The Grandstand’s Ricky Dimon and Pete Ziebron of Tennis Acumen preview and pick four of the best men’s singles matches on Thursday at the Australian Open. A showdown between Jerzy Janowicz and Gael Monfils is the headliner.
Jerzy Janowicz vs. (17) Gael Monfils
Ricky: Anyone who puts actual money on this match is certifiably insane. The question is not which man is a risky pick. The question is which man is riskier. It is always impossible to tell what kind of physical condition Monfils is in, so for the sake of this pick I am just going to assume he is somewhere in the realm of 100 percent. The Frenchman was a disaster in his first two sets against Lucas Pouille, but that can likely be attributed more to the fact that those were his first two sets of the year than to any kind of injury. Janowicz is showing flashes of his 2013 self, but those flashes can disappear for several games, sets, matches, weeks, or months. Matchup-wise this favors Monfils, who can neutralize Janowicz’s drop-shot and whose defense will frustrate an opponent that does not like to hit more than few strokes per rally. Monfils in 5.
Pete: Monfils vs. Janowicz in R2 of a major? WOW! This is a rare match in which Janowicz looks across the net at someone who actually acts zanier on the court than he does. Monfils dug deep on Tuesday night, storming back from two sets down against Pouille. The Frenchman said on court after the match that he was thinking about his parents throughout the match–a scene that reminded me of when he played Djokovic in a Cincy QF in 2011 and was chanting on court between points, “My dad was very high cheering for me in Caribbean language, so I was trying to be pumped up and speak Caribbean, trying to stay in the game and keep my aggressivity.” Janowicz will come into this match fresher and with some renewed confidence as a result of a Hopman Cup title with Aga Radwanska. Janowicz in 5.
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Benjamin Becker vs. Lleyton Hewitt
Ricky: Hewitt leads the head-to-head series against his fellow 33-year-old 2-0. That is not an extensive history, but the Aussie’s perfect mark should come as no surprise. Becker knows only one speed and hits extremely flat. That plays right into the hands of Hewitt, who will will use the German’s pace against him. Becker has been far more injury-free than his opponent in recent years and seemingly has a lot more left in the tank from a career perspective. For now, though, all that matters is this Australian Open and Hewitt seems to be healthy enough based on his four-set win on Tuesday against Ze Zhang. If he needs an adrenaline spark to get through this, the crowd will oblige. Hewitt in 4.
Pete: Hewitt broke a three-match losing streak at the Australian Open with a first-round win over Ze Zhang and avoided a potentially difficult second-round encounter when Becker took out No. 25 seed Julien Benneteau. The Aussie will be considerably better-rested this year as he bowed out in his first match in Brisbane, a tournament he won in 2014. Becker’s major CV resembles that of Michael Russell–a lone fourth-round appearance (U.S. Open in 2006 when he ended Andre Agassi’s career) and he has never been past the second round of any major since that time. Hewitt will recognize this prime opportunity to delight the Melbourne crowd and take care of business in somewhat routine fashion. Hewitt in 4.
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Gilles Muller vs. (13) Roberto Bautista Agut
Ricky: Bautista Agut is 2-0 lifetime against Muller, with both matches coming in 2013. The Spaniard prevailed in three sets in Dusseldorf and via a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 French Open blowout. However, both meetings came on clay (which favors RBA) and both men are much different players now (for the better). Still, the point remains that this is a favorable matchup for Bautista Agut. He likes pace, which Muller will give him, and he can generally break down big servers from the back of the court. But this is going to be competitive if the Luxembourgian serves well. Muller took care of Pablo Carreno Busta in straight sets, whereas RBA toiled through a tight four-setter against Dominic Thiem. Bautista Agut in 4.
Pete: This features yet another player currently enjoying a career-high ranking, with the 31 year-old Muller clocking in at world No. 42. Muller played well in two tuneups in Chennai and Sydney (semifinalist) leading into the Australian Open, while Bautista Agut was forced to retire in his first match last week in Auckland following an earlier-than-expected exit in Chennai. The 13th seed is defending fourth-round points in Melbourne. As a result his focus and determination will prove to be too much for Muller, just as his steely play was too much against Thiem in a tricky first-round match. Bautista Agut in 3.
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(12) Feliciano Lopez vs. Adrian Mannarino
Ricky: Mannarino is an obvious underdog on paper, but he has plenty going for him heading into this one. The Frenchman is coming off a runner-up finish in Auckland and he maintained momentum by cruising past Blaz Rola in straight sets on Tuesday. That was the only all-lefthander matchup in round one and now Mannarino will face another lefty in Lopez. Getting warmed up with Rola won’t be a decisive factor, but having just gotten a look at a southpaw certainly won’t hurt. Unlike Mannarino, Lopez struggled mightily in round one. The Spaniard saved three match points before outlasting Denis Kudla 10-8 in the fifth. Mannarino in 4.
Pete: Lopez escaped Kudla in an extremely dicey fifth set. The No. 12 seed, playing in his 52nd consecutive major (53rd overall), came from two sets to one down before saving three match points. Mannarino arrived in Melbourne with a career-high world No. 36 ranking thanks to his first-ever tournament final appearance last week in Auckland (l. to Jiri Vesely). Lopez can exhale following his first-round scare and begin to live up to his ranking. Despite the fact that he has only played two matches in 2015 compared to 10 for Mannarino, the Spaniard’s experience trumps the momentum currently enjoyed by Mannarino. Lopez in 4.
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