Two Wimbledon champions who never have won Down Under look to secure their tickets to the second week against a pair of hard-hitting youngsters as WTA action unfolds at the Australian Open.

Petra Kvitova versus Madison Keys

Heading into majors, there are frequently discussions about who the favorites are and who the dark horses are.  Then there are those rare players who are a little of both.  Petra Kvitova is one of those players.  She can play brilliantly one day and struggle to put the ball in the court the next.  Which Kvitova shows up to face Madison Keys is as yet unknown and makes their third-round encounter an enticing opportunity for both.

Kvitova has plenty of reason to be brimming with confidence heading into this match against the young American.  She has previously put forth Australian Open semifinal and quarterfinal efforts in years past, so she knows she is capable of going deep in Melbourne.  She just picked up her second major singles crown last year at Wimbledon, and she has been playing exceptional ball in the early stages of 2015, as evidenced by her semifinal appearance in Shenzhen and title run in Sydney.  Perhaps most importantly for the Czech, however, is that she is in much better shape, which could pay dividends in the often brutal conditions the players face at the Australian Open.

Fitness is not something about which Keys can currently boast.  She has struggled with some niggling injuries, and that has hampered her efforts on the court.  She lost her second matches in both Brisbane and Sydney, so she has done well just to equal her best performance at a major with her appearance in the third round at Melbourne.  With new coach Lindsay Davenport in her corner, no doubt she will be optimistic about trying to cause another upset and reach the second week of a major for the first time in her career.

Optimism and belief will be essential for Keys in this match, since she is definitely facing an uphill battle against the Czech.  Everything that Keys does, Kvitova does better.  Kvitova possesses superior firepower off both wings and the serve, and she has the added benefit of being left-handed.  Furthermore, Kvitova has more big-match experience than the young American, and she comes into this contest knowing that she drubbed Keys in straight sets in their lone meeting two years ago in Tokyo.  To get the victory, Keys is going to have to play out of her comfort zone, particularly off the serve and return, to try and gain control of the rallies, as well as hope that Kvitova is a little off her game.  All Kvitova needs to do is stay focused on the match at hand and play within herself.  If she does that, she should come through with flying colors.

Of course, in sports what should be and what actually transpires is not always one in the same.  Kvitova has made a lot of progress towards becoming a more consistent player week-in-and-week-out, but she can still be prone to error-strewn performances.  If she has a bad day, it is up to Keys to make the most of the opportunity.  If not, expect Kvitova to advance with a very good look at going for the Australian Open crown.

Venus Williams versus Camila Giorgi

Nothing lasts forever.  It is something that every athlete knows, and no matter how accomplished that athlete is, their window as a professional will eventually close.  Over the past couple of years, Venus Williams has been made painfully aware of this fact.  But like many other great champions, she also knows that there is no telling when a legendary veteran will find a way to turn back the clock and produce something special.  That is what she is hoping to do at this year’s Australian Open, but she is going to have to get by Camila Giorgi if she wishes to continue that journey.

On paper, Williams is the one favored to make it to week 2.  She started playing some great tennis again in the second half of last year, and that has carried over into 2015.  She opened this season by capturing the title in Auckland by defeating Caroline Wozniacki in the final, and she now finds herself ranked back in the top 20.  Williams is also a former Australian Open finalist, so she comes into this match already knowing what it takes to go deep in Melbourne.

Giorgi does not know what it is to reach the final here.  In fact, she has never been beyond the second round of the Australian Open.  That said, she is not likely to be lacking in confidence either.  The Italian has been to the fourth round of both Wimbledon and the US Open, and she has begun to play some of the best tennis of her career over the course of the last 12 months.  She got a win under her belt in Hobart, and she had a nice win over her countrywoman and No. 12 seed Flavia Pennetta in the opening round here.  She is not going to shy away from the prospect of playing Williams.

Playing Venus will be a challenging prospect, however.  She has 40 extra pounds on the Italian and an extra seven inches in height.  Also, Williams is going to be able to better track down balls and be in a far better position to control the rallies.  Giorgi is good at hugging the baseline, though, which she will need to do in order to take the ball early and keep Williams off balance.  Additionally, it is imperative that Giorgi capitalize on the moments when she gets a look at a second serve, since that could translate into double faults from the American as the match progresses.  Williams needs to she on putting in a lot of first serves and stay patient in the rallies.  In addition to that, Williams must have faith herself in the pressure moments. After all, it is she, and not Camila, who has hoisted Grand Slam singles trophies in the past.

Between having the bigger game and vastly more experience, Williams should get through this one, but she cannot let her guard down.  Giorgi is a fighter, and she will make Williams work for it.  The American also has not been to the second week in Melbourne since 2010, and there is no telling if that fact will plant seeds of doubt in her mind.  In the end, this could be the first real test for Williams, but if she plays at or near her best, expect to see her book a berth in the round of 16