Melbourne, VIC, 14 January 2025 | Jackson Mansell

Australian No.3 Jordan Thompson is one of six Aussies in action at Melbourne Park on Wednesday, all of whom are vying to reach an Australian Open third round for the first time.

Thompson, alongside Ajla Tomljanovic and Thanasi Kokkinakis headline festivities at John Cain Arena, while Talia Gibson, Aleksandar Vukic and James Duckworth also feature.

Should all those players prevail, it will be the first time since Wimbledon 1989 that six or more Australians have reached the third round of a major.

[27] Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Nuno Borges (POR)

Head-to-Head: Borges leads 2-0

Jordan Thompson was prolific in his four-set victory over top-seeded qualifier Dominik Koepfer on Monday. The world No.27 sent down 18 aces to Koepfer’s five in the three-hour, 15-minute battle, as he reached his fifth second-round in Melbourne.

“Tough match. Aussie Open, being an Aussie. First round, it’s tricky. Little bit more added pressure being seeded but started well,” he said. “I think it was pretty tight in the third. He got a break there, made the right plays, just didn’t execute it. Got a little bit tough being down a break in the fourth. Turned it around in the fourth. Just happy to get through.”

> READ: Jordan Thompson off to a winning start at AO 2025

Thompson hopes to rectify his winless record against Nuno Borges in the second round, with the world No.33 winning both of their previous meetings.

Borges enters this encounter having defeated Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-7(2) 6-3 6-2 7-5 in just under three hours and will look to expand on that on Wednesday.

[WC] Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) v [12] Diana Shnaider

Head-to-Head: First meeting

Ajla Tomljanovic produced a statement victory in the first round as she claimed her biggest win in seven months. The 31-year-old prevailed against world No.52 Ashlyn Krueger 6-4 4-6 6-4, avenging her defeat to the American nine days earlier.

> VIEW: Tomljanovic stars in first-round win

“Having lost to her last week, it felt sweet to play her again and get another chance,” she said. “I didn’t want to go 0-2 against a good player like her, but still, I don’t like seeing a big gap when I play certain players.”

Tomljanovic aims to record her first win against a top-15 opponent since August 2022 on Wednesday night when she competes against world No.13 Diana Shnaider.

Shnaider achieved her second win at Melbourne Park against Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto, closing the match in straight sets.

Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v [15] Jack Draper (GBR)

Head-to-Head: Draper leads 2-1

Kokkinakis blew the metaphoric roof off Kia Arena on Monday, coming from a set down to defeat world No.63 Roman Safiullin in four hours and five minutes.

“Just an unbelievable feeling to get in front of that crowd again. That roar, that atmosphere, they really willed me on like they’ve done so much throughout the years. Incredible emotion and memories there,” he said. “You’ve got to try and lap up the summer as much as you can. I think I’ve brought some of my best tennis here.

“It’s a special feeling (playing in front of a home crowd) and it’s why you want to play.”

He plays the final match at John Cain Arena on Wednesday against 15th seed Jack Draper, who needed five sets to defeat Argentine Mariano Navone.

“He’s going from strength to strength. We’ve had three matches maybe. He’s won two, I’ve won one. All extremely tight matches,” Kokkinakis said on his next-round opponent. “[It’s] going to be a battle. Hopefully, the body pulls up alright and I can give it my best.”

[WC] Talia Gibson (AUS) v [11] Paula Badosa [ESP]

Head-to-Head: First meeting

After a maiden breakthrough at her home major, Talia Gibson will look to mirror her first-round performance on Wednesday night. The 20-year-old features second during the night session at Margaret Court Arena against former world No.2 Paula Badosa.

Gibson launched a resounding comeback after dropping the first set against young Turk Zeynep Sonmez. She took honours 3-6 7-6(5) 6-1 on Monday afternoon to advance.

> MORE: Gibson scores memorable maiden victory

“Super exciting to get my first win here in the main draw,” Gibson said. “Really looking forward to being in the next round and being able to go out again and play in front of a home crowd. It’s always really amazing.”

https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1878635921513537614

Badosa wasted little time against Wang Xinyu, as she continued her 13-match winning streak in the first round of majors.

Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) v [22] Sebastian Korda (USA)

Head-to-Head: Korda leads 2-1

It was only fitting that Aleksandar Vukic broke his three-year slump at Melbourne Park in another five-set nailbiter. The method of defeat for his last two Australian Open matches, Vukic finally duplicated his sole triumph at Australian Open 2022.

“It hurt a lot, obviously I think like any five-set loss,” he said reflecting on his past two losses at his home major. “I lost in five sets I think the year before, two years before that, as well, in the first round.

“You just become a bit more confident a bit more with the experience. I actually drew upon my Wimbledon one, where I did win that 7-6 in the fifth – that was my most recent one that I had. So I kind of was thinking about that and it was more of trying to have more positive ones as well.”

> READ: Kokkinakis, Vukic and Schoolkate triumph at Australian Open 2025

On Wednesday, at 28 years and 285 days old, Vukic can become the oldest Aussie since Wayne Arthurs in 2001 to reach the maiden third round at the Australian Open.

The world No.68 will play seeded American Sebastian Korda third up on Kia Arena. Although the world No.22 leads the head-to-head, Vukic won their most recent encounter at the 2023 Toronto Masters.

James Duckworth (AUS) v Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP)

Head-to-Head: First meeting

James Duckworth cruised past Dominic Stricker to kickstart his 12th Australian Open in the best possible fashion. His first major victory since US Open 2022, Duckworth doubled the Swiss youngster’s receiving points tally.

> READ: McCabe and Duckworth advance at AO 2025

Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena stands in the way of Duckworth’s second appearance in the round of 32 at a Grand Slam. The world No.57 upset 23rd seed Alejandro Tabilo in four sets to advance to the second round.

Duckworth will feature second on Court 3 on Wednesday as he aims to continue his Australian Open journey.

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