Australian Open 2014 Day 1 Matches to Watch

The tennis season gets into full swing with the first Grand Slam of the year set to get underway later today. I pick five matches to watch on day 1 of the 2014 Australian Open.

Ekaterina Makarova (22) vs. Venus Williams

In her prime, this wouldn’t even be a contest for Venus Williams. However, the last three years have been extremely difficult for Venus as she has dealt with injury and illness. Nevertheless, there were some encouraging signs for the former world number one in her run to the Brisbane Open final to begin the season. Venus can still hit the big shots and baseline winners, but if her opponent extends rallies, she is now prone to unforced errors.

Makarova had an excellent 2013, culminating in a quarterfinal appearance at the US Open. One of the few players on the WTA tour that is comfortable at net, Makarova will have to rely on her defensive skills to drag Venus around the court. On the other hand, if Makarova makes too many forays to the net, Venus might enjoy having a target to pass. As the rallying skills of both players are suspect, the result could hinge on which player holds their composure on serve.

Heather Watson vs. Daniela Hantuchova (31)

A match between two counter-punchers, as the young Brit takes on the experienced Slovak. Both have similar styles of play, with excellent recovery skills. I have a feeling the match could be a war of attrition, in which case Hantuchova’s experience and slightly bigger game could make the difference. Watson will rely on keeping the ball in play and drawing errors from the 31st seed. However, if the match goes long, Watson’s gruelling schedule in coming through the qualifiers could count against her.

Laura Robson vs. Kirsten Flipkens (18)

Another match between a young British player and an experienced campaigner sees Laura Robson against Wimbledon semi-finalist Kirsten Flipkens. On her day, Flipkens is one of the most tactically astute players on the WTA tour. However, since her fantastic run at SW19 last year, Flipkens’ game has tailed off. Flipkens will need to use her variety, especially her sneaky approach shots to unsettle Robson. However, the left-handed Robson’s game is getting bigger, and as long as she stays steady on her serve, I expect the youngster to knock out the 18th seed in a match that should be pleasing on the eye.

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez vs. Tommy Haas (12)

Incredibly, Haas continues to play at a high level at the age of 35. The German veteran loves playing in Australia, and arguably should have won his maiden slam here in 2002. Haas has changed his game with age, mixing daring raids to the net with crafty chips and slices. Still possessing a rapier like single-handed backhand, the crowd will certainly be in Haas’ favour as he takes on the wily Garcia-Lopez. The Spaniard doesn’t posses a big game, but is adept at taking the pace off the ball with his loopy shots from the baseline. Haas should have enough finesse to progress onto the second round, but Garcia-Lopez will certainly make a few sets interesting especially if he manages to induce errors from the veteran.

Marcos Baghdatis vs. Denis Istomin

This match could end up being a shot-makers dream, as both Baghdatis and Istomin are capable of switching between sublime and ridiculous within the course of a few points. Baghdatis sadly never kicked on from his run to the Australian Open final in 2006, but still remains a crowd favourite. The Cypriot has the better all court game, but with Istomin possessing a huge serve, a couple of tiebreaks could swing this match either way, which would be in keeping with the unpredictable nature of the protagonists in this contest.

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US Open Men's Quarterfinals Top Half Preview

Mikhail Youzhny and Stanislas Wawrinka stand between a dream semifinal between defending champion Andy Murray and world number one Novak Djokovic, as I preview the last two men's quarterfinals at the US Open on Thursday.

Novak Djokovic (1) vs. Mikhail Youzhny (21)

 Djokovic (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Not many players who make it into the second week of a grand slam can boast a victory featuring two bagels in the round of 16. That's exactly what Djokovic did against Marcel Granollers in the last round, dishing a 6-3 6-0 6-0 hammering of the unseeded Spaniard. Mikhail Youzhny is a much better player than Granollers, and is always a dangerous opponent at the US Open, where he has reached the quarterfinals and beyond on two occasions before. However, the Russian veteran goes into the match after a physical marathon where he beat Lleyton Hewitt after coming back from two sets to one down. The fact that he also had to come back from 4-1 and 5-2 down in the fourth and fifth sets respectively speaks of Youzhny's fighting spirit, however no matter how hard he tries, a fresh and confident Djokovic should ease through to the semifinals in straight sets.

