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The 2017 Australian Open has been incredibly refreshing.  Faster conditions – balls, surface – have tipped the tide more towards offense.  Such defense-oriented players as world number one Andy Murray, as well as defending champs Novak Djokovic and Angelique Kerber, have been eliminated.  Offense is carrying the day, somewhat more than it has in recent Grand Slam events.  So it’s no wonder that such aggressive-minded veterans as Roger Federer – playing his first tournament since Wimbledon – and Venus Williams are marching through the draw.  It’s plausible now to imagine these two finals: Venus-Serena, Federer-Nadal – a quartet and convergence of legends that last happened at Wimbledon, way back in 2008.

Matches of Intrigue

Coco Vandeweghe vs. Garbine Muguruza

Two slashing, streaky and powerful players tee it up in a match of wide potential.  The hopeful scenario is that it’s a true heavyweight battle.  Each can strike boldly and push the other into corners.  The fear is that the nonstop offense each favors will trigger many odd shot selection decisions and a flurry of first-strike, staccato rallies and a big platter of unforced errors.  Vandeweghe has shown both tenacity and maturity.  Her serve – particularly when she kicks it – could be the portal to disrupting Muguruza.

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The No.2-seeded Williams was first up in the day session on Rod Laver Arena and faced a stern test from No.16-seeded Barbora Strycova, finding herself down a break at 4-3 in the opening set after dropping three of her first four service games, something she hadn’t done since the Olympics.

But she broke back, squeaked out the set, stormed out to a 5-2 lead in the second set and – after Strycova snuck one last break in – closed it out after an hour and 46 grueling minutes, 7-5 6-4.

“Yeah, I feel like it was really good for me to win on probably not my best day, which is always good, because sometimes you rely on one shot and if it goes off, and then, like, what happens now?” she said. “It was really good for me to almost lose so that I know my other game is going pretty well, too.”

Through to the Australian Open quarterfinals for the 11th time in her illustrious career, Williams will next face No.9 seed and 2016 Australian Open semifinalist Johanna Konta, who battled back from 4-1 down in the second set to move past No.30 seed Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets, 6-1 6-4.

After Djokovic’s shock loss to Istomin in round two Murray has now followed him after losing 5-7, 7-5, 2-6, 4-6 to world number 50 Mischa Zverev in the fourth round. Another huge upset!

Murray has historically suffered quite a few upsets in slams but because of his recent rich run of form and ascendancy to the top of the world rankings, I’m not sure which is the bigger upset between him and Djokovic.

Zverev’s best previous result at a slam was at Wimbledon in 2008 when he made the third round after the withdrawal of 28th seed Ferrero. And now he is in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open where he will play Federer.

This is turning into quite a story because Zverev was top 50 at one point after which he fell all the way to #1067 in the rankings due to injury. I think he was on the verge of quitting and now he is back up to a career high #35.

Mischa’s DONE IT! #Zverev knocks out #Murray in four sets! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/q3Eu5wG1lm

Federer has 17 Grand Slam singles titles but is playing in his first official tournament in six months after a left knee injury layoff. The 50th-ranked Zverev had a four-set upset victory over top-ranked Andy Murray in the fourth round, a result the 29-year-old lefthander called the best of his career during his post-match media conference .

The 35-year-old Federer looked flawless in beating Tomas Berdych in the third round and then defeated fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori in the fourth round in five tough sets.

“It’s going to be completely different to the last couple, it’s probably going to be more similar to (Jurgen) Melzer in the first round, which is good that I played him,” Federer said. “I have a lefty in me this tournament already. I’m going to practice with a lefty as well again, just to get ready for that.”

Federer, who has beaten Zverev twice in two meetings – the first was on clay in 2009 and the second at Halle on grass in 2013 (6-0, 6-0) – figures it will be a whole new Zverev across the net at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday night.

“Obviously he’s on a high right now. He’s feeling great. Probably feels the best he’s ever felt on a tennis court,” said Federer.

Williams knuckled down and just scrapped her way to a 7-5, 6-4 win over No. 16-seeded Barbora Strycova on Monday to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the 11th time.

Despite four service breaks – two in the first four games – and 46 unforced errors, and with the fluky net cord and the off-balance, scrunched-shouldered backhand that bounced flatly and clinched her the first set on her eighth set point, she ground down Strycova.

“It’s good to know I have a Plan B, or Option 2. I wasn’t serving my greatest today, also she was putting a lot of returns in there,” said Williams, who had a first-serve percentage of 45, and made four double-faults. “I feel like it was really good for me to win on probably not my best day, which is always good, because sometimes you rely on one shot and if it goes off, and then, like, what happens now?

