Aussie Open Day 3: Match Analysis and Picks
By Charles Bricker
Yesterday’s record: 3-1
Tourney record: 7-1 (+2.78 units)
(17) MARDY FISH (-103) VS. TOMMY ROBREDO (-107)
Fish isn't in his best form as he continues to work back from a late 2010 injury and he needed to rally back from two sets down to win his first round match versus Victor Hanescu. Tommy Robredo is also not the player he once was, but he holds a 4-3 lifetime edge over Fish. The Spaniard remains one of the quicker players on tour and he swept by Samdev Devvarman in straights in the opening round. Tough match here, but Fish's serve makes the difference.
Winner: Fish
FLORIAN MAYER (-215) VS. KEI NISHIKORI (+193)
The tall, spindly German has played his best tennis over the last nine months and he should be favored after a first-round upset of No. 23 Nikolay Davydenko. He's ranked No. 36 to Nishikori's No. 82, but I like young Nishikori, who is fully recovered from surgery that set him back a year ago. Nishikori in four over Fabio Fognini in Round 1 and 1-0 versus Mayer in their only previous match at Delray Beach, Florida in 2008.
Winner: Nishikori
JELENA DOKIC (+147) VS. BARBORA ZAHLAVOVA STRYKOVA (-163)
It's been 13 years since Dokic won the U.S. Open Junior title, but she's had a failed pro career. At 27, she's trying to regain some respectability. Ranked No. 137, she reached the second round with a solid win over Zuzana Ondroskova. Strykova, who played a four-hour, 19-minute match at the 2010 Aussie Open, upset Aravane Rezai in the first round.
Winner: Strykova