Australian Open 2018

[sameerph]

Taberner had 2 challenger finals and a challenger SF in September but all were on clay. On hard courts last week in Pune, he almost lost to Vishnu in Q1 and then lost in Q2 to Ivashka. He also lost to RamK on clay in May 2016 in 3 sets. Not much to worry about for Yuki.

RamK has a tougher opponent. Sakharav has had couple of challenger SF's recently ( one last week too). So, he is not that easy. Perhaps at the same level as his Q1 opponent Klahn.

[Rajiv]

Ram Court # 7 , 3rd Match , Aprox 7.30 AM India time.
Yuki Court # 20 , 1st Match , 4.30 AM India time

[meyyis]

Men's Singles Draw is out.

From the Aus Open Website : Men's draw

Reigning AO champion Roger Federer launches his title defense against Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene.
Federer also shares his quarter with Milos Raonic, Juan Martin del Potro, David Goffin and Tomas Berdych.

Nadal, the world No.1 and top seed, opens his bid for a second AO against 37-year-old Victor Estrella Burgos from Dominican Republic.
Also in Nadal’s quarter: No.6 seed Marin Cilic, No.10 seed Pablo Carreno Busta and No.16 seed John Isner.

Six-time former AO champion Novak Djokovic face Donald Young in the first round.
Djokovic shares the bottom half of the draw with Federer and is potentially expected to meet Gael Monfils in R2.

2014 champion Stan Wawrinka, back at Melbourne Park after knee surgery is seeded No.9.
He is another player in Federer’s half of the draw and he will open against Ricardas Berankis.

The ties involving the Qualifiers in the Main Draw are :

Qualifier vs Qualifier
Qualifier vs Malek Jaziri (TUN)
Qualifier vs Joao Sousa (POR)
Qualifier vs Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
Qualifier vs Qualifier
Qualifier vs Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
Qualifier vs Jo Wilfred Tsonga (FRA)
Qualifier vs Lucas Pouille (FRA)
Qualifier vs Steve Johnson (USA)
Qualifier vs Jiri Vesely (CZE)
Qualifier vs Gael Monfils (FRA)
Qualifier vs David Goffin (BEL)
Qualifier vs Karen Khachanov (RUS)
Qualifier vs Robin Haase (NED)

[bujilover]

Those are some very difficult matchups for the qualifiers

[arjun2761]

Of course, almost by definition all matchups will be tough for qualifiers.

However, at least the highlighted matchups are about as it gets for qualifiers (i.e., 9 of the 16 should have a decent shot at advancing):

Qualifier vs Qualifier
Qualifier vs Malek Jaziri (TUN)
Qualifier vs Joao Sousa (POR)
Qualifier vs Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
Qualifier vs Qualifier
Qualifier vs Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
Qualifier vs Jo Wilfred Tsonga (FRA)
Qualifier vs Lucas Pouille (FRA)
Qualifier vs Steve Johnson (USA)
Qualifier vs Jiri Vesely (CZE)
Qualifier vs Gael Monfils (FRA)
Qualifier vs David Goffin (BEL)
Qualifier vs Karen Khachanov (RUS)
Qualifier vs Robin Haase (NED)

[arjun2761]

Taberner had 2 challenger finals and a challenger SF in September but all were on clay. On hard courts last week in Pune, he almost lost to Vishnu in Q1 and then lost in Q2 to Ivashka. He also lost to RamK on clay in May 2016 in 3 sets. Not much to worry about for Yuki.

RamK has a tougher opponent. Sakharav has had couple of challenger SF's recently ( one last week too). So, he is not that easy. Perhaps at the same level as his Q1 opponent Klahn.

Yes, the bookies agree with you. Yuki is an overwhelming favorite against Taberner while Ramk is a slight favorite against Sakharov.

[fabshab]

Yuki leading 6-0* Bagels up taberner in the 1st set
With an astounding point stats of 25 -4 in the 1st set with 2 aces and 75% first serves in
Total thrashing

[arjun2761]

On checking the score, Yuki appears to have won the first set 6-0 while only losing 4 points! Hopefully, he continues the domination to win the match...

Yuki has completed an easy 6-0, 6-2 win in a little over an hour. One of his easiest wins at this level.

[ornatebrute]

He wins it 6-0 6-2

[prasen9]

Q2: Yuki Bhambri (IND) d. C. Taberner 6-0, 6-2.

[fabshab]

Yuki leading 6-0* Bagels up taberner in the 1st set
With an astounding point stats of 25 -4 in the 1st set with 2 aces and 85% first serves in
Total thrashing
And yuki completes a thumping victory with a 6-0 6-2 scoreline over the rookie spaniard
The win will surely help him feel more confident and not to forget the money too

[PKBasu]

I knew Yuki would beat Taberner easily (after all, this guy nearly lost to Vishnu in Q1 at Pune), but this was much easier than even I expected. A bagel, losing just four points in the first set! Wow! That is a serious thrashing, and will surely be a shot in the arm for his final qualifier (like against Polansky). I expect Yuki to win that in straight sets too, avenging the uncharacteristic loss at Roland Garros last year that resulted from a complete lack of clay court preparation.
Yuki has now defended his AO points from last year, and edges up to 119 in the live rankings.

[arjun2761]

I knew Yuki would beat Taberner easily (after all, this guy nearly lost to Vishnu in Q1 at Pune), but this was much easier than even I expected. A bagel, losing just four points in the first set! Wow! That is a serious thrashing, and will surely be a shot in the arm for his final qualifier (like against Polansky). I expect Yuki to win that in straight sets too, avenging the uncharacteristic loss at Roland Garros last year that resulted from a complete lack of clay court preparation.
Yuki has now defended his AO points from last year, and edges up to 119 in the live rankings.

Yuki did avenge the clay loss to Polansky last year (in FO qualifying) by beating him later in the grass season. So, he only needs to avenge the GS qualifier loss by beating him in the AO qualifiers assuming Polansky wins his Q2 match.

[Rajiv]

Yes a nice emphatic win by Yuki will prepare him nicely to clear the final hurdle

Its started to rain again and more delays in store.

[Rajiv]

Its good that Yuki finished the match in no time , as the rains has become much heavier and the conditions would remain the same for the most part of the day. Tomorrow the forecast of rain is more bad and will be much stronger.
It will be a mad scramble to complete the schedule