MATCHES TO WATCH ON DAY THREE OF THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN:
* 15-Ashleigh Barty (AUS) v Wang Yafan (CHN), Rod Laver Arena - Day Session
Australia's great hope should have little trouble finding a way past Wang. Coming off a career-best 2018 campaign and moving into the world top 20, Barty has continued to build momentum early in the new year with a run to the final of last week's Sydney International.
* 3-Roger Federer (SUI) v Daniel Evans (GBR), Rod Laver Arena - Day
The Swiss maestro returns to his favourite Australian hunting ground of RLA with Evans handed the unenviable task of finding a way to take him down. Not since losing in qualifying as a callow teenager in 1999 has Federer failed to at least make it through to the third round at Melbourne Park. It's a run that is almost certain to continue for another year at least.
* 2-Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Matthew Ebden (AUS), Rod Laver Arena - Night Session
Ebden has bristled at suggestions that a Nadal-de Minaur round-three blockbuster is a fait accompli, insisting he is in with a genuine chance of ending the Spaniard's Open campaign in the second round. And why not, with the Australian sitting inside the world's top 50 for the first time? There's also a fair chance Nadal will still be underdone in what will be only his second tour match since a knee problem had forced him out of the US Open semis in September.
* 3-Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) v Johanna Larsson (SWE), Margaret Court Arena - Day
Wozniacki finally ditched the unwanted tag of "best player without a major" last year when she lifted the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. With that burden off her shoulders, the Dane can play at the majors with more freedom. The 30-year-old Larsson's grand-slam pedigree is much more modest - a 15-33 win-loss record spread over a decade of honest, if mostly uninspiring, toil.
* 22-Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) v John Millman (AUS), Melbourne Arena - Day
Having already crushed one dream at Melbourne Park by edging out retiring hero Andy Murray on day one, Bautista Agut will again by wearing the black hat against another crowd favourite. Millman had his grand slam coming of age at last year's US Open when he did the unthinkable and downed Roger Federer.
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