“It was really good for me to almost lose that so I know my other game is going pretty good, too.”

That keeps Williams on track in her bid for an Open-era record 23rd Grand Slam title. If she gets there, the 35-year-old American will regain the No. 1 ranking as well from Angelique Kerber.

Britain's Johanna Konta celebrates her win over Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Konta defeated the Russian 6-1, 6-4. She will next face Williams, who defeated Barbora Strycova earlier. This will be their first meeting.

More to come…

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 23: Serena Williams of the United States plays a backhand in her fourth round match against Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic on day eight of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 23, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Williams is attempting to win her Open era-record 23 Grand Slam singles title, her seventh Australian Open championship and, with top-ranked Angelique Kerber’s fourth-round loss, a return to the No. 1 ranking.

She had 23 unforced errors in the first set and needed eight set points to clinch it. There were seven breaks of serve in the set, including the first four games.

On the final point of the set a backhand by Williams bounced flatly on Strycova’s side of the court. The Czech player couldn’t pick it up and Williams had the first set in 55 minutes.

Germany's Mischa Zverev celebrates after defeating Britain's Andy Murray during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

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Look Back

Vexed as Judy Murray must have been by her son Andy’s loss yesterday, she’s also aware that the man who won that match, Mischa Zverev, ticked the boxes on all three of her fundamental teaching principles: make trouble, avoid trouble, get out of trouble.  To say Zverev disrupted Murray is an understatement.  Well aware that trying to win baseline rallies would end up in him being waterboarded, Zverev went on the attack. On his serve, old school serve-volley, right from the book authored by the likes of my Tennis Channel colleague Martina Navratilova.  If not quite as technically sound as such serve-volley southpaw maestros as Martina, Rod Laver, John McEnroe or Tony Roche, Zverev’s athleticism, focus and, most of all, sheer commitment to the tactic carried him forward.  At the receiving end, Zverev hung in rallies just long enough to maintain peaceful neutrality, deploying slice backhands, oddly shape forehands and, when he saw his opportunity, approach shots.  It also helped that in the third set, Zverev made just one unforced error.

A big lesson for players, teachers, parents and fans was to see Zverev turn contemporary tennis on its head.  The prevalent playing style of recent times – though tweaked in subtle ways — has been a form of forceful defense, grinding baseline tennis best played by the likes of Murray, Novak Djokovic, Kei Nishikori and others.  Everything from technique and tactics to equipment has created this dominant mode.  Fascinating to see what the Zverev brothers have done.  Younger Alexander, with his powerful groundstrokes, plays the game of tomorrow.  His older brother plays the game of yesterday.  Why not try and bring them all together?

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Top seed Andy Murray was sent packing by No. 50-ranked Mischa Zverev in the fourth round. The left-hander was trailing in the first set, but somehow managed to steal the set from the world No. 1. Murray came back to take the second set. It looked like the Scot was poised to finish the job, but Zverev’s determination won him the match eventually in four sets 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.

“Yeah, I mean, look, I had some opportunities at the end. I think the last two service games I had chances. Maybe three service games in the last set I had opportunities. Maybe missed a couple of balls that he had been making.

“But then, yeah, he came back from all of the mistakes that he made, kept coming, kept coming up with great shots. You know, there’s not too much you can do about that. Sometimes you got to say, Well played.

“It was obviously disappointing to lose. But, you know, he did some good stuff out there,” said Murray in his post-match press conference.

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Clearly, she is still getting used to being No. 1.

The German player ended Serena Williams’ reign atop the rankings after picking up her second Grand Slam trophy last fall at the U.S. Open following her breakout win at last year’s Australian Open. Since then, however, her results have been pedestrian – seven tournaments, no titles and a 5-7 record against top-50 players.

Her title defense in Melbourne also ended prematurely in a 6-2, 6-3 loss to American CoCo Vandeweghe in the fourth round on Sunday.

“I was not feeling the ball at all tonight,” she said. “I was not playing good from the first point.”

Williams, seeking her Open era-record 23rd major title, has beaten the Czech player both previous times. Both were in 2012 and in straight sets at majors – in the second round at the Australian Open, and in the first round at Wimbledon.

They come into Monday’s opening match on Rod Laver Arena without having dropped a set in their three previous matches. But that’s where the similarity ends: Strycova’s fourth-round appearance last year at Melbourne Park was her best result here; Williams is a six-time champion.

Still, Strycova wouldn’t have it any other way.

“That’s why you train, why you work hard, to play these matches on these stages and against the best one,” she said. “She’s a powerful player, and I’m so small.

“I don’t give anything for free, and I fight all the time. She’s human, and she is beatable.”

