The Grandstand weighs in with its picks for the best Wednesday matchups at the Australian Open.
(22) Fernando Verdasco vs. Xavier Malisse
Ricky: Verdasco is to five-setters at the Australian Open as John Isner is to tiebreakers. Another one should be in the cards for this one, which appears to be a complete toss-up on paper. Verdasco is the favorite as the world No. 24, but he needed (you guess it) five sets to beat David Goffin in round one. Malisse annihilated a much weaker Spaniard, Pablo Andujar, while losing a mere six games in the process. These two veterans also squared off in the Wimbledon third round last summer, when Malisse prevailed 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. Verdasco should have confidence from his tense win over Goffin and (their first-round results notwithstanding) he likely has a little bit more left in his overall tank than the 32-year-old Belgian. Verdasco 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.
Mithi (@babblingbrat): You can expect this match up to be either crazy good or outright crazy. Verdasco will be looking to be offensive with his forehand while Malisse will pull out every trick in his book. I expect some long rallies with stunning winners. Both have great serves but are prone to wild unforced errors. Verdasco dispatched Malisse in straight sets in a Davis Cup rubber on a hard court in 2011. That may very well repeat, but I expect Malisse to put up a fight given his much easier path to round two vs. a tired Verdasco after his five-setter. Verdasco, though, is fit and used to playing back-to-back five-setters; particularly at the Australian Open. So this match will be dictated by the Spaniard; it will go the way his game goes. Verdasco 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1.
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(31) Radek Stepanek vs. Feliciano Lopez
Ricky: Stepanek is dominating the head-to-head series 7-2, but Lopez has won two of their last three encounters–including their only one since 2009 (a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 decision at the 2011 Canada Masters). Neither man is in outstanding form at the moment. Lopez is 2-2 for the year after taking care of fellow Spaniard and qualifier Arnau Brugues-Davi in straight sets. Stepanek, who has been dealing with injuries, overcame Viktor Troicki 5-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 after three hours and 59 minutes. Advantage Lopez, who reached the fourth round Down Under in 2012 before losing to Rafael Nadal. Lopez 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Mithi: The battle of the experienced statesmen. Both have games that work really well on hard courts and both like to be aggressive. Stepanek had a bad start to 2013 with his retirement against Julien Benneteau in Sydney. Coming back from injury and having to compete in a five-setter must have drained the 34-year-old. Meanwhile, Lopez had a much more straightforward first round and he has a few more matches under his belt this year. Could he perhaps be eager to show Albert Costa that he should have played in the Davis Cup final instead of Almagro? Lopez 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.
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(20) Sam Querrey vs. Brian Baker
Ricky: Baker’s comeback is so improbable that even when he wins just one match at a Grand Slam, it’s a great victory and a great story. He has accomplished that (and more) in all four majors since his return from injury, including a run to the Wimbledon fourth round as a qualifier last summer. Baker did well to hold off Alex Bogomolov in five sets on Monday, while Querrey recovered from a set down to oust qualifier Daniel Munoz-De La Nava in four. This all-American showdown is not a particularly favorable matchup for Querrey, because Baker’s return of serve is his best shot and he uses opponents’ pace to their own detriment. Still, the No. 20 seed will have too much firepower. Querrey 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
Mithi: As much as I would love for the Brian Baker success story to continue, I don’t see him being able to handle the powerful Querrey game. While Baker is more stable than Querrey from the baseline, I doubt he can hang in long enough to snatch a victory since Querrey also likes to unload on his groundstrokes. The No. 20 seed”s serving statistics will likely play a huge part in whether Baker stands a chance. If Querrey shows his opponent too many second serves (not an unlikely scenario), I can see Baker often getting ahead in points with his strong return of serve.  But I’ll still take the chance and go with the favorite. Querrey 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3.
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(24) Jerzy Janowicz vs. Somdev Devvarman
Ricky: As their previous matchup (a 6-3, 6-2 victory for Devvarman in the final round of 2009 U.S. Open qualifying) suggests, this is a bad matchup for Janowicz. I don’t care if Janowicz ends up winning. If he wins, it will be because he served at an incredibly high percentage, not because it’s a good matchup. Devvarman is a poor man’s David Ferrer and Lleyton Hewitt; he will eat big server’s for lunch, especially if they have to throw in too many second serves. The Indian is coming off an injury-plagued 2012 campaign, which is why he is a big underdog, while Janowicz still has momentum from his run to the Paris final. A match played last season (between a healthy Devvarman and a pre-Paris Janowicz) would be rated a a toss-up. That’s what this one will turn out to be. Devvarman 3-6, 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3.
Mithi: This is a weird matchup to call. I’m mostly thinking of Devvarman’s inability to put away Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo at the U.S. Open last year, though he was coming back from injuries that plagued most of his 2012. But he had a pretty straightfoward round one on Monday over Bjorn Phau. Meanwhile, Janowicz has his wacky run at Paris to back up here, which means that he has added pressure to play well. He too had a straightforward round one, though he had to do a mini-comeback in his first set against Simone Bolelli. Their last match at the USO qualifying rounds was in 2009; I’d say those results might not play a part. Devvarman has a nice stable game both from the baseline and in the forecourt, but Janowicz is much more aggressive. If he can find his Paris form, which has been missing, I’d take him in a tight four-setter. Janowicz 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.[polldaddy poll=6831034]
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