By Kamakshi Tandon

Jelena Jankovic (SRB) [3] vs. Serena Williams (USA) [7] Rod Laver Arena – 2nd match
Head-to-head

When these two met here last year, Jelena Jankovic was the favorite but played a nervous match and got run over by Serena’s gathering storm. The roles are reversed this time around with Serena the favorite and Jankovic the underdog, but the result probably won’t be.

Serena, strangely enough, is more of a known quantity than Jankovic coming into this match. She hasn’t looked untouchable yet, but she’s been solid. Though sometimes looking a touch slow, her serve has been working well and she's moved through a couple of potentially tricky encounters against rising teens Victoria Azarenka and Nicole Vaidisova.

Jankovic has played every week since the beginning of this season, already picked up a couple of injuries and has spent more time on court that any of the top women, even going to 12-10 in the third in her first match. And she’s playing doubles.

But while she’s not playing her best, she’s still running around and competing – and hoping. Jankovic has a good record against Williams (2-2 not counting walkovers) and enjoys playing her.

If Jankovic plays this match the way she’s played her earlier ones, she’ll probably lose pretty routinely. If she plays up to her real standard, the match should be very competitive, though chances are she’ll still get squeezed out. To actually win, she needs a miraculously good day or for Serena to have a very bad day.

Will the sore Serb be able to cope with all the running she’ll have to do in the match? “Hopefully I can make her run so she can get sore a bit,” said Jankovic, smiling.

But that's not Serena’s plan at all.

Prediction: Serena Williams

Justine Henin (BEL) [1] vs. Maria Sharapova (RUS) [5] Rod Laver Arena – 7:30 pm
Head-to-head

Their last match was a three-hour thriller in the final of the year-end championships, so this meeting is a highly anticipated one.

Maria Sharapova has actually looked the better of the two thus far, wiping out Lindsay Davenport in the second-round with clean, consistent hitting and good serving – a good sign after her serving yips last year.

Henin has come through her draw easily enough, but wants to raise her game to deal with the potential Sharapova-Serena-Venus/Ivanovic combo she would have to go through to win the title. Her back-to-back wins over the Williamses at the US Open showed she can do it, but it requires her highest level of play.

Though the top-seeded Belgian hasn’t been quite as impressive as the fifth-seeded Sharapova, this match is still a tough call. Henin’s versatile game will force Sharapova deal with a very different ball than the ones she’s faced so far. Henin also has a dominant 6-2 record against the Russian.

The new Plexicushion surface could be a bit of a factor, but again it’s hard to tell which way. It’s slower than in Madrid and picking up the spin of the ball more, both of which are in Henin’s favor. But it’s still a hardcourt and Sharapova has given her thumbs up to the surface.

If Sharapova has a good serving day, the match-up is a very even one.

Prediction: Henin

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) [14] Rod Laver Arena – 5th match
Head-to-head 

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has certainly made good on his upset of Andy Murray in the first round, going all the way to the fourth round and then defeating long-time pal and eighth seed Richard Gasquet. It’s the best Grand Slam result ever for the talented puncher who struggled with back injuries before coming on strong last season.

Youzhny, by contrast, has been here before – he reached the semifinals of the US Open in 2006. Since he defeated Rafael Nadal at that event and has won a couple of clutch five-setters in Davis Cup, nerves shouldn’t be a problem for him. But he’s an inconsistent performer who is also capable of losing tamely. he’s come quietly through the draw to reach this stage, easily defeating compatriot Nikolay Davydenko in his previous match.

Tsonga can start like a hurricane but often runs out of steam halfway through, which means a long match favours Youzhny. But the Frenchman certainly has momentum on his side – we’ll find out if destiny is as well.

Prediction: Tsonga