Three selections from Graham Ruthven, on the ninth day of the Australian Open.
Rafael Nadal v Dominic Thiem
Wednesday 29 January, Australian Open men’s singles quarter final
This quarter final pits two players with a lot in common against each other. Indeed, Dominic Thiem is often compared to Rafael Nadal, not least because the Austrian has always played his best tennis on clay. However, Thiem has developed his hard court game a lot over the past year, reaching the final of the ATP Tour Finals late last year. While the number five seed started the tournament slowly, he has improved.
Rafael Nadal was given a fourth round test by Nick Kyrgios, seeing off the Australian in four sets. The world number one has won nine of the 13 matches he has played against Thiem and on current form it should be expected that this record will become 10 wins from 14 for the Spaniard. However, Thiem will be encouraged by the number of peculiar errors made by Nadal against Kyrgios when under pressure.
1pt - Rafael Nadal To Win Set 1 And Win 8/11
Garbine Muguruza v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Wednesday 29 January, Australian Open women’s singles quarter final
After a couple tough years, Garbine Muguruza has looked back to her best at this year’s Australian Open. The Spaniard has improved with pretty much every match she has played in the tournament so far, seeing off Elina Svitolina and Kiki Bertens on her way to the quarter finals. Against Bertens in the previous round, Muguruza won nearly 80% of her service points and broke her opponent no fewer than five times. A reunion with former coach Conchita Martinez looks to have focused the two-time Grand Slam winner. So much of her game is in the mind.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has also enjoyed an excellent tournament, coming from one set down to dispose of Angelique Kerber in the fourth round and also disposing of number two seed Karolina Pliskova to make it this far. The Russian is playing very tight tennis at the moment, making very few unforced errors and making her opponents play every shot. This is a tough one to call between two players enjoying something of a moment.
1pt - 3 Total Sets 31/20
Stan Wawrinka v Sascha Zverev
Wednesday 29 January, Australian Open men’s singles quarter final
Something seems to have clicked in the mind of Sascha Zverev at this year’s Australian Open. Characterised, often mocked, for his failure to move through the early rounds of Grand Slams without getting into at least five-setter, the German has yet to drop a set in four straightforward victories so far. Zverev wasn’t even broken in his fourth round win over Andrey Rublev, arguably his most impressive Grand Slam performance to date.
Stan Wawrinka came through a five set encounter against Daniil Medvedev in the last round to get this far with the Swiss showing signs of his best tennis again after struggling throughout 2019 with injury. Wawrinka has already played 16 sets in this tournament, though, and is likely to feel the effects of that against a fresh Zverev. If Wawrinka is to stand any chance against the German he must find his serving as he did against Medvedev, when he struck 18 aces.
1.5pts - Sascha Zverev To Win 4/6
