The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Australian Open: Men's and women's quarter-final line-ups completed

Roar Guru
26th January, 2015
Advertisement
Nick Krygios continues to confuse and frustrate. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Roar Guru
26th January, 2015
0
1780 Reads

Only eight men and eight women remain in the Australian Open singles draws and some of the pre-tournament favourites – namely Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova – are still there.

However, there were some big names who unexpectedly departed early – the great Roger Federer on the men’s side, as well as Petra Kvitova, Ana Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwanska on the women’s side.

Let’s now take a look at each of the men’s four matches in detail:

Tuesday

Tomas Berdych (7) versus Rafael Nadal (3)
Head-to-head: Nadal 18-3
Last meeting: Nadal 6-4, 6-2, quarter-finals, 2014 Madrid Masters

Tomas Berdych has reached the quarter-finals without dropping a set for the third consecutive year, but to repeat his semi-final performance from last year, the Berdman will have to take his game up to a whole new level against Rafael Nadal.

The Czech has not beaten the Spaniard since 2006, suffering 17 consecutive losses since. Nadal has navigated through his draw without any real difficulty, with the only exception being his five-set win over American qualifier Tim Smyczek in the second round.

With Roger Federer out of the way, Nadal knows that this is his chance to reach another Australian Open final and make amends for his shock loss to Stan Wawrinka in last year’s decider, which he lost in four sets after being hampered by injury.

Advertisement

But first, the 2009 champion should get past Tomas Berdych, with three-time runner-up and the man who dethroned him as the champion in 2010 albeit due to injury, Andy Murray, likely to await in the last four.

Prediction: Rafael Nadal in straight sets.

Andy Murray (6) versus Nick Kyrgios
Head-to-head: Murray 1-0
Last meeting: Murray 6-2, 6-2, second round, 2014 Rogers Cup

Nick Kyrgios will carry an entire nation on his shoulders when he locks horns with former US Open and Wimbledon champion Andy Murray in front of what is expected to be a packed Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday night.

Kyrgios has proven that his run to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon last year was no fluke, becoming the first local man in a decade to get this far at Melbourne Park. Now only Murray stands in the way of him and a potential rematch against Rafael Nadal, whom Kyrgios toppled at Wimbledon last year.

The Scot endured a poor early 2014 season but after securing the services of Amelie Mauresmo as coach midway through last year, he won three titles and finished the year ranked sixth in the world.

It will be his experience of having not only won two Grand Slam titles, but also reaching the final here three times, which will prove the difference between himself and Kyrgios, who is guaranteed to crack the world’s top 40 for the first time regardless of the result.

Advertisement

Prediction: Andy Murray in straight sets.

Wednesday

Stan Wawrinka (4) versus Kei Nishikori (5)
Head-to-head: Wawrinka 2-1
Last meeting: Nishikori 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), 6-7(5), 6-4, quarter-finals, 2014 US Open

The last time Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori met in a Grand Slam match, Japan’s Nishikori was on his way to becoming the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam final, where he eventually lost to Croatia’s Marin Cilic in straight sets at the US Open.

En route to that final, Nishikori outlasted reigning Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka in five gruelling sets, and did so two days after enduring another five-setter against Canada’s Milos Raonic in the fourth round.

Four-and-a-half months removed from their dramatic US Open quarter-final, the pair will meet again with Wawrinka facing the biggest challenge of his Australian Open defence yet.

The Swiss number two has wasted little time in adjusting to his status as a defending Grand Slam champion, but was almost pushed to five sets by Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the fourth round as opposed to Nishikori who easily defeated another Spaniard, David Ferrer, in straight sets.

Advertisement

Wawrinka will be out not only to continue in the defence of the title he won over Rafael Nadal last year, but also gain some revenge for his heartbreaking five-set loss to the Japanese at Flushing Meadows last year.

Prediction: Stan Wawrinka in five sets.

Novak Djokovic (1) versus Milos Raonic (8)
Head-to-head: Djokovic 4-0
Last meeting: Djokovic 6-2, 6-3, final, 2014 Paris Masters

The last of the men’s quarter-finals features four-time champion Novak Djokovic and Canadian serving machine Milos Raonic.

World number one Djokovic has not lost a set as he looks to regain the Australian Open crown he lost to Stan Wawrinka twelve months ago, defeating Aljaz Bedene, Andrey Kuznetsov, Fernando Verdasco and Gilles Muller.

He faces his first serious test when he takes on Canadian Raonic for a place in the semi-finals.

Raonic’s serve has proven to be indefensible throughout the first four rounds, during which he enjoyed easy straight-set wins over Illya Marchenko, Donald Young and Benjamin Becker before having to endure a five-setter against Feliciano Lopez in the fourth round to advance this far for the first time.

Advertisement

He will have to overcome a 0-4 record against Djokovic if he is to reach just his second Grand Slam semi-final. I expect him to challenge the Serb, and perhaps take a set or two off him, but the Djoker will finish strong.