Andy Murray (3) vs. Stanislas Wawrinka (9)

The defending champion was rusty yet again in his fourth round victory over the dangerous Denis Istomin, and were it not for Istomin's loose play in some crucial points, the match could well have gone the full distance. Particularly annoying for Murray were a high amount of unforced errors on the forehand, and he will know better than most, that if he doesn't step up the level of his play, his dream of retaining his first grand slam crown is going to go up in smoke. Stanislas Wawrinka is a big step up on Murray's previous opponents at Flushing Meadows, and the elegant Swiss was in spectacular form as he outplayed the big hitting Tomas Berdych in a fantastic victory in the round of 16. Murray knows firsthand that if he doesn't play at his best in this match he is going to be vulnerable to a defeat, as was the case at the US Open third round in 2010, when Wawrinka beat him in four sets. If both men play to their best level, we are going to witness a match of supreme shot making, with Murray's superior fitness and tactical mastery carrying him through in four high quality and well-fought sets against Wawrinka.

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US Open Men's Round of 16 Top Half preview

After the bottom half of the men's draw served up some exciting round of 16 matches, including Tommy Robredo's upset of Roger Federer, I preview the round's top half matches.

Novak Djokovic (1) vs. Marcel Granollers

 Novak Djokovic (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Djokovic has been imperious in New York this year, hardly breaking a sweat on his way to the fourth round. As Djokovic himself admitted, the only area he is looking to further improve upon, is to be ruthless on his serve when he is in the lead, but even that concern can be filed under nitpicking. The world number one is looking resolute in his focus to win another grand slam to add to his Australian Open success at the beginning of the year, and the wily Granollers is not likely to be an obstacle on his way to the quarterfinals. The Spaniard likes to mix it up by chipping and charging and has good touch at net, but is completely outmatched in every other department resulting in another straight sets victory for Djokovic.

Mikhail Youzhny (21) vs. Lleyton Hewitt

A battle between two veterans who have done extremely well to get to this stage. Youzhny played exceptionally to beat Tommy Haas in the previous round, displaying good variety on his serve and choosing the right moments to hit winners from the baseline. Hewitt followed up his upset of Juan Martin Del Potro in the second round with a typically solid win over Evgeny Donskoy in the last round. Hewitt is managing to get a lot of free points on his serve in this tournament so far, and it will once again be a crucial weapon in a match that is going to feature lots of long baseline rallies.

Hewitt is at his best when he counterpunches, however Youzhny is not a player who relies excessively on power, and it could prompt a different game plan from the Australian. The match is simply too close to call, but with the 2001 champion now a crowd favourite as he nears the end of his career, Hewitt might just sneak past Youzhny due to his unwavering spirit and desire to make the quarterfinals of a grand slam again.

Andy Murray (3) vs. Denis Istomin

If the defending champion were to be honest with himself, Andy Murray would say he hasn't been at his best during this hard court summer. However, the ultimate proof that Murray is now dining at the top table, is that he can ride the rough patches to still win grand slam matches easily. With his confidence surging on the back of his historic Wimbledon triumph, the Scotsman is playing with a swagger that should be too much for the big hitting Denis Istomin. Istomin is one of the streakier players on tour, with his combination of big serving and heavy hitting making him a difficult opponent. However, the Uzbek struggles to maintain his accuracy over a long stretch of play, especially against top tier opponents. Expect a tie break, but with one of the best returns in the game negating Istomin's biggest strength, not to mention the fact he will probably tire his opponent by dragging him all over the court, Murray should make it to the quarterfinals in serene fashion.

