AO Day 2 Preview: A Taste of France

Hi all.

I need to sort out how I'm going to do the daily grand slam review/preview. Currently, I'm just previewing every match. I'm going to try out a new system now. I figure by the time we get to NY I'll be organised and efficient. And, anyway next to the US Open, Mr. Bean looks efficient and organised. So it's too much to review the 32 matches I previewed yesterday and then preview another 32. Besides, not much happened yesterday. Seeds were 25-2, but Stosur did win a match (I know, right). So, anyway, I'll preview 10 in more detail. Then Ill review them in more detail, and Ill do that until the fourth round. Then I'll preview and review all from then on. Also, I'm not a magician. I have messed up several tips and predictions quite badly. It's my educated guess. Right, onward we go.

Men's Singles - 1st Round RLA (Rod Laver Arena)

Robin Haase (NED) V Andy Murray (GBR) [3]

They played a long five setter at the Open recently. Haase should have won, but crumbled in five. Murray went on to face Nadal in an anti-climatic match in the semis. Haase has also pushed Rafa at Wimbledon. He has a big forehand and a decent serve, plus he plays a very exciting, explosive game. I think Murray will be defensive in this match. He will take some time to warm up and then come through strongly. It will be interesting to see how his forehand and second delivery are working. They are usually the weakest parts of his game. I think that Murray will need a high first serve percentage, because if he doesn’t then he may be in trouble. I think I'll go Muzza in four.

Benoit Paire (FRA) V Roger Federer (SUI) [2]

The highlights reel from this will be exceptional. It seems to me when God made the world he gave all the tennis talent to France. I mean the flashy stuff. The ridiculous shots. The stuff you can't teach, the stuff you're told never to try (looking at you here Tsonga, Gasquet & La Monf) and the stuff you try on the practice courts. When it works it's amazing, but when it doesn't you look a complete lemon. And Paire is one of these guys, but so is Roger Federer. This match will have net play and fabulous drop shots and exceptional rallies. It dares to be different this match. This match is going to be fabulous. Paire can hit every shot just like Roger. He will serve and hit big. Frankly, I cant really describe his game. It's very French, though. We all know how Fed plays, though. I'll go with Fed in three excellent sets.

Bernard Tomic (AUS) V Leonardo Mayer (ARG)

The Argentine is a dirtballer. He's won a doubles title on the dirt, but he's also not bad on the hard court. He's got a nice game with a good serve and pretty good groundies. He's pretty much your typical dirtballer journeyman as far as I can deduce. The man he's playing has been all over the news for good and bad reasons, but he is on a big match winning streak, too. Bernie was very cocky in his interview and even went so far as to joke that Fed "has to make it to the third." He has a lot of imagination and plays a little bit like Murray, but is better tempered on the court and with a more bizarre game. He has a lot of imagination, too. I think he will be too creative for Mayer. This will be very interesting to watch. I'll give the nod to Bernie in four, though.

Men's Singles - 1st Round HSA

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) [7] V Michael Llodra (FRA)

This will be a very entertaining Gallic clash. Look for big serves and crazy net play here. I also think that, for them, getting "shot of the day" is more important than a trivial thing like winning a tennis match. I always got that impression with Gasquet and Paire, too. It's why I'm a huge fan of French tennis. No, they never win anything big, really but they look cool going out in a big ball of flames. They can hit 10 awful shots in a row, but then play a point so good all is forgiven straight away. If a Frenchman loses 1,1 and 0 then it's likely they will still have played the two or three best shots of the match. But enough, maybe for the offseason I’ll write all about French tennis. I think this has a shot at being match of the day if it weren't for another match starring yet another superb Frenchman. Tsonga in four methinks. Allez!

