Day four of the Australian Open features two very enticing matches. The tennis review gives it preview and predictions.
Benjamin Becker Vs Lleyton Hewitt
Head to head: Hewitt leads 2-0.
Night match, Rod Laver Arena, Lleyton Hewitt. The former world No.1 is going to win a set on the back of the home support alone.
While Hewitt is a former finalist at his home slam, Becker has never performed well in Melbourne, going 3-7 in his career. And while Becker upset Julien Benneteau in the previous round, it is not players who come to the net he has had problems with but those who excel from the baseline.
Safin, Djokovic, Amalgro, Dolgopolov, Kyrgios, Baghdatis, Del Potro. Those are the players Becker has lost to. Hewitt, who won two slams from the baseline, may not be as great as he once was from the back of the court, but he still has great footwork and his aggressive counterpunching will most likely wear Becker down, as will the crowd who want too see as much from the 34 year old Hewitt as they can.
Prediction: Ranked 87, Hewitt is not the rankings favorite in this match- Becker is ranked 41- but he will be the crowd’s, and that will push him to make the third round of his home slam. Hewitt to win in four.
Jerzy Janowicz Vs Gael Monfils (17)
Head to head: Monfils leads 1-0
This battle between two of the game’s streakiest players is the day’s highlight.
Monfils has beaten Janowicz on hard recently, winning 6-3, 6-4 in Metz last year. The U.S Open quarter finalist is a consistent player in Melbourne. He has been to the round of 32 on his last seven visits, and made the last 16 six years ago.
Meanwhile this is only Janowicz’s third main draw appearance in the event, though he likes the round of 32, too, making it that far on each of his two visits.
Janowicz did have a good start to 2015, beating Kyrgios in three tough sets in Sydney before going down to Mayer in a third set tiebreaker, but he has not been tested this event.
Meanwhile Monfils had to come back from two sets to love down to win his first round. That won’t have been too tiring for the athletic world No. 19. Instead, it will have given him some match toughness in his first professional match of 2015 as well as knocking out some rust from his game.
Monfils defence and shot-making versus Janowicz’s big hitting and serving. It will be quite the sight over five sets. Monfils, though, has had quite the wake up call this event and if he comes out motivated, he should pull this one out. But you never quite know what you are going to get with the Frenchman, other than a spectacle that is.
Prediction: Monfils to win this entertaining clash of styles in four sets.
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