Each day during the Australian Open, we'll select three of the most intriguing matches on the schedule and offer our predictions.
Lleyton Hewitt vs. Andy Roddick [15] (Rod Laver Arena, second night match)
Head-to-Head: Roddick leads 7-6
Two former world No. 1s renew a decade-long rivalry in a night match that could be their final major meeting. These two compete with such raw intensity they trade forehands with the fervor of opponents throwing elbows in an Aussie rules football match. Roddick holds a 7-6 career edge in a rivalry of seismic shifts: Hewitt won six of their first seven meetings, but Roddick has won six straight since suffering a 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 loss to the two-time Grand Slam champion in the 2005 Indian Wells semifinals.
Plagued by hip and foot injuries in recent years, the 181st-ranked Hewitt has played just eight matches since Wimbledon, but competed with guile and grit in a near four-hour, first-round win. Hewitt’s fighting spirit will be rabid and the crowd support raucous, but I have concerns about his banged-up 30-year-old body rebounding from such a physically-demanding test. In their early encounters, Roddick needed to shorten points against the quick-footed counter puncher, but there’s been a tactical shift in recent matches in that Roddick, who plays the slice backhand much more often now, has pressed the advantage in longer rallies as age has robbed Hewitt of a half-step.
Slower court conditions should suit Roddick, who would hit his share of aces in a swamp but likes a little bit of time to set up for his forehand. Whereas Hewitt, who plays off pace extremely well, is more dangerous on a quicker court. The Aussie is also more vulnerable and predictable on second serve. If Roddick is to realize his aim of returning to the Top 10, this is the type of match he must win. I believe he will.
The Pick: Roddick in 4.
Sabine Lisicki [14] vs. Shahar Peer (Court 2, third match)
Head-to-Head: Tied 2-2
Strong survival skills helped Lisicki overcome 55 unforced errors in rallying for a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over 138th-ranked Swiss Stefanie Voegele in round one. She must clean up her game against Peer, who reached a career-high rank of No. 11 last January.
The 2011 Wimbledon semifinalist suffered an abdominal strain that compelled her to retire from the Auckland quarters and forced her out of Sydney. It’s a challenging issue for any player, but particularly problematic for Lisicki, whose high-powered serve is a cornerstone of her aggressive game.
They’ve split four career meetings with Peer prevailing 6-4, 7-6 in their most recent match in Cincinnati last summer. The 34th-ranked Israeli is a tenacious baseliner who made a memorable run to the 2007 Australian Open quarterfinals, falling to eventual champ Serena Williams, 3-6, 6-2, 8-6. Peer poses pressure with her court coverage and will try to extend the German in rallies. If Lisicki serves better than 60 percent, she can win, but given her questionable physical condition and Peer’s counter-punching skills and unrelenting determination, I’m picking Peer to reach the third round for the fifth time in the last six years.
Roberta Vinci [23] vs. Zheng Jie (Court 6, second match)
Head-to-Head: Zheng leads 1-0
A stylistic clash pitting Vinci’s variety against Zheng’s fierce, flat strikes. Though Vinci, who changes speeds and spins as comfortably as opponents change racquets, is at her best on clay, she has matched her best major results with a pair of Australian Open third-round showings.
The players say the Melbourne courts are playing a bit slower bit slower this year, which could benefit the 28-year-old from Palermo, who takes a big back swing and carries Italian hopes on her shoulders after early exits from Fed Cup teammates Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone.
While the 5’4½” Chinese may be vertically challenged, Zheng suffers no shortage of fearlessness. She hugs the baseline, daring opponents to try to back her up, and uses her impeccable timing and clean, compact strokes to spit back shots with surprising pop. Two years ago, Zheng reached the Australian Open semifinals. Two weeks ago, she beat two-time major champ Svetlana Kuznetsova and reigning Australian Open doubles champ Pennetta in succession to win her first title in more than five years in Auckland. I like Zheng to extend her six-match winning streak and advance.
The Pick: Zheng in 3.