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1/13/08 10:39 PM | Ricky Dimon
Without a doubt the marquee matchup in the third quarter of the 2008 Australian Open draw is the showdown between fast-rising youngsters Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The ninth-seeded Murray almost qualified for the Masters Cup last season despite missing both the French Open and Wimbledon with a wrist injury. Tsonga climbed from 212 in the world up to number 43 last year and the Frenchman should soar even higher in 2008. This will be an especially interesting matchup because Murray has one of the best return games in tennis while Tsonga owns a huge serve.
Michael Llodra vs. fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko will also feature a contrast in styles. Llodra, who already won the tournament in Adelaide this season, is one of the finest doubles players in the business and that’s apparent from the way he plays singles. The left-handed Frenchman has a huge serve and he loves approaching the net, where he can put his great hands and reflexes on display. He’ll need both against Davydenko, who makes a living staying back on the baseline and sending passing shots by his opponents. This match will all boil down to which contestant can dictate play and force the other out of his comfort zone.
Another promising matchup features Julien Benneteau and 26-seed Stanislas Wawrinka. Like his compatriot Llodra, Benneteau is an accomplished doubles player, but he is also a one-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist (at the 2006 French Open). Wawrinka, a 22-year-old Swiss, is off to a strong start in 2008, as he reached the final in Doha before losing to Murray in three sets. This is the first head-to-head meeting between Benneteau and Wawrinka and it should consist of grueling baseline rallies. Wawrinka has more powerful groundstrokes, however, and if his lethal one-handed backhand is clicking, it could be a long day for the Frenchman. Benneteau, meanwhile, will try to prevent Wawrinka from getting in a backhand groove by working the forehand side with spins, slices, and changes of pace.
A battle of unseeded players will never be the most high-profile of matches, but Spaniard Feliciano Lopez and American Wayne Odesnik should make for an interesting encounter. Just 22 years old, Odesnik had to come through qualifying just to get into the main draw so it’s obvious he is on top of his game right now. He does not have a ton of ATP match experience, but Odesnik is already accustomed to Grand Slam pressure as he prevailed in a fifth-set tiebreaker over Danai Udomchoke in the first round of last year’s U.S. Open. Lopez has more weapons than Odesnik, including a big serve and huge forehand, so he will try to overpower his opponent while Odesnik will scramble all over the court getting balls back and minimizing unforced errors, hoping Lopez will miss. This matchup will also be a rare occasion in which two left-handed players square off against one another.
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RafaNadalGirl20, Aug 29, 2008 7:35 PM
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RafaNadalGirl20, Aug 29, 2008 7:35 PM
RickyDimon, Aug 29, 2008 3:08 PM
agf25agf, Aug 28, 2008 1:21 PM
cherylmurray, Aug 27, 2008 3:10 PM
BernieEliza, Aug 27, 2008 9:19 AM
Allez, Aug 29, 2008 9:07 PM
elle, Aug 29, 2008 7:27 PM
elle, Aug 29, 2008 7:25 PM