Prediction: Novak Djokovic in five sets.

Now, let’s take a look at the four women’s quarter-finals:

Tuesday

Ekaterina Makarova (10) versus Simona Halep (3)
Head-to-head: Halep 1-0
Last meeting: Halep 6-1, 7-6 (8-6), quarter-finals, 2013 New Haven Open

There will be one player from this tie guaranteed to reach her first Australian Open semi-final and on the basis of her ranking and impressive start to 2015, world number three Simona Halep will start favourite to defeat Russian left-hander Ekaterina Makarova in the first of the women’s quarter-finals.

The Romanian has cruised through her section of the draw with ease as she seeks to win her first Grand Slam title. However, her first seeded obstacle will come in the form of Makarova, who has made a habit of beating the big players late at Grand Slam tournaments.

Advertisement

Makarova would have dreaded having to face fifth seed Ana Ivanovic in the fourth round, but the Serbian’s surprise first-day departure allowed the Russian left-hander to cash in, advancing to this stage for the third time in four years.

But can she add another big-name scalp to her list of Grand Slam victims and send title contender Simona Halep packing? The answer – no.

Prediction: Simona Halep in straight sets.

Eugenie Bouchard (7) versus Maria Sharapova (2)
Head-to-head: Sharapova 3-0
Last meeting: Sharapova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, semi-finals, 2014 French Open

Eugenie Bouchard’s bid to win her first Grand Slam title will face its first serious challenge when she takes on her childhood hero and 2008 champion Maria Sharapova.

Just as she did last year, the Canadian romped through the preliminary rounds without having to face a seeded player after the likes of Carla Suarez Navarro, Angelique Kerber and Svetlana Kuznetsova all crashed out on Day 1.

Sharapova has been in devastating form and is currently on a eight-match winning streak to start season 2015. The Russian dropped just one set during this streak but came dangerously close to crashing out of the tournament when she faced two match points against Alexandra Panova in the second round.

Advertisement

While Eugenie Bouchard is expected to challenge, the Russian should provide no mercy as she continues her march to a likely final showdown against Serena Williams on Saturday night.

Prediction: Maria Sharapova in three sets.

Wednesday

Serena Williams (1) versus Dominika Cibulkova (11)
Head-to-head: S Williams 4-0
Last meeting: S Williams 6-3, 6-3, quarter-finals, 2013 Brisbane International

World number one Serena Williams is back in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and her match-up against last year’s finalist Dominika Cibulkova will provide her with the best chance to reach her first Australian Open semi-final since claiming her most recent title in 2010.

To say the least, the world number one hasn’t really been at her dominant best to start 2015, especially in her last two matches against Elina Svitolina and Garbine Muguruza, where she dropped the opening set before recovering to win in three.

She cannot afford another slow start against Cibulkova, who gave up several centimetres in height to defeat dual champion Victoria Azarenka in three sets in the fourth round.

Advertisement

The Slovak pocket rocket has rediscovered her best Grand Slam form in Melbourne but will need to be at her very best if she is to knock off the world number one and tournament favourite.

Cibulkova has lost her four meetings against Williams to date, winning just the one set during this patch. But if there’s ever time for a breakthrough, it’s right here, right now. However, I still think Serena Williams will be too strong as she looks to hold the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy for the first time since 2010.

Prediction: Serena Williams in straight sets.

Venus Williams (18) versus Madison Keys
Head-to-head: V Williams 1-0
Last meeting: V Williams 6-4, 6-4, quarter-finals, Charleston 2013

Prior to defeating Agnieszka Radwanska on Monday night, seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams hadn’t reached a Grand Slam quarter-final since the 2010 US Open, and not at the Australian Open since the same year.

In the intervention, the 34-year-old battled Sjogren’s syndrome, had a couple of first-round exits at the Grand Slams, and watched on as younger sister Serena dominated on the WTA Tour, picking up over 20 titles since coming back from her own life-threatening injury in mid-2011.

However, a title in Dubai last year, as well as one in Auckland to kick off 2015, and her first Australian Open quarter-final appearance since 2010 has seen her prove her doubters, who repeatedly believed her best was beyond her, wrong.

Advertisement

Now her quarter-final showdown against Madison Keys, who backed up her victory over Petra Kvitova by defeating compatriot and namesake Madison Brengle in the fourth round, will be a battle between youth and experience with 14 years and 8 months separating the two opponents in this all-American showdown.

The stakes will be high – for Venus Williams, a likely semi-final showdown against her sister Serena, which would be their first meeting at Grand Slam level since the 2009 Wimbledon final, could await, while Madison Keys will look to emulate Sloane Stephens in knocking off one of the Williams sisters at the Australian Open.

It will be close, and I think the experience of Venus Williams, having been there and done that before, will be the difference. Still, expect Keys to continue her impressive run here and give the 34-year-old a challenge.

Prediction: Venus Williams in three sets.

close