They are two of the biggest hitters on the Hologic WTA Tour, and last year they collided three times in a span of nine weeks. The first of those matches between Naomi Osaka and Caroline Garcia came in the first round of the Australian Open.

And now as a special treat -- in a page borrowed from the “Groundhog Day” script -- they’ll meet again on Monday in precisely the same spot.

“Obviously we are both aggressive players and trying to get the control of the rally very quickly with big serves,” Garcia told reporters ahead of the tournament. “Most of the time it’s the one who goes a bit earlier that is able to win the point.”

Familiarity, it is said, can breed contempt. In this case, not so much. Osaka was a guest on Garcia’s podcast, Tennis Insider Club, this past summer.

“I would say my relationship with her, it’s definitely grown a lot,” Osaka said. “I really respect her a lot. I feel the same energy coming from her. I also like the fact that we were born on the same day [Oct. 16]. I can’t ever have bad blood with a fellow Libra.”

And while this is must-see stuff, there are some other Monday matches of note on Day 2 at the Australian Open -- featuring the Nos.2 and 3 players in the PIF WTA Rankings in action, along with former Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins and Ons Jabeur.

Must See

No.3 Coco Gauff vs. Sofia Kenin

Head-to-head: 2-1, Kenin, including their last meeting, a three-set win for Kenin in the first round at 2023 Wimbledon over the No.7-seeded Gauff.

Gauff (5-0) comes in undefeated after a successful United Cup run; Aryna Sabalenka (5-0) is the only other player who can say that. Gauff was particularly impressive with wins over Iga Swiatek and Karolina Muchova.

But Kenin, currently ranked No.81, has proven to be a thorny opponent. Five years ago, in the Round of 16 here at the Australian Open, Kenin bounced Gauff in three sets on the way to her first Grand Slam singles title. She’s one of only four former champions in the field.

“I think she’s a great mover, has great groundstrokes, pretty steady player, can play aggressive, also plays really good defense,” Gauff said. “I think it’s good for me, though. I feel like every match this year so far has been against tough opponents.

“I feel like I definitely am match-ready for that type level that Sofia will bring.”

No.2 Iga Swiatek vs. Katerina Siniakova

Head-to-head: 0-0.

Swiatek’s best result in Melbourne is reaching the semifinals in 2022. She lost in the third round last year to Linda Noskova. That could actually work to her advantage. If Sabalenka and Gauff are beaten early, she could regain the No.1 ranking.

After a disappointing end to the 2024 season, Swiatek looks ready to go.

“I already played some thrilling matches that were even too long sometimes,” she said, smiling. “I also feel like I had tough moments, I had easy moments, and I had moments where I needed to push through. I think it’s great preparation before the first Slam.”

Siniakova, ranked No.46, won two of three matches in Adelaide.

Naomi Osaka vs. Caroline Garcia

Head-to-head: 2-2, with Garcia winning two of three last year.

The pressing question in Friday’s meeting with the media was the injury Osaka suffered a week ago in Auckland. She took the first set of her semifinal match with Clara Tauson and was six games from winning her first title since the 2021 Australian Open. But Osaka was forced to retire with an abdominal issue.

Judging from her answer, Osaka won’t be 100 percent against Garcia.

“The MRI, it wasn’t fantastic but it wasn’t bad at the same time,” Osaka said. “So saying all that, I’m pretty optimistic about playing my match.”

No.7 Jessica Pegula vs. [WC] Maya Joint

Head-to-head: 0-0.

The top seed in Adelaide, Pegula won her first three matches to sweep into the final. But fellow American Madison Keys was the winner 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.

Pegula made the quarterfinals here three years in a row, from 2021-23.

Joint, an 18-year-old Australian, is ranked No.118 and making her Australian Open main-draw debut. She came within a few games of that last year as a qualifying wild card ranked No.565, reaching the final round and taking eventual semifinalist Dayana Yastremska to three sets.

No.10 Danielle Collins vs. Daria Snigur 

Head-to-head: 0-0.

After announcing her retirement here last year, Collins has decided to return for at least another year. The 31-year-old American posted her best year-end ranking (No.11) and won back-to-back titles in Miami and Charleston.

Collins was part of the United States’ championship team at the United Cup, but did not play singles. Going back to last year, she’s lost five straight matches, including last week’s first-round loss to Ons Jabeur in Adelaide.

Snigur, a 22-year-old qualifier from Ukraine, is ranked No.139 but has a 3-1 record against Top 20 opposition in her career to date, including a first-round upset of Simona Halep at the 2022 US Open.

No.20 Karolina Muchova vs. Nadia Podoroska

Head-to-head: 1-1, most recently Muchova was a second-round winner at 2023 Roland Garros.

If nothing else, Muchova is already battle-tested, with losses to No.2 Swiatek and No.3 Gauff at the United Cup. Podoroska, meanwhile, was 1-1 for Argentina.

Ons Jabeur vs. Anhelina Kalinina

Head-to-head: 2-0, Jabeur, but their last meeting, two years ago in Cincinnati, went three sets and featured two tiebreakers.

It was a long year for Jabeur, who struggled with injuries, including a chronic, aching knee. It was good to see her wielding her unique brand of sorcery in Brisbane, winning three matches before falling to Mirra Andreeva (in a second-set tiebreak) in the quarterfinals. Jabeur split two matches in Adelaide, but seems ready to raise her ranking from the current No.40.

The No.48-ranked Kalinina started the season with four straight wins before falling to Polina Kudermetova in the Brisbane semifinals.

Ons Jabeur

Jimmie48/WTA

Seeded players in action on Day 2

Rod Laver Arena

  • Coco Gauff (USA) [3] vs. Sofia Kenin (USA) (11:30 a.m. local)

Margaret Court Arena

  • Danielle Collins (USA) [10] vs. Daria Snigur (UKR) (second match)

John Cain Arena

  • Iga Swiatek (POL) [2] vs. Katerina Siniakova (CZE) (not before 1:30 p.m.)
  • Jessica Pegula (USA) [7] vs. Maya Joint (AUS) (5 p.m.)

KIA Arena

  • Diana Shnaider (RUS) [12] vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) (11 a.m.)
  • Lucia Bronzetti (ITA) vs. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) [21] (second match)

1573 Arena

  • Belinda Bencic (SUI) [16] vs. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) (second match)
  • Marta Kostyuk (UKR) [17] vs. Nao Hibino (JPN) (third match)

Court 5

  • Karolina Muchova (CZE) [20] vs. Nadia Podoroska (ARG) (fourth match)

Court 6

  • Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) [27] vs. Yue Yuan (CHN) (third match)

Court 7

  • Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) [25] vs. Kamilla Rakhimova (11 a.m. start)
  • Elina Svitolina (UKR) [28] vs. Sorana Cirstea (ROU) (second match)

Court 13

  • Magdalena Frech (POL) [23] vs. Polina Kudermetova (second match)