Novak Djokovic and Stanislas Wawrinka are two rounds away from a rematch of last year’s Australian Open epic. They first have to get past Denis Istomin and Vasek Pospisil, respectively, on Friday.

Denis Istomin vs. (2) Novak Djokovic

Djokovic and Istomin will be going head-to-head for the fourth time in their careers when they collide in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday. All three of their previous encounters have gone Djokovic’s way, but the most recent one was competitive; the Serb prevailed 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 last summer in Montreal. Djokovic, the three-time defending champion Down Under, is off to a solid start this fortnight and has extended his winning streak to 26 with routs of Lukas Lacko and Leonardo Mayer.

Istomin may not be a huge name on tour, but he is no stranger to the big stage. The 49th-ranked Uzbek is through to the last 32…