RICKY’S PICKS FOR DAY 4 AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2016, INCLUDING DAVID FERRER VS. LLEYTON HEWITT, BOTH GUYS ARE “GRINDERS / FIGHTERS”, SAM GROTH VS. ANDY MURRAY, WAWRINKA, RAONIC, SOCK ALL IN ACTION

Written by: Staff on 20th January 2016

RICKY'S PICKS FOR DAY 4 AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2016, INCLUDING DAVID FERRER VS. LLEYTON HEWITT, BOTH GUYS ARE "GRINDERS / FIGHTERS", SAM GROTH VS. ANDY MURRAY, WAWRINKA, RAONIC, SOCK ALL IN ACTION

epa05110561 David Ferrer of Spain in action against Peter Gojowczyk of Germany during their first round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 19 January 2016. EPA/MAST IRHAM |

By Ricky Dimon

Lleyton Hewitt is expected to make his final singles appearance at the Australian Open on Thursday night, when he goes up against heavily-favored David Ferrer during second-round action. But Hewitt may have other ideas–such as pulling off the upset. Whatever the case, the 34-year-old Aussie is certain to not go away without a fight. Ferrer-Hewitt will snag the headlines, but other players being featured on Thursday include Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Milos Raonic, and Jack Sock.

Picks:

(8) David Ferrer vs. (WC) Lleyton Hewitt: On paper this is a clear mismatch. At 33 years old, Ferrer is still going strong–he even made it to the World Tour Finals in 2015 despite missing two months. At 34, the injury-plagued Hewitt is on his last legs and competing in the final tournament of his career. But to heck with paper! Hewitt has never concerned himself with what should happen in a tennis match. The fiery Australian has always put his heart and soul into every match regardless of the circumstances and he will certainly do the same–and more–for his last hurrah. Ferrer may simply be too good in the end, but it would only be fitting if Hewitt’s last match is a five-set war in Rod Laver Arena.

Ferrer in 5.

Sam Groth vs. (2) Andy Murray: Groth joked after his first-round win that he hopes Murray’s wife goes into labor with their first child prior to Thursday’s showdown. Because if that happens, the second-ranked Scot will be on the next flight out of Melbourne. But this isn’t a joke: that really is Groth’s only chance. Murray has consistently owned big servers throughout his career. He has no trouble breaking down one-dimensional opponents that is exactly what Groth is. The Australian will throw down more than a few aces and fire up the home crowd at times, but Murray is going to cruise.

Murray in 3.

Andy Murray of Britain in action against Alexander Zverev of Germany during their first round match on day two of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 19 January 2016. EPA/LUKAS COCH

(Q) Radek Stepanek vs. (4) Stan Wawrinka: Stepanek had the honor of giving Fernando Verdasco a massage after the Spaniard upset Rafael Nadal in five sets on Tuesday. The 37-year-old Czech may not need one of his own after this match, because it will not last so long. But he may need some consoling, because his Australian Open campaign is about to come to an end. Don’t be fooled by Stepanek’s 4-2 head-to-head record against Wawrinka. He once led 4-0 and all four of his victories over the Swiss have come prior to 2010. Wawrinka is a former Australian Open champion (2014) and he has not lost to anyone other than Novak Djokovic at this event since 2012.

Wawrinka in 3.

(13) Milos Raonic vs. Tommy Robredo: This is almost certain to be the biggest beatdown of the day. Raonic is 5-0 lifetime against Robredo and 10-2 in total sets. In two hard-court encounters (both last season), Raonic has won 6-3, 6-2 and 6-1, 6-2. Even with a full gas tank, Robredo would be a massive underdog in this one. But a full tank is something he will not have. While Raonic blasted Lucas Pouille 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday, Robredo had to outlast Malek Jaziri in a marathon that went to 8-6 in the fifth set. On the bright side for the Spaniard, he will be off the court in much swifter fashion this time around.

Raonic in 3.

(25) Jack Sock vs. Lukas Rosol: Everything was coming up roses for Sock earlier this month. He upset David Ferrer in Auckland and watched his beloved Kansas City Chiefs win 10 games in a row to reach the second round of the NFL playoffs. Then his favorite restaurant–Chipotle–announced it is shutting down for a day in February because it is in need of a food-safety meeting, and it has been all downhill ever since for Sock. Is it a curse? Maybe so. He retired due to illness in the Auckland final, the Chiefs lost to New England, and he endured a bizarre five-setter against Taylor Fritz on Tuesday in which he sprained an ankle, tanked the third set, and had the fans vocally behind his fellow American. But if Sock is 100 percent (and he looked OK in a doubles win on Wednesday), he should be able to finish the job in three tough sets.

Sock in 3.

(Q) Tim Smyczek vs. (21) Viktor Troicki: Troicki has been in complete warrior mode this season. After falling to Grigor Dimitrov in a tense three-setter in Brisbane, Troicki battled past the Bulgarian in an epic Sydney final that required a third-set tiebreaker. Three days later, the Serb came back from two sets down to beat Daniel Munoz De La Nava in round one of this event. That is not exactly an impressive win in terms of the opponent, but it is for Troicki–especially given that he is the one who is usually blowing the two-set leads (see: vs. Vasek Pospisil at Wimbledon in 2015, and vs. Donald Young at the 2015 U.S. Open). Smyczek will be tough, but the discrepancy in firepower will be too much for the American qualifier to overcome.

Troicki in 4.

Viktor Troicki of Serbia reacts during his first round match against Daniel Munoz De La Nava of Spain at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 19 January 2016. EPA/FILIP SINGER

Fernando Verdasco vs. Dudi Sela: Beating Nadal is one thing. Backing it up is another. Tennis has a long history of seeing players muff it all up in the matches immediately following huge wins, and someone of Verdasco’s fragile mental game is especially prone to such a letdown. In two previous victories over Nadal, Verdasco has lost his ensuing matches 6-1, 6-2 (to Tomas Berdych in Madrid four years ago), and 6-3, 6-3 (to Juan Monaco in Miami last season). Sela is the kind of wily veteran who would be able to capitalize on an expected dip in form from Verdasco.

Sela in 4.