Paula Badosa is No. 100. Amanda Anisimova is No. 442. Why this third-rounder is so compelling

Paula Badosa vs. Amanda Anisimova

• first on John Cain Arena

The day begins with a duel of the comeback artists in John Cain Arena. You won’t be watching this match because of the rankings of the players: Badosa is currently No. 100, and Anisimova No. 442. You’ll be watching it because they were both once in the Top 25 and could easily be again, and at their best they play an exciting brand of tennis.

So far, each has looked surprisingly good in Melbourne. Neither has dropped a set, and Anisimova recorded a very good win over 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova. The American and the Spaniard, who have never played each other, should offer an interesting contrast. Anisimova likes to belt flat lasers, and she has some of the easiest power on either tour; Badosa likes to make it physical and mix up spins. The winner, in all likelihood, gets a crack at defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. Winner: Badosa

Coco Gauff vs. Alycia Parks

• second on Margaret Court Arena (day)

Second up in Margaret Court Arena are two young African-American women who were both born in Atlanta and grew up in Florida. Despite that proximity, they had to fly halfway across the world to face off for the first time as pros.

It might come as a surprise to learn that Parks, the newcomer of the two, is older than Gauff by four years (23 to 19). While they have a lot in common in their backgrounds, they play different brands of tennis. Parks likes to take charge with her serve, forehand, and two-handed backhand, while Gauff, despite her offensive improvements of 2023, is still a runner and a defender at heart. The bigger difference, of course, is in their rankings and accomplishments. Gauff is No. 4, while Parks is No. 82, with a career-high of 40. She may eventually show us that she’s better than either of those numbers, but Gauff is more reliable for now. Winner: Gauff

Andrey Rublev vs. Sebastian Korda

• second on Margaret Court Arena (night)

Fans watching in the U.S. on Friday morning may wake up to one of their own in a baseline battle, as Korda, a Florida native, takes on the fifth-seeded Rublev last in Margaret Court Arena. These guys both made the quarterfinals in Melbourne in 2023, but only one of them continued to have success for the rest of the year. That was Rublev, who returned to the Top 5, and who has already won a tournament in 2024. Korda, meanwhile, came away from Australia with an injury and never regained a consistent level all year. He’s also 0-2 against Rublev.

Still, the American is too talented to discount. He likes these courts, and he’s coming off a promising semifinal run in Adelaide. The problem for him is that Rublev has basically stopped losing early at Slams. Winner: Rublev

Novak Djokovic vs. Tomas Etcheverry

• first on Rod Laver Arena (night)

Three rounds, three night sessions for Djokovic. And for the third time, the fans in Rod Laver Arena may be surprised by the quality of tennis they see coming from the other side of the net.

Djokovic is No. 1 and a 10-time AO winner, but it’s the 30th-seeded Etcheverry who has had the smoother ride to the third round. While Djokovic has been fending off four-set challenges from Dino Prizmic and Alexei Popyrin—as well as a rowdy fan or two—Etcheverry has won six straight sets against old-time faves Andy Murray and Gael Monfils.

Can the 24-year-old knock off a third senior citizen? Djokovic has won their two matches in routine fashion, but his current form and fitness should give Etcheverry, an Argentine clay-lover who hits a heavy ball, an opportunity to do more this time. Winner: Djokovic