Australian Open 2015 Results: Day 9 Scores and Day 10 Bracket Predictions
The 2015 Australian Open has already been comprised of more twists and turns than a Hollywood thriller, and Day 9 of the action from Melbourne only added to the tournament's unpredictability. Tuesday's conclusion sent two men and two women into the semifinals; however, the players who ultimately advanced may come as a surprise.
On the women's side, No. 10 Ekaterina Makarova continued her impressive run, defeating No. 3 Simona Halep in consecutive sets. The Russian produced an accurate serve and limited her unforced errors to force the upset. However, that wasn't the biggest shock of the day.
The men's bracket lost No. 3 Rafael Nadal, who fell to No. 7 Tomas Berdych in three sets. The Spaniard couldn't fend off his opponent's monstrous serve and was sent packing as a result. Nadal has now failed to reach the tournament's semifinal round in each of his appearances since winning the event in 2009.
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Based on what we've been experiencing in Australia so far, there may be more upsets on the horizon during Day 10 action. Before things get underway once again, here's a look back at the scores from Day 9, followed by a glance into the future.
Day 9 Scores
| No. 7 Tomas Berdych def. No. 3 Rafael Nadal | 6-2, 6-0, 7-6(5) |
| No. 6 Andy Murray def. Nick Kyrgios | 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 |
| No. 10 Ekaterina Makarova def. No. 3 Simona Halep | 6-4, 6-0 |
| No. 2 Maria Sharapova def. No. 7 Eugenie Bouchard | 6-3, 6-2 |
All Day 9 scores courtesy of the Australian Open's official website.
Day 10 Predictions
(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (8) Milos Raonic
Djokovic is no stranger to going deep in the Australian Open, winning the tournament four times. However, he was ousted from Melbourne following the quarterfinals on three occasions over the last six years, including a dramatic five-set loss to Stan Wawrinka in 2014.
This year, however, the world No. 1 is in fine form through four rounds, defeating each of his opponents in straight sets. He was pushed by Gilles Muller in Round 4, but Djokovic was able to prevail due to a stellar serve, great accuracy and limited unforced errors.
Djokovic's serve has been brilliant in Melbourne. He racked up 13 aces against Muller while still keeping 71 percent of his first serves in play and winning 82 percent of those points. The Serb picked his spots to get aggressive, and his patience paid off, as he won 15 of a possible 19 net points. His accuracy on the volley helped him limit his unforced errors to 16 while Muller doubled that number.
The win increased Djokovic's momentum and confidence going forward, and he spoke of it during a press conference, via the official Australian Open website:
"Generally is a positive feeling. I haven't dropped a set, I'm in the quarterfinals. Yes, I had tough matches the last two rounds, but I had quality opponents. I think I dropped serve only once during the whole tournament. That is a very encouraging fact. I have to motivate myself and obviously use the off days to work on a few things. There are a few things I think I can do better. Overall it's a positive feeling going into the quarters.
"
Djokovic will need that momentum to carry through to the semifinals. The hard-hitting Raonic has been looking exceedingly dangerous of late.
The Canadian was given a tough task in Round 4 against No. 12 Feliciano Lopez, and while he was tested and forced to five sets, he prevailed due to a big, accurate serve and the ability to dominate near the net. He finished the contest recording an impressive 30 aces while keeping 75 percent of his first serves in play and winning 79 percent of those points. He also won 64 percent of his net points and racked up 81 winners.
Raonic's biggest task against Djokovic will be to limit his unforced errors. He tallied 47 against Lopez, and that number won't fly against an accurate and agile world No. 1. Djokovic has been very good on the return of late, and that could prove to limit Raonic's biggest strength of winning via his strong serve. Expect the Serb to advance in a close match.
Prediction: Djokovic wins in four sets
(1) Serena Williams vs. (11) Dominika Cibulkova
Williams hasn't been overly dominant through four rounds in Melbourne, dropping a set in each of her last two matches. However, she's faced some stiff competition and remained resilient in each of those contests, emerging victorious due to well-rounded play.
In Williams' most recent match, she faced a surging Gabrine Muguruza. The Spaniard started strong, winning the first set 6-2 thanks to a good serve and some aggressive play at the net. However, the No. 1 seed adjusted nicely and took control of the match with her devastating serve.
While Williams' numbers were certainly impressive—she won 78 percent of her first-serve points while tallying 17 aces—her ability to hit the corners accurately with her serve propelled her to victory. She kept her opponent off balance by playing the corners with precision, holding Muguruza to win just 22 percent of her first-serve return points.
After her match, Williams spoke of her shaky first set and her increased level of play thereafter, via the Australian Open website:
"Well, yeah, she made me play a lot better. I had to play the best match of the tournament or else I was going to be out. I think she was just hitting winners like left and right. Every shot I hit, she basically hit a winner on. So I had to change my approach. I was hitting a little bit too much to her.
I think I've been playing for a long time. When I have to go up a level, I have to. I can't afford to stay at the same level or I will be where I was at the French Open. I definitely didn't want to be there without at least trying to give 1,000 percent.
"
Williams' serve will have to be on point from the first set to take down Cibulkova in the quarterfinals. The Slovak doesn't have a hard-hitting serve or overwhelming aggressiveness on her side, but she is a methodical player who excels on the return and during extended rallies.
During her Round 4 match against Victoria Azarenka, Cibulkova managed to win 48 percent of her receiving points and 56 percent of medium rallies. Her accuracy was wildly apparent, as she picked her shots with a calculated approach and finished with 44 winners as a result.
She'll be heavily tested against Williams, whose serve is far more dangerous. If the No. 1 seed can continue keeping her first serves in play and accurately hitting the corners, Cibulkova's return ability won't be enough to generate a victory.
Prediction: Williams wins in three sets
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