Melbourne, Australia) – After playing together for the United Cup earlier this year and securing two wins, Luísa Stefani and Rafael Matos resume their partnership in the Australian Open mixed doubles group. The Brazilians make their debut against Chinese duo Xinyun Han and Zhizhen Zhang.

In the event of victory, Stefani and Matos will be able to face the North American pair Jessica Pegula and Austin Krajicek, seeds 2 of the event, or the American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and the Croatian Mate Pavic.

Aged 27 and from Rio Grande do Sul, Matos has three Grand Slam appearances in mixed doubles and reached the second round of Roland Garros last year, with Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Kichenok. Luísa Stefani, from São Paulo, is 25 and has always had Brazilian partners in the Mixed Slam, qualifying for one round with Bruno Soares in Australia and one with Marcelo Demoliner on grass at Wimbledon, both in 2021.

“I’m really excited to start here at the Australian Open. It’s my favorite tournament and one of my favorite places. It will be my first Slam since coming back from injury and I feel confident and prepared with the last week in Adelaide. conditions, lots of heat, fast ball, good courts… I’m ready to enjoy this tournament,” Stefani said.

In the same quadrant are 8-seeded Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and Australian Max Purcell, who take on China’s Zhaoxuan Yang and Poland’s Jan Zielinski at the start of the season. This side of the table still counts Dutchman Wesley Koolhof and Japanese Ena Shibahara, seeded 4, as highlights.

The main seeds will be Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos and Salvador’s Marcelo Arevalo, who will start against Taiwan’s Latisha Chan and Monaco’s Hugo Nys.