AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2014

Draws -

men's http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/draws/ms/index.html
women's http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/draws/ws/index.html

OMG Nadal/Tomic in R1 etc etc

(like that'll be anything other than a straightforward Rafa victory; he might...lose a set?)

Meanwhile it's great to see super-kids Ana Konjuh and Belinda Bencic making good progress through qualies (both in the final round). Most promising junior generation in years and years. Damn shame Konjuh has to have elbow surgery after this tournament but I'm so high on her - if you haven't been following the non-slam thread, these highlights of her first ever WTA match, beating #12 Vinci, last week, four days after her 16th birthday, are so impressive:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE1vIcApHvM

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bdfm5pNCIAAwXDV.jpg

Federer has a hard draw. Here is your chance to overtake him Stan! I've transferred my allegiances fully now to Del Potro so meh meh meh.

The second quadrant in the women's is just jam packed with players I adore. Weird that.

getting my predictions in 45 minutes before start of play

http://unforcederrani.tumblr.com/post/73141132265/australian-open-2014-notes-and-predictions

Kerber's serve is a mess today. Gajdosova, if she stays calm (lol), might have a shot!

So, what we watching? I'm watching Laura Robson right now, and will make an attempt to keep up with this thread because lol unemployed and lol insomnia.

Laura is making a stupid amount of unforced errors, and will probably be out in about ten minutes at this rate.

Robson came in with a wrist injury, don't think she should be playing tbh.

I'm watching 17-yr-old Bencic vs 43-yr-old Date-Krumm. Date-Krumm retired for the first time in 1996, Bencic was born in 1997. Bencic looking like the experienced, level-headed one out there though...

So annoyed I won't get to see Konjuh/Li :(

Laura is playing SO BADLY so I've given up on her. I am a bit miffed that the telly is showing this and Stan and I am stuck with a rubbish stream of Heather v Hantuchova.

And now Heather's gone to shit as well. I should start watching people I don't want to win.

Robson the first out of the tournament then...WHY PLAY INJURED?

I've given up and am watching the Golden Globes now. Tell me if anything good happens.

I'm going to bed. Disappointing scoreline from Watson given Hantuchova's awful form and...generally being Hantuchova

Has anyone seen bepa's match? I thought that given the scoreline of her match vs Li she would be in much better shape :-(

This is the best I've seen Goerges play in ages

Set and double break up on Errani. And almost no brainless errors o_O

Zakopalova flopping from *4-1 up in 2nd set to lose to Stosur in straight sets. The ultimate embarrassment ;___;

WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING PETRA

that kumkhum is fun to watch

Been telling everyone that Kumkhum is good. That second set was more how I expected the match to go, glad she put up a good showing though.

What a humiliation for Zakopalova. Losing to Stosur, who she beat LAST WEEK, in Australia? Shameful.

Makarova always peaks for big tournaments, doesn't she? Not surprised she came back vs Venus. She's beaten both Williamses at the AO now.

How did Keys need a 9-7 final set to beat Mayr-Achleitner?

Donna Vekic's slump is worrying now.

Everyone surprised at Janowicz losing but like Robson he came in underprepared and with injury issues. He got thrashed by Dolgopolov last week.

Gulbis finally wins a Slam match when I least expect him to!

Oh, and looks like I was right about this being the year of Vinci and Errani flopping. At least the former benefits Zheng. I guess the latter will trigger a bunch of Goerges hype again :(

Venus :(

is there any reason why Martic got double bagelled?

Haha Kumkhum just hit a dropshot return winner on Kvitova

And Kvitova DFs to hand over the break - Kumkhum to serve for the match

Oh dear :(

Three deuce points - Kumkhum DFed on two of them and shanked a routine groundstroke on the other

WOW Kumkhum broke to win anyway!

Been a while since we saw a Thai player bow to all four corners at a Slam. A worthy successor to Tanasugarn and Srichaphan :)

Djokovic's outfit.

MY EYES, GOD MY EYES. Lacko's is fugly too.

