Matches to look out for on a loaded Friday in Melbourne include (2) Roger Federer vs. Xavier “X-Man” Malisse, (19) Stan Wawrinka vs. (12) Gael “Force” Monfils, an all-Serb in (29) Viktor Troicki vs. (3) Novak Djokovic, (8) Andy Roddick vs. Dutchman Robin Haase, Kei “Special K” Nishikori vs. Fernando “Hot Sauce” Verdasco, (6) Tomas Berdych vs. (28) Richard Gasquet, and (14) Nicolas Almagro vs. (17) Ivan Ljubicic.

“It’s a tough third round, Kuznetsova, even she has been a little more in trouble in the last maybe year or two years,” Henin said. “I think she remains a great player, and physically she has a lot of qualities: big forehand, great serve.”

“Every time we played we go the distance, so hopefully we don’t play each other any more,” Federer joked. “It showed what a great mover, return player he is. I wasn’t playing poorly either to lose the third and fourth set, I really think Gilles took it to me, but you remain positive, I worked hard my entire life, I’m happy I won and I’m still in the tournament.”

“If I would know the answer, I guess I would do different things,” said a despondent Safina after consuming the double bagel. “I don’t know. I didn’t know how to win a point. Basically came to this thing. I didn’t know. I was sitting in the changeover and I was like, ‘Okay, at least how can I get a chance to hurt her?’ There was nothing that I could hurt her. Embarrassing…It’s really to scratch the head and to think what the hell I’m doing. It’s not that I don’t want. I want. There’s no doubt about. I want to come back and I want to play better. But now to find answers how I can come back…First to find the reason what’s going on, what are the mistakes, and then to work on them. Not to go blindly on the court and killing your ass for like five hours. Sometimes it makes no sense.”

Matches to look for Wednesday in Melbourne include (8) Andy Roddick vs. Russian Igor Kunitsyn, Fed nemesis Gilles Simon vs. (2) Roger Federer, Janko Tipsarevic vs. (9) Fernando Verdasco, (6) Tomas Berdych vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber, (16) Mardy Fish vs. Tommy Robredo, Davydenko-killer Florian Mayer vs. Kei Nishikori, (25) Al Montanes vs. the resurgent Xavier “X-Man” Malisse, and (29) Viktor Troicki vs. French dress-wearing Wimbledon iron man Nicolas Mahut.

“We worked for six years together,” Sharapova said. “After a really long period of time, I think a few things become a routine. I think from both of our perspectives it was really a good move to bring in a new voice, a fresh perspective into the team. You know, he was within that transition. We all talked about it as a team. Michael is like a brother to me. We talk all the time. Obviously it’s different not having him at a tournament after so many years. Yeah, I mean, it’s part of an athlete’s career…It’s a break for now. I haven’t really had a new coach for many, many years.”

The few number of overall American men in the draw took a further hit when vaunted comer Ryan Harrison unceremoniously exited to unheralded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in straight sets.

“I think it was a very good week,” Nalbandian said. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes you play good and lose, sometimes you play bad and win. Sport is like that. Today I lost. I will try to play better every day.”

The Dane’s path to the quarters would likely have to go through Gisela Dulko (a tough opener), Tamira Paszek, Cibulkova, Bartoli, and Henin. Not likely to happen considering she enters Melbourne on the heels to two exhibition losses and a first-round WTA tournament exit, all the while trying to figure out how to play with her new Yonex.

Wozniacki is a paper No. 1, and cannot beat the biggest guns in the game in the form of Clijsters (0-2 career head to head), Serena Williams (0-2), and Venus Williams (0-4). Everyone else is a level below at the Grand Slams, the level the Woz will soon join. I predict she will lose pre-quarterfinals this year in Melbourne. For Woz fans (me included), hopefully she can regain her game, since she is great for the game: easy on the eyes, well spoken and someone who makes do with what she has in the terms of her on-court approach.