Stanislas Wawrinka (9) vs. Tomas Berdych (6)

The match of the day as far as the men's draw is concerned, this contest has the potential to go the full distance. Berdych barely broke a sweat in his victory over Julien Benneteau in the last round, while Wawrinka came through a tough four-setter against Marcos Baghdatis. Wawrinka leads the head-to-head 6-5, with four wins out of the last five meetings between the pair. However, Berdych's sole victory came on a hard court in a tough Davis Cup match earlier this year. I think Wawrinka has the craft to trouble Berdych, especially if he can entice his opponent to come forward, a zone that the Czech is not entirely comfortable in. In Berdych's favour though is the physical edge, especially if the conditions are humid as they have been for most of the Open this year. Matches between these two are never straightforward, and it might just come down to who wants it more.

US Open Day 2 Matches to Watch

The second day of the US Open might not present too many headline acts, but nonetheless they are some match-ups that cater to the tennis enthusiast.

Lukasz Kubot vs. Jarkko Nieminen

The history of grand slams are riddled with surprise quarter-finalists, but it would be difficult to remember a run to the last eight as unexpected as Kubot's at Wimbledon this year. The story was all the more remarkable considering the fact that Kubot probably has one of the most unremarkable games on tour. Kubot has a huge first serve, but his ground strokes though powerful are extremely erratic. Nieminen himself has been a surprise quarter finalist at grand slams three times, and a more rounded game coupled with a swinging lefty serve, should see him through in four sets punctuated by aces.

Maria Kirilenko (14) vs. Yanina Wickmayer

I enjoy watching Kirilenko, as the Russian isn't overtly reliant on power to win points. An excellent scrambler, Kirilenko can mix up slices and drop shots cleverly ensuring her opponents are always on the run. Wickmayer made the semi finals at the US Open in 2009, and was touted by many as a possible successor to her more esteemed compatriots Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin. Unfortunately, the Belgian hasn't elevated her game to the levels expected of her. Nevertheless, at the age of 23 Wickmayer can still improve, and will prove a dangerous opponent for Kirilenko in the first round.

Denis Istomin vs. Nicolas Almagro (15)

Another match between two big servers on the ATP tour. Almagro should have been celebrating a career year at the grand slams, but two horrible meltdowns after being two sets up against compatriots David Ferrer and Tommy Robredo in Melbourne and Paris respectively have resulted in the Spaniard coming to Flushing Meadows with many doubts. Istomin is a tricky opponent, and in addition to possessing a brilliant first serve, is a shot maker capable of hitting winners from ridiculous angles. Almagro has the greater finesse, and the fact that he can generate the same amount of power from either backhand or forehand should ensure a tight win over Istomin in a match that is bound to feature a few tie breaks.

Heather Watson vs. Simona Halep (21)

Watson has had a tough year dealing with glandular fever. It takes a while for a tennis player to get back to their peak after recovering from such a serious illness, but the Brit is a fierce competitor, and would love nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of her compatriot Laura Robson, who had a good win on day one. However, Watson faces a difficult opponent in the 21st seed Simona Halep. The Romanian is coming into the US Open on the back of a fantastic run in Cincinnati, where she beat Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli and followed it up with a win over former US Open champion Samantha Stosur. Impressively, Halep then won the final tune up event at New Haven, brushing aside Petra Kvitova in the final. Watson will probably end up being the better player in the long run, but she might struggle to match her opponent physically in their match up this year, as Halep is extremely adept at extending rallies due to her excellent defence from the baseline. It should make for a nervy cat and mouse encounter, with Halep having the edge due to her current form.

Tommy Haas (12) vs. Paul-Henri Mathieu

Haas' achievements this year are a testament to his fitness and determination, reaching the quarterfinals at Roland Garros and the round of 16 at Wimbledon, only to lose to Novak Djokovic on both occasions. With his backhand still purring at the age of 35, Haas remains one of the most aesthetically pleasing players to watch. Mathieu has never lived up to his potential, with the Frenchman sadly not able to overcome mental hurdles in the middle of matches. At one time, a shot maker with a penchant for flair, Mathieu now relies on his defensive qualities to stay in matches. Expect some great rallies in this match, but ultimately Haas should prevail after three sets of good committed tennis.

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