Australian Open - Monday Schedule: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal to play
Maria Sharapova opens the 2019 Australian Open schedule on the Rod Laver Arena. The Russian will face Harriet Drat, who went through the qualies. Sharapova made her comeback in Melbourne last year losing to Angelique Kerber in the third round. Maria had skipped this event in 2017 due to a doping ban. After that, Rafael Nadal will face the local hero James Duckworth, the Spaniard will play his first official match since the 2018 US Open semi-finals against Juan Martin del Potro. The 2016 champion Angelique Kerber plays against Polona Hercog. In the evening session, defending champion Caroline Wozniacki will face Alison Van Uytvanck, followed by Roger Federer against Denis Istomin. The Swiss leads head to head meetings 6-0 against the world no. 99, who defeated Novak Djokovic at the 2017 Australian Open second round. The last times they faced - 2013 and 2014 Basel - Istomin dropped off a set to Federer. The 37-year-old is the defending champion, he needs to reach the semi-finals in order not to leave the top-five.
On the Margaret Court Arena, two women's matches will open the schedule: Julia Goerges against Danielle Collins, Sloane Stephens against Taylor Townsend. Alex De Minaur, who just won his first career-title in Sydney defeating Andreas Seppi in a straight-set final, faces Pedro Sousa. Ashleigh Barty vs Luksika Kumkhum and Marin Cilic vs Bernard Tomic headlines night session. Andy Murray faces Roberto Bautista Agut around 6:00 PM on Melbourne Arena.
Rod Laver Arena – 11:00 AM (30) M. Sharapova [RUS] vs (Q) H. Dart [GBR] (WC) J. Duckworth [AUS] vs (2) R. Nadal [ESP] P. Hercog [SLO] vs (2) A. Kerber [GER]
Rod Laver Arena – 7:00 PM A. Van Uytvanck [BEL] vs (3) C. Wozniacki [DEN] D. Istomin [UZB] vs (3) R. Federer [SUI]
Margaret Court Arena – 11:00 AM (14) J. Goerges [GER] vs D. Collins [USA] (5) S. Stephens [USA] vs T. Townsend [USA] 3:00 PM (27) A. de Minaur [AUS] vs P. Sousa [POR]
Margaret Court Arena – 7:00 PM (15) A. Barty [AUS] vs L. Kumkhum [THA] (6) M. Cilic [CRO] vs B. Tomic [AUS]
Melbourne Arena - 11:00 AM (5) K. Anderson [RSA] vs A. Mannarino [FRA] M. Sakkari [GRE] vs (22) J. Ostapenko [LAT] (13) K. Edmund [GBR] vs T. Berdych [CZE] 6:00 PM (22) R. Bautista Agut [ESP] vs A. Murray [GBR] 7:00 PM (8) P. Kvitova [CZE] vs M. Rybarikova [SVK]
1573 Arena – 11:00 PM (Q) J. Ponchet [FRA] vs (19) C. Garcia [FRA] (20) G. Dimitrov [BUL] vs J. Tipsarevic [SRB] A. Riske [USA] vs (9) K. Bertens [NED] 5:00 PM M. Ebden [AUS] vs J. Struff [GER]
ALSO READ: Roger Federer adds a new tournament to February 2019 schedule!
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2soMLNR
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