I feel like the shirt would be OK with dark shorts

i like Nole's top actually.
Lacko looks like someone threw together a 'rock star tennis player' outfit from the SNL props department or something

Vickery is pretty bad. Utterly routine win for Davis. Another WC that was so deserved. END THIS CORRUPT FARCE NOW etc

Also underwhelming: Berankis. Weird to think he was a junior stand-out. Dolgopolov was careless and lackadaisical but Berankis had nothing to hurt him with.

Can I also just say how fucking uninterested I am in this trend of "old legends" coaching current ATP players? I'm sure it's entirely for PR (except Murray/Lendl which was a lot more long-standing). Does anyone seriously believe Boris is teaching Nole a thing? It's sad, because it's indicative mostly that tennis fans are the types to constantly pine for the "good old days" rather than taking an interest in the current/future generations.

melbourne's favourite cypriot currently two sets down against denis istomin

Baghdatis has been trading off past glories for years now.

Barty's a useful little player but even though she's one of the best in her age group I struggle to see her ever as a legit top player...

Bepa has barely won a match since I declared her unbeatable for the 2011 Aus Open. And flicking through the program and not seeing her pen-pic, it seems she now has a 3 figure ranking.

Bepa was out for 16 months after the Olympics, she had shoulder surgery. Only came back two weeks ago (didn't think she was going to tbh, while she was away she was going to university and getting degrees and everything, seemed like she was getting ready to move on)

Bepa losing to Dellacqua is doubly sad because the terminally irrelevant Dellacqua will be the subject of our meeja saying OH MY GOD CASE BEAT A FORMER SLAM FINALIST SHE IS REALLY GOING SOMEWHERE ARGH ARGH.

Call me an unpatriotic little shit but I still really look forward to the round where the local contingent has been reduced to zero so I can watch the players I like on TV rather than on shitty streams.

blind patriotism across the tennis media is such a bane of my life and never ever a good look

Larsson is serving for the first set v Azarenka. Of course, it's Larsson, so.

Mid-court pat-balls, that's a way to win a set. Oh wait, it isn't. FML, Azarenka and her mess of a serve is there for the taking.

is everyone playing indoors or in the insane heat?

Matches are going on outside.

dag

How is Larsson even in a tie-breaker. About 60% of her shots don't go much further than the service line.

Matosevic is such a douche. Arguing with the umpire repeatedly and getting a point penalty. That's smart.

Good to see nothing of interest happened while I was asleep. The Devil Child took a set off A-Rad though?? Good to see Halep's shaken off her rust, I was fearful of a slump last week.

Surprised Diyas beat Siniakova in the battle of the Slam debutantes. Gross that Rogowska drew MDM and won a match. Witthoeft is meant to be promising yet she can't beat Minella? Terrible loss.

Blaz Rola, the best name in the men's tournament, beat Delbonis - wow, remember Delbonis beating Fed last summer and for a second people thought he was promising?

Isner retired so I can't gloat too much but I'll just say that the de-Isnering of a tournament for whatever reason is always welcome.

Going to try and avoid seeing or hearing a single thing about this Hewitt comeback that's happening ughhhhh.

If there is a god please will you let Slava beat Sloane.

Oh my god, just read about Nara asking for Peng to be given a point penalty for cramping!

Is this Sloane's famed "peaking for the Slams" then? 1-5 down...

This is Sloane's little-remarked-on-in-the-US being at the mercy of her draw. Hilarious of her to draw a dangerous (if headcasey) floater in R1 that's tougher than her R3 outs last year.

It's quite funny that Shvedova is neither in good form nor even playing that well herself. Bad bad bad set of tennis.

Oh my god, that Shvedova DF. Second serve was about a metre into the wrong box.

Haha another DF. Impressive serving for the set, this

ANOTHER one :o

I can't @ that game. Worst service game ever

Shvedova serving for the set again. Guess what she opened with, yup a DF

Another one. Oh my goddddd

DIE.

I've seen a lot of chokes in my time but this might actually be the most absolute disintegration ever. Serving for the set twice, five DFs hit and zero points won

And now unforced errors off moonballs

I bet this tie break will be a mess.

