Top Takeaways From AO Men’s Draw

By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, February 5, 2021

 

The Australian Open males’s draw screams pleasure occasion from the primary spherical.

Picture credit score: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Quarantine claustrophobia has given option to Melbourne mania.

Scan the Australian Open males’s draw and it screams pleasure occasion from the primary spherical.

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The Australian Open begins on Monday. Listed below are our High 5 Takeaways from the 2021 Australian Open draw.

Novak’s Ninth Symphony

Taking part in for his ninth Australian Open crown, Novak Djokovic will attempt to faucet into his Melbourne muse and full a second profession three-peat down below.

Djokovic, who gained three straight AO titles from 2011-2013, rides a 14-match AO successful streak into his opener vs. Frenchman Jeremy Chardy. The world No. 1 gained the opening set in all 14 of these victories.

Who can strain the world No. 1 on this subject?

US Open champion Dominic Thiem, who held a two-sets to at least one lead over the Serbian within the 2020 ultimate earlier than falling in 5, is Djokovic’s potential semifinal opponent in what can be a blockbuster.

The highest seed’s potential path to the top-half semifinals:

• First Spherical vs. Jeremy Chardy

• Second Spherical vs. Frances Tiafoe/Stefano Travaglia winner

• Third Spherical vs. Taylor Fritz or Reilly Opelka

• Fourth Spherical vs. (14) Milos Raonic or (17) Stan Wawrinka

• Quarterfinals vs. (6) Alexander Zverev

• Semifinals vs. (3) Dominic Thiem

It’s a difficult draw—Wawrinka beat Djokovic in an epic 9-7 within the fifth set quarterfinal en path to the 2014 AO title and Zverev gave the Serbian a troublesome match in ATP Cup on Friday—which might hit a crescendo with a Djokovic-Thiem semifinal rematch.

Keep in mind, Thiem edged Djokovic 7-6(5) within the third set of their final conflict within the semifinals of the ATP Finals final November. Nonetheless, Djokovic has been so dominant on this courtroom they could have to think about rebranding the blue Rod Laver Enviornment exhausting courtroom “Djokerland” to accompany the standard “Melbourne” painted behind the baseline.

Rafa’s Run for Historical past

Rafael Nadal hasn’t dominated Melbourne in 12 years since his heroic back-to-back five-set marathon wins over Fernando Verdasco within the semifinals and rival Roger Federer within the 2009 ultimate.

The 34-year-old Nadal pulled the plug on his first two ATP Cup matches citing a again problem. Then there’s the actual fact Nadal hasn’t crushed Djokovic on a tough courtroom for the reason that 2013 US Open ultimate, together with a straight-sets loss within the 2019 ultimate.

Nonetheless, if Nadal, who opens vs. Laslo Djere, is wholesome he will likely be pumped to attempt to seize a males’s record-extending twenty first Grand Slam championship.

There are a number of causes to be bullish on the raging bull making one other deep run: Nadal has reached quarterfinals or higher in 12 of his final 13 Melbourne appearances, three of his final 4 titles have come on exhausting courtroom, together with the 2019 US Open and he seemed sharp and aggressive in his Day on the Drive exhibition match vs. Thiem.

Regardless of the layoff from match play, Nadal ought to be capable to work his method into type in week one. The largest potential obstacles for Nadal within the backside half are:

• No. 16-seeded Fabio Fognini, who made historical past as the primary man to battle again from a two-set deficit to beat Nadal at a Grand Slam within the 2015 US Open, is a possible fourth-round opponent although the theatrical Italian would probably must beat Aussie Alex di Minaur or Tennys Sandren to get to Nadal.

• No. 5-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas was totally thrashed by Nadal within the 2019 semifinals, however the dynamic Greek is a extra polished participant nowadays. Tsitsipas has taken a set off Nadal in every of their final two hard-court conferences and looms as a possible quarterfinal foe.

• No. 4-seeded Daniil Medvedev looms as Nadal’s semifinal opponent.

Medvedev made historical past in November topping Thiem 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 within the Nitto ATP Finals to change into the primary man within the occasion’s historical past to brush by way of every of the ATP’s High 3-ranked gamers. In London, the lanky Russian rallied previous Nadal 3-6 7-6(4) 6-3 snapping the Spaniard’s streak of 71 straight victories when successful the opening set.

High 3 Sustaining Large 3 Dominance

Large 3 fingerprints are everywhere in the Norman Brooks Problem Cup: the long-lasting trio of Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer have captured 14 of the final 15 Australian Open championships with solely 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka breaking their Melbourne mastery.

The 39-year-old Federer will miss Melbourne resulting from quarantine considerations and persevering with rehab on his surgically-repaired proper knee ending his 21-year Melbourne streak whereas planning his comeback in Doha.

The High 3 of Djokovic, Nadal and Dominic Thiem are the reigning Grand Slam champions and clearly sturdy favorites in Melbourne.

They’re three of the fittest gamers within the sport and can benefit from the main profit from spending their time within the softer Adelaide bubble the place they had been permitted extra observe and coaching time with bigger assist groups than gamers who quarantined within the Melbourne bubble.

“I believe Thiem and Medvedev are the 2 that I’d take into consideration [as AO title contenders],” Corridor of Famer Chrissie Evert stated. “I believe Thiem particularly has crushed all the highest gamers, has a superb file in opposition to them. Medvedev is so proficient, needs to be assured as a result of he had a superb yr.

