Australian Open expert picks continue with Day 7, when Rafael Nadal continues his fortnight against familiar foe Tomas Berdych. The Grandstand’s Ricky Dimon and Pete Ziebron of Tennis Acumen preview the action and make their predictions.
Tomas Berdych vs. (2) Rafael Nadal
Ricky: The eye test would suggest that Berdych is the prototypical player who would consistently give Nadal all kinds of trouble. He is a huge ball-striker who serves big, hits everything hard and flat, and can combat the Spaniard’s heavy topspin with both his height and his two-handed backhand. Unfortunately for Berdych, reality is much, much different. He is 4-19 lifetime in the head-to-head series and a shocking 1-18 in their last 19 meetings. Additional bad news for the Czech is that Nadal no longer looks vulnerable like he did heading into the tournament. The world No. 2 has bludgeoned three straight Aussie opponents–including Alex de Minaur–all in straight sets. Berdych is in outstanding form, too, but he hasn’t faced anyone like Nadal during his comeback from a back injury. Nadal in 4: 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-2.
Pete: Berdych has reached the quarterfinalist in seven of his last eight Australian Open appearances, including back-to-back semifinal berths four and five years ago. Absent for the second half of last season, it was somewhat of a mystery of what to expect from the Czech to begin 2019. Similarly, it also seemed like a possibility that Nadal might not be able to play his best this year in Melbourne. Through three rounds, both players have combined to lose one set and Berdych has dispatched two seeded players to boot. Despite four trips to the final, Nadal has managed to win the AO only once, 10 years ago. Early results indicate that he is a serious contender this time around and Berdych will be his toughest test so far this fortnight. Despite the fact that they have played 23 times, these seasoned veterans last met more than 40 months ago. All four of Berdych’s wins in the series have come on hard courts, but this fact will mean little as Nadal continues his fine form and advances to the quarterfinals. Nadal in 4: 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-5.
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France Tiafoe vs. (20) Grigor Dimitrov
Ricky: There is no longer any doubt in my mind that Tiafoe is the real deal. He was awesome against Kevin Anderson in round two and found that same form just in time to win the last two sets against Andreas Seppi for the first five-set win of his career. Perhaps even more impressive is Tiafoe’s mentality and determination that has been on display en route to his first “second week” appearance at a slam. He will need all of that and more against Dimitrov, who is once again playing his best tennis Down Under. In any other setting I might lean toward the American, but the Bulgarian is a proven force in Melbourne–and everywhere else in Australia, for that matter. Dimitrov survived their only previous encounter 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(4) last summer in Toronto and another thriller should be in the cards. Dimitrov in 5: 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.
Pete: Dimitrov has played well Down Under the last two years, reaching the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. Two years ago he won 14 of his first 15 matches plus two titles and was arguably the hottest player on tour for the first month and a half. The Bulgarian has tended to play his best tennis to begin the year and despite a few less than stellar performances this season, he finds himself in the fourth round. Tiafoe had just five wins in 11 major appearances when he arrived in Melbourne. His second-round upset of Anderson and come-from-behind win over Seppi in the third round have propelled the young American into unchartered territory on the on of the biggest stages in tennis. Tiafoe will bring his fearless brand of tennis to the court once again in hopes of parlaying this run into the quarters but it will fall a bit short this time against the more experienced Dimitrov. Dimitrov in 5: 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-3.
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Please tell me that Tiafoe is not going to give this match away now.
We’ll see, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Tiafoe goes down in this set and then retires. Losing that third set deflated him.
You guys… Tomas Berdych, the 6-5 dude with one of the biggest serves in the game has only landed 27% of his first serves, and only won 33% of those he’s made. Is he sick? What’s going on?
Not sick, just flat. And Nadal is relentless, so he’s not the player you want to come out flat against.
I know I seem to be whingeing all the time about commies regarding Rafa but whilst they were walking through the tunnel for their match today, Frew McMillan dribbled on about how Berdych beat Rafa here in straight sets in 2015 so he knows how to beat Rafa in slams and how he made the final at Wimbledon in 2010 but omitting to mention that he actually lost in that final to Rafa and never mentioned Rafa’s 3:1 lead in slams, his 18:4 lead in their h2h nor the fact that Berdych is 1:17 in their last 18 matches.
Nadline, just in case u didn’t realise, there is politics in tennis too,lol!!!!
