RICKY DIMON’S QUARTERFINAL PICKS, INCLUDING NOVAK DJOKOVIC VS. MILOS RAONIC AND VENUS WILLIAMS VS. MADISON KEYS

Written by: Staff on 27th January 2015

RICKY DIMON'S QUARTERFINAL PICKS, INCLUDING NOVAK DJOKOVIC VS. MILOS RAONIC AND VENUS WILLIAMS VS. MADISON KEYS

epa04570148 Milos Raonic of Canada reacts a he plays against Illya Marchenko of Ukraine during the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2015. EPA/LUKAS COCH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Wednesday’s lineup at the Australian Open is a scintillating one on both the men’s and women’s sides. Each of the top players in the world–Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams–is in action. Also taking the court are Venus Williams, Madison Keys, and defending men’s champion Stan Wawrinka.

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (8) Milos Raonic

The good news for Raonic is that he is straight up playing the best tennis of his life. He finished runner-up at the Paris Masters last fall, did the same earlier this season in Brisbane, and he is now through to the Australian Open quarterfinals for the first time in his career–and into a slam quarterfinal for the third time.

Unfortunately for the Canadian, he represents a classic case of winning matches he should win and losing matches he should lose. Raonic is 1-20 lifetime against the current top four players in the world, including 0-9 and 2-20 against the two best baseliners (Djokovic and Rafael Nadal). Djokovic is 4-0 versus Raonic and 10-1 sets, with the only such loss coming in a tiebreaker and three such wins by 6-2 margins. The world No. 1 was outstanding against another big server (Gilles Muller) on Monday, recording 47 winners to just 16 unforced errors.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after winning his third round match against Fernando Verdasco of Spain at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 24 January 2015. EPA/DAVID CROSLING AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

Pick: Djokovic in 3 with two tiebreakers

(4) Stan Wawrinka vs. (5) Kei Nishikori

Kei Nishikori of Japan returns the ball to Steve Johnson of the USA during their third round match of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 24 January 2015. EPA/LUKAS COCH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

This has all the makings of a classic. Separated by one spot in the rankings, both men are in awesome form. Wawrinka kicked off his season with a title in Chennai, just as he did last year before winning the Australian Open. Nishikori, a semifinalist in Brisbane (lost a high-quality thriller to Raonic) has won six consecutive sets this fortnight by margins of 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, and 6-3. Perhaps just as happy as Wawrinka at the Happy Slam, this is by far Nishikori’s most consistent major (has reached at least the third round in five straight appearances).

Moreover, their most recent head-to-head showdown also came in a slam quarterfinal and it resulted in one of 2014’s best matches. Nishikori prevailed 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), 6-7(5), 6-4 on his way to the U.S. Open title match. Something will have to give on Wednesday, and it’s hard to say what that will be. I will give an ever-so-slight edge to the Swiss based on his experience with Australian Open five-set marathons.

Pick: Wawrinka in 5

(18) Venus Williams vs. Madison Keys

Venus Williams of the US in action against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in their fourth round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 26 January 2015. The Australian Open tennis tournament runs until 01 February 2015. EPA/MADE NAGI

This event may be in Australia, but women’s action on Wednesday will be all about the United States. Before Serena goes up against Dominika Cibulkova, Venus and Keys will go head-to-head for the second time in their careers. Their only previous meeting came two years ago on the clay courts of Charleston, where Venus cruised 6-4, 6-4.

Now 19, Keys is establishing herself as a force to reckoned with on the WTA Tour–not only in the future, but also immediately. Her breakout tournament includes a straight-set upset of No. 4 seed Petra Kvitova. However, Keys had never been past the third round of a slam prior to this fortnight and Venus is a seven-time major champion who is through to the quarters in Melbourne for the eighth time in her illustrious career. Experience will be the difference in what should be a fun one.

Pick: Venus in 3

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: AO15, Australian Open, Kei Nishikori, Madison Keys, Melbourne, milos raonic, Novak Djokovic, Ricky Dimon, Stan Wawrinka, Tennis, Venus Williams