Five Players Who Could Face Tough Tests in the Third Round of the Australian Open

January 23, 2026: The first week of the Australian Open is almost over. Most of the top seeds have reached the third round. However, there were some big surprises on Day Five. Belinda Bencic and Stefanos Tsitsipas, both seeded players, were knocked out. Bencic lost to Nikola Bartunkova in a three-set match. Tsitsipas was beaten by Tomas Machac in a close match, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(5).

Marin Cilic and Oksana Selekhmeteva also caused upsets. Cilic defeated Denis Shapovalov in three sets. Selekhmeteva beat Paula Badosa in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.

Day Six of the Australian Open is expected to be even more exciting at Melbourne Park. With that in mind, here is a look at five possible upsets and close matches to watch on Friday.

1. Learner Tien

Learner Tien will face Nuno Borges in the third round of the Australian Open. Tien leads the head-to-head 1–0 after beating Borges at the Paris Masters last year. Tien started his campaign with tough wins over Marcos Giron and Alexander Shevchenko. Borges stayed calm to defeat Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jordan Thompson.

Borges has been in good form despite not reaching as many finals as Tien. He reached the semifinals in Auckland and Phoenix and defeated players like Arthur Fils, Holger Rune, and Casper Ruud. This is only Tien’s second appearance at the Australian Open. With more experience, Borges could pose a challenge to the Americans.

2. Jasmine Paolini

Jasmine Paolini will play Iva Jovic in the third round. Paolini leads their head-to-head 2–0 and last beat Jovic at the 2025 US Open. Paolini moved through the early rounds with easy wins over Aliaksandra Sasnovich and Magdalena Frech. Jovic continued her strong form with wins over Katie Volynets and Priscilla Hon.

Jovic won the WTA 500 title in Guadalajara in 2025 and finished runner-up in Hobart this month. She has risen quickly in the rankings and is now inside the top 30. With confidence and good match fitness, Jovic could test Paolini in the third round.

3. Karolina Muchova

Karolina Muchova will face Magda Linette in the third round. Muchova leads the head-to-head 3–1. Muchova had close wins in her first two matches and did not look fully comfortable. Linette, however, won both her matches with strong performances. Linette had a good year recently, with deep runs in several tournaments. She also beat top players like Coco Gauff, Barbora Krejcikova, and Jessica Pegula.

Based on current form, Linette has a good chance to win this match.

4. Daniil Medvedev

Daniil Medvedev will take on Fabian Marozsan in the third round. Medvedev leads their head-to-head 2–0. Medvedev has looked solid so far, while Marozsan has shown strong fight in his wins. Marozsan has beaten several top players over the last year. Medvedev has lost early at the Australian Open before, so he will need to stay sharp. If he starts slowly, Marozsan could take his chances.

5. Clara Tauson

Clara Tauson will play Victoria Mboko in the third round. This will be their first meeting. Tauson bounced back from poor early results with two strong wins. Mboko has continued her good form and has impressed in recent months. Mboko had a breakthrough year in 2025 with title wins in Montreal and Hong Kong. Tauson has never reached the fourth round in Melbourne.

Mboko is young but confident and will believe she can win this match.