A victory of patience, adaptation and clarity. Jasmine Paolini advances to the third round of the Australian Open, on the day in which the tension between Ukrainian tennis players and Russian and Belarusian tennis players is back in the news. And she does it, overcoming the Polish Magdalena Frech with a score of 6-2 6-3 at the end of a broken match, slowed down and transformed by the weather conditions, played on two different fields and crossed by continuous variations in pace and atmosphere. Not a simple second round match, but a true test of mental resistance for the Italian number one, capable of staying in the match even when everything seemed to be going against her: the evening cold, the wind, two interruptions due to rain and finally the transfer indoors, with an inevitable change of references and sensations.
«It was a very tough adventure», Paolini’s summary. The Italian had started with clear ideas, as she had explained the day before, and it was clear from the first games. Aggressive with her feet inside the court, orderly in managing exchanges and ready to exploit any hesitation of her opponent, the Italian immediately took control of the first set, going up 4-1 before a violent downpour forced a stop. After almost an hour of waiting, the match resumed to be quickly closed at 6-2. The start of the second set, however, told another story. A new downpour of rain interrupted the game again and the tournament management decided to move it to the John Cain Arena, under the roof. Different conditions, faster pitch, wider rebounds: a new context to decipher in a few minutes. Frech took the opportunity to immediately break serve, but Paolini did not lose his bearings. With patience and solidity she recovered the break, extended her advantages in the key games and, also aided by a bit of luck in the decisive moments, put in three consecutive games that definitively directed the match. A final attempt at a comeback by the Pole did not affect the concentration of the Italian, who found a new break and closed 6-3, certifying a success that was as precious as it was tiring.
Meanwhile, on the Italian night the Italian program will come to life from the early hours. Opening the day will be Luciano Darderi, on court at 1.00 am Italian time on Court 6 against the Argentine Sebastian Baez. At the same time, on the Margaret Court Arena, there will be an all-Italian derby between Lorenzo Musetti and Lorenzo Sonego, a particularly eagerly awaited match which will inaugurate the program of the second stadium. On the Rod Laver Arena, not before 3.30, it will be the turn of Francesco Maestrelli, called to the most demanding challenge against Novak Djokovic. Also on the Margaret Court, Amanda Anisimova will face Katerina Siniakova, while on the John Cain Arena Iga Swiatek will be engaged in the third match of the day against Marie Bouzkova, after Keys-Kruger and Shelton-Sweeny. The spotlight will also be on the secondary courts: on the Kia Arena Stan Wawrinka will face Gael Monfils, while on the ANZ Arena Machac-Tsitsipas will be staged, a match from which the possible opponent in the next round of the winner between Musetti and Sonego will emerge. In the evening, at 7pm local time, the spotlight will also be on Rod Laver Arena for Jannik Sinner, opposite the Australian James Duckworth.