Day 6 at the Australian Open

Day 6 of the Australian Open provided many short matches and a few that never reached completion.  Almost half of the matches on the mens side were either retirements or walkovers.

Starting with the men.  The most anticipated match of the day between Marcos Baghdatis and Lleyton Hewitt didn't match the hype.  Baghdatis during his walk onto the court looked already tired.  In the first set he played like he was tired, as Hewitt took the first set 6-0.  After the set Baghdatis had a trainer look at his shoulder, and try to "rub out" whatever it was that bothering the Cypriot.  In the 2nd set Hewitt broke Baghdatis to go up 4-2, and that is when Baghdatis put up the white flag and layed down and quit.  Giving Hewitt the 6-0, 4-2 retirement win.  Baghdatis' coach said that his player was perfect in practice and that he never mentioned his arm or shoulder hurting.  This looks like the case of someone falling behind and pussing out of actually digging down and competing.  Its a shame David Ferrer lost that match to Baghdatis, because if he hadn't, hell Hewitt and Ferrer could still be out there playing right now.  I guess spending time at the beach on your off day payed off Marcos.  Maybe it was the frisbee throwing that jacked up your arm.

Roger Federer cruised to a straight set victory over Albert Montanes 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, and now faces Hewitt in the 4th round... Fernando Verdasco had no trouble with Stefan Koubek.  Verdasco took the first set 6-1 with Koubek winning only 9 points all set, and with a probable beatdown coming, Koubek retired... Nikolay Davydenko beat up on Juan Monaco for a easy victory 6-0, 6-3, 6-4... Novak Djokovic crushed Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 6-1, 6-1, 6-2... Lukasz Kubot had the easiest time of anyone moving to the next round.  Mikhail Youzhny his scheduled 3rd round opponent pulled out of the tournament with a wrist injury.  So Kubot gets the free pass to get his ass kicked by Djokovic in the next round... Jo-Wilfried Tsonga needed 4 sets to take out the tough German, Tommy Haas 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 and will now face Nicolas Almagro in the 4th round after Almagro beat Alejandro Falla of Colombia in straight sets 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

The womens side saw their fair share of lopsided matches as well.  Serena Williams overwhelmed the young Spaniard, Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-3...  Aussie, Samantha Stosur will be Williams' 4th round opponent as she easily got past Alberta Brianti of Italy 6-4, 6-1...  Vera Zvonareva cruised to a straight set victory over Gisela Dulko 6-1, 7-5.  Now Zvonareva will face her coaches' ex-protege Victoria Azarenka who advanced with ease over Tathiana Garbin 6-0, 6-2... #4 seed Caroline Wozniacki advances to the 4th round after beating Shahar "the fork" Peer 6-4, 6-0... Na Li outlasted Daniela Hantuchova in by far the closest match of the day involving the women. 7-5, 3-6, 6-2... In a minor upset Francesca Schiavone the #17 seed easily handled the #10 seed Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets 6-2, 6-2... Schiavone now has to play Venus Williams in the next round.  Venus took down Aussie favorite Casey Dellacqua 6-1, 7-6.

Day 7 Preview:

The first match of the day at Rod Laver Arena will be between the #5 seed Andy Murray facing off with American #33 seed John Isner.  I like Murray to beat the piss out of Isner in straights.

The match following Murray-Isner on Rod Laver will be "Dr Ivo" Ivo Karlovic and the defending champion Rafa Nadal.  Nadal should cruise to victory, but look for Dr. Ivo to take a set off Nadal.  Nadal in 4 sets.

The first night match at Rod Laver Arena is a battle between two Belgians.  Justine Henin continuing her comeback faces the alleged "roider" Yanina Wickmayer.  Both players should be seeded, but for different circumstances are not.  Henin will scrape by with a tough 3 set victory.

And the final match of the day at Rod Laver Arena will be #7 seeded American, Andy Roddick playing the #11 seed Fernando Gonzalez of Chile.  I'm really hoping for a Gonzalez victory, but Roddick will win this one in 4 sets.

Over on Hisense Arena, the first match of the day will be between "Flying Bondarenko Sister" Alona and Jie Zheng.  Alona will get past the tough Chinese woman in 3 sets.

A battle between fellow Russians will follow.  Nadia Petrova coming off the destruction of Kim Clijsters will play the #4 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.  Kuznetsova has too much game for Petrova, and will win in straight sets.

In probably what will be the match of the day, Juan Martin Del Potro will have to deal with the tough Croatian Marin Cilic.  I look for this match to be the match of the day and also the upset of the day, as Cilic takes out Del Potro in 5.

The final match on Hisense also has the chance to be moved to Rod Laver Arena, all depending on scheduling and time.  The match will be between #2 seeded woman Dinara Safina and upset minded,  Maria Kirilenko.  This should also be a close tough match.  Kirilenko's nice run will come to an end with Safina winning in 3 sets.

ESPN's tennis coverage sucks.  Nobody cares about watching reruns of the Williams sisters and Roddicks matches.  Instead try showing more LIVE tennis...Crazy concept, I know.