The 2012 Australian Open has reached the third round stage, with Roger Federer, Kim Clijsters and Victoria Azarenka among those players in action
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Day 5 of the Australian Open sees the start of the men’s 3rd round with some exciting matches ahead!
Ivo Karlovic(CRO) vs. Roger Federer(SWI)[3] – Rod Laver Arena 11:00am start
Federer has never been a fan of Karlovic’s playing style and he knows that his almost untouchable serve will force him into sets much closer than he would prefer in the first week. Nevertheless Federer only lost to Karlovic once in their past 10 meetings so unless carelessness kick in it should be fairly straightforward for him.
Stanislas Wawrinka(SWI)[21] vs. NicolasAlmagro(ESP)[10] – Show Court 2 11:00am start
Both of these two players went into their 2nd round matches as the somewhat underdog but they both came through showcasing their current form. Three their four previous meetings have reached a final set, but Wawrinka has won their only previous five-setter (on clay) demonstrating his superior fitness. But the superior serve and shot-making power belongs to the Spaniard, who faces the challenge of pulling the trigger at the right moment in rallies. Expect plenty of tightly contested service games, more breaks than the ATP average, and a critical test of nerve!
Alejandro Falla(COL) vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber(GER) - Show Court 3 11:00am start
Falla, who dismissed Fish in the previous round in straight sets, seems to be a good tactical player and his playing style is likely to benefit him again in the meeting with another fairly volatile shot-maker like Kohlschreiber. On the other hand, Kohlschreiber has proven in the past that when he gets it right and feels comfortable in the court he can be quite the opponent. This should be another exciting match to watch with a lot of backhand action from both players.
In the women’s tournament, round three promises a hard hitting match between Clijsters and Hantuchova. Here are some match previews for the ladies Down Under.
Kim Clijsters(BEL)[11] vs. Daniela Hantuchova(SVK)[20] – Hisense Arena 7:00pm Start
Two weeks ago, this match would have been a lot more straightforward. Having lost one total set in their first nine meetings, Clijsters clearly seemed aware of the way to come through a match with Slovak comfortably. In their latest meeting in Brisbane semifinal Hantuchova really pushed Clijsters to the limit in a match with multiple-deuce games and a first set tiebreak. Eventually Clijsters retired so one could say that we will now be able to watch the continuation of that match and it is expected to be quite intense!
Victoria Azarenka(BLR)[3] vs. Mona Barthel(GER) – Hisense Arena 11:00am Start
Azarenka only lost two game in two matches and has established herself among the leading contenders for the title. Barthel on the other hand, winner of the Hobart tournament earlier this month, is on a ten-match winning streak that should give her the confidence needed for such an opponent.
