Aussie fan favourite Daria Gavrilova faces 19-year-old Croatian Ana Konjuh in the second round of the Australian Open. Join The Roar from around 6:30pm (AEDT) for live scores and coverage.
Gavrilova has had a poor start to 2017, struggling in Perth at the Hopman Cup earlier in the month, earning only one win in her title defence.
After an early win over Donna Vekic at Sydney, she was then overpowered by eventual champion Johanna Konta, heading into the Australian Open with two wins from five matches after reaching the final of Moscow at the end of 2016.
She opened her Australian Open campaign against Naomi Broady, struggling late in the first set before coming back to take the match in close circumstances, winning through to the second round 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Gavrilova now comes up against Ana Konjuh, who at 19 years of age has already set the tennis world on fire having reached the quarter-finals of last year’s US Open and she will let up against Gavrilova.
Konjuh is currently ranked 36th in the world, ten spots behind Gavrilova’s world No.26 ranking. She got 2017 off to a great start at Auckland, securing wins over the likes of Kirsten Flipkens, Yanina Wickmayer, Naomi Osaka and Julia Goerges to book her place in the final.
Konjuh then struggled against American Lauren Davis, falling in straight sets 6-3, 6-1 after what was an explosive start to the tournament and the 2017 calendar year.
In her first round match, Konjuh sent 23-year-old Kristina Mladenovic out in straight sets 6-4, 6-2, looking very well composed. It is in stark contrast to Gavrilova who has been shaky this summer and unable to hold her own after bursting onto the scenes this time last year.
Gavrilova and Konjuh have never met on the WTA Tour.
One of Danka Kovinic or 12th seed Timea Bacsinszky await the winner in the third round.
Prediction
Daria Gavrilova will be unable to come back from a slow start, Ana Konjuh causing an upset and pushing through to the third round at Melbourne Park.
Konjuh in three sets.
Can Gavrilova pull through or will Konjuh send the Australian crashing out at her home grand slam? Join The Roar from around 6:30pm (AEDT) to find out with our live coverage following the completion of Gael Monfils and Alexandr Dolgopolov.
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That concludes The Roar's coverage of Daria Gavrilova vs Ana Konjuh. I'll be back tomorrow night 7pm (AEDT) as Australian Ashleigh Barty takes on qualifier Mona Barthel in the third round. Meanwhile, Scott Pryde is currently live with world no. 8 Dominic Thiem up against Aussie Jordan Thompson. You can catch all the action here. Thanks for following along.
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
AUSSIE WATCH Two remain in the women's singles draw with Ashleigh Barty and Daria Gavrilova both through to the third round taking on Mona Barthel and Timea Bacsinszky respectively. Bernard Tomic is the only through to the third round in the men's draw however, Jordan Thompson is currently in battle with world no. 8 Dominic Thiem for a place against either Benoit Paire or Fabio Fognini.
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DAY 5 KEY MATCHUPS Angelique Kerber vs Kristyna Pliskova Andy Murray vs Sam Querrey Stan Wawrinka vs Viktor Troicki Bernard Tomic (AUS) vs Daniel Evans Lukas Lacko vs Kei Nishikori Ashleigh Barty (AUS) vs Mona Barthel Tomas Berdych vs Roger Federer
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AROUND THE GROUNDS Mixed results today for the Aussie, Gavrilova through to the third round while Andrew Whittington has fallen to Ivo Karlovic. Daria Gavrilova (AUS) defeated Ana Konjuh 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 Ivo Karlovic defeated Andrew Whittington (AUS) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 S.Groth (AUS)/C.Guccione (AUS) defeated M.Reid (AUS)/J.Smith (AUS) 7-6, 2-7, 7-6 A.Barty (AUS)/C.Dellacqua (AUS) defeated L.Kichenok/N.Kichenok 6-2, 6-2 P.Carreno Busta/G.Garcia-Lopez defeated A.De Minaur (AUS)/M.Purcell (AUS) 6-4, 6-2 A.Beck/A.Sevastova defeated A.Bai (AUS)/L.Cabrera (AUS) 7-6, 6-1 R.Atawo/Y.Xu defeated J.Moore (AUS)/S.Sanders (AUS)
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FINAL Aces: 1 - 5 Double Faults: 3 - 7 First Serve %: 60/92 (65%) - 41/79 (52%) Break Points Won: 5/10 (50%) - 5/15 (33%) Winners: 14 - 34 Unforced Errors: 25 - 56 Total Points Won: 85 - 86 Daria Gavrilova 6 1 6 Ana Konjuh 2 6 4
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Daria Gavrilova: "It's one of my favourite courts. I always get the best support out here. I lost my cool a little bit but it's not easy and I knew that I had to do it again to get the win and I'm proud of myself. I love playing here, I'm being in the moment. I'm really enjoying my tennis right now and just playing at home is amazing."
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FINAL Daria Gavrilova is through to the third round after a strong showing in three sets against Ana Konjuh. Daria Gavrilova 6 1 6 Ana Konjuh 2 6 4
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Dasha hits a forehand winner. That's game, set and match. Daria Gavrilova 6 1 6 Ana Konjuh 2 6 4
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Konjuh with the backhand into the net, match point Daria Gavrilova 6 1 5 40 Ana Konjuh 2 6 4 15
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Gavrilova hits the backhand volley winner at the net, catching Konjuh off-guard after it skims the net Daria Gavrilova 6 1 5 30 Ana Konjuh 2 6 4 15
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Gavrilova hits the forehand smash winner as Konjuh is stretched off court Daria Gavrilova 6 1 5 15 Ana Konjuh 2 6 4 15
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Gavrilova on serve, she puts it into the net off the loose forehand Daria Gavrilova 6 1 5 0 Ana Konjuh 2 6 4 15
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Gavrilova overplays the backhand, Konjuh holds Daria Gavrilova 6 1 5 Ana Konjuh 2 6 4
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Gavrilova forces into the net off the forehand Daria Gavrilova 6 1 5 0 Ana Konjuh 2 6 3 40
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Konjuh has started this game strongly, forehand winner Daria Gavrilova 6 1 5 0 Ana Konjuh 2 6 3 30
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Konjuh on serve, she hits another backhand winner Daria Gavrilova 6 1 5 0 Ana Konjuh 2 6 3 15
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Gavrilova holds with an ace and is a game away from taking the match Daria Gavrilova 6 1 5 Ana Konjuh 2 6 3
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Konjuh overplays the service return off the backhand, advantage Gavrilova Daria Gavrilova 6 1 4 AD Ana Konjuh 2 6 3 40
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Konjuh with a ripping backhand winner, deuce Daria Gavrilova 6 1 4 40 Ana Konjuh 2 6 3 40
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Konjuh makes another unforced error off the backhand into the net, advantage Dasha Daria Gavrilova 6 1 4 AD Ana Konjuh 2 6 3 40