At least you can make do with the fact that Seppi served out his match clinically under a lot less pressure.

For once in my life I find myself thankful for Andreas Seppi :D

What is happening to Shvedova. She doesn't need medical treatment, she needs psychological help.

Oh god, I can see it now. Sveta goes out this round. Then we get Peak Psycho Barbie tiring Azarenka out in the heat, surviving but wounded... and Stephens somehow defends her points. PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN.

Azarenka is definitely not going to struggle against BZS, lol

I know. BZS will get an early chance, miss it, melt down and hilarity will ensue.

Meanwhile, Stephens' outfit makes her look like she has a gigantic belly. While I guess it's possible she's put on a little since last year, no way is she as fat as that thing makes her look.

God, local tv's attempt to hype up Tomic/Nadal is lol-worthy. "Rising star" - lol. "World's best 21-year-old takes on the world's best". Gag me.

Cilic is down two sets to Granollers? What? FFS.

Credit where it's due - Kokkinakis is doing really well against Sijsling. Few too many DFs but is playing the big points well. Strategic tank in the second set presumably for the Li-esque scoreline of 7-6 0-6 7-6 so far.

yeah, I like what I see from Kokkinakis, though he does appear to be tiring more quickly. Good FH though. Sijsling played the second TB abominably

The shirt and shoes are well-matched but wtf with the shorts, which aren't.

Kokkinakis has the fourth set break but looks like he's cramping...

Cramping badly but somehow holds for 4-1. Got virtually nothing left though...

lmao @ Sijsling just serving DFs, Shvedova-style

Ha, Kokkinakis smacking amazing winners. Two points from the match

Nice of TV here to stick with that til the end rather than skipping straight to Tomic/Nadal. Oh wait, they did that. Dickheads.

Incredible final game!

Kokkinakis was excellent but I do wonder how it feels to be Igor Sijsling. You just lost to a cramping child

Gilles Simon was on crutches a few days ago and now he's at 7-7 in the final set? LOL

Sweta lost to Svitolina in straight sets. RETIRE

Actual retirement!

when Kokkinakis won I contemplated making some facetious joke about how Tomic would doubtless provide a contrast later and SO IT HAPPENED.

You could not see that coming a mile off. The camera kept lovingly panning to Tomic stretching and giving little pained looks. Quality theatre, though I guess there is the slight possibility it's genuine.

Meanwhile, Simon and his bad ankle are at 9-10 in the fifth set

Omg Rogowska won O_O

Wow, the animated graphic I get every time I open the Aus Open app on my phone is annoying.

Even though it's a step slower I generally use the Tennis Temple app just because it doesn't have an ostentatious shitty loading animation thing.

Simon and his bad ankle save seven MPs to win 16-14 in the fifth set

*stares at Tomic*

Ben Rothenberg ‏@BenRothenberg 2m
Just in Tomic's press where he expressed huge sadness over his leg injury at his favorite Slam. Then he jogged past me in the hall. #AusOpen

This Ma$ha/BMS match is really really awful. Why am I surprised.

Oh and various people in the crowd need to die. I mean yes, Matosevic is a tosser, but he's right to be pissed at crowd members yelling out "Come on Mad Dog" when he does not like being called that. And in the crowd some fucktard is dressed up in prison garb with a placard saying "Julian Assange" on it. Like, this is not a suitable venue for your fuckwitted protest. And then there were some dickfaces at the back of the arena with some kind of anti-English presentation going on. What English players are there even left to be shitty at?

just stowaway gloaters from the cricket prob

oh, you mean "cunts". of course.

I think Tomic may be beyond recall as far as a lot of the tennis public are concerned, so it wouldn't have mattered what happened tonight. If he'd limped through a second set and stuffed himself completely in the process, the call would have been 'he played himself out of the Davis Cup just to play hero to the crowd and show he was just as tough as Lleyton - and what was in those pain-killers to make him think he can beat Rafa on one leg?'

Just saw the Matosevic debacle. He may be just as big a shithead as Bernie. Hopefully the two Greek K's can take over the FOAT mantle before too much longer.

yeah despite my vague sympathies towards Tosser for the crowd, he was being a total loser on court and the way he publicly slammed his coach is Really. Not. Cool.

