Tennis: 3 Picks for the Men’s Australian Open Quarters

Australian Open
Quarterfinals - Men

Nadal over Tiafoe
America’s Frances Tiafoe has arrived. In a Fourth Round match that I felt comfortable predicting that Grigor Dimitrov would win, Tiafoe not only came through, but also seemed the better player. He showed incredible poise, great shot making, and the competitiveness of a champion, and none of those things can be taught. Unfortunately, his run is over. Rafa Nadal has not lost a set in the tournament and looks as solid as ever. What he presents as both an athlete and a competitor is difficult to comprehend. But understand that the topspin Nadal puts on his forehand is so great that if his opponent chooses to trade groundies from the baseline he ends up trying to hit back an unending stream of shots that he must muscle from up around his shoulder or higher. Eventually, that takes its toll, and Nadal takes control. As far as his competitiveness goes, when on the other side of the net it often feels like you’re hitting uphill. You can feel his presence like a weight, and as well as Tiafoe has played here, the weight will have its effect. If Tiafoe gets into a tiebreaker, or is fortunate enough to win one set, I’d consider it a good effort for the now 21-year-old.

Tsitsipas over Bautista Agut
I was truly humbled, yet very excited, to see the plethora of young talent that has made its way into the quarterfinals of the Aussie Open, both in the men’s and women’s draw. Humbled because I didn’t see it coming just yet, and excited because it makes professional tennis all that more interesting to watch. And one of the most exciting players to come around in a long while is Stephanos Tsitsipas, the first Greek, male or female, to come into the collective consciousness of the tennis world. As I mentioned previously, his game is so wonderful to watch that if I could teach a player any current pro’s game, it would be to fit them in the Tsitsipas mold. By beating Roger Federer in four sets in the Round of 16, Tsitsipas has shown that not only can he look and play with the style of the master, but he also has the bullish competitiveness of any player before him. Bautista Agut has had a great tournament and has picked up fans world wide, but this entertaining match will go the way of the new Greek God. There is a new Zeus.

Raonic over Pouille
Canada’s Milos Raonic has previously been in the Wimbledon Finals, where he rode his phenomenal serve. For the first time, he appears to have a little more to his game. In his win over Zverev, Raonic showed that the better player doesn’t always win. For all of Zverev’s flashiness, Raonic showed a steely determination combined with more consistent service returns and a renewed confidence in a stronger and more steady forehand that simply wore down the inconsistent 4th seed. Pouille has had the best Grand Slam tournament of his career. He has beaten players ranked higher and seemingly better than he is (Coric), and who are younger and seemingly hungrier (Popyrin) to reach the quarters. His run should end here, as Raonic should overpower the Frenchman with little trouble. But with his run here, the 28th seeded Pouille has been cemented in the upper tier of the world’s players.