Australian Open 2015: Predictions for Top Stars in Day 2 Singles Draw
The 2015 Australian Open is still in its infancy, but some of the top names in the field are already being tested a bit more than they would have liked.
Players like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal had no such trouble getting past their early-round foes, but others haven't been so fortunate.
Day 1 opened with a handful of notable upsets on the women's side. Could even more madness be in store in just the tournament's second day, or will we see somewhat of a return to normalcy?
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Some of the action in Day 2 has already taken place, but as we gear up for a couple of enticing evening-time matches, let's take a closer look at what's on tap.
| Men's | Lleyton Hewitt vs. Ze Zhang | Rod Laver |
| Women's | Shelby Rogers vs. Alja Tomljanovic | Rod Laver |
| Women's | No. 1 Serena Williams vs. Alison Van Uytvanck | Margaret |
| Men's | Lucas Pouille vs. No. 7 Gael Monfils | Margaret |
Note: Many Day 2 matches have already taken place. A full list of results and schedule is available at AusOpen.com.
Day 2 Predictions
No. 1 Serena Williams vs. Alison Van Uytvanck
The pressure is on Serena Williams entering 2015, and it will come full circle as she begins first-round play Down Under.
Once again, the American maintains the top seed in the year's first Grand Slam. But now five years removed from her last Australian Open title and after winning only one Slam throughout 2014, her long, dominant reign over women's tennis could be nearing its end.
Still, she enters Melbourne well within reach of a big achievement, per ESPN Tennis:
"What do you think, will Serena Williams catch up to Steffi Graf's incredible 22 Grand Slam titles? #ESPNTennis pic.twitter.com/3v8hcdJlF7
— ESPNTennis (@ESPNTennis) January 20, 2015"
If she wants to build the right momentum heading into a long two weeks, getting off to a hot start against Alison Van Uytvanck will be most important.
Williams has never faced the Belgian in her young career, and the 20-year-old has failed to make it late into a tournament since a semifinal run in Hong Kong back in September 2014. Her last appearance was a loss to Barbora Krejcikova, who failed to even qualify into the field.
It remains to be seen whether Williams will be able to compete at her highest level against the likes of Caroline Wozniacki and perhaps Maria Sharapova, but her blend of power and speed will be too much for the 20-year-old.
Save for a couple of times that Van Uytvanck defends her serve, Williams will cruise.
Prediction: Williams wins, 6-1, 6-2
No. 7 Gael Monfils vs. Lucas Pouille
France's Gael Monfils will round out the first round for the many men's singles players eyeing a deep run, with an evening-time matchup against Lucas Pouille.
Monfils is no stranger to the latter rounds of a Slam, having advanced to the French Open semifinals once and the U.S. Open quarterfinals two times. His last impressive run was to the quarters in the U.S. Open in 2014, before an epic comeback from Roger Federer ended his underdog run.
Although he's failed to add a Slam title to his resume at the ripe age of 28, Monfils remains a crowd favorite due to his incredible athleticism and effort. Live Tennis showcased what the Frenchman is capable of:
"Gael Monfils! https://t.co/ZxOKqXB6GD
— Live Tennis (@livetennis) January 16, 2015"
He should have no problem ousting fellow Frenchman Pouille in the first round.
Pouille is making just his fourth appearance in a Slam event, and the first three didn't quite go according to plan. While he made it to the second round in the 2013 French Open, 2014 first-round flameouts in Melbourne and Roland Garros followed.
Should Monfils make it through this early test, it could set up a doozy in the second round, per The New York Times' Ben Rothenberg:
Pouille is a hard worker who will make every point of Monfils' well earned, but that's precisely the type of match that Monfils excels in. Every powerful forehand from Pouille will be answered with ferocity and strength from Monfils, and it will prove too much to overcome.
Monfils will exert enough energy on certain points to allow Pouille to keep a few sets close, but not close enough to win his own set.
Prediction: Monfils wins, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