Couldn't quickly find that footage from last year (?) of Duckworth doing the convulse/vomit thing, but his weird body makes him look like he's on the verge of doing that constantly. Bizarre looking, annoying player. Federer looked annoyed with him and with himself during that dull one.

Anytime they have a dull match or a delay I wish they'd just show footage of Fed practice hitting with Edberg. I'd watch that for a while.

Lisicki/Niculescu, Kumkhum/Barthel, Gasquet/Davydenko and Li/Bencic all on concurrently? Oh man.

Kumkhum has picked up where she left off vs. another slow idiot basher.

Li whomping the kids - she's just bagelled Bencic as well...

We haven't had an out Buddhist lesbian on tour before, have we?

Bencic has broken Li twice in the second set after her bagel, but has handed the break back immediately both times, blowing points for 5-3 in the last game :/

Bencic - Li has gone to a tie-break (Bencic should really have taken the set earlier though). Sabine looking ropey against Niculescu here as well. Too much to watch, I don't know how you guys do it.

lol at bencic cheating. putting her hand up to challenge li's serve then pretending she didn't after li misses the next shot.

was that the one just after she challenged wrongly? I didn't think she was challenging at all. She takes the ball ridiculously early

Kinda falling asleep. On the one hand, Kumkhum and Niculescu going into third sets. On the other, sleep. Take advantage of the heat break...?

it was at like 4-3 in the tb or something idk

SCREAMING at that appalling Lisicki DF on BP

loving niculescu's overwraught screams of celebration after every point

lolololol that insane point

how terrible and NID are these Lisicki DFs on BPs? I love this match and Monica Niculescu in general

NICULESCUUUUUUU <3

Extends the h2h vs Lisicki to 4-1 <3333

Sad that Kumkhum lost though. OK, bedtime now

this is terrible from gulbis

Great effort from the Belgians today

Dellacqua def Flipkens 63 60
Riske def Wickmayer 61 61

just remembering how ridiculously great wickmayer played against henin here 4 years ago :( that's one of my fave youtube highlights videos!

most intriguing matchup of the tournament so far coming up! pironkova better not fuck this up.

I think Stosur will win. Match-up issues. Obv hoping massively otherwise.

Ugh, Gulbis, NID that you'd flop but can you at least try not to benefit the likes of Querrey.

Pretty astonished that Hantuchova won a 12-10 epic third set over anyone, let alone in-form servebot Karolina Pliskova.

Switching from Keys to Bouchard and no idea how the fuck anyone can think the latter is more promising. Solid player but such a vast differential in raw talent, there's a reason she's evenly matched with Razzano

gross @ this

also can commentators stop perpetuating the myth that stosur is a great volleyer, just because of her doubles success. her volleys are SO HORRIBLE.

Bouchard is easily going to have the most annoying fans EVER soon. Well, they were already in the crowd I guess

Stosur, unlike a lot of players, has a very competent overhead. Her other net skills are variable but seldom actually "good". Sadly for Tsveti, Stosur is playing very well.

Brilliant pass by Zheng

Welp, Keys still waiting for that break-out Slam result. Good to see Zheng still grabbing wins though!

So glad that section contains Serena so the Ivanovic run will be short-lived.

Heh, so it transpires that Lauren Davis can be fun to watch - if she's playing against Goerges and killing her with consistency and smart play.

Yeah, Serena killing either Stosur or Ivanovic in R4 will be a pleasure to watch.

Bouchard probably has the best shot at the QF from that section now - she won't give Zheng as much pace to feed off as Keys did...

can't support lauren davis. you have to draw a line somewhere

I feel for people who had Laver tickets tonight. Stosur/Pironkova might as well not have happened and this Ebden/Pospisil match is execrable.

Would smash Pospisil so hard though.

