By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Playing his unprecedented 20th Australin Open, Lleyton Hewitt will try to extend his stay in Oz against David Ferrer.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Each day we'll preview and predict results for several must-see Melbourne matches.
Our Day 3 picks and previews are here.
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(15) Madison Keys vs. Yaroslava Shvedova
Margaret Court Arena (Third match)
Head-to-head: Shvedova leads 1-0
A potentially tricky test for Keys, who has been pained by a left elbow injury, faces the ranking points pressure of defending her 2015 Australian Open semifinal result and is up against an opponent who knocked her out of the 2014 Wimbledon.
The American's booming serve and crackling forehand make her one of the game's most promising young power players, but she's still learning consistency and sound shot selection. Keys can be prone to playing the low percentage drive down the line when stretched.
A tremendous athlete, Shvedova doesn't thump the ball as big as Keys, but the 2010 Wimbledon and US Open doubles champion is comfortable from all areas of the court. Don't let her ranking of No. 70 fool you, Shvedova can challenge top players. She is 7-17 lifetime vs. Top 10 players posting wins over Agnieszka Radwanska, Garbine Muguruza, Li Na and Jelena Jankovic.
The Pick: Keys in two sets
(25) Jack Sock vs. Lukas Rosol
Court 2 (Fourth match)
Head-to-head: First meeting
A stylistic contrast pits Rosol's flat drives against Sock's popping topspin.
Both men are coming off draining five-set battles and both should be pumped up to reach the Australian Open third round for the first time.
Given the fact both can bang the first serve, tie breakers could come into play. Neither owns an exceptional tie break record: Sock is 34-33, Rosol is 59-59.
Rosol, who famously upset Rafael Nadal at the 2012 Wimbledon and knocked over Nadal's water bottle while losing their Wimbledon rematch two years later, can be a devastating threat when his first serve is clicking. But the Czech has underachieved in majors: Rosol has reached the third round just twice in 18 prior Grand Slam starts.
Sock's twisting topspin forehand is one of the best in the game, he's also speedy around the court and owns an explosive serve. All of those assets give the 23-year-old American the edge.
The Pick: Sock in four sets
(8) David Ferrer vs. (WC) Lleyton Hewitt
Rod Laver Arena (First night match)
Head-to-head: Ferrer leads 2-1
Two supreme fighters so feisty they should wear mouthpieces during matches face off in what could be Hewitt's farewell match.
The former No. 1 will retire after his record-extending 20th Australian Open and the Aussie fanatics figure to be a wall of supportive sound for Rusty.
This fourth meeting between the pair completes a Grand Slam set. Hewitt's lone win came a decade ago at Wimbledon; Ferrer won 12 of the final 15 games grinding down Hewitt in their most recent meeting at the 2012 US Open.
Ferrer is cast as a counter-puncher, but he can take the ball on the rise and dictate play with his forehand. Ferrer, who has never lost to a wild card in Grand Slam play, will the aggressor here. The Spaniard's forehand is the most declarative shot on the court; Hewitt must make a high first-percentage of serves and maintain the depth on his groundstrokes or risk getting chewed up by the two-time semifinalist in baseline exchanges.
"He's like a brick wall out there. He competes as well as anyone on tour," Hewitt said of Ferrer. "He moves great. Everyone thinks he just makes ball, but he's a pretty aggressive baseliner out there. He doesn't get back too far behind the court."
The former Aussie Rules football will pour every bit of emotion into this match—look for Hewitt to pull out the viche and lawn-mower rip in what could be his final match—but Ferrer is too tough to wilt in the face of the former No. 1's intensity and the loud Aussie fanatics.
The Pick: Ferrer in three sets