The Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, 27th in the world, won her round of 16 on Monday against the Russian Veronika Kudermetova (75th) at the Australian Open, launching a day where Jannik Sinner (1st), Iga Swiatek (2nd) and French veteran Gaël Monfils.
Monday, Australian journalist pinned by Serbian star Novak Djokovic for judged comments “insulting” towards him and towards the Serbian supporters has also reiterated his « excuses ».
“I immediately contacted Djokovic’s team to apologize (…) for any lack of respect felt by Novak and of which I was the originator. Today (Monday) I can only reiterate this apology to Novak”declared presenter Tony Jones during a program on Channel 9, three days after parodying the chants of Serbian supporters in a way considered offensive by Djokovic.
Svitolina bat Kudermetova, Swiatek part favorite
First duel scheduled for Monday on the court of the Rod Laver Arena, the match between Elina Svitolina and Veronika Kudermetova turned to the advantage of the Ukrainian in two sets (6-4, 6-1), after she still led 4-1 in the first set.
“I just tried to fight, it’s the only thing you can do when things aren’t going your way.”reacted Svitolina.
As usual since the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022, the two players did not pose together for the official photo at the start of the game and did not shake hands at the end. of the match.
During the two previous confrontations between Svitolina and Kudermetova, already on hard, the Russian had won each time.
In the next round, Svitolina will face the Kazakh Elena Rybakina (7th) or the American Madison Keys (14th), who has the most victories (10) on the WTA circuit since the start of the season.
At the start of the evening, world number 2 Iga Swiatek must play her round of 16 against the surprising German Eva Lys (128th), defeated in qualifying but re-drafted following a withdrawal.
The only previous duel between the Pole and the German ended in a victory for Swiatek in 2022.
Sinner and Monfils at the top of the bill
-After the qualification on Sunday of Carlos Alcaraz (3rd) and Novak Djokovic (7th), who will face each other in the quarter-finals in the first major shock of the men’s draw, it is the turn of the defending champion Jannik Sinner to play his eighth of final.
The 23-year-old Italian faces the Dane Holger Rune (13th) from 2:00 p.m. (03:00 GMT, 04:00 French time).
The latter won his first two duels with the world No. 1 in 2022 and 2023, before losing the next two.
In case of victory, Sinner would reach the 10th quarter-final of his Grand Slam career and would equal his compatriot Nicola Pietrangeli, until now the Italian tennis player most often present at this stage of the competition in major tournaments.
Holger Rune is one match away from becoming the first Dane to reach the quarter-finals at the Australian Open.
The winner will challenge the American Alex Michelsen (42nd) or the Australian Alex De Minaur (8th) in the next round, whose round of 16 is scheduled for the evening in Melbourne.
At over 38 years old, French veteran Gaël Monfils (41st) will try to extend his streak of eight matches without defeat.
Recent winner of the Auckland tournament, a coronation which made him the oldest player since 1977 to win a title on the main circuit, the Parisian will face the young American Ben Shelton, 20th in the world at 22 years old.
Double quarter-finalist in Melbourne, in 2016 and 2022, Monfils will become the French singles player to have won the most matches at the Australian Open (38), in case of victory, ahead of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
The winner of this Franco-American duel will play in the quarter-final against the Italian Lorenzo Sonego (55th) or the young American nugget Learner Tien (121st).
