Australian Open 2012 live stream

The days when American players such as Jim Courier, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras dominated the men’s event at the Australian Open are long past.

This year, 11 American men set out on the two-week adventure, but today, in the bottom half of the draw, only Andy Roddick and John Isner remain to do their best for Uncle Sam in third-round matches. In the top half, only Taylor Dent (who’s half Australian) and Donald Young survived the first round.

Europe clearly overshadows the United States in men’s tennis, as it does Australia.

Roddick, who now meets Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, is the American with the most impressive credentials. He has contested the Australian Open eight years running, reaching the quarter-finals five times, and on four of those occasions going on to make the semis.

Roddick won the US Open in 2003, and came desperately close to beating Roger Federer in the 2009 Wimbledon final. More recently, he triumphed at the Brisbane International.

If further proof is needed that he knows how to win, it’s provided by his achievement in amassing 27 career titles.

Isner, a man-mountain standing 206cm, has yet to make an impact at the Grand Slams, but he is aged only 24 and surely will soon. He is now the No. 3 American behind Roddick and Sam Querrey, and came to Melbourne after winning the Auckland title.

Trengove’s Fearless Forecasts

Nadal (2) v Kohlschreiber (27)
A potentially awkward match for Rafa. The German is a quiet achiever whose scalps include Djokovic, Roddick, Tsonga and Verdasco. Nadal in four.

Del Potro (4) v F. Mayer
Del Potro was taken to 10-8 in the fifth in his epic (and exhausting) bout with Blake. Can his dodgy wrist stand up to another severe test from Germany’s Florian Mayer? Maybe. Del Potro in four.

Murray (5) v Serra
The Scot is making a sort of frog march (if my French friends will excuse the pun). He beat Gicquel on Wednesday, plays Serra today, and may tackle Monfils at the weekend. Murray in straight.

Roddick (7) v Lopez
You can tell when Roddick feels the pressure – he gets tetchy. Don’t we all? The American is as keen as mustard, with a good chance of making the semis. Roddick in straight.

Safina (2) v Baltacha
The 26-year-old in-form Brit was born at Kiev, Ukraine, and moved to England as a child when her Dad, a pro soccer player, transferred to Ipswich. Safina in three.

Jankovic (8) v A. Bondarenko (31)
Serbia’s Jankovic, the former world No. 1, faces Alona Bondarenko, one of two Ukrainian sisters. What Alona needs most is a rabbit up her sleeve, as she’s been beaten in all nine of their previous matches. Jankovic in straight.

Clijsters (15) v Petrova
Petrova has been ranked as high as No. 3, but has yet to make a major final. Her record against Clijsters stands at 4-0 in the Belgian’s favour. Clijsters in straight.

Kleybanova (27) v Henin
Time to catch our breath after the cracking pace of the Dementieva-Henin classic. As for the irrepressible Henin, she’s still full of running, not even needing a second wind. Henin in straight.

Alan Trengove has covered more than 130 Grand Slam tournaments dating back to 1953, and is the author of numerous tennis books.