Every Grand Slam produces a surprise package, and already at this year’s Australian Open there are several of them. But it’s arguable that none are as impressive as Marta Kostyuk, who, at age 15, can already boast 10 straight match wins at Melbourne Park.
The winner of the Australian Open girls’ title in 2017, the Ukrainian teen earned entry into the AO2018 main draw as the youngest qualifier in 13 years. That feat alone was astonishing enough; on Monday, Kostyuk became the youngest winner of a main draw match since Martina Hingis in 1996, when she dismantled No.25 seed Peng Shuai 6-2 6-2 in just 57 minutes.
Clearly unfazed by the big occasion, Kostyuk takes a level head into her second-round meeting with Australia’s Olivia Rogowska. “I feel like it’s another match, I don’t think ‘Oh my God, I’m in (the) second round’,” the world No.521 told media at Melbourne Park. “It’s another tournament and another experience.”
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The challenge for the talented Kostyuk – who is managed by Roger Federer’s coach Ivan Ljubicic – will be backing up after the standard set in the first round; Kostyuk hit 27 winners to nine from the experienced Peng. There’s also the sense of unknown in the Ukrainian’s first career meeting with Melbourne-based Rogowska, who’ll be buoyed by the support of a home crowd.
Belinda Bencic is another young woman wise to guard against a letdown, after her first-round upset of Venus Williams. But the 20-year-old Swiss meets world No.124 qualifier Luksika Kumkhum high on confidence knowing that both form and full health have returned.
Absent for five months in 2017 following wrist surgery, Bencic believes she’s a better player than when she peaked at world No.7 in 2016. “For sure as a player, but also as a person,” she commented after her win over Venus. “I got a little bit more mature, I think. I have different perspective now.”
Another young player with the power to surprise is 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov – although few would be truly shocked if the Canadian pulled off an upset of No.15 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the second round of the men’s draw.
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The Frenchman was a high-profile victim when Shapovalov powered to the fourth round of the 2017 US Open as a qualifier; earlier, the teenager stunned Juan Martin del Potro and Rafael Nadal in a history-making run to the final of the Montreal Masters.
Despite the 35 rankings places that separate them, Tsonga knows the challenge he faces in the pair’s second match in as many Slams. Boosted by a high-energy style and explosive shot making, the world No.50 Shapovalov is the youngest man in the top 100, and is rising fast.
So too is Andrey Rublev, aged 20 and at a career-high world No.32 after a quarterfinal run at the 2017 US Open and a runner-up performance in Doha to start his year. After a five-set win over two-time AO semifinalist David Ferrer in the first round, the Russian now faces AO2005 finalist Marcos Baghdatis for the first time.
There could also be another star set to shine in Norwegian Casper Ruud, also a teen qualifier at Melbourne Park. On Monday, the 19-year-old defeated Quentin Halys in 11-9 in the fifth set; now he’ll aim to achieve a career-best Grand Slam showing with a win over No.24 seed Diego Schwartzman.
High-profile seeds also return to the court for second-round matches – including Caroline Wozniacki (No.2) and Elina Svitolina (No.4) among the women, plus Nadal (No.1) and Grigor Dimitrov (No.3) in the men’s draw.
While experience and past performances create an edge for those players, fresh young stars like Kostyuk and co. bring their power to surprise.
