Fernando Verdasco plays Kei Nishikori in the night session on Hisense Arena on day five of the Australian Open.
Two years ago Verdasco hit the headlines as he pummelled his way to the last four in Melbourne before losing to Rafael Nadal in a five hour classic which will go down as one of the greatest matches in the tournament's history.
Many believed the Spaniard was set to become a slam contender for years to come. However fast forward two years and Verdasco is struggling to live up to expectations. He hit a hot streak during the clay court season last year but overplayed and has since been in something of a slump for the past six months.
He put in the hard yards during the off season but so far it does not seem to be yielding the rewards. He was pushed to the limit in round two, going five sets with Janko Tipsarevic and this could be Nishikori's chance.
The Japanese star has the quality to reach the higher echelons of the men's game if he can stay injury free and the surface in Melbourne suits his style.
