Australian Open women’s singles round 3: Serena will check teenage talent

Almost 100 places in the WTA World Rankings separated 2008 Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova and the USA’s Lauren Davis before the tournament began, and that gulf is a huge one for the youngster to bridge.

Sharapova is a very strong 1/33 to win her maiden encounter with Davis (11/1 for another upset), who did for 26th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova before following up by beating Magdalena Rybarikova.

Women’s world number four Agnieszka Radwanska has a Puerto Rican opponent in the last 32 in Monica Puig. This is also a first-ever fixture between these two, and the class of Polish player Radwanska should tell with her at 1/10 to take the match and 1/3 to do so 2-0.

Bencic to win Bondarenko battle

Switzerland’s most promising prospect is Belinda Bencic, and the teenage talent takes on experienced Ukraninian pro Kateryna Bondarenko for the first time.

A potential clash with Sharapova in the last 16 awaits the winner, and the prospect of odds-on 2/9 third round match favourite Bencic having to face the Russian could be one of the games of this year’s Australian Open.

Beguiling Bencic is better at 4/6 to beat Bondarenko in straight sets, with the latter a 10/3 outsider to triumph over her young opponent.

Gavrilova an even chance in Mladenovic match

An even-money price on Russia-born Australian representative Daria Gavrilova getting the better of number 28 seed Kristian Mladenovic also appeals.

Like the above matches, this is the first encounter between two young women who are expected to kick on and challenge at the business end of Grand Slams in the coming years.

Mladenovic may be a false favourite, albeit a narrow one, at 4/5, as Gavrilova dumped two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova out in round two.

For Melbourne resident Gavrilova to repeat that straight sets success here, punters can get a nifty 9/4 price that is begging to be snapped up.

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Coral’s top tip: Gavrilova is well worth a gamble to win her match with Maldenovic 2-0 at 9/4.