By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday January 18, 2024
The Happy Slam has been a happy place for the American contingent in Melbourne.
Coco Gauff
Fresh off her maiden Grand Slam win at the 2023 US Open, Gauff rides a nine-match Grand Slam winning streak into her third-round clash with Alycia Parks. More on Parks down the page.
As for Gauff, she is the most legitimate title contender of this group, and the highest-ranked player of this set of ten. The American has already spoken of her desire not just to win more Slams, but to win double digit Slams. That says something about her self-belief and expectations. Here in Melbourne she is bidding to become the first woman to win the US Open and the Australian open back-to-back since Naomi Osaka in 2019.
Taylor Fritz
Fritz overcame a rough stumble in round one – in more ways than one – as he twisted his ankle during his five-set victory over Facundo Diaz Acosta. In round two it was a different story. 12th-seeded Fritz dropped just four games in his win over Hugo Gaston. He’ll face Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in round three as he bids to reach the second week in Melbourne for the second time.
Amanda Anisimova
She’s the comeback kid in Melbourne. After sitting out the second half of 2023 on an indefinite hiatus, Amanda Anisimova is back with a vengeance. Anisimova, a former World No.21 and Grand Slam semifinalist, smoked Liudmila Samsonova in round one, then toppled Nadia Podoroska in the second round.
Anisimova faces Paula Badosa in the third round.
Ben Shelton
Ben Shelton has won 11 of his last 13 hard court matches at the majors. That’s impressive for a 21-year-old who is beginning his second full season on tour. He’ll face Adrian Mannarino in the third round, and if he’s successful, he could get the chance to hang up the phone on Novak Djokovic in the round of 16.
He LOVES it here 😤@BenShelton defeats Australian Chris O’Connell 6-4 6-1 3-6 7-6(5) to reach the third round. pic.twitter.com/bB0Wvivh6z
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 17, 2024
Sloane Stephens
Surprise, surprise, Sloane Stephens is finding her groove at the Happy Slam. 11 years after her trip to the semifinals, that featured a win over Serena Williams, in 2013, and five years after her last trip to the round of 16, Stephens is bidding to reach week two once again.
She’ll face Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya in the…
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