Three to See: Day 6 Australian Open Previews

Each day during the Australian Open, Steve Tignor will look ahead to three of the most compelling matches in each draw.*

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The question may be: Did Serena already survive her obligatory first-week wobble, when she came back from 3-5 down in the first set to beat Vera Zvonareva two days ago? Or could she get wobbly again? Looking at her draw, this was the match that seemed most dangerous to me. While Serena won their only previous meeting, back in 2012, the 20-year-old Svitolina could be on the verge of a breakout season. She can slug from both sides, and she has 13 fewer years on her legs than Serena. Winner: S. Williams

Can you see this turning into an epic, day-spanning mess? Lopez has won both of his matches this week from match-point down, while Janowicz, predictably, took five sets to get past Gael Monfils. Feli has been starting slowly; he was dead and buried against Adrian Mannarino until the Frenchman began digging his own grave a little faster. Jerzy, we know, never makes things easy on himself. Plus, they’ve never played, so they may want to get to know each other for a while. Winner: Janowicz

There’s been some talk of a Venus resurgence this week, but now that she’s 34, it’s bound to be temporary. Still, you would think it would get her through this match. Venus is ranked 15 spots higher than Giorgi, and while the American can be erratic, she’s still steadier than the Italian, who hits hard, plays fast, and only occasionally takes names. They’ve never faced each other; three sets seems like a possibility. Winner: V. Williams

Djokovic has made such quick work of his first two opponents—14 games surrendered in six sets—that I’ve seen more of him in the stands watching his friend Viktor Troicki than I have of him on the court. In theory, this match should take a little longer. Verdasco has won four of their previous 10 meetings, though it’s been a decade since’s he beaten him on a hard court. Verdasco is 31 and currently ranked No. 33, but he’s risen to the occasion at the Australian Open before. Risen to the occasion, that is, and still lost. Winner: Djokovic

If you like your hitting hard, stay awake—or wake up—for this one, which is last on Laver. Kvitova won their only meeting, in 2013, easily. But so far in Australia, both women have looked poised to have good tournaments and good seasons. Kvitova is fit and trim, and has shown signs of a new consistency this year. Keys is working with two new coaches, Lindsay Davenport and her husband, and the work appeared to be pay off in her last match, when she elevated her game far above that of a Top 30 player, Casey Dellacqua. Now, can she elevate above a woman in the Top 5? Winner: Kvitova

If you like your matches to unfold over a fair number of hours, stay up for this one, which is the first evening match on MCA. Simon and Ferrer, in their contrasting ways, like to dig in and make themselves at home. The Spaniard is a grunter and a grinder, the Frenchman is a smooth retriever, and each is a hard man to beat. Ferrer leads their head to head 5-2, but Simon managed to wear the Little Beast down at the U.S. Open last year. He should have won some kind of award for that. Winner: Simon