Aussie Open Day 7: Match Analysis and Picks
By Charles Bricker
Yesterday's record: 2-2
Tourney record: 15-7 (+5.99 units)
(6) TOMAS BERDYCH (-160) VS. (9) FERNANDO VERDASCO (+143)
A terrific fan's match between a couple of big hitters. You love Verdasco's first-strike, super-aggressive tennis, but he's lost the last four on hardcourts to Berdych and trails the overall head-to-head series 6-4. Berdych had a disappointing 2010 season, but looks fresh again and solid in consecutive wins in Melbourne over Philipp Kohlschreiber and Richard Gasquet. Verdasco had to come from two sets down in the second round to Janko Tipsarevic, but has rolled since. Two players of suspect consistency, but Verdasco is more suspect.
Winner: Berdych
(8) ANDY RODDICK (+101) VS. (19) STAN WAWRINKA (-109)
Pay no attention to the slight 2-1 head-to-head edge for Wawrinka. He won both on retirements. Still, he hasn't lost a set and looked very strong in whipping Gael Monfils in the last round. Roddick has 67 aces in three matches, but he's been surprisingly docile at times off the ground. Strong finish in a four-setter vs. Robin Haase last round, but . . .
Winner: Wawrinka
(8) VICTORIA AZARENKA (-103) VS. (9) LI NA (-105)
Neither has lost a set yet and the winner gets, probably, a shaky Maria Sharapova in the next round. Go with the hot hand here, and that's the Chinese player, who won Sydney a week ago. Azarenka is younger and bigger, but Li is no wimp. She remains perhaps the least known of the Top 10 players.
Winner: Li
(6) FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE (+198) VS. (23) SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA (-211)
Since winning the French Open last year, the Italian was only 14-13 coming into Australia. She's had a fairly easy run to this point, but it's hard to see her winning this one. Kuznetsova holds an overall 8-4 head-to-head edge and is 6-0 on hardcourts versus Schiavone. That was a nervous Svetlana trying to finish off Justine Henin in the third round, but she has a history of that. Still, big win for her.
Winner: Kuznetsova