Men's Singles - 1st Round MCA

Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) [6] V Adrian Mannarino (FRA)

Oooh another one of my flashy French friends. He played a superb match against the Fed at Wimbledon 2011. He's got a big swinging lefty serve and a nice forehand. He also has a dropshot about which the less said the better. He'll play the best Americas player on the planet in the men's game. JMDP will serve big and crush forehands. But I don't know what kind of form he's in. If he is in top form this match is easy to pick, but if he's a little rusty, a little bit iffy, then we have a match. I think, though, that despite being a tough opener Delpo should just have too much. I think Delpo in 3 tight sets here.

Upset Alert!!

Marinko Matosevic (AUS) V Marin Cilic (CRO) [12]

Each day I will try to point out any possible upsets. This could be one of them. So much was thought of Cilic but apart from a couple of titles here and there he's a big man with a small game. He's good in Umag and he had one good run to the Aussie open semis. There are some guys out there ranked surprisingly high. Gasquet is 10, which surprised some people. But he made four slam fourth rounds and won a couple of titles, plus the finals of Toronto. But Cilic just won a couple of small titles. I think because he got to the quarters of the US Open and the fourth round of Wimbledon he's ranked where he is. I don't see him seeded this high at the 2014 Aussie Open, though. I think Matosevic is coming off a great year. He's in the top 50 and he's got a decent game. I think he'll beat Cilic, but this match could go either way. It's very hard to predict. I'll go with a risky Marinko in four sets.

Upset Alert!!!

Gael Monfils (FRA) V Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) [18]-Upset Alert

La Monf! has returned. He will hit the deck at least twice in this match. I think if this lives up to the billing we could have match of the month right here. Look for stupid errors and ridiculous winners. Dolgo's game is full of slicing and dicing and mixing it up. La Monf! could be an aggressive powerhouse, but prefers to sit back and defend. Tis a pity but it will still be a classic. There wil be sparks and acrobatics. I can't pick this. Absolutely anything could happen. I don't know what to do here. Alex likes the Aussie Open though. And I don't know how much La Monf! has come back. I'll go tentatively with Dolgo in five sets.

Men's Singles - 1st Round SC2

Albert Montanes (ESP) V Richard Gasquet (FRA) [9]

You have probably gathered I love Gasquet's pure game. If I could have any non top fourers game I'd have Gasquet's. He plays a beautiful, fluent, gorgeous game that leaves commentators speechless and fans amazed. On a good day. And we won't discuss the bad days. Montanes has been highly ranked, up at 22. He's a great dirtballer. 10 finals on the red stuff. He's 5-5 in those finals. If this were on clay it would be different. The flashy Frenchman is 4-0 against the Spaniard. He won in four at the 2012 Open, too. I think that after the flashy rallies are finished and the handshake has been shook, Gasquet will do it in four like at the Open. Vive la Gasquet!

Men's Singles - 1st Round SC3

Tommy Haas (GER) [19] V Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)-Upset Alert

This is when the old boys come out to play. Haas is still very good and Neiminen is always dangerous and has been playing well for a while now. He's got a nice lefty game. This will be a nice match to watch, with two contrasting styles. Haas is a nice guy and said he came back to the tour so his daughter could watch daddy play. I like Haas's serve and his backhand. I also like Neiminen's serve and forehand combo. This will be a great match for those on show court three. I'll go with, ermm, Haas in four or maybe 5, I think.

Men's Singles - 1st Round Crt 7

Tommy Robredo (ESP) V Jesse Levine (CAN)

Young plays old here. Robredo used to be hot stuff. A great dirt-baller who could ply his trade well on hard, too. He once got to number five in the world. He's also 10-7 in finals. Plus, he won Hamburg in 2006 when it was a Masters. He's been there and done it. Plus, he was named after the famous film "Tommy," starring the Who, Tina Turner, etc etc. Then we have the young leftie Levine who plays for Canada, apparently. He is pretty good, but hasn't quite made his breakthrough on the ATP just yet. This will be a good match and a clash of styles. I'll go with Tommy in four sets.

Right guys, see you tomorrow, probably, and well done to the Patriots, who are my team in the NFL.

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