RICKY’S PICKS FOR DAY 6 AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN, INCLUDING NADAL VS. ZVEREV AND DIMITROV VS. GASQUET

Written by: Staff on 20th January 2017

RICKY'S PICKS FOR DAY 6 AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN, INCLUDING NADAL VS. ZVEREV AND DIMITROV VS. GASQUET

epa05729464 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in action against Chung Hyeon of South Korea during their Men's Singles second round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 19 January 2017. EPA/LYNN BO BO |

Ricky’s picks for Day 6 at the Australian Open, including Nadal vs. Zverev and Dimitrov vs. Gasquet

By Ricky Dimon

The third round of the Australian Open will conclude on Saturday, with Rafael Nadal taking center stage during the afternoon session. Nadal may have tough test on his hands with Alexander Zverev. Grigor Dimitrov, Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils, and Dominic Thiem are also in action. Ricky previews and predicts some of the most intriguing Day 6 matchups.

(24) Alexander Zverev vs. (9) Rafael Nadal

Alexander Zverev of Germany in action against Robin Haase of the Netherlands during their Men’s Singles first round match of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 17 January 2017. EPA/LUKAS COCH

Nobody (or at least not Zverev) will soon forget their only previous meeting. At last year’s Indian Wells Masters, Zverev butchered an easy forehand volley on match points at 5-3, 40-30 in the third set. Nadal ended up winning 6-7(8), 6-0, 7-5. A best-of-five scenario would seem to be even more advantageous for an established veteran than a 19-year-old, but that may not be the case. Nadal is always a physical question mark, especially on hard courts. Zverev, meanwhile, recovered nicely from a five-setter with Robin Haase by crushing Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 in round two. The German is the prototypical Nadal nemesis: huge serve, big groundstrokes, and a two-handed backhand. Nadal has impressed through two rounds, but not to the extent that I’m changing my pre-tournament prediction.

Pick: Zverev in 4

(15) Grigor Dimitrov vs. (18) Richard Gasquet

Very little will separate these two in this battle of one-handed backhands that should feature lots of incredible shot-making from the baseline. Who will get the best of it? Gasquet leads the head-to-head series 5-1 and has been the more dominant through two matches. But Dimitrov took their most recent encounter last fall in Shanghai and is 7-0 this year with a title in Brisbane. The Bulgarian has been riding a wave of momentum since the second half of last season. This could be the most entertaining contest of the entire event other than Denis Istomin vs. Novak Djokovic.

Pick: Dimitrov in 5

(13) Roberto Bautista Agut vs. (21) David Ferrer

Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in action against Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan during round two of the Men’s Singles at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 19 January 2017. EPA/MADE NAGI

Ferrer leads the head-to-head series 2-0, but the previous showdowns between the fellow Spaniards and Rio Olympics doubles partners came in 2013. Ferrer, now 34, was still in his prime at that point and Bautista Agut had not yet peaked. The tables have now turned dramatically, so much that Bautista Agut is will ahead of his compatriot in the rankings (14th and 23rd)–and deservedly so. Bautista Agut is undefeated in 2017, with a title in Chennai and two easy victories so far in Melbourne. Ferrer, on the other hand, hasn’t shown any real signs of ending a slump that began last year.

Bautista Agut in 4

(6) Gael Monfils vs. (32) Philipp Kohlschreiber

Monfils is leading the head-to-head series 12-2 and has won nine of their last 10 meetings, including four straight. The Frenchman was a physical question mark (what’s new?) heading into this fortnight, but he is off to a stellar start having dropped only one set in convincing wins over Jiri Vesely and Alexandr Dolgopolov. Kohlschreiber also donated just a single set during his first two rounds, as he mostly rolled over Nikoloz Basilashvili and Donald Young. The German has bounced back nicely from a disconcerting withdrawal last week in Sydney, where he reached the quarters before being forced out with a back injury. Assuming Monfils is 100 percent–or even if both men are 100 percent–the sixth seed should maintain his mastery of this particular opponent.

Pick: Monfils in 3

(8) Dominic Thiem vs. Benoit Paire

Dominic Thiem of Austria in action against Jordan Thompson of Australia during the Men’s Singles match in round 2 of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 January 2017. EPA/TRACEY NEARMY

A showdown between Paire and Fabio Fognini on Thursday went just about how anyone could have guessed. In other words, it was predictably unpredictable. Wild momentum swings were the norm before Paire prevailed 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Thiem, on the other hand, has cruised for the most part to make a bit of statement after early losses in both Brisbane and Sydney. The world No. 8 has advanced with four-set defeats of Jan-Lennard Struff and Jordan Thompson. A favorable draw continues in the form of Paire, who has done nothing over the past 12 months (or more) to suggest he is ready to produce a significant upset at a Grand Slam.

Pick: Thiem in 3

(30) Pablo Carreno Busta vs. Denis Istomin

Almost nobody follows up a monumental, career-defining performance with a win in his next match. Sam Querrey managed to do it at Wimbledon, where he stunned Djokovic and then beat Nicolas Mahut before falling to Milos Raonic in the quarters. Still, Querrey is an aberration to the rule. And he is also far more proven with far more major experience than Istomin. The Uzbek also endured a much greater physical test in his 7-6(8), 5-7, 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 stunner of the six-time champion on Thursday. They played for four hours and 50 minutes–something Istomin did not need heading into a battle with a baseline grinder like Carreno Busta who has coasted though two rounds. Istomin will be gone, but he won’t be forgotten.

Pick: Carreno Busta in 4