The second round wraps up on Day 5 of the Australian Open. We have 16 women’s singles matches on deck to decide who reaches Round 3. As always, our writers at LastWordOnTennis share their thoughts on the matches. We split the 16 matches between four articles. In addition to this article, the others feature Amanda Anisimova vs Katerina Siniakova, Naomi Osaka vs Sorana Cirstea, and Madison Keys vs Ashlyn Krueger. Predicting these matches are Nurein Ahmed, Zain Mustafa, and Jordan Reynolds. Who do you think will advance to Round 3?
Australian Open Day 5 Women’s Predictions
Laura Siegemund vs Maddison Inglis
Nurein:
I still haven’t digested Siegemund’s victory against Samsonova. That was an incredible comeback. Inglis will try and feed off the crowd’s energy here but she won’t easily get patterns to latch onto against Siegemund. With the German the tennis doesn’t really need to be pretty, but she will likely get a result.
Prediction: Siegemund in 3
Zain:
Laura Siegemund had the comeback of the first round, coming back from the brink on the back of her rally tolerance and slice variety. Maddison Inglis might not have much singles pedigree coming into this match, but in front of a home crowd, she has so far risen to the challenge at this tournament, and she just might have another match win in her here.
Prediction: Inglis in 3
Jordan:
37-year-old Siegemund’s comeback against Liudmila Samsonova was outstanding, but also not too surprising since her game is ideal for disrupting her powerful opponent. Despite that great effort, I think Inglis will fare better than Samsonova. She got a great victory against Kimberly Birrell in the previous round, and is better suited to not letting Siegemund’s game frustrate her.
Prediction: Inglis in 2
Peyton Stearns vs Petra Marcinko
Nurein:
Stearns will look to dominate the forehand battle here. She’s got steadier hands and is coming off a great first round performance against Kenin. Marcinko’s upside is real, but I can’t see her handling the pace from the American.
Prediction: Stearns in 2
Zain:
Petra Marcinko made the most of her opportunities to reach the second round, but against the big serve and aggressive game of Peyton Stearns, who is slowly but steadily regaining her form, the challenge might be too big to overcome.
Prediction: Stearns in 3
Jordan:
Stearns’s comfortable triumph over Sofia Kenin was highly impressive, and she dominated with her forehand throughout. The American faces a dangerous opponent in Marcinko, who has reached the second round in her maiden Grand Slam main draw appearance. I favor the more experienced Stearns, but expect it to be competitive.
Prediction: Stearns in 3
Janice Tjen vs Karolina Pliskova
Nurein:
Pliskova’s reputation as one of the most dangerous players on hard courts took a hit following her absence on tour, but she was keen to remind us that form is only temporary. The win over Stephens gives her something to build on.
Prediction: Pliskova in 2
Zain:
Karolina Pliskova got her first Tour victory in around four months in the first round, and her power-baseline style on a slick hard-court surface can cause problems for many, despite her best tennis clearly being behind her at this point. Janice Tjen has great variety from the baseline, and if she uses her slice well and dictates rallies with her forehand, in this matchup between veteran and up-and-comer, the up-and-comer should win.
Prediction: Tjen in 2
Jordan:
Pliskova’s level to beat Sloane Stephens, against whom she had a very poor head-to-head, after being absent for so long, deserves praise. Nonetheless, I think her time in Melbourne will be ended by Tjen. The Indonesian performed excellently against Leylah Fernandez, and is better placed to exploit Pliskova’s weaknesses than Stephens, who was also out for much of 2025.
Prediction: Tjen in 2
Iga Swiatek vs Marie Bouzkova
Nurein:
I just don’t see how Bouzkova will make this uncomfortable for Swiatek. Yes, Bouzkova is one the fastest players on tour, but Swiatek takes control of points with intent and not patience and will certainly punishing any points that land neutral.
Prediction: Swiatek in 2
Zain:
Although 2026 has not started the way she would have liked, and she struggled uncharacteristically in the first round, Iga Swiatek is still a couple of good sets away from once again being arguably the most dangerous player on Tour. Marie Bouzkova’s baseline consistency means the Pole will likely have to construct her points better, something that she not only can do, but might help her find her rhythm again.
Prediction: Swiatek in 2
Jordan:
Despite being a much superior player, Swiatek could find herself in trouble if she makes as many errors as the previous round against Yue Yuan. Bouzkova bases her game on consistency, and will try to bring out those errors from the Pole. Swiatek may still win even with a poor performance, and likely will prevail, but she would prefer to build some confidence by playing well.
Prediction: Swiatek in 2
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