Local hope Tomic next in Nadal's firing line
Wildcard Bernard Tomic, a rangy 18-year-old from the sun-kissed shores of Australia's Gold Coast, has been thrust into the prime-time slot at Rod Laver Arena and asked to produce a show, if not a victory, in the third-round clash against the Mallorcan world number one.
At 16, Tomic became the youngest player to win a professional match at his home grand slam on debut in 2009, raising hopes of a replacement for aging former world number one Lleyton Hewitt, who was dumped out in the first round here this year.
The left-hander certainly talks a champion's game, deigning to suggest the nine-times grand slam-winning Nadal might not like his style of play. "I think the way I mix it up, he's not going to like," he said.
A relaxed Nadal simply said he might visit a local aquarium before their match.
Last year's runner-up Andy Murray will play earlier on Rod Laver Arena against 32nd-seeded Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, a Spanish journeyman bidding to make the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time.
Swede Robin Soderling, who snatched Murray's fourth ranking with a win at the Brisbane International, has been in ominous form and will play qualifier Jan Hernych, a 241st-ranked Czech who has beaten only one top-10 player in his long career.
Women's world number two Vera Zvonareva is first up on Rod Laver Arena and will play Czech 31st seed Lucie Safarova as she bids to crack a maiden grand slam after reaching the finals at the U.S. Open and Wimbledon last year.
Kim Clijsters, who beat Zvonareva at Flushing Meadows, should have little trouble against France's Alize Cornet, but local hope Sam Stosur faces a sterner test against 25th seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic.
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