Both Serena and Venus Williams may have payback on their minds as they begin their journey through the second week at the Australian Open.

Serena Williams versus Garbiñe Muguruza

No player likes losing.  Serena Williams arguably hates it more than most.  At times, she almost seems to take it personally.  Garbiñe Muguruza inflicted one of those personal losses on Williams last year when she surprised the American in the second round of Roland Garros.  The two will meet on Monday in Melbourne for the first time since that stunner, and one can be sure that Williams will be looking to get revenge for Paris.

Everyone knows Williams is capable of avenging that loss.  She is one of the most decorated players in the history of the sport, and she got a big monkey off her back by capturing her 18th major singles title last year at the US Open.  Five of those 18 titles came right here at the Australian Open, so she is no stranger to putting in the hard yards in the bustling city of Melbourne.  Finally, she is Serena Williams.  When at her best, she is the most dominant player in the game.

Muguruza will be well aware that she faces a daunting opponent when she sees Williams across the net, but she also knows that she is playing some pretty good tennis.  She had a nice win over Agnieszka Radwanska in Sydney, and she has put together patches here where she has played brilliantly, barely even dropping games.  In addition to that, she enters this match already knowing that she is capable of beating Williams.

Having that belief could prove key for the current world No. 24.  She got blitzed by Williams at this venue two years ago, so hopefully having secured that victory in Paris will allow her to relax and go for her shots.  Oddly enough, her lopsided score lines here may also aid her cause, since she is probably less likely to be anxious if she gets down early.  Then there is the fact that Williams has hardly looked sure of herself this season.  She suffered some ugly losses in Hopman Cup, and she has been slow out of the gates.  Williams will be keenly aware that the Spaniard may not let her off the hook if she produces another sluggish start.

Muguruza has the tools to hurt Williams, particularly if Williams is off her game.  The Spaniard stands six feet tall and is a heavy hitter off both wings.  She can hang with Williams from the baseline, but it is imperative that she do so by employing the same game plan from Paris, which is to hit primarily straight down the middle.  Doing so avoids giving Williams angles with which to work.  If Muguruza will not give her angles, Williams needs to find a way to create them.  Opening up the court and turning the match into a track meet favors the American, since she is the better mover and will make it more difficult for the Spaniard to match her pace of shot if she is forced to hit on the run.  The deciding factor in this match, though, will be the serve of Williams.  It is the biggest weapon in the sport, and when clicking, the rest of her game follows suit.  If not clicking, Williams tends to press, and Muguruza will punish her on any second deliveries.

There are certainly some important intangibles in this contest.  Which Williams will show up?  How will Muguruza cope with the pressure of trying to repeat her performance from Paris?  Who will prove best able to manage the big moments?  With all of her experience, Williams is the slight favorite to cross the finish line, but in truth, given their present states, this one is arguably too close to call.

Agnieszka Radwanska versus Venus Williams

This is a match of contrasting styles that has the potential to keep fans glued to their seats until the final ball is struck. Radwanska’s journey to this point has been mostly under the radar, but the Pole has looked very solid here at the start of 2015.  She secured her first win over Serena Williams en route to winning the Hopman Cup alongside countryman Jerzy Janowicz, and she has been relatively dominant in her matches here in Melbourne.  With new coach and tennis legend Martina Navratilova now in her corner, Radwanska is looking and playing like a competitor with greater belief and a renewed sense of purpose.

One could argue that Williams is also someone playing with a new level of belief and purpose.  The American has struggled with her game in recent years, but she has looked more like the Williams of old through the start of this season.  She kicked it off with an impressive title run in Auckland, and she now finds herself in the second week of the Australian Open for the first time since 2010.  While Williams is no doubt happy with her run in Melbourne, however, she will not be satisfied if her journey ends here.

Whose journey will be cut short in the fourth round is anyone’s guess, as history has shown there is little to choose between these two fierce competitors.  Williams holds a 5-4 edge against Radwanska and has won two of the three meetings that occurred at the majors.  But while Williams has the overall winning record in their rivalry, it is Radwanska who has won their last three encounters, the most recent of which came last summer in the final of Montréal.   She will be keen to make it four in a row with another victory over Williams here.

Williams will not make it easy for Radwanska to get that fourth consecutive victory, however.  She possesses more firepower, and between her reach and speed, it is essentially impossible for Radwanska to hit through the American.  Of course, Radwanska is no slouch either when it comes to tracking down balls.  She has the gift of anticipation and has historically shown an exceptional ability to cover the court. 

Both will need to work hard to exploit the other’s weaknesses.  For Williams, that means putting in a lot of first serves and getting to net as much as possible to keep the points short.  The long rallies favor Radwanska, but she needs to force herself to stay up on the baseline to avoid allowing Williams to dictate too often.  Additionally, Radwanska needs to use everything in her bag of tricks. Giving Williams different looks is more apt to avoid allowing her to get into a deadly rhythm from the baseline and instead procure unforced errors.

Suffice it to say both players will be probing and constantly re-evaluating the situation as they search for a way to advance.  The smart money would be on Radwanska to pull off the victory.  She has reached the quarterfinals or better here the last four years, has expended less energy to get to this point, and has won her last three matches against Williams.  But do not count out Venus.  She is the player with the greater weapons, and if she comes out guns blazing, it could be a long day at the office for the Pole.  But no matter which way this one unfolds, the 10th meeting between these star players should live up to the hype.