Australian Open Upset Alert: Kecmanovic, De Minaur Eye Third-Round Showdowns

MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian Open‘s top half of the draw is brimming with unseeded players making waves, including Serbia‘s Miomir Kecmanovic, who faces a tough test against 13th-seeded Holger Rune in the third round on Saturday. Meanwhile, Australia’s Alex de Minaur, the tournament’s No. 8 seed, prepares to battle Argentina‘s Francisco Cerundolo in a first-time matchup.

Kecmanovic and Rune have split their two previous encounters, with Kecmanovic winning on indoor hard courts in Stockholm in 2022 and Rune claiming victory the following week. The 51st-ranked Serb has a strong track record in Melbourne, having reached the fourth round twice, while Rune has struggled at hard-court majors, winning just seven matches combined at the Australian Open and U.S. Open.

“This is another sneaky spot for Kecmanovic to find more success against Rune,” said a tennis analyst. “He’s coming off a straight-set win over Hubert Hurkacz, while Rune has been pushed to the limit in his first two matches.”

De Minaur, Australia’s top hope, has been dominant so far, dropping just 15 games in his first two matches. He faces Cerundolo, who has had an easier path, benefiting from a disinterested Alexander Bublik and a second-set retirement by Facundo Diaz Acosta. However, Cerundolo has rarely performed well against higher-ranked opponents, with his only notable exception being a five-set loss to Novak Djokovic at the 2024 French Open.

“Facing De Minaur in Australia is unlikely to be another exception,” the analyst added. “De Minaur is in top form and has the home crowd behind him.”

Kecmanovic advanced to the third round with a hard-fought five-set victory over Dusan Lajovic, while Rune overcame challenges from Zhizhen Zhang and Matteo Berrettini. De Minaur, meanwhile, has yet to drop a set, cruising past Botic van de Zandschulp and Tristan Boyer.

As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on these intriguing matchups, with potential upsets and thrilling tennis on the horizon.