Australian Open Day 3 women’s preview: Caroline Wozniacki v Jana Fett

ONLY eight players have spent more time at World No.1 than Caroline Wozniacki, but having never won a grand slam, the Dane has long lacked an underlying credibility, but it’s difficult to see Croatian Jana Fett troubling her tomorrow.

Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki should have no drama accounting for Croatia’s Jana Fett. Picture: AP

ONLY eight players have spent more time than Caroline Wozniacki — who faces Croatia’s Jana Fett on Rod Laver Arena tomorrow — as world number one, a 67 week run that began in 2010.

Five times grand slam champion Maria Sharapova, and top seed this fortnight Simona Halep, have spent less than a third of that time at the apex of the women’s game but despite a 2017 WTA Finals coronation in Singapore, Wozniacki has long lacked an underlying credibility with two US Open final losses her grand slam pinnacle to-date.

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Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki should have no drama accounting for Croatia’s Jana Fett. Picture: AP

More damning still, conviction has appeared as amiss within the 27-year-old as with fans and media who have long dismissed her as a ‘big four’ tournament contender.

US$26 million in career winnings is some compensation — and commercial endorsements will multiply this many times — but there has long been a void, until now. A settled personal life, she became engaged to NBA star David Lee last November, has fused with an on-court resolve to return her from number 74 in the world in August 2016 to number two today.

She has a meagre Australian Open record, one semi-final seven years ago her best offering but it is difficult to think Fett will trouble her today. This could be the Dane’s year.

Jana Fett defeated Japan’s Misa Eguchi, but faces a much sterner test in Round 2. Picture: AFP

Fresh from her opening day knockout of number 5 seed Venus Williams, Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic will tee off on Hisense Arena against Thailand’s Luksika KumKhum (ranked 124), who with just $367 winnings to-date this year, will be more than keen for the $142,500 guarantee for this round’s winners.

Bencic, still only 20, has seen her ranking plummet, after wrist surgery, from number 7 two years ago to 78 today but has a momentum and, against Williams, had the psychological boost of compatriot Roger Federer’s parents in her courtside box too.

Belinda Bencic tore apart Venus Williams in Round 1. Picture: AAP

Australian scrapper Daria Gavriolova — who made an impromptu plea to participate in a future ‘My Kitchen Rules’ TV episode after her first round win on Rod Laver Arena late on Monday — will find Elise Mertens, 12 places below her in the rankings at 35, a tough proposition despite this being the Belgian’s Australian Open debut.

French Open champion, Jelena Ostapenko, meanwhile will expect to make headway against Chinese journeywoman Ying Ying Duan, number 90 in the world but with just one second round in 11 grand slam appearances.

And spare a thought for Ukraine qualifier Marta Kostyuk, 15-years-old and an extraordinary 522 in the rankings who faces Olivia Rogowska after her enthralling all Australian battle with Jaimee Fourlis on Monday.

Jelena Ostapenko faces China’s Ying Ying Duan after cruising through the opening round. Picture: AAP

TALE OF THE TAPE

■ Caroline Wozniacki

Country: Denmark

Age: 27

Weight: 63kg

Plays: Right handed

Rank: 2

Seed: 2

Tournament wins: 27

Grand Slam wins: 0

Prizemoney: $33.71m (AUD)

V

■ Jana Fett

Country: Croatia

Age: 21

Weight: 65kg

Plays: Right handed

Rank: 103

Seed: n/a

Tournament wins: 0

Grand Slam wins: 0

Prizemoney: $241,000 (AUD)