![nadal rafael australian open](http://www.tennisnow.com/Files/Teaser-Images/nadal-look.aspx)
By Nick Georgandis
TennisNow.com
© Mark Peterson/Corleve
Just like that, we're through to the quarterfinals at this year's Australian Open, with a delicious mixture of top seeds, fresh faces and old favorites all angling to hold that shiny trophy above their heads to start the new year off right.
With the matches looming larger from here on out, so too will our previews be that much more in-depth, so enjoy them and enjoy the splendid tennis awaiting in the days ahead.
MEN
Tomas Berdych (6) vs. Novak Djokovic (3) - This is Djokovic's fourth straight year to reach the quarterfinals here. Since the first round of 2008, he's gone 19-2 Down Under. Berdych has taken he tougher road to get here, fighting past No. 28 Richard Gasquet and No. 9 Fernando Verdasco.
Djokovic should be supremely rested after getting a third-round retirement from Vicktor Troicki and an easy sweep of Nicolas Almagro in the fourth.
Djokovic leads the all-time series 4-1, but Berdych's lone victory was in the Wimbledon semifinals a year ago.
Berdych
Current Rank: 6th; Season Record: 7-1
Career Record: 269-169; Career Titles: 5
All-Time Australian Open Record: 16-7.
Australian Open History: 2004 - 2nd round; 2005 - 1st round; 2006 - 2nd round; 2007 - 4th round; 2008 - 4th round; 2009 - 4th round; 2010 - 2nd round; 2011 - quarterfinals.
Djokovic
Current Rank: 3rd; Season Record: 4-0
Career Record: 328-105; Career Titles: 18
All-Time Australian Open Record: 22-5
Australian Open History: 2005 - 1st round; 2006 - 1st round; 2007 - 4th round; 2008 - Champion; 2009 - quarterfinals; 2010 - quarterfinals; 2011 - quarterfinals.
Head to Head: Djokovic leads 4-1. 2010 Barclays - Djokovic 6-3, 6-3; 2010 Davis Cup semifinals - Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4; 2010 Wimbledon - Berdych 6-3, 7-6(9), 6-3; 2009 Miami - Djokovic 6-3, 6-2; 2008 Bangkok - Djokovic 7-5, 6-1.
Stanislas Wawrinka (19) vs. Roger Federer (2) - It appears Wawrinka has regained the form that saw him peak at No. 9 in the summer of 2008. This is his second straight major quarterfinal appearance and he's undefeated so far in 2011 at 9-0. After tumbling here in the second round a year ago, the point surge he's going to receive will have him closer to 10 than 20 after next week. But there's still the small problem of opposing Roger Federer, whose his second straight and fifth overall title here, and who also hasn't lost in 2011. Wawrinka's only career win against the Great One came on clay in Monte Carlo two years ago.
Federer
Current Rank: 2nd; Season Record: 9-0
Career Record: 752-174; Career Titles: 67
All-Time Australian Record: 58-7
Australian Open History: 2000 - 3rd round; 2001 - 3rd round; 2002 -4th round; 2003 - 4th round; 2004 - Champion; 2005 - semifinals; 2006 - Champion; 2007 - Champion; 2008 - semifinals; 2009 - finals; 2010 - Champion; 2011 - quarterfinals.
Wawrinka
Current Rank: 2nd; Season Record: 9-0
Career Record: 186-135; Career Titles: 4
All-Time Australian Record: 12-5
Australian Open History: 2006 - 2nd round; 2007 - 3rd round; 2008 - 2nd round; 2009 - 3rd round; 2010 - 3rd round; 2011 - quarterfinals.
Head to Head: Federer leads 6-1. 2010 Stockholm - Federer 2-6, 6-3, 6-2; 2010 Roland Garros - Federer 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-2; 2010 Madrid - Federer 6-3, 6-1; 2009 Canada - Federer 6-3, 7-6(5); 2009 Monte Carlo - Wawrinka 6-4, 7-5; 2006 Dubai - Federer 7-6(3), 6-3; 2005 Rotterdam - 6-1, 6-4.
WOMEN
Andrea Petkovic (30) vs. Li Na (9) - With just one career title and having never advanced past the second round here prior to this season, Petkovic is the clear outsider here, but the 23-year-old Bosnia native has made up for her lack of experience. As hot is she is, Na is a few degrees higher on the thermometer, a perfect 9-0 to start the year including her win over Kim Clijsters at Sydney. Na is looking for a second straight trip to the semifinals and a shot to get back inside the Top 10.
Petkovic
Current Rank: 33rd; Season Record: 8-1
Career Record: 222-137; Career Titles: 1
All-Time Australian Record: 6-3
Australian Open History: 2008 - 1st round; 2009 - 2nd round; 2010 - 2nd round; 2011 - quarterfinals.
Na
Current Rank: 11th; Season Record: 9-0
Career Record: 366-133; Career Titles: 4
All-Time Australian Record: 16-5
Australian Open History: 2005 - 3rd round; 2006 - 1st round; 2007 - 4th round; 2008 - 3rd round; 2009 - DNP; 2010 - semifinals.
Head to Head: First meeting.
Francesca Schiavone (6) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (1) - Each of these two women has something the other very desperately wants. The 30-year-old Schiavone would love to see the No. 1 position in the world that Wozniacki currently holds, while the Dane craves to win her first Grand Slam, as Schiavone did last year at Roland Garros. Her epic win over Svetlana Kuznetsova on Sunday was a huge breakthrough for Schiavone, who had never reached the Australian Open quarterfinals before. Wozniacki is in her first Australian Open quarterfinal as well, and is still looking for her first Grand Slam final appearance. She's won her last two matches against Schiavone, and it will be interesting to see if the Italian suffers a letdown after her emotional win fourth-round win.
Schiavone
Current Rank: 7th; Season Record: 4-1
Career Record: 454-309; Career Titles: 4
All-Time Australian Record: 18-10
Australian Open History: 2001 - 1st round; 2002 - 3rd round; 2003 - 1st round; 2004 - 2nd round; 2005 - 3rd round; 2006 - 4th round; 2007 - 2nd round; 2008 - 3rd round; 2009 - 1st round; 2010 - 4th round; 2011 - quarterfinals.
Wozniacki
Current Rank: 1st; Season Record: 4-1
Career Record: 239-91; Career Titles: 12
All-Time Australian Record: 12-3
Australian Open History: 2008 - 4th round; 2009 - 3rd round; 2010 - 4th round; 2011 - quarterfinals.
Head to Head: Tied 2-2. 2010 Tour Championships - Wozniacki 3-6, 6-1, 6-1; 2010 Montreal - Wozniacki 6-3, 6-2; 2010 Roland Garros - Schiavone 6-2, 6-3; 2008 Zurich - Schiavone 7-6(3), 6-2.