Australian Open Day 4: Alcaraz, Korda, and Duckworth Eye Second-Round Wins

MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian Open‘s second round began on Day 4 with 16 men’s singles matches, featuring top contenders and rising stars. Carlos Alcaraz, aiming for a career Grand Slam, faced Yoshihito Nishioka, while Sebastian Korda and James Duckworth also took center court in their respective matches.

Alcaraz, the No. 3 seed, overcame a challenging second set in his opening match against Alexander Shevchenko. Despite Nishioka’s reputation as a tough left-handed counter-puncher, experts predict Alcaraz will dominate in straight sets. “Nishioka is a fighter, but he doesn’t have the weapons to trouble Alcaraz,” said Ateet Shrivastava, one of the analysts predicting the match.

Sebastian Korda, despite battling an abdominal issue, advanced to the second round after a hard-fought victory over Lukas Klein. Korda now faces Australian Alexei Vukic, who needed five sets to win his first-round match. Analysts believe Korda’s superior form and experience will prevail, even if he isn’t at full strength. “Vukic can provide adversity, but Korda is still the favorite,” noted Damian Kust.

James Duckworth, another Australian hopeful, is set to clash with Roberto Carballes Baena. Duckworth impressed in his straight-sets win over Dominic Stricker, while Carballes Baena also showed strong form in his opening match. Analysts are split but lean toward Duckworth, citing his home-court advantage and recent performance. “Duckworth fights his hardest under the Melbourne sun,” said Steen Kirby.

In another key matchup, Jiri Lehecka, fresh off a title win in Brisbane, faces Hugo Gaston. Lehecka’s powerful game and current form make him the favorite, despite Gaston’s tricky playing style. “Lehecka should be able to blitz past him based on current form,” Kirby added.

As the tournament progresses, fans are eager to see if Alcaraz can continue his quest for a career Grand Slam and whether local favorites like Korda and Duckworth can advance further in their home slam.