Australian Open day four predictions & tennis tips: Sabalenka can show her class

Free tennis tips, best bets and analysis for day four of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday.

Where to watch

Live on Eurosport, midnight Wednesday

Best bets

Aryna Sabalenka to win 2-0 v Shelby Rogers
2pts 10-11 bet365

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to beat Tommy Paul
1pt 13-10 Hills

Caroline Garcia to win 2-0 v Leylah Fernandez
1pt 11-10 bet365

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Day four preview

Extremes of weather interfered with the second day of action at the Australian Open but there are nonetheless plenty of second-round tussles scheduled for Thursday.

British interests Daniel Evans and Andy Murray, who produced a thrilling five-set win over Italian 13th seed Matteo Berrettini in his Melbourne curtain-raiser, are among those set to be involved in the men's draw, while leading lights Ons Jabeur, Caroline Garcia and Aryna Sabalenka are all in action in the women's competition.

Aryna Sabalenka v Shelby Rogers

Aryna Sabalenka required only one hour and nine minutes to see off 74th-ranked Tereza Martincova 6-1 6-4 in her first match at the Australian Open and her second-round opponent Shelby Rogers could also be swiftly dispatched.

The power in Sabalenka's game was clear to see at the Adelaide International earlier this month.

She won the event with four successive straight-sets victories, picking up from her run to the final of the WTA Finals back in November.

The fifth seed remains one of the fiercest competitors on the WTA tour and looks well equipped to go further than the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time in her career.

Rogers encountered few problems in her Melbourne opener against Arianne Hartono, winning 6-4 6-3, but Sabalenka represents a significant step up and can make her added experience count with a 2-0 victory.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina v Tommy Paul

A run to the quarter-finals of the second Adelaide International was decent preparation for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina heading into the first Grand Slam of the season.

The 23-year-old Spaniard failed to make much of an impact on the ATP tour last year with the exception of his fourth-round appearance at the US Open but he looked handy in Adelaide, overpowering Brandon Nakashima and John Millman.

And, although pushed to five sets, he held his nerve to overcome Alexander Bublik in Melbourne and looks overpriced to follow that up with a defeat of Tommy Paul.

Paul came through his first match against Jan-Lennard Struff unscathed but 30th seed Davidovich Fokina will pose more of a threat to the unseeded American.

Leylah Fernandez v Caroline Garcia

Canadian Leylah Fernandez showed decent composure to edge Alize Cornet 7-5 6-2 in her opener in Melbourne but has a huge challenge on her hands in the second round with Caroline Garcia standing in her way.

Fourth seed Garcia was ruthless in her 6-3 6-0 undoing of Katherine Sebov last time out, firing five aces in the process.

The French talent ended 2022 with the WTA Finals title, beating Sabalenka in straight sets in the final, and although she looked a little cold at the Adelaide International, her opener in Melbourne indicated she is not messing about. Back her to win 2-0 against youngster Fernandez.

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