Davis has legitimately improved from last year I think. Slightly more pop on her shots, really good at changing the direction of the ball and confounding Goerges. Not that it takes much to do that.

oh and YASSSS, Goerges out of the top 100! Stay there pls

Would smash Pospisil so hard though.

yes

While this match is not good, it does at least give a little screen time to the radiant, awesome Eva Asderaki.

martina just said "how hot does it need to be does someone need to die"

wow K NAPP

That tie-break between Tsonga and Belluci was a cracker an' all, Belluci saving 4 set points before finally going down to J-WT.

Roof shut on Rod Laver now, all other games suspended for a couple of hours (or they will be once their current set is finished), everyone looking like they're about to pass out. Good, this stay up late at night and sleep through the day malarky isn't as much fun as it seemed.

That's the thought process we use every time Wimbledon gets rained out.

One end on Laver is causing both players to be near unable to serve.

You know how this ends anyway.

This final set of Knapp v Sharapova is going to be like They Shoot Horses, Don't They, isn't it? I'm going to go to sleep for a few hours and wake up and they'll still be slogging away and weigh about three stone each.

If Pova holds here to make it 8-8 I make her 99%. Knapp has to end it now.

Yeah, that should be it all over now.

lol moar DFs

Jolly good. Well done Maria for being less shit and less melted than Knapp, I'm away to my bed.

maybe do this at a cooler time of year #idea

http://cjzero.com/gifs/MariaSharapovaAliveStinkEye.gif

What, badmouthing conditions in the self-proclaimed Most Livable City In The World, I never.

conflicted emotions: Sharapova taken to 10-8 by Knapp, hahahahaha vs. aaaargh, Sharapova survived

this is the first time I can remember the heat policy being implemented...

Zarina Diyas in R3! Have been waiting for her breakthrough for years, finally it's happening.

Tomljanovic serving for the first set against Stephens. DO NOT FUCK THIS UP.

Wins it on a peak Stosur-esque shank from Stephens. HAPPY.

Stephens peaking at the Slams again, I see. Tomljanovic up a set and bossing her around pretty easily.

It'd be a great story for Tomljanovic too. Touted as a promising up-and-comer a few years ago but got mono in 2012 that kept her out for almost a year. Made a really impressive comeback last year, raised her ranking from 453 to 78. So this isn't a huge shock...

Argh as soon as I get excited about a player I want to flop flopping they start winning.

Jon Wertheim ‏@jon_wertheim 4m
Donald Young into round three - and a winnable match against Nishikori awaits.

^^oh, American journalists, what nationalistic drugs are you on

ooooh we might get an all-LL match for the 4th round! Stephane Robert and Martin Klizan both leading their matches...

Yeah, as if Seppi's not a lot more clagged than Nishikori's going to be in R3.

Play being suspended for lightning just hours after being suspended for extreme heat?!

Stephens now a lot more consistent, Tomljanovic a lot more terrible

Weather has been stupid today and it will get hotter tomorrow although it's supposed to break tomorrow evening. Walking to the train was Inhumane today, I can't even imagine sitting outside and watching a game of tennis let alone play one.

absolutely classic melbourne

Oh wait they resumed? And Tomljanovic won four straight games!

Second serve ace and huge FH make it five straight games

And serving for the match she DFs on BP. of course

And silence reigns, which most likely means SS pulled it out of the fire....

yup. well, Stephens' mentality is her most impressive aspect tbh. Like Bouchard, an incredibly cool head for a young player.

Tomljanovic is probably destined to forever be a hot-and-cold dangerous lurker rather than a top 10 player in her own right...

We do get our all-LL R3 match though! Klizan vs. Robert for a spot in the second week.

I loved Sloane's enthusiasm last year, but it seems loses or nearly loses to too many players I've never heard of to be in the running for a major in the foreseeable. She responds to a challenge (eg Serena) but is sometimes a bit too slow to see one (eg set 1 and the third quarter of set 3 tonight).

<i>Q. Your opponent today, just 16, young girl.
NA LI: 16 or 17? 16? Okay. My half age, yeah (Laughter.) Yes?

Q. Did that make you feel like an old lady?
NA LI: No, I think I'm mostly young in this room, right? (Laughter.)</i>

ZING

damn this paire-kyrgios match is a riot

I didn't watch but apparently Murray won 23 straight points from 1-5 down vs Millot...

