Australian Open 2016: Thursday Schedule, Predictions for Melbourne Bracket
On Wednesday, Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova avoided the plague of upsets that had run rampant through the first two rounds of play at the 2016 Australian Open.
We've already seen Rafael Nadal, Simona Halep, Eugenie Bouchard, Petra Kvitova and Serena's sister Venus Williams sent packing early.
As we power towards Day 4 of the year's first Grand Slam event, the question is: Has the upset bug run its course?
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Here's a look at the schedule for Thursday's singles matches in Melbourne, as well as some predictions.
| Rod Laver Arena 11 AM - Local - Wednesday 7 PM (ET) | Women's Singles - Round 2 Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) vs. Ana Ivanovic (SRB) [20] Women's Singles - Round 2 Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) vs. Garbine Muguruza (ESP) [3] Not Before: 2:00 PM Men's Singles - Round 2 Sam Groth (AUS) vs. Andy Murray (GBR) [2] | Ivanovic, Muguruza, and Murray |
| Rod Laver Arena 7 PM - Local - 3 AM (ET) | Men's Singles - Round 2 David Ferrer (ESP) [8] vs. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) Women's Singles - Round 2 Julia Goerges (GER) vs. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) [9] | Hewitt and Pliskova |
| Margaret Court Arena 11 AM - Local - Wednesday 7 PM (ET) | Men's Singles - Round 2 Gael Monfils (FRA) [23] vs. Nicolas Mahut (FRA) Women's Singles - Round 2 Victoria Azarenka (BLR) [14] vs. Danka Kovinic (MNE) Women's Singles - Round 2 Madison Keys (USA) [15] vs. Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) | Monfils, Azarenka and Keys |
| Margaret Court Arena 7 PM - Local - 3 AM (ET) | Women's Singles - Round 2 Angelique Kerber (GER) [7] vs. Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) Men's Singles - Round 2 Bernard Tomic (AUS) [16] vs. Simone Bolelli (ITA) | Kerber and Tomic |
| Hisense Arena 11 AM - Local - Wednesday 7 PM (ET) | Men's Singles - Round 2 Marcel Granollers (ESP) vs. John Isner (USA) [10] Women's Singles - Round 2 Jelena Jankovic (SRB) [19] vs. Laura Siegemund (GER) Men's Singles - Round 2 Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) [4] | Isner, Jankovic and Wawrinka |
| Show Court 2 11 AM - Local - Wednesday 7 PM (ET) | Women's Singles - Round 2 Naomi Osaka (JPN) vs. Elina Svitolina (UKR) [18] Men's Singles - Round 2 Milos Raonic (CAN) [13] vs. Tommy Robredo (ESP) Women's Singles - Round 2 Alizé Cornet (FRA) vs. Shuai Zhang (CHN) Men's Singles - Round 2 Jack Sock (USA) [25] vs. Lukas Rosol (CZE) | Svitolina, Raonic, Cornet and Sock |
| Show Court 3 11 AM - Local - Wednesday 7 PM (ET) | Women's Singles - Round 2 Barbora Strycova (CZE) vs. Vania King (USA) Men's Singles - Round 2 Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs. Dudi Sela (ISR) Not Before: 5:00 PM Men's Singles - Round 2 John Millman (AUS) vs. Gilles Muller (LUX) | King, Verdasco and Millman |
| Court 6 11 AM - Local - Wednesday 7 PM (ET) | Men's Singles - Round 2 Joao Sousa (POR) [32] vs.Santiago Giraldo (COL) Not Before: 2:00 PM Men's Singles - Round 2 Feliciano Lopez (ESP) [18] vs.Guido Pella (ARG) Women's Singles - Round 2 Annika Beck (GER) vs.Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) [11] Women's Singles - Round 2 Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) [21] vs.Tatjana Maria (GER) | Sousa, Lopez, Bacsinszky and Makarova |
| Court 8 11 AM - Local - Wednesday 7 PM (ET) | Women's Singles - Round 2 Johanna Konta (GBR) vs. Saisai Zheng (CHN) Women's Singles - Round 2 Denisa Allertova (CZE) vs. Sabine Lisicki (GER) [30] Men's Singles - Round 2 Tim Smyczek (USA) vs.Viktor Troicki (SRB) [21] Men's Singles - Round 2 Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) vs. Jeremy Chardy (FRA) [30] | Zheng, Lisicki, Troicki and Chardy |
| Court 13 11 AM - Local - Wednesday 7 PM (ET) | Not Before: 1:00 PM Women's Singles - Round 2 Madison Brengle (USA) vs. Johanna Larsson (SWE) Men's Singles - Round 2 Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) vs. Steve Johnson (USA) [31] | Brengle, Johnson |
| Court 19 11 AM - Local - Wednesday 7 PM (ET) | Women's Singles - Round 2 Varvara Lepchenko (USA) vs. Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) Men's Singles - Round 2 Stephane Robert (FRA) vs. Rajeev Ram (USA) | Lepchenki and Ram |
Andy Murray Won't Be the Next Big Name to Fall
With so many upsets taking place early in the tournament, we can't help but wonder who's next to be eliminated among the high seeds.
It won't be Andy Murray—at least not on Thursday.
The No. 2 seed takes on Australia's own Sam Groth. The two men have never played before, but there's little reason to believe Groth will be up to the task of knocking off Murray.
After finishing as runner-up in the 2015 Australian Open, Murray began this year's run on a positive note. He blew through Alexander Zverev in straight sets in the first round, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3.
Groth needed four sets and a tiebreaker to knock off fellow unseeded hopeful Adrian Mannarino, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in his first-round match. On Wednesday, Murray sounded aware and prepared for his next challenge, via Stuart Fraser of The Daily Mail:
"Obviously he will have the crowd behind him, as well. He's a competitive guy too. He fights extremely hard, has a great attitude and will make it tough for me because he has a different game style to a lot of the players now. I'll be ready for that. I normally enjoy playing against the guys that come forward, so hopefully I can return well and pass well. I'll need to if I want to win.
"
Look for Murray to cruise into the third round with another straight-sets victory.
Tomic Looks to Be in Top Form
The very talented and underachieving Bernard Tomic seems to be playing better than he has in years. Often criticized for not totally dedicating himself to the sport, Tomic looks to be all-in for the 2016 Aussie Open. In the first round, Tomic defeated Denis Istomin, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
In previous years, Tomic may have allowed his concentration and effort to drift after dropping the first set. That wasn't the case here, as he quickly righted the ship to take down the pesky Russian.
Tomic will face Italy's Simone Bolelli. They too have never played before, but it's unlikely Bolelli will be able to out-finesse Tomic. Neither man depends on power a great deal, but Tomic is a little smoother athletically and has a wider array of shots. Because he's playing with so much confidence, he should avoid an upset en route to a strong showing in Melbourne.
Isner is Moving On
One of the few American men with a chance to win the Australian Open will continue to roll. No. 10 seed John Isner will face Marcel Granollers for just the second time in his career.
The first match took place in 2008, and Isner won a hard-fought battle, 6-3 6-7(5) 7-6(1). Granollers has never been past the second round at the Aussie Open in his career, and 2016 isn't going to represent his high-water mark.
Isner is playing well, as evidenced by his straight-sets win over Jerzy Janowicz in the first round. The Americam seems primed for a strong run in Melbourne.
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