After the second and third seeds of the 2014 Australian Open advanced Sunday, it’s now the turn of 1st seed Rafael Nadal of Spain and 4th seed Andy Murray of Great Britain to prove their worth as the world’s top players as they face dangerous opponents in the third round of the tournament in Melbourne.

Can Nadal and Murray both advance to the quarterfinals and join Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Spain’s David Ferrer for a complete cast of top four seeds in the first tennis grand slam of the year. Both players advanced to the next round with convincing victories although Ferrer dropped a set. Ferrer defeated Germany’s Florian Mayer, 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-2, 6-1, and Djokovic won in straight sets over Italy’s Fabio Fognini, 6-3, 6-0, 6-2.

Rafael Nadal (SPA) vs. Kei Nishikori (JPN) at 2:00 pm
Match Odds: Nadal (1.02) vs. Nishikori (13.0)
Game Handicap: Nadal (-7.5) vs. Nishikori (+7.5)

All-time head-to-head (5 matches): Nadal leads Nishikori, 5-0

The 24-year-old Japanese has never won in five career matches versus the world no. 1. The last meeting came in the Round of 16 of the 2013 French Open where Nadal won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.

Except for a first round struggle, Nishikori won in convincing fashion in his last two matches in the tournament in Melbourne. As usual and as expected, no. 1 seed Nadal has dominated his matches through the first three rounds.

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. Stephane Robert (FRA) at 4:30 pm
Match Odds: Murray (1.01) vs. Robert (21.0)
Game Handicap: Murray (-9.5) vs. Robert (+9.5)

All-time head-to-head: none

It’s not a surprise that this is the first meeting between Robert and Murray. After all, only one of them is a household name in the world of tennis. Robert’s string of wins has come under the radar as well because it came against unseeded players. Meanwhile Murray, despite his pessimistic pronouncements that he’s not fully healthy in Melbourne has racked up dominating wins so far.

Predictions: Nadal and Murray both win but struggles a bit as both Nishikori and Robert cover the game spread. Nadal def. Nishikori, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4; Murray def. Robert, 6-4, 7-5, 6-1

Day 7 (Sunday, January 19) Results - Fourth Round
D. Ferrer (SPA) def. F. Mayer (GER), 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-2, 6-1
N. Djokovic (SER) def. F. Fognini (ITA), 6-3, 6-0, 6-2
T. Berdych (CZE) def. K. Anderson (RSA), 6-2, 6-2, 6-3
S. Wawrinka (SUI) def. T. Robredo (SPA), 6-3, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5)