Kyrgios is 50 times the man Tomic is and he's younger. I might yet have someone from my own country to support.

Swore I heard the ump call fault at 5-5 in the tb except no one heard so he called 6-5

Paire just folding now

Or not!

meanwhile delpo lost the 4th set. how can we expect him to beat nadal if he's wasting all his energy on scrubs like bautista-agut?

This Del Potro match is a bit entertaining as well

xpost

Bautista Agut impressed me a couple of times last year, he's not your typical ESP grinding clay scrub.

At the age of 30, having played 18 Slam main draws and lost in the first round 12 times and the second round 6 times, Yvonne Meusburger has made a Slam R3 for the first time!

So Simon, on crutches on Saturday, has just won back-to-back five-setters. LOL. Neither televised and I'm not sure whether to be frustrated or thankful.

verdasco just served 3 consecutive double faults

Gabashvili repays the favour - serves for the match, broken to love.

oh well

Verdasco loses the match on a botched volley anyway. Useless. Worth pointing out he was 30-0 up in that game, too.

Ben Rothenberg ‏@BenRothenberg 4s
Stats you don't often see:
Forehand winners:
del Potro - 16
Bautista Agut - 36

Watching now and no idea why Delpo just isn't going for any of his shots? Just rallying aimlessly...

Bautista breaks and will serve for it. LOL.

Kyrgios is ailing physically btw.

:-(

Love Delpo, but he was pretty rubbish when it mattered.

Bautista wins. Nice to see him get a big win in a Slam after blowing a few opportunities last year but man, that was a pretty pathetic performance from Delpo.

Wish I'd watched the Paire-Kyrgios match instead, caught the end of it there, and the massive amounts of goodwill for Kyrgios was heartwarming, and he was giving it a right good go despite obvious struggle. Will be keeping an eye on him in the future.

He really impressed me before he started to understandably falter physically. Some actually decent ATP youngsters coming up, we may not get a void era after all!

I liked the way this sets him up as the anti-Tomic to the Aus crowd, as well.

I still like Tomic's game better, though.

lol Serena vs Hantuchova, this is going to be great fun.

Q. Did that make you feel like an old lady?
NA LI: No, I think I'm mostly young in this room, right? (Laughter.)</i>

ZING

haha yesssssssssssssss

& disgraceful umpiring in paire/kyrgios!!!

Another fourth round for Flavia! :D :D :D

wtf Li is getting scudded something chronic off of Safarova. This can't be right, surely?

Li has two modes IMO; Super-Beast and Super-Tank

Come on Li. I don't think I can handle losing Li and Del Potro within 24 hours of each other, I might have to ask to be put into suspended animation until Roland Garros.

She looked pretty beastly in that tiebreak.

btw exactly how terrible is it that I have a crush on Eugenie Bouchard, who was born during my junior year of college

also let's count all the ways that Ferrer is amazing

anderson/roger-vasselin match is insane!!! epic fighting skills from anderson here.

wins from 2 sets to 0 down and 3-5 down in the final set!

I refuse to watch Anderson ever because big server, but lol that he fought so hard just to get beaten by Berdych again. (Berdych leads the h2h 9-0, all in the past two years)

well he fought back with brave play (huge forehand winner and drop volley winner in the game to break back for 5-5)

stosur/ivanovic off to a good start! holy shit at that rally just now ending in a beautiful ivanovic FH dropshot!

I had great fun watching Berdych absolutely slice Anderson up live last year. It was fun.

Um, maybe I'm insane but four games in Stosur/Ivanovic is producing some decent quality tennis.

x-post

Serena's superstitions are the oddest things. For a while she'd race to shake the ump's hand first, which she never used to do and which she's now stopped for no apparent reason. And now she takes a bathroom break after every warm-up?

