2022 Australian Open: Anisimova to face Osaka in Round 3 as eight Americans advance

Eight Americans are through to the third round of the 2022 Australian Open, with four men and four women still standing in the Melbourne singles draws. Jessica Pegula, Danielle Collins, Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova advanced on the women’s side, while Taylor Fritz, Reilly Opelka, Sebastian Korda and Maxime Cressy scored wins in the men’s draw.

Anisimova scored the most notable win for Team USA in Round 2, as the 20-year-old continues her stellar start to the new year. After winning a warm-up event in Melbourne earlier this month, the 2019 Roland Garros semifinalist upset No. 22 seed Belinda Bencic, 6-2, 7-5, to get back into a Slam third round for the first since 2020.

Opelka is also a perfect six-for-six in sets played on the tournament. The 23rd seed continued his straightforward march through the Melbourne draw with a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 win over Dominik Koepfer. Opelka beat 2017 US Open finalist Kevin Anderson in Round 1, and will face No. 14 seed Denis Shapovalov next, after the Canadian came from behind to defeat Soonwoo Kwon in five second-round sets.

Korda went five sets himself against France’s Corentin Moutet. The American was the aggressor throughout the nearly five-hour contest, winning 70% of his 94 net approaches, but had his back against the wall as Moutet served for the match at 5-4 in the fourth set. It took a fifth-set tiebreak to seal the 3-6, 6-4, 6-7, 7-5, 7-6 victory, his first career fifth-set win.

He’ll face Spanish No. 19 seed Pablo Carreno Busta for a spot in the Round of 16—a stage he’s already reached twice in five previous Grand Slam main-draw appearances (2020 Roland Garros, 2021 Wimbledon).

Maxime Cressy is also through to Round 3 following a 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 win over Czech qualifier Tomas Machac. The former UCLA Bruin has a golden chance to extend his career-best major run when he takes on world No. 173 Christopher O’Connell in Round 3. The Australian wild card upset No. 13 seed Diego Schwartzman in the second round at his home Slam.