MUST-SEE MATCHES ON DAY EIGHT OF THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN:
1-Rafael Nadal (ESP) v 23-Nick Kyrgios (AUS)
They’ll be no love lost as these foes rekindle their rivalry in a much-hyped Australian Open blockbuster. Kyrgios branded Nadal “super salty” last year but the Spaniard had the last laugh, beating Kyrgios in four sets at Wimbledon. That victory gave the 19-time major champion a 4-3 edge across their career meetings but Kyrgios has fared the better on hardcourts (2-1). The victor will book a quarter-final date with the winner of the Dominic Thiem-Gael Monfils clash. Expect fireworks.
4-Daniil Medvedev (RUS) v 15-Stan Wawrinka (SUI)
Wawrinka knows how it feels to walk in Medvedev’s shoes. The Russian has been branded the next most likely to break the ‘Big Three’ dynasty, a tag the Swiss veteran wore well before claiming his maiden major at the Australian Open in 2014. Medvedev beat Wawrinka in the quarters during his run to a first grand slam final at the US Open last year. Could history repeat itself at Melbourne Park?
7-Alexander Zverev (GER) v 17-Andrey Rublev (RUS)
Rising star Rublev will continue to press his claim as this year’s Australian Open dark horse. Champion in Doha and Adelaide, the Russian remained unbeaten in 2020 after knocking off Belgian 11th seed David Goffin in the third round. He could equal his career-best performance at a major – a last-eight appearance at Flushing Meadows in 2017 – with victory over Zverev. Fighting to shed his grand slam flop label, the seventh-seeded German has shown no signs of his ATP Cup struggles across his three straight-set wins in Melbourne. Zverev has also had the wood over Rublev thus far, winning all three of their previous meetings.
* 17-Angelique Kerber (GER) v 30-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
Kerber had to overcome a hamstring injury to take her place at Melbourne Park, but the 2016 Australian Open champion has moved well on her way to the fourth round. Pavlyuchenkova didn’t drop a set in the first week and dumped No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova, who she hadn’t beaten in six previous attempts, out of the tournament in the third round. The tour veterans have played each other 14 times, for seven wins each, with the Russian prevailing in straight sets at their last meeting in Osaka last year.
4-Simona Halep (ROM) v 16-Elise Mertens (BEL)
With the shock third-round exits of fellow contenders Karolina Pliskova, Elina Svitolina, Belinda Bencic, the draw has opened up for Halep to make another deep run at Melbourne Park. Runner-up to Caroline Wozniacki in 2018, the fourth seed has waltzed into the fourth round for a third straight year and not dropped a set in the process. Mertens will be out to change that and the Belgian 16th seed will fancy her chances after upsetting Halep in the Qatar Open final last February.