Aus Open: Sabalenka faces tough path; Keys could face Pegula, Anisimova in title defence

Melbourne, Jan 15 (IANS) World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka’s road to a third Australian Open title in four years could include passing her rivals Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek after the draw for the season’s first major was revealed on Thursday.

The 27-year-old Sabalenka and third seed Gauff are on a semifinal collision course, but the Belarusian may first need to move past 2021 US Open champion and 28th seed Emma Raducanu, big-hitting Danish 14th seed Clara Tauson and seventh seed, two-time major finalist Jasmine Paolini to reach that stage.

Gauff, who claimed her second major at Roland Garros last year, could run into 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, the eighth seed, in the quarterfinals.

Defending champion Madison Keys, in her bid for back-to-back Australian Open titles, could face a challenging third-round clash against Canadian 22nd seed Leylah Fernandez, with the pair having split their two previous meetings. That could result in a fourth-round meeting with US compatriot Jessica Pegula.

Keys returns to Melbourne Park after winning her first-ever Grand Slam last year. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka, who has reached the final in each of the past three editions and won titles in 2023 and 2024.

World No.2 Iga Swiatek’s bid to complete a career Grand Slam faces serious threats before the final, with a potential quarterfinal against fifth seed Elena Rybakina, who was unbeaten at the WTA Finals in November.

Swiatek could meet fourth-seeded Amanda Anisimova in the semifinals.

Two-time major finalist Anisimova could face compatriot Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals, but the sixth seed faces a daunting prospect of reigning women’s champion Keys in the fourth round.

Moreover, despite back-to-back fourth-round appearances at Melbourne Park, eighth seed Andreeva will have a tricky first assignment in the form of former world No.17 Donna Vekic.

Former world No.1 and seven-time major champion Venus Williams opens against Serbian left-hander Olga Danilovic, a player 21 years her junior.

The 45-year-old Williams, who has twice reached the Australian Open final, is set to become the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open main draw, surpassing the record previously held by Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round of the 2015 Australian Open.

--IANS

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