The first week of the Aussie Open is almost over. The quarter final line-ups are almost set and the tournament is getting very interesting. We have four men's games and four women's games tonight and after last night's drama , will we see any upsets tonight?
First up is Dane Caroline Wozniacki,who is looking to return to the grand slam quarter final stage after an indifferent 2011. She faces Svetlana Kuznetsova on Rod Laver Arena and this match should be of high quality. Wozniacki has been playing well this week but there are still doubts over her ability to beat the best players in the world in majors. Kuznetsova has no such problems as a two time grand slam winner. The courts and conditions suit Kuznetsova and I think she will have too much for Wozniacki tonight. I've said all week Kuznetsova is a real contender here and tonight, she proves it.
Victoria Azarenka dropped her first set of the tournament when she faced Jamie Hampton on Friday night. She was in trouble in the third set too but she recovered nicely to win comfortably in the final set. That game will have woken her up and she knows she has to raise her game. Elena Vesnina is her opponent tonight and the Russian has had a great start to the year with only one loss. Vesnina could have a fantastic season but Azarenka will be the one in the quarter finals.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has cruised through to this stage so far but when you look at who he has played it's not the highest of quality opponents. Tonight he faces a real test in Richard Gasquet. Gasquet has been brilliant so far this year and I fancy he could be a possible breakhrough player this year. Riccardo Piatti can take the credit for that. Gasquet now has the mindset and dedication that his game so desperately craved. Tsonga is a big hitter but I question his mentality in big games. I'm going with Gasquet to win this one.
Jeremy Chardy caused the shock of the tournament by beating Juan Martin Del Potro and he goes into tonight's game as an underdog again against Andreas Seppi. This guy came on the scene a few years back but never really left a lasting impression. He found form last Summer when he beat Andy Murray and Tsonga in successive weeks. He has played quite a lot of tennis so far this week when you combine his doubles and singles and that worries me. Seppi is a great player to get results without playing blinding tennis. These two have never met but I'm going to with the upset and say Chardy continues his good run.
Sloane Stephens has had little trouble in reaching this stage and is becoming a really exciting prospect. She brushed aside Laura Robson despite a shoulder injury and at 19 she is playing with maturity beyond her years. She faces Bojana Jovanovski tonight and although Jovanovski has had a good run she won't have enough to see off Stephens. Sloane Stephens is about to reach her first grand slam quarter finals.
Andy Murray hasn't been tested at this years Aussie Open but Gilles Simon is name he won't take lightly. This game would normally be one of the most anticipated of the day but a serious question of Simon's fitness leaves us wondering just how effective he can be. He needed four sets in his first two rounds and five to beat Monfils in the last round. He suffered from cramp throughout that match and it's unknown if the day's break will have been enough for him to recover. I like Simon's style and he should challenge the Scot but it's hard to see him having enough to stop Murray reaching the quarter finals.
Serena Williams has looked very good this tournament so far and is playing with a real confidence. Her opponents have been good and have played very well but she's dismissed them with ease. Tonight she should be challenged by Maria Kirilenko who has been very good this week. Her match with Yanina Wickmayer was of the highest quality. Kirilenko will look to lengthen the points and back up her serve well to give herself a chance but Serena Williams won't be stopped tonight.
The final match, for me, is the one to watch. Roger Federer and Milos Raonic played three times last year and all three went to final sets, two of them were final set tie breaks. He has one the fist set of all their meetings and will need to do so again here in order to give himself the confidence. Federer has been stunning so far and will have gained great satisfaction from beating Tomic so comfortably. He is playing well but Raonic will be a test he hasn't yet faced this season. My head says Roger. My heart says Milos. Nine times out ten you listen to your head. This isn't one of those times. Raonic in four.
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