Just like the men’s draw, the women’s draw has some interesting match-ups in the first two rounds of the Australian Open which are must-watch TV. Unfortunately for the top seeds, there are some very talented players lurking in the draw who has not been seeded. These talented players will be looking for an upset to continue on in the draw. Let’s look at the potential upsets early on.

Round 2: Danielle Collins vs. Karolina Pliskova (6)

Fresh off their match at the Yarra Valley Classic’s round of 16, where Collins defeated Pliskova in two tie breaks, they will be at it again in the second round of the Australian. Collins seemed to control the tempo of their match at the Yarra Valley Classic, and frustrated Pliskova with her high level of play from the baseline. If Pliskova wants to win, she’ll have to serve perfectly and control some of the baseline rallies. Collins will come out swinging as she always does.

Round 2: Coco Gauff vs. Elina Svitolina (5)

Svitolina has had a lot of trouble going deep in Grand Slams. The last person she’ll want to face is talented youngster Coco Gauff in the second round. Coco is tough for her age and will not give Svitolina any free points. If Svitolina wants to get through into the second round, she can’t come out flat. Coco Gauff will be looking to get on top of her from the get-go.

Round 2: Caroline Garcia vs. Naomi Osaka (3)

Although Naomi Osaka is our tournament favorite, she’ll have her hands full in the second round with Caroline Garcia. Garcia is a former top 10 player who, although her form has dipped in the last couple of years, has tons of game left and is extremely dangerous. This match may very well go the full three sets and should be a good test for Osaka as she goes for her second Australian Open.

Round 1: Marta Kostyuk vs. Veronica Kudermetova (32)

Marta Kostyuk is one of our picks to make some noise in 2021. Kudermetova will not be happy seeing her name in the first round. They recently played a tight match in the Abu Dhabi semifinal. Kudermetova came out on top in that match. Kostyuk will come out looking for revenge.

Round 2: Daria Kasatkina vs. Aryna Sabalenka (7)

Kasatkina is also one of our picks to make some noise in 2021. She’s a former top 10 player that was on the rise just a few years back. If she wants to get back to the top of the WTA, she’ll need to get through Sabalenka in the first round. She has the game to do it. That being said, Sabalenka has been playing some great tennis as of late. Look for a fantastic contest between these two.

Like always, don’t forget to jump on to the TennisPAL app to stay up to date on tennis news, find groups of friends to play with, and get a virtual coach to help with your tennis game.