AUSTRALIAN OPEN

 MATCH OF THE DAY: [CR5] Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. [CR45] Fernando Verdasco (ESP)

They’ve played against each other 16 times and Nadal leads their head-to-head 14:2; however, Verdasco won two of their last three encounters.  They met once previously at the Australian Open in 2009.  That match was a marathon battle finally won by Nadal.  Thus, Nadal expected another battle from Verdasco.  Would Verdasco change the outcome this time around? Unfortunately, he did.  Verdasco won two crucial tiebreaks to deny Nadal round two, 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2.  This loss is very bad for Nadal.  It more than any other loss has the potential to unravel all the positive steps Nadal had recently made. Despite knowing that Verdasco has the game to beat Nadal, I thought Nadal had shown signs of “vintage” Nadal and I expected him to get the win in the end.  Will Verdasco build on this victory?

 

FALLEN SEEDS:

[2] Simona Halep lost to Shuai Zhang, a player ranked 133, 4-6, 3-6

[5] Rafael Nadal lost to Fernando Verdasco (ESP)….

[8] Venus Williams (USA) lost to Johanna Konta (GBR)….4-6, 2-6

[11] Kevin Anderson (RSA) lost to American, Rajeev Ram….6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-3, 3-0, RET

[20] Fabio Fognini (ITA) lost to Gilles Muller (LUX)….6-7(6), 6-7(7), 7-6(5), 6-7(1)

[29] Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) lost to Johanna Larsson (SWE)….6-3, 6-2

[31] Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) lost to American, Varvara Lepchenko….7-6(5), 2-6, 3-6

[32] Caroline Garcia (FRA) lost to Barbora Strycova (CZE)….2-6, 4-6

 

 

AMERICAN WINNERS ON DAY 2: Two Americans are moving on today at the expense of a fellow American.  That unfortunately is the bad luck of the draw.

[15] Madison Keys fought off set points and escaped the first set in a tiebreak to defeat Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 7-6(5), 6-1.

Vania King def. Mona Barthel (GER) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4

[10] John Isner def. Jerzy Janowicz (POL) 6-3, 7-6(7), 6-3

[31] Steve Johnson def. Aljaz Bedene (GBR) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3)

Madison Brengle def. Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 6-3, 6-4

Tim Smyczek def. Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

[25] Jack Sock def. Taylor Fritz (USA) 6-4, 3-6, 0-6, 6-3, 6-4