“To me, they’ve the sport. It is nearly them believing that they will beat the highest three legends of the sport. Nadal and Djokovic, in the event that they keep the identical or in the event that they again off a little bit bit, they will get crushed.”

Maiden Main Threats

Three former ATP Finals champions—Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev—are all able to breaking by way of to win a primary Grand Slam title.

Daniil Medvedev not solely ended 2020 sweeping successive titles in Paris and London—he scored seven straight High 10 wins within the course of. The 2019 US Open finalist has an enormous wingspan that may suffocate opponents, can serve huge when he needs and his a harmful returner. Medvedev will should be on level from the primary spherical as he opens in opposition to former Wimbledon doubles champion Vasek Pospisil, a talented serve-and-volleyer who will take a look at the lanky Russian’s behavior of hanging out close to the again wall to return.

US Open finalist Alexander Zverev got here agonizingly near his first main title however failed to shut in opposition to Thiem in Flushing Meadows. The previous world No. 3 has been dealing with off-court points—an ex-girlfriend publicly charged him with abuse, one other ex-girlfriend is about to present beginning to his youngster and stated she plans to boost the newborn as a single dad or mum and coach David Ferrer parted with the German on the finish of 2020 saying he realized he’s “not the best particular person” to assist—after which there’s the case of Zverev’s someday sporadic second serve. Nonetheless, when he’s proper, Zverev is a risk to anybody on this floor.

Sixth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas is the youngest and most athletic of the three and should nicely have the best upside. The athletic Greek can take the ball early, play all-court tennis and needs to be empower by his run to the Roland Garros semifinals.

First-Rounders to Watch

Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs. (11) Denis Shapovalov (CAN)

Head-to-head: First Assembly

Two of probably the most good younger ball strikers within the recreation. The left-handed Shapovalov is an explosive shotmaker and confirmed it reaching the US Open quarterfinals. The Thirty sixth-ranked Sinner, well-balanced off each wings, possesses one of the explosive two-handers within the recreation and impressed toppling Zverev en path to the Roland Garros quarterfinals final September. Sinner turned the primary French Open debutant since Nadal in 2005 to every the quarterfinals.

(15) Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) vs. Kei Nishikori (JPN)

Head-to-head: Nishikori leads 1-0

If this lives as much as their final assembly, search for fireworks.

Nishikori out-dueled Carreno Busta 678 46 764 64 768 within the 2019 AO fourth spherical. Carreno Busta is greater, stronger and backed up his 2020 US Open semifinal with a visit to the Roland Garros quarterfinals. Nishikori can take the ball on the rise, his two-handed backhand is a stinging shot and he’s seeking to recharge working with former Grand Slam doubles champion Max Mirnyi alongside long-time coach Michael Chang.

(18) Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs. Marin Cilic (CRO)

Head-to-head: Cilic leads 4-2

As soon as upon a time—perhaps as not too long ago as 2017 when Dimitrov was a semifinalist or 2018 when Cilic reached the ultimate dropping to Federer— this collision might have come within the quarterfinals or semifinals.

As of late, each veterans are in search of revitalizing runs. The Forty third-ranked Cilic is the higher return who has gained 4 of their 5 hard-court conferences, whereas Dimitrov is extra agile and cozy closing at web. Each have endured adventures on second serve, which provides a component of unpredictability.

(4) Daniil Medvedev (RUS) vs. Vasek Pospisil (CAN)

Head-to-head: Medvedev leads 2-1

Contrasting kinds pits Pospisil’s proclivity for serve-and-volley in opposition to the 6’6” Medvedev’s metronomic floor recreation and chess grasp tactical expertise. All three prior conferences have been tight with Pospisil scoring a 6-4, 6-3 win on the 2020 Rotterdam.

(9) Matteo Berrettini (ITA) vs. Kevin Anderson (RSA)

Head-to-head: First assembly

Battle of huge males who can crush it on serve ought to present basic first-strike tennis.

Each are at their greatest dictating play and each males hit flat and exhausting, which might create a match of opposing streaks.

Crowd Sourcing

Australian Open CEO Craig Tiley introduced the tournament will allow 30,000

 fans per day throughout week one.

That is a dramatic departure from the US Open, which was performed behind closed doorways, and Roland Garros, which allowed far fewer followers entrance.

Who will the gang presence profit? 

It ought to amp up the vitality and depth ranges significantly, says Corridor of Famer John McEnroe.

“Hear, once we see 10,000 followers at these NFL playoff video games we’re thrilled; 10,000 individuals, seems like 70,000 individuals,” ESPN lead analyst John McEnroe instructed the media in a convention name. “Any sport, any time, wherever, you bought to like seeing that. I assume that is the benefit of being remoted in a very different facet of the world in Australia, being an island that has 25 million individuals, they have been capable of form of shut it down fully.

“The upside is now that these gamers, presuming hopefully this factor goes to be okay with this employee and they do not get different assessments, they will have lots of people there. There’s going to be an vitality there that is going to be unreal.”

 Draw Notes

• If Djokovic makes the ultimate it might be his eighth Melbourne ultimate within the final 11 years and his twenty eighth profession Grand Slam title match equaling Nadal for second place behind Roger Federer.

• If 34-year-old Nadal guidelines Melbourne it might be his record-extending seventh Grand Slam title since celebrating his thirtieth birthday.

• In his nineteenth AO look, ironman Feliciano Lopez is about to increase his males’s file together with his seventy fifth consecutive Grand Slam look. The 39-year-old Spaniard opens in opposition to Aussie wild card Li Tu.