Day Four of the Australian open witnessed some of the most fascinating tennis of the tournament as two matches lived upto the pre match expectations. Sadly it was curtains for the only remaining Australian in the top half of the draw as former world no 1 Lleyton Hewitt squarendered a two set to love lead to the veteran German Benjamin Becker. The 2001 US Open and 2002 Wimbledon champion known for his never say die attitude got a doze of his own medicine as the German clawed his way back into the match after being outclassed in the first two sets. The other match saw Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz showing glimpses of the form that took him to the Wimbledon semi final in 2013. He too had to come from behind against the mercurial Frenchman Gael Monfils who lost his way in the last two sets after winning the third set tie-breaker. The world no. 1 Novak Djokovic, defending champion Stanislas Wawrinka, Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Canada’s Milos Raonic safely made it to the round of 32 and were joined by three seeded Spaniards David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco, Frenchman Giles Simon and the lone American seed John Isner. Steve Johnson is the only other American left in the draw as he won in straight sets against Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo. Another Colombian Alejandro Gonzalez was also bundled out by Spain’s Guillermo Garcia Lopez in straight sets. They have been joined by Giles Muller of Luxembourg, another Canadian Vasek Pospisil and the left handed Jarko Nieminen of Finland.

They will all be in action on day 6 with my picks named first

Novak Djokovic v Fernando Verdasco
John Isner v. Giles Muller
Feliciano Lopez v. Jersy Janowicz
Milos Raonic v. Benjamin Becker
Stanislas Wawrinka v. Jarko Nieminen
Vasek Pospisil v. Guillermo Garcia Lopez
David Ferrer v. Gilles Simon
Kei Nishikori v. Steve Johnson

The match of the day again features Janowicz who takes on the left handed Lopez who has scaled as career high ranking of 14. The Spaniard Fernando Verdasco who was beaten in the 2009 semi-final by the eventual champion Rafael Nadal in an epic five set match lasting over 5 hours will take on Novak Djokovic. David Ferrer, winner in Doha will have his hands full against the stylish Frenchman Giles Simon who was ranked a career high no. 7 in 2008 and almost knocked out Roger Federer in the second round of 2011 at this event.

In the ladies section the former world no 1 Victoria Azarenka who won in 2012 &,2013 ended the run of the former World no. 1 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark. Serena Williams overcame a slow start in the first set to defeat the Russian Vera Zvonareva in a repeat of the 2010 Wimbledon final. The two time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova stayed on course to meet Serena in the semi-final as she won in straight sets. Also advancing was last years surprise finalist Dominica Cibulkova.

– Rasesh Mehta [Rasesh Mehta is an analyst with the Tennis Galaxy. You can reach him at the email: sportzcosmos@gmail.com]