Predicted Winners in BOLD

[6] Petra Kvitova (CZE) vs Luksika Kumkhum (THA) – I like Petra, but her tune-up absence might be a cause for concern.

[1] Serena Williams (USA) vs. Camila Giorgi (ITA) – Serena gets the top ranked unseeded  player for her first match since losing in the US Open semifinal.

[25] Samantha Stosur (AUS) vs [Q] Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) – A nostalgia pick, but her opponent is match tough from qualifying.

Daria Gavrilova (AUS) vs. Lucie Hradecka (CZE)

[4] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) vs. Christina McHale (USA) – This is a terrible draw for both players.

[5] Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs Nao Hibino (JPN) – Sharapova should advance.

[24] Sloane Stephens (USA) vs. [Q] Qiang Wang (CHN) – Sloane tends to play quite well at majors.

[6] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs Yulia Putintseva (KAZ)

Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) vs. Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR)

Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) vs. Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) – Eugenie is playing better and has done well at the past two Aussie Opens.  Still, this is no easy match.

[10] Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP)  vs. [Q] Viktorija Golubic (SUI)

[23] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) – A battle of veterans.

Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) vs. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)

[17] Sara Errani (ITA) vs. Margarita Gasparyan (RUS) – Errani has some momentum, but she will have to take care of her serve to make a dent in this event.

[22] Andrea Petkovic (GER) vs Elizaveta Kulichkova (RUS)

Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) vs. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL)

[12] Belinda Bencic (SUI) vs. Alison Riske (USA) – This is another terrible draw for both players, but I think Bencic wins.

Kurumi Nara (JPN) vs. [WC] Océane Dodin (FRA)

Heather Watson (GBR) vs. Timea Babos (HUN)

Urszula Radwanska (POL) vs. Ana Konjuh (CRO) – A good day for the Radwanska sisters?

[Q] Maria Sakkari (GRE) vs. [Q] Yafan Wang (CHN)

[13] Roberta Vinci (ITA) vs [Q] Tamira Paszek (AUT) – Vinci will have some eyes on her after her run in New York.

[26] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) vs Lauren Davis (USA) – Rocky IV?

Anna Tatishvili (USA) vs. Irina Falconi (USA)

[Q] Nicole Gibbs (USA) vs. Klara Koukalova (CZE)

Mariana Duque-Mariño (COL) vs. [WC] Xinyun Han (CHN)

[28] Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) vs. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) – Cibulkova is a tough out in Melbourne.

Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) vs. Evgeniya Rodina (RUS)

[27] Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) vs Daria Kasatkina (RUS)

Magda Linette (POL) vs. Monica Puig (PUR) – I like Puig

Lourdes Domínguez Lino (ESP) vs. Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER)

Monica Niculescu (ROU) vs. Teliana Pereira (BRA)