It might be daunting to face the world’s top-ranked stars, but it’s also a challenge that players relish. So too do the fans, as they anticipate the quality created in many of those high-profile battles.
And so it is as third-round matches commence at AO2019, when superstar Rafael Nadal meets fast-rising Alex de Minaur, and Caroline Wozniacki revives an intriguing rivalry with Maria Sharapova.
There’s powerful common ground for Wozniacki and Sharapova. Both former No.1s and past Australian Open champions, they are arguably among the world’s most recognisable female athletes.
One contrast, however, is in the timing of their titles. Following her stellar run to victory in 2018, Wozniacki is the defending champion; Sharapova lifted the trophy in Melbourne as a 20-year-old after defeating Ana Ivanovic in the 2008 final.
It helps explain why an 11th career meeting between such accomplished women should now occur so early in the tournament.
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After an absence from the game, Sharapova’s ranking rebuild hasn’t been helped by injury. A shoulder complaint saw the world No.30 shut down her 2018 season immediately after the US Open, and her 2019 comeback in Shenzhen at the start of this year was cut short by a thigh problem.
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But Wozniacki, too, has had some recent physical challenges, the world No.3 revealing late in 2018 that she is managing a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. It means the 28-year-old now plans both preparation and recovery from matches fastidiously.
“It's just all the time making sure I get good massaging, good treatments, ice baths, stretching, do everything even more thoroughly than maybe in the past,” said Wozniacki. “Then you just listen extra. If you're not feeling good one day, then you take it easier.”
For both women, there’s the possibility of competing within a timeframe. Earlier this week, Sharapova hinted at a life beyond professional tennis as she discussed her experience with injury: “You’re never going to play this forever,” she reasoned, “even though we have done it as long as we can think of.”
If a deadline looms, it adds to the stakes of their contest. So too does the quality that the two former world No.1s are showcasing.
Sharapova has dropped just three games at Melbourne Park this year, easily dispensing of Harriet Dart and Rebecca Peterson. Wozniacki is a straight-sets winner over Alison Van Uytvanck and Johanna Larsson.
While each knows that this clash presents a different level, they equally welcome the challenge. “I want to be playing the top players,” said Sharapova, who appreciates the quality that Wozniacki provides as an opponent.
“She loves playing here, loves everything about this tournament. Certainly have a tough match ahead of me.
“She's No. 3 in the world. I mean, I think that speaks for itself in terms of her game, her confidence, everything else.”
Sharapova leads the head-to-head record 6-4 but Wozniacki has a winning record on a hard court, claiming two of their biggest matches at the US Open and WTA Finals in Singapore in 2014. Their last meeting was in Madrid more than three years ago.
The third-round contest between Nadal and De Minaur is equally anticipated. While 17-time Grand Slam champion Nadal is clearly at a different career stage, he has been taking careful notice of the young Australian’s rapid development.
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“He's a great player. Great player, young, playing with big confidence after winning matches. It will be tough one. I need to be ready for it,” said the Spaniard, who won their only other encounter at Wimbledon last year.
“It's pretty incredible. It's going to be fun for me to get out on court and be able to test where I am,” said the 19-year-old De Minaur.
“I think this is what you play for – to play the biggest guys and the best guys at the top of their level on the biggest stages. You just got to go out there, enjoy, just thrive off the atmosphere.”