Day five of the Australian Open and the first day of the third round sees things getting serious down under as we get closer to the business end of the event. Three of the most intriguing matches see a veteran hungry to win his first slam versus a man with a point to prove, a giant of the tour with a chance to turn around a head to head, and an former finalist and all time talent versus a fresher face seeking to reach his first slam championship match. The tennis review previews the action and gives its predictions.
Thomas Berdych (7) Vs Viktor Troicki
Head to head: Berdych leads 5-1
This match between two of the most in form players in the tournament is the match of the day.
Berdych was a runner up in Doha and played great tennis all the way to the final, and Troicki was impressive in his Sydney win.
Berdych lost his first meeting with Troicki but has not dropped a set to him since. The last time they played, on a similar medium paced slow court in Beijing in September 2013, Berdych won 6-3, 6-4.
But Troicki has, like Berdych, started 2015 an inspired man. With a point to prove after his doping ban, Troicki is making up for last time, and tennis is full of players making a name for themselves post doping bans ( See Cilic, Coria, Puerta for examples).
The Serbian is on a ten match winning streak and while Berdych may not be a good match up for him, if he is ever going to make a match of it against the seventh seed, it is now.
With both men playing some of their best tennis recently, and both hungry for success- Berdych has spoken recently how he wants to win a slam before his career is out- this is going to be a high quality contest with plenty at stake.
Prediciton: Berdych to win in five.
Kevin Anderson (14) Vs Richard Gasquet (24)
Head to head: Gasquet leads 4-1
Gasquet matches up well with Anderson- his flair and back court skills enable him to outwit the big serving hard hitting 14th seed. He has beaten him in four of their five hard court meetings and won all four tiebreak sets they have played.
This would be a big win for Gasquet, currently ranked 28 after being ranked 14 last U.S Open. But Anderson will not be a push over. The 203 cm tall South African has served 46 aces and only dropped a set so far this Australian Open. Meanwhile Gasquet has was taken to five sets in his first round against Igor Sisling.
Gasquet can also put in some passive performances against the big hitters- see his recent loss to Berdych to Doha in which he won 3 games- and if Anderson comes out serving aces and getting short balls, Gasquet may find himself stuck far behind the baseline where he is prone to be overpowered by players of the big hitting ilk of Anderson.
Gasquet will have to come out ready to show off his variety and take some risks. That is something he has not been doing of late, but the prospect of a slam last sixteen match might push him forward to rip that backhand and move in to finish the points.
Prediction: Anderson to lessen his deficit to Gasquet, takes the match in five.
Marcos Baghdatis Vs Grigor Dimitrov (10)
Head to head: Dimitrov leads 5-1.
Two huge talents and shot makers, often to the detriment of their results, will go head to head in the third round here.
Both men are willing to sacrifice wins for applause, though Baghdatis has taken it to greater heights than Dimitrov. The 2006 finalist is, arguably, the most wasted talent of the last decade, and his revival this Australian Open is much welcomed.
He will certainly welcome the chance to upset Dimitrov. The Bulgarian has been slumping the last six months, though his recent run to the last four in Brisbane, and his two straight wins in Melbourne suggest that slump is over.
Baghdatis will certainly test if that is true or not. The Cypriot thrashed 2oth seed David Goffin in the previous round, taking the fourth and final set of their match 6-0. Baghdatis has nothing to lose, a wealth of experience, and loves big matches in Melbourne, and Dimitrov had better be up for a battle.
Prediction: Dimitrov to win in four tough sets.
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