Okay, we'll have a few more comedy Stosur backhand fails like that, though.

oh god i love when stosur hits BHs that i would be humiliated to hit

Ivanovic playing to her strengths - she's wearing a nice blue dress.

and when ivanovic hits smashes i would be humiliated to hit

Q. You love to laugh but you also have a serious side. You have your schools in Africa and have read Mandela closely. Mandela's message was pretty much forgiveness and reconciliation. Work with the springbox for reconciliation, put his jail in the front row of the inauguration. Do you think that spirit could affect your thoughts about what happened in the desert? There is a new generation of people who would love to see you there. Would that ever cross your mind as a possibility?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it actually crossed my mind a couple days ago, or after I saw the movie.

Q. Do you think you would? It would be such a wonderful event for American tennis and for your career. Do you think that's something you might consider in the future?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Like I said, it crossed my mind not too long ago when I went to see the movie. I thought about it.

what the actual fuck are these questions though? trying to link Indian Wells with Mandela??? Why, 13 years on, is the US press still harassing the Williams sisters about this tournament. It's hardly a Slam.

this match is basically a race to see who can get round their BHs quicker

omg is there anything this roof won't be closed for this week

this match went flat with a quickness

Ivanovic raising her arms in anger at a call will never not be funny, even when she's right.

Two consecutive incorrect DF calls. Wow. Talk about a home call!

HOW did Stosur fail to make that pass after Ivanovic gave her so many chances?

Because she tried to drive a backhand pass lol. That was funny.

lol @ that

stosur walking to the chair thinking she won the set, now she still has to serve it out

The officiating at the AO is always the worst of the slams.

wow @ these home calls

though if Stosur had challenged the Ivanovic smash at the start of the last game I'm sure she'd have been right

A+ linecalling itm

niiiiice!

this TB is a nadir of tennis

Point and laugh.

such an inevitable DF there

ohgodohgodohgod

against anyone else you could predict who'd choke this set away but they're both so skilled at it

aaaaand Stosur's turn to choke (again)

lmaolmaolmaolmaolmao

omg those last two Ivanovic forehand misses, I could have made both, and I bet everyone reading could.

LMAOOOO

Like what.

You'd think a break with Stosur having SP up would benefit her but...no

Digging these slow-motion shots of the rain though. Just lovely.

also, lol @ Ivanovic not wanting that point to count because of the rain

Truly, the best part of that tie-break was the rain delay.

Pretty much assuming Muguruza will trash Wozniacki again tonight <3 Sadly won't get to see it.

Don't see any other major upsets, though CSN/Cibulkova and Raonic/Dimitrov are probably toss-ups

CSN/Cibulkova looking like a wipe-out. Domi is uber.

Sucket sucks but she hs a break in the second. That game from her was beautiful. She's a loony but she actually has more heart than most of the WTA top 30 put together.

A-Rad's form is totally shitty enough to lose to Pavlyuchenkova, but it really feels odd to be watching it happen.

fantastic win for Dimitrov

yea huge win

murray in this tiebreak is unreal

Wozniacki out of the top 10 again, almost certainly to be replaced by Halep! This is great news.

Well done Cleansing White Mug. She might well beat A-Rad too (who didn't play well, Pavs just collapsed)

The White Mug took out Woz as expected :D

I'm impressed that Domi lost two games combined against two of the more dangerous players in the draw, but this just sets us up for a choke against Ma$ha in full-on obnoxious Screaming Fighting Warrior mode.

Dimitrov finally reaches the second week of a Slam. Can't believe I predicted it, put money on it and it actually happened. I only did that because Raonic is a perennial Slam disappointment* as well!

*well, in terms of his capabilities, I'm always happy with an early Raonic loss

Remember the last time Domi played Ma$ha in a slam, and Domi's tactic was basically to hit the ball straight back to her each time? That was brutal and disappointing.

Donna Vekic ‏@DonnaVekic 6s
I shouted ME 5 times and he still went for the lob. @TKokkinakis pic.twitter.com/dP7XGvWnQZ

Remember the last time Domi played Ma$ha in a slam, and Domi's tactic was basically to hit the ball straight back to her each time? That was brutal and disappointing.

We'll always have her nearly-double bagel in that RG QF though.

Wow, a few minutes ago I was thinking about how Nishikori invariably disappointed me and then he PEAKED to