I was very vexed when i heard them say about how Berdych has a chance blah, blah .blah. But never did i hear they say Tipsi had a chance!! Its just always been that way!!! Even Batista now will have a chance against Rafa too!! Pfffff!!
Oh my God!….Wohoohohoho!!….Rafa!…I think this awesome perfomance is for all the pain & frustrations that he suffered from last year…C’mon Rafa!!Finish him in 3!!
And Berdych finally showing some signs of life.
Rafa is doing his best to keep Berdy’s head under water.
In 2017, Rafa beat Basilashvili 60 61 60 at RG and it looked like he turned down his intensity in the 2nd set to spare Basil’s blushes.
Ohh!!….It feel so good to see Rafa finally can rely on his serve to save him in important moment!…
Hehe….amy will be glad to c this!…Yooohooo amy!!….u watch this??Haha….Rafa heard u amy!
Hello dearest mira!!☺
Just reading the thread!! Haven’t actually seen any tennis yet! How are you darling?
Vamos Rafa!!🐂🐂👑👑💪💪
Hey hey hey amy!!….good to hear from u!!….Errmm…hands,nose,eyes etc still intact in place,so i guess i am fine amy!hehehe….btw how r u amy?Hope everything is okay with u?Or…maybe not so okay with Brexit thingy hah?
Oh amy!….u gotta watch Rafa’s match today amy!….Oh my God!…This is the most satisfying match i’ve ever seen since his perfomance at Wimbledon!….Almost perfect!…Wooohooo!!….I just hope he will keep being healthy…and insyaallah everythings will be fine…
Ohh!!….bout those new serves!….u would be droolin’ about it amy!…hehehe…I knew how u were very critical about it last year…U must be happy to see it saved Rafa many times when it needs to!…Urgh!….everythings is awesome!!
Fantastic news mira! First that you are well and second that rafa is playing so well. As you know I have gone on and on about how he shouldn’t play in the Autumn and should go away and have a great off season and fix his serve! You said the same so maybe Carlos has been reading here and told Rafa that he had to listen to our fantastic amazing advice!!☺ Ha ha!!
I read the interview with Carlos as I am sure You did and everything he said you, me, lucky and others have been praying for! Ie rafa improving his serve, being much more aggressive, not practicing so much!
Vamos Rafa and Carlos!!☺
Oh yeah amy!!….U know, when i 1st read that Moya said they spent his off season by practised & improved the new serve…i immediately think of u & Lucky…And when i watched Rafa & how effective his new serves atm…and how a simple things like that can change his whole demeanor on court coz there’s no trace of nervousness anymore amy!….
And i think his sleeveless style is matching up really well with his aggressive play…maybe want to intimidate his opponents??..wink!wink!..hahaha..
Ohh…just imagine if he were to meet with Novak again like in Wimby…i think his new serves can give a h$!# of a different result this time around….who knows!….Right amy?
Maybe Berdych is not feeling well; or the match vs Schwartzman had taken a bit of energy out of him. After all, he’s also just back from six months injury break and needs time to get back to top level competition.
Of course, Rafa is playing well too and that’s the main reason.
Berdych has the tendency to just shrug his shoulders when he’s on the ropes. He has, probably, just given up because Rafa is too good today.
Rafa is merciless!
60 51………
Rafa’s groundstrokes doing the damage now. Berdych isn’t playing as badly as he was.
This new serve is lethal!
Vamos!
The Nadal bakery open for business. Bagels AND breadsticks. Ye gads.
Birdi playing aweful +Rafa very confident =
Blowout city
This is the first match I was nervous about. I did not think DeMinaur would be able to hang with Rafa. But at least he came out and gave it his best and ran around like a little speed demon.
I had heard so much about Berdy playing so well now. So I thought this would be a good match to test Rafa. But Rafa is on fire right now, he is seeing the ball so well.
Rafa is feeling it! Berdy’s serve stats are dreadful.
Use that 1 2 punch more often is okay too Rafa!
What an effort from Tiafoe!!! And he stuck it out. Very impressive.
Grats to Big Foe! And to us for calling it. 🙂
No breaks yet.
Dimi has just tossed all his racquets into the crowd. Maybe he’s calling it a career.
Yeah, that was weird.
I am glad that Tiafoe managed to win in four sets. It’s a big deal for him.
Now Berdy has decided to play and make it a tight set. Rafa needs to stay focused here.
I am liking the serve. Rafa is able to get some cheap points when he is down on his serve.
That post was mine. I don’t know what happened when I put in my user name,