It’s a night for the tennis purists at Melbourne Park with two mouth-watering third-round showdowns featuring some of the game’s best on centre court.
The main event features a young US prodigy, who nearly dethroned the Djoker just over a week ago, and the back-to-back finalist.
Follow Night 5 of the Australian Open in our live blog below, and scroll to the bottom of the article for the latest updates and a full order of Play!
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NIGHT 5 PREVIEW
American tennis is as hot as it’s been this century, with eight US men making the third round of the Australian Open for the first time since 1996 – back when Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi were in their primes.
But while their top-ranked male Taylor Fritz is gone, the kid who arguably has more hype behind him isn’t, with many believing Sebastian Korda will end the two-decade drought and become the first American male slam winner since Andy Roddick.
Korda nearly ended Novak Djokovic’s 36-match winning streak on Australian soil just over a week ago, when he held a match point at the Adelaide International 1, before falling to the Serb in three sets.
Now the 22-year-old will try and reach the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the first time as he takes on back-to-back finalist Daniil Medvedev.
Before their showdown on Rod Laver Arena it’s a huge clash between the only former champion in the women’s singles draw Victoria Azarenka and another American who’s certainly good enough to win the title, former US Open finalist Madison Keys.
Elsewhere charismatic American Frances Tiafoe battles Russia’s Karen Khachanov on John Cain Arena.
On Show Court 1, the night session opens with Polish 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz against Canadian 20th seed Denis Shapovalov.
After that Greek sixth seed Maria Sakkari is a hot favourite to down unseeded Chinese Lin Zhu – though Zhu, appearing in the third round of a slam for the first time, is yet to drop a set at this tournament.
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AUSTRALIAN OPEN NIGHT 5 – ORDER OF PLAY (All times AEDT)
Night session from 7pm
Rod Laver Arena
[10] Madison Keys (USA) v [24] Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
[29] Sebastian Korda (USA) v [7] Daniil Medvedev (RUS)
Show Court 1
[10] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) v [20] Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
Lin Zhu (CHN) v [6] Maria Sakkari (GRE)
John Cain Arena
[18] Karen Khachanov (RUS) v [16] Frances Tiafoe (USA)
Follow the Australian Open in the live blog below!