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 22: Andy Murray of Great Britain congratulates Mischa Zverev of Germany after their fourth round match on day seven of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 22, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

The No. 50-ranked Zverev attacked Murray and unsettled the five-time finalist. The lefthander won 65 of 118 points at the net in a 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 upset on Rod Laver Arena.

Murray joins six-time defending champion Novak Djokovic, beaten in the second round by wild-card entry Denis Istomin, on the sidelines for the second week at Melbourne Park.

It’s the first time since 2002 that neither the No. 1 nor the No. 2 seed has reached the Australian Open quarterfinals.

The 38-year-old twin brothers made the announcement on their Instagram account, saying that clinching the 2007 Davis Cup final was “one of the greatest highlights of our career.”

“We’ve been blessed to play for two amazing captains, Patrick McEnroe and Jim Courier, and we are extremely grateful for their leadership and trust.

“We’d like to extend our dearest gratitude to our fellow teammates, USTA staff, our friends and family, and the passionate fans who have been there for us on this incredible journey.”

The brothers are continuing at tour level and are through to the third round at the Australian Open, where they’ve won six of their record 16 Grand Slam doubles titles. They will play their next match on Monday.

The Bryans have the most victories by any doubles team in U.S. Davis Cup history, going 24-5, including 4-0 in 2007 when the U.S. won the title. The Bryan brothers beat Nikolay Davydenko and Igor Andreev in the doubles to clinch the final against Russia.

United States' Venus Williams celebrates after defeating Germany's Mona Barthel in their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

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Williams broke Barthel’s serve in the 11th game of the second set and served out, clinching the 1-hour, 36-minute fourth-rounder on her first match point.

Williams, who lost the 2003 final at Melbourne Park to her younger sister Serena, will next play Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who beat fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets earlier Sunday.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 22: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia is congratulated by Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia after their fourth round match on day seven of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 22, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

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Pavlyuchenkova led 2-0 in the second set before Kuznetsova broke back. Pavlyuchenkova then broke her fellow Russian’s serve again at 3-all, and once more in the final game, clinching the match in 68 minutes on her second match point when Kuznestova hit a forehand into the net.

”I’m kind of shocked a little,” she said afterward. ”But at the same time, so happy.”

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Despite reaching the 2008 Australian Open final (lost to Novak Djokovic) and reaching his highest ranking of No. 5 in 2012, Tsonga is still dreaming big.

“I’m still waiting for the best moment of my career,” said the Frenchman.

For more on Tsonga, watch his TenniStory:

United States' Serena Williams, right, is congratulated by compatriot Nicole Gibbs after winning their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/AndUnited States' Serena Williams, right, is congratulated by compatriot Nicole Gibbs after winning their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)y Brownbill)

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Williams was the first of the two to take Rod Laver Arena and she had few problems with 23-year-old former college tennis star Nicole Gibbs, cruising past her fellow American in 63 minutes, 6-1 6-3.

The World No.2 lost serve while serving for it at 6-1 5-2 but broke one last time to close it out.

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Nadal — Biggest Win Since ’14 Roland Garros

It likely won’t be remembered as a classic, but yesterday’s five-setter between Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev was incredibly meaningful.  For Zverev, it was less a heartbreaking loss – after leading two sets to one, he won just five more games – than an edifying one.  In the end, it was Zverev’s fitness that betrayed him.  This become most notable when, after winning a 37-shot rally in the fifth set, the 19-year-old German began to cramp.  A match that featured many brilliant, highly physical and versatile points – between them the two came to net 58 times – ended less dramatically than had been anticipated.  Zverev had fought, but Nadal had fought harder.

Nadal knew precisely what this win had meant to win a long match versus a young challenger.  “For the confidence, for a lot of things, are very important to win these kind of matches, no?” he said after the match. “I lost the last couple of ones, matches in the fifth. I worked a lot during all December to have the chances to compete well in these kind of moments.”

It looks like the old Nadal may be back after a trademark 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2 marathon win over teen sensation Zverev yesterday. I started watching in the first set after Zverev was a break up and what a match it turned out to be.

Zverev was the better player for most of the match but in the end, Nadal physically outlasted him. As we know Nadal never gets tired and his fitness was the only way he was going to win this match because Zverev was the aggressor.

The third set tiebreak was a key moment in the match and Zverev won it because he took the initiative. But from there on Nadal simply outlasted him physically. The turning point came at 2-2 and 40-40 in the fifth set where Zverev won a 37-shot rally.

WHAT. A. POINT. #Zverev #Nadal pic.twitter.com/i7X0dMDNCZ

— BreakPointBR (@BreakPointBR) January 21, 2017