What to Watch on Day 7 of the Australian Open

Third round action will conclude on Day 7 of the Australian Open and the heat will play a factor. The schedule has been moved up by an hour on the show courts, due to the fact that the temperature is expected to reach around 100 degrees.

The men’s and women’s singles bottom half will be contesting third round matches – hopefully the swelter won’t be too egregious.

SEE THE FULL DAY 7 ORDER OF PLAY HERE

Here’s what we’ll be watching:

Stanimal at Night

All eyes will be on 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka, who is already the oldest man to reach the third round at a major since 1978 after he took out Frenchman Arthur Gea in five sets on Day 5. How will the Swiss recover, and what will he have left in the tank to bring to his third-round match against ninth-seeded American Taylor Fritz?

More Keys Please

Defending women’s singles champion looks to reach the second week in Melbourne against suddenly resurgent Karolina Pliskova in the first match on Rod Laver Arena. Pliskova, ranked outside of the Top 1000 and playing on a protected ranking due to an injury-marred season and two surgeries on her left ankle.

Former world No.1 Pliskova won the pair’s only previous meeting, way back in 2020, in three sets in Brisbane. Not sure how much can be gleaned from that match, and perhaps the Czech has come a bit too far too fast, but it will be interesting to see her take her place in this matchup of two women who can absolutely obliterate the ball. Don’t expect too much defense in this third-round contest.

Sinner Still Streaking

Jannik Sinner will look to stretch his Australian Open winning streak to 17 on Day 7 as he takes on American Eliot Spizzirri in the second match on Rod Laver. So far the Italian, who is riding a 17-match winning streak that dates back to the beginning of his Vienna title run last year, hasn’t put a foot wrong as he has marched through two wins while dropping just ten games (his first win was via retirement after two sets).

So far so good for the four-time major champion. On paper this contest looks like a blowout, due to Spizzirri’s ranking (No.85) and lack of experience (Australian Open debut and third main draw appearance at a major) but the American has looked very impressive in wins over Joao Fonseca and Wu Yibing.

The wild card, of course, is the heat. The second match of the day session promises to be the most difficult conditions.

Iga’s Quest Continues

Could this be the year that Iga Swiatek’s punishing baseline game comes together at the Australian Open? The two-time semifinalist and No.2 seed will face a big test on Day 7 in 31st-seeded Anna Kalinskaya. The 2024 quarterfinalist owns one win in three tries against Swiatek, and she’ll come in with confidence after moving through her first two rounds in straight sets.

Swiatek, who has won her last two meetings with Kalinskaya in straight sets, hasn’t dropped a set either. She’s anchoring an interesting quarter of the draw, which also features two-time champion Naomi Osaka and former finalist Elena Rybakin. The semifinalist from this section will be battle-tested by next week, that’s for certain.