2015 Australian Open: Ranking the Best Potential Semifinal Matchups
The potential matchups for the men’s and women’s semifinals are about as good as they come in a Grand Slam.
The men have seven of the top eight seeds through the quarters with the non-seeded cherry on top being the homegrown Nick Kyrgios.
On the women’s side you have three of the top four seeds through to the quarterfinals including three American women, two sisters and two Russians.
There are 16 total combinations of semifinal matches. The criteria for what would make the most compelling and exciting semifinal draw is entirely in the eye of the beholder. Only the most grizzled of tennis veterans would want to see Tomas Berdych take on Kyrgios in one of the more obscure matchups you could draw up.
So, while reading this, keep in mind that a Novak Djokovic vs. Stan Wawrinka semifinal makes for more compelling tennis radio than Berdych-Andy Murray. For those hoping for a Madison Keys vs. Dominika Cibulkova breakdown, it’s not going to happen.
Read on for eight of the more meter-moving matchups remaining in the 2015 Australian Open.
8. Serena Williams vs. Madison Keys
1 of 8
Head-to-Head: 0-0
Madison Keys grew up looking up to the Williams sisters. They’re the reason she picked up a racket.
Now Keys is the No. 35 ranked player in the world and has reached the quarterfinal against one idol in Venus Williams. A win there puts her against another idol, Serena Williams.
Talking about Venus, Keys told The New York Times: "Just watching her is inspirational. She’s had her health battles. She loves tennis. She’s still out here, and she’s doing it remarkably well. I think that’s inspirational. However long I play, I hope I can be someone similar to that."
This could be an early signal of a changing of the guard. For 15 years American women’s tennis rested on the mighty shoulders of the Williams sisters. They are 34 and 33 respectively.
Should Keys beat even one of them, it could mean she’s ready to supplant and take one of their spots in American tennis.
7. Novak Djokovic vs. Kei Nishikori
2 of 8
Head-to-Head: 3-2, Djokovic
Kei Nishikori is on the rise. Ever since he went full hobbit and slayed Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open in 2014, Nishikori is a player not to be trifled with.
Now No. 5 in the world, Nishikori is backing up that game that wowed so many at Flushing Meadows back in August.
He told Yahoo!: "I'm really new to be No. 5, so I'm still not comfortable. I think I feel more pressure than before. I think I need more time to get used to it."
He has needed four sets in two of his four matches this tournament but made relatively quick work of No. 9 seed David Ferrer in the fourth round. Now he has to get by Stan Wawrinka again just like he did in the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open.
A win in that match and it could be deja vu all over again, this time Down Under.
6. Simona Halep vs. Maria Sharapova
3 of 8
Head-to-Head: 5-0, Sharapova
Sharapova has never lost to Halep, yet these two are evenly matched.
The last three times they’ve played—and this includes the 2014 French Open final—each match has gone three sets.
Sharapova has lost just five games in the last two matches. When the tournament is supposed to get more challenging, she’s become more dominant. Sharapova said in the Sydney Morning Herald:
"I don't want to be the next anyone. I want to be the first Maria Sharapova. And that's how I've been throughout my whole career. And we all want to create our own path and go through our own career. And we're all destined for some sort of thing. We work extremely hard at a sport, and that's what we want to be known for.
"
Halep, always the unassuming type, goes about her business quietly, while Sharapova, to put it mildly, does not. There’s a clash in style should these two face off, one hungry for her first victory, the other looking for her place among the all-time greats.
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5. Rafael Nadal vs. Andy Murray
4 of 8
Head-to-Head: 15-5, Nadal
A matchup between Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray isn't going to move the meter much, but for tennis purists this has the potential to be a good one.
Nadal continues his epic return to tennis from a wrist-riddled, vestigial-organ-inflamed offseason. Murray, for all his travails coming back from back surgery in 2014, hungers for an Australian Open title.
Murray's past five runs through Melbourne have been RUP, RUP, SF, RUP and QF. His quest for a third Grand Slam and a coveted WON in the Australian Open column of his bio won’t come easy.
So far Murray has dropped just one set all tournament, that coming against No. 10 seed Grigor "Baby Fed" Dimitrov in the fourth round. Murray's play has been spectacular hitting more winners than unforced errors in each of his four matches.
So far the men's matches, this one's as good as it gets and the potential for more scintillating semifinal matchups gets better from here.
4. Simona Halep vs. Eugenie Bouchard
5 of 8
Head-to-Head: 2-1, Halep
Seeing Halep and Eugenie Bouchard square off would provide further grist for the mill that the next wave in women’s tennis is securely in the hands of these two young women.
Halep, 23, and Bouchard, 20, have met three times and once in a Grand Slam. That came in 2014 in the Wimbledon semifinal, which Bouchard won in straight sets.
This could be the rivalry of the next 10 years in women’s tennis with the Williams sisters in their mid-30s and Sharapova approaching 30.
Down on the court, both players bring different styles. Halep is more reserved and defensive with sniper-like precision and Bouchard brings aggression and power and, yes, twirling.
In this tournament, both have seen their share of weakness and strength and both have overcome erratic play to reach this far. Halep has 88 winners to 76 unforced errors and Bouchard hasn’t been a touch worse with 87 winners and 90 unforced errors.
What does it all mean? Simply put is that this will be a preview of many things to come and an exciting match as they try to win their first major tournament.
3. Novak Djokovic vs. Stan Wawrinka
6 of 8
Head-to-Head: 14-3, Djokovic
With Wawrinka the defending champion and Novak Djokovic plowing through the competition like a hot knife through Fro-Yo, what better matchup can you ask for in the top half of the men’s draw?
Djokovic owns the 14-3 edge, but the two are 1-1 at the Australian Open with Wawrinka bouncing Djokovic from the quarterfinals just last year in a five-set thriller. Wawrinka said after the match in 2014:
"I'm really happy. I'm excited. It was more or less the same feeling as during the match last year. The beginning was not that easy, but then I started to play really well. It was important to stay with me. After losing two times against him in Grand Slam in five sets, I'm really happy to take that one. It's great for me.
"
Djokovic hasn’t dropped a set this tournament, and up until Wawrinka bumped him a year ago, he had won three straight Australian Opens.
This match has the makings of revenge with two players at the top of their games.
2. Rafael Nadal vs. Nick Kyrgios
7 of 8
Head-to-Head: 1-0, Kyrgios
Rafa Nadal was practically handed a trip to the semifinals. All he had to do was be 80 percent of his potential and he’d make it.
After surviving a scare in the second round, Nadal has lost just 11 games. After his win against No. 14 seed Kevin Anderson, Nadal said on CNN.com: "After a tough period of time for me it's a fantastic result and I'm very happy with the way I played today. It was probably my best match here this year so that's very important for me and very special."
To meet Kyrgios would be the most electrifying match of the entire tournament. Kyrgios and Nadal are some of the most energetic players with one reaching the end of his career while the other just beginning.
It was Kyrgios who knocked Nadal out of Wimbledon in the fourth round at the All England Club in 2014. A rematch between these two might be the match to watch.
The match to watch if the next two don’t play each other.
1. Serena Williams vs. Venus Williams
8 of 8
Head-to-Head: 14-11, Serena
Venus Williams is one of the most miraculous runs of her career. A win over fellow American Keys likely sets Williams up for a match against her little sister.
"My sister Serena (is my inspiration), she's the ultimate champion," Venus said after her win over No. 6 seed Agnieszka Radwanska. "I really have to thank my fans for sticking with me. In the third set I think I went into a trance and I just wanted to win."
The sisters haven’t met in a Grand Slam since the 2009 Wimbledon final, a match that went to Serena.
Venus has had her health issues of late, but all that has done is make her recent resurgence through the ranks all the more impressive. She has learned to manage her body and her energy output, and one would suspect, she’ll need every ounce of it to beat her sister.
All head-to-head stats were provided by ATPWorldTour.com and WTPTennis.com.
Reach out to Brendan on Twitter @BrendanOMeara.
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