Australian Open: Popcorn tennis in round one – these are the games you have to watch

The draw at the Australian Open has brought some first-round matches that promise “popcorn tennis”. In the women’s singles, Venus Williams must face a Belinda Bencic in top form, while in the men’s competition Juan Martin del Potro has an unpleasant opening opponent ahead of him. Tennis net editor Lukas Zahrer looks at the hottest matches of the Happy Slam.

Petra Kvitova (CZE/27) vs. Andrea Petkovic (GER)

It was one of the most beautiful stories of the past year. Kvitova celebrated its 20th anniversary in Birmingham. Title of her career and the first after she had been seriously injured in her house in Prostejov by burglars at her batting hand.

But despite winning the tournament on her favourite turf, the Czech has not yet achieved the constancy she had before her forced break. With a record of 18-10 in 2017, they can look back on the past season with mixed feelings.

Petkovic on the other hand has taken creative paths in her off-season. The 30-year-old dares to take the plunge into the absolute top of the world, but has also made it clear that she would consider a career end if there were no successes.

Nine times the duel between Kvitova and Petkovic has already taken place, the German is almost 4-5 in the Head-to-Head. Interestingly, there was no third set in any of the two matches, and Kvitova won the last match in Montreal in 2016.

Yelena Ostapenko (LAT/7) vs. Francesca Schiavone (ITA)

In this match, two French Open winners meet: while Schiavone won the tournament in Roland Garros in 2010, Ostapenko emerged as the great triumphant winner last year.

About two months ago, Schiavone had a bad break in practice, but the Italian seems to be fit in time for the first major of the year. Schiavone hasn’t played a single match in 2018, but Ostapenko lost their two games of the new season.

The 20-year-old Latvian is the favourite in the generational duel against 37-year-old Schiavone, but the latter is notorious for her fighting spirit, which guarantees an entertaining match.

Venus Williams (USA/5) vs. Belinda Bencic (SUI)

The big highlight of the first round is clearly the duel between last year’s finalist Williams and arguably the most successful player of the last few months.

Bencic won 31 of his last 35 matches and won the Hopman Cup with Roger Federer in Perth. Williams only played one match before the Australian Open: In Sydney, she lost in the first round to the eventual tournament winner Angelique Kerber.

The US player’s record so far clearly speaks for herself: she won all four past duels against Bencic and did not allow for a single set win.

Williams is something like a fear opponent of Bencic. The Swiss player won just 22 games in these matches, with an average of only 2.75 wins per set. Can the 20-year-old take her Williams curse?

Further first round popcorn games:

Page 1 – Must-Watch first-round matches in the women’s singles: Petko, Venus and Ostapenko

Page 2 – Must-Watch first-round matches in the men’s singles: Del Potro, Shapovalov and Berdych