Alexandrova and Linette will take on each other in the third round of the 2023 Australian Open on January 21.
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Taylor Townsend outplayed Ekaterina Alexandrova for the first 30 minutes of their match, but she quickly returned to form and won 1-6, 6-2, 6-3. The 19th seed secured another instance of her joint-best Grand Slam result by avoiding breakpoints in the second set and fending off six of seven challenges in the decider. In the weeks leading up to this fortnight, there were some uncertainties surrounding the Russian. Due to a left thigh injury, she withdrew from the Adelaide Open last week. Since the start of the previous season, she had finished 13 of her 15 hard-court matches without back-to-back victories, including all three in Australia in 2022 and both this month.
With a comeback victory in the second round, Magda Linette also matched her best Slam performance, though hers was a little more impressive. She faced former world number two Anett Kontaveit, and after falling behind a set and a break, she fought back to defeat the 16th seed, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. It was her third top 20 Slam victory that she had successfully completed in less than two years. The 30-year-old has found his groove over the past six months, winning three finals at different levels: a W100 at home, a 125K in Tampico, and a WTA 250 in Chennai. It ought to aid her in overcoming a 0-6 record in major tournament third rounds.
| Alexandrova vs Linette | Match details |
|---|---|
| Date | January 21, 2023 |
| Surface | Hard courts |
| Tournament | Australian Open |
| Stage | Third Round |
| Time (India) | 3:30 pm (tentative) |
| Time (Australia) | 9 pm (tentative) |
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Taylor Townsend | 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 (W) |
| Ysaline Bonaventure | 6-2, 6-1 (W) |
| Veronika Kudermetova | Walkover (L) |
| Jaimee Fourlis | 7-5, 6-3 (W) |
| Marketa Vondrousova | 6-4, 3-6, 2-6 (L) |
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Anett Kontaveit | 6-3, 3-6, 4-6 (W) |
| Mayar Sherif | 7-5, 6-1 (W) |
| Alison van Uytvanck | 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 (L) |
| Elisabetta Cocciaretto | 7-6, 4-6, 6-1 (L) |
| Rebecca Marino | 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 (W) |
At a 1-1 tie. The match could easily go either way, but the odds favour Ekaterina Alexandrova. In the 2019 Seoul semifinal, Magda Linette defeated their only opponent on hard courts, 7-6, 7-6, after falling behind 2-5 and with four set points remaining in the second set. In the Charleston quarterfinal from the previous year, the Russian advanced, 6-0, 6-2.
Alexandrova and Linette will take on each other in the third round of the 2023 Australian Open on January 21.
Australia – Nine and Stan Sport
Canada – TSN and RDS
India – Sony Sports Network
UK – Eurosport
USA – ESPN Network
The matches of both men’s and women’s can be live-streamed on demand on the Tennis TV app and website.
