ Panoramic

January 12, 2023

World No 1 Iga Swiatek and one of the young challengers to her throne, 18-year-old American Coco Gauff, are projected to meet in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Australian Open as organizers released the women’s singles draw on Thursday.

Watch the singles draw here

The two have met five times, including last year’s Roland-Garros final, and Gauff has yet to take a set off against her Polish rival. With a title in Auckland under her belt and Swiatek pulling out of this week’s tournament due to injury, the American will be hoping for a different scoreline this time.

Swiatek’s projected semi-final opponent is another American – the world No 3 Jessica Pegula, who beat her in the United Cup earlier this month.

The Pole, a three-time Grand Slam winner but gunning for her first Major Down Under, opens against Wimbledon quarter-finalist Jule Niemeier in the first round and is drawn to meet 25th seed Marie Bouzkova , who starts against former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, in the third round.

Last year’s runner-up Danielle Collins, seeded 13th, and Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, seeded 22nd, are potential fourth-round foes.

Projected women’s Quarter-Final match-ups

(1) Swiatek vs (7) Gauff

(3) Pegula vs (6) Sakkari
(8) Kasatkina vs (4) Garcia
(5) Sabalenka vs (2) Jabeur

Gauff could meet Raducanu in Australian Open second round

The road for Gauff to get to Swiatek isn’t easy either with former US Open champion Emma Raducanu looming as a potential second round opponent, rising Chinese player Qinwen Zheng projected to come up in round three, and former world No 2 Paula Badosa in round four.

In what should be a hard-hitting battle, third seed Pegula has younger countrywoman Amanda Anisimova as a potential third round opponent, and the winner of the potential all-Czech third round between Petra Kvitova (15th seed) and Barbora Krejcikova (20th seed) in the last 16.

Azarenka vs Kenin among marquee first round Australian Open women’s matches

Two former Australian Open champions Victoria Azarenka, seeded 24th, and Sofia Kenin will clash in one of the marquee first round matches. Other opening round matches to watch out for include

French veteran Alize Cornet vs former US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez

26th seed Elise Mertens vs two-time Grand Slam winner Garbine Muguruza
11th seed Paula Badosa against young American Caty McNally
Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic vs former French Open semi-finalist Nadia Podoroska

In the bottom half of the draw, second seed Ons Jabeur, who has reached the finals of the last two Majors as she still searches for her first, meets Tamara Zidansek in the first round and could play former French Open runner-up Marketa Vondrousova in the second.

15-year-old Brenda Fruhvirtova qualifies to join sister Linda in Australian Open main draw

17-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova, whose younger sister Brenda won three qualifying matches, to make it into main draw, could meet Jabeur in the third round if she is able to upset Grand Slam mainstay Kaia Kanepi in round two. This will be the first time that both sisters are competing in the main draw of a Grand Slam event at the WTA level.

Below is the complete women’s singles draw.