Australian Open 2012 live stream

Many people will be disappointed if Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal don’t reach their expected rendezvous in Thursday night’s semi-final.

But after a year in which Federer turned 30 and failed to win a Grand Slam, and one where Nadal began as No. 1 only to go winless (0-6) against his main rival Novak Djokovic, perhaps there’s now an opportunity for more serious challengers in the months ahead.

That is what today is all about: can big bashers Tomas Berdych and Juan Martin del Potro, and they don’t come much bigger at 196 cm and 198cm respectively, knock Federer and Nadal off the court and out of the tournament?

Berdych, who caused one of the great shockers of the last decade by ousting Federer at the Athens Olympics in 2004 as a virtual unknown, is more of an enigma. About five years ago, once he had already established a presence in the top ranks, a reporter asked him at the US Open, “have you ever entered a Grand Slam tournament thinking that you could win it?” The pause before he answered basically provided the answer. “That’s an interesting question,” he said.

Three years ago, the Czech, gifted with effortless power, took the first two sets from Federer in the 2009 Australian Open round-of-16 before losing 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. Since then he has beaten Federer three out of five times.

He seems to have cured an impulse to attempt drop shots at most inopportune times and has an air about him of someone who realizes, at 26, that this is carpe diem time.

With Nadal showing some psychological scars from 2011, recently experiencing shoulder and knee ailments and having had a cream-puff draw so far, he could be vulnerable against the Czech, even though he has dominated their head-to-head 10-3 and hasn’t lost to him since 2006?

Federer is 7-2 with del Potro but the Argentine has won two of their last three meetings including the 2009 US Open final. The tennis world has been waiting for the ‘old’ pre-right wrist surgery (May, 2010) Argentine to re-emerge.

Despite getting his ranking back to No. 11 from a low of 485 one year ago, there has been something missing – a mental edge, a fitness issue? But he gave two strong performances in Davis Cup final losses to Nadal and David Ferrer on clay in Spain last month and has improved witheach round at Melbourne Park.

The last two Federer – del Potro meetings in Grand Slams have gone five sets – 2009 US Open final (del Potro) and 2009 French Open semi-finals (Federer).

A gut feeling says one of Berdych or del Potro turns party pooper for the Roger – Rafa semi-final.

The Caroline Wozniacki – Kim Clijsters women’s quarter-final could depend on the state of the Clijsters ankle injury that occurred early in her stirring comeback win over Li Na on Sunday.

Wozniacki has had a gorilla on her back having been No.1 for so long without winning a Grand Slam title, but in Rod Laver Arena today she should get one step closer by beating a worn down Clijsters.

Victoria Azarenka is on a 2011 roll – nine wins in a row through a title in Sydney and four decisive victories at the Aussie Open.

She’s is 6-3 against Agnieszka Radwanska but could be feeling some pressure in this one. A crafty Pole, Radwanska has reached four Grand Slam quarter-finals but never a semi-final – she has a 50-50 shot to end that today.