Australian Open 2015: Day 10 Schedule, Matchup Predictions for Melbourne Bracket
After a riveting Day 9 down under, the Australian Open has another exciting slate of quarterfinals matchups. Veterans and upstarts will face off with one thing in mind—clinching a spot in the semifinals.
On the men's side, two prior Aussie Open winners will face players still in search of their first major crown. No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 8 Milos Raonic will likely be the highlight of the day, with the young Canadian hoping to do what Eugenie Bouchard wasn't able to on the women's side.
Prior to the men, both Williams sisters will try for to guarantee one will make the final in Melbourne. No. 1 Serena Williams may have the tougher matchup on paper, but No. 18 Venus Williams has a date with Madison Keys, a phenom in her own right.
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Heading into a crucial slate of matches, here's a look at the Day 10 schedule for the Aussie Open.
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV | Live Stream | Prediction |
| No. 4 Stan Wawrinka vs. No. 5 Kei Nishikori | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN2 | WatchESPN | Wawrinka |
| No. 1 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 8 Milos Raonic | 3:15 a.m. | ESPN/ESPN2 | WatchESPN | Djokovic |
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV | Live Stream | Prediction |
| Madison Keys vs. No. 18 Venus Williams | 7 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN2 | WatchESPN | Williams |
| No. 1 Serena Williams vs. No. 11 Dominika Cibulkova | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN2 | WatchESPN | Williams |
Djokovic Downs Raonic to Advance
For the first time in his career, Raonic has reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. In order to reach the semis, he'll have to take down the No. 1 player in the world. No big deal, right?
While members of the Big Four have been dropping like flies, Djokovic has remained consistent. The Serbian sensation has yet to drop a set to this point but also hasn't faced a player in the top 30.
At the sight of his first Grand Slam victory, Djokovic has always been a dominant force in Melbourne. SportsCenter notes just how constant the current world No. 1 has been:
One reason Raonic should come in with confidence is what happened last year. Djokovic came in as the favorite to win his fourth straight Aussie Open before being ousted by Stan Wawrinka in the quarterfinals.
This time around, it's Raonic who serves as the upstart player looking to make a name for himself against the Djoker. Sure, Raonic has enjoyed some success already, but taking down Djokovic in Melbourne would be an astonishing feat.
However, experience will eventually win out as Raonic falls in the quarters against Djokovic like he did in the 2014 French Open.
Prediction: Djokovic wins in four sets.
Venus Sets the Clock Back to Set Up All-Williams Final
Who doesn't like a great comeback story? That's right, nobody. However, no one wants to be on the other side of that riveting story.
Keys, a 19-year-old player, has faced Venus Williams once in her career, a straight-set loss in 2013. She grew up watching Williams thrive under pressure years ago, as the seven-time Grand Slam champ pointed out, via the Australian Open's official Twitter account:
But this is supposed to be her moment to shine. After never making it out of the third round in a Grand Slam, Keys defeated two seeded players to get here. That includes a win over No. 4 Petra Kvitova in the third round.
Leading up to the huge match, Keys spoke about her excitement to reporters at the Australian Open:
"I'm just really excited. I think it's a huge opportunity for me. I haven't been in this situation before. I'm going to make the most of it. But at the same time no matter what, I'm not really going to be satisfied with any win. I want to be at the end of the tournament holding the trophy up. That's my goal in the long run. So I am very happy that I'm in the quarterfinals. I'm really just looking forward to the next match.
"
Despite her eagerness to make it to a final, she'll have to get through a player who has been on this stage multiple times. Williams took down No. 6 Agnieszka Radwanska in the fourth round to reach this round, so her resurgence isn't just a fluke.
On the biggest stage she's been on since 2010, Williams will pull through to give tennis fans exactly what they want—another all-Williams sister semifinal. This time, for a chance to win her first Australian Open.
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