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1/16/11 1:52 AM | Kelli DeMario
Tournament seeds Fernando Verdasco and Nikolay Davydenko will commence their 2011 Australian Open campaigns on Monday, as they square off against respective opponents Rainer Schuettler and Florian Mayer.
(9) Fernando Verdasco vs. Rainer Schuettler
World No. 9 Fernando Verdasco leads veteran Rainer Schuettler 2-0 in the series, having scored two victories on hard-court. The 2009 Australian Open semifinalist returns to action after a first-round loss to Benjamin Becker in Brisbane. The Madrid native is set to take part in his 8th Australian Open.
World No. 83 Schuettler will be looking for his first victory of the 2011 season, after suffering a first-round exit in Doha. The 34-year-old veteran turned in his best Grand Slam effort in 2003, when he made the Australian Open final (lost to Agassi).
Prediction: Verdasco in straight sets.
(17) Ivan Ljubicic vs. Peter Luczak
Seventeenth seed Ivan Ljubicic will attempt to record his maiden win in 2011 on Monday. The 31-year-old Croat, ranked world No. 16, is contesting his 12th Australian Open. Ljubicic has not competed particularly well in Melbourne, having made just one quarterfinal since his 2000 debut.
World No. 148 Peter Luczak is bidding for his first victory in 2011, following an opening-round loss in Brisbane and an unsuccessful attempt to qualify in Sydney. The 31-year-old Australian veteran aims to win his first match in Melbourne since 2008.
Prediction: Ljubicic in three sets.
(23) Nikolay Davydenko vs. Florian Mayer
World No. 25 Nikolay Davydenko holds a 2-1 edge over World No. 36 Florian Mayer heading into the opening round. The two last met at the 2010 tournament in Beijing, where the Russian prevailed in straight sets.
Davydenko is 4-1 for the season, bolstered by a runner-up finish to Roger Federer in Doha. The 29-year-old has reached the Australian Open quarterfinals four times, which includes a four-set effort against Federer in 2010.
Mayer is 5-2 in 2011, having made the Brisbane quarterfinals and the semifinals in Sydney. The 27-year-old German is competing in his 8th Australian Open.
Prediction: Davydenko in four sets.
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A bit surprise thar Davy lost, though I know how good Mayer can be. Davy obviously not back to his best yet.
luckystar , 1/17/11 7:25 AM
oh no poor davy! i thought he was playing pretty well in the tune-up to the Open, but guess its not enough.
mriiidula , 1/17/11 8:56 AM
Actually Davy wasn't that great during the Doha tournament; it's both Ivo and Rafa that made him looked great. Ivo himself was also back from injury break so his form wasn't that good, and Rafa was ill. From the way Davy played Fed we could see that he wasn't the Davy of old. He couldn't serve well and his service games were always under threat.
luckystar , 1/17/11 11:57 AM
You guys say that now that Davy has lost but in a GSlam upsets abound!!! Those we think that are in good form are really not in form, at ALLl..........esp mentally! So from here on now, as far as Im concerned, on match at a time!!
VAMOS!!!!!!
Monalysa , 1/17/11 1:25 PM
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Whoops and out goes Davy and out goes my bracket. Think I had Verdasco winning one match at least ;)
deuce , 1/17/11 6:56 AM