Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic are set to continue their Australian Open journeys on Thursday at the iconic Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. Sinner, who is aiming for a remarkable third consecutive title at the hard-court Grand Slam, will face Australian wild card James Duckworth. The match is scheduled to commence not before 7 p.m. AEDT (3 a.m. EST). Sinner, who boasts an impressive record in Melbourne since 2023, currently leads Duckworth 2-1 in their head-to-head encounters, though their last match occurred back in 2021.
Earlier in the day, the legendary 10-time champion Djokovic will meet Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli in the second round, with their match set to start not before 1:30 p.m. AEDT (10:30 p.m. EST Wednesday). Djokovic showcased his top form in the first round, easily defeating Pedro Martinez with a score of 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. This will mark his second match since claiming his 101st tour-level title in Athens in November. They will play following a women’s singles match between Jessica Pegula and McCartney Kessler.
In addition to Sinner and Djokovic, fans can look forward to other exciting matches on Thursday. Notable competitors including fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti and 12th seed Casper Ruud will be playing on Margaret Court Arena, while American Top 10 stars Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz are set to compete on John Cain Arena. This tournament also marks the final appearance at the Australian Open for Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 champion, who is taking on French qualifier Arthur Gea on Kia Arena.
As the tournament progresses, these upcoming matches promise to deliver thrilling performances from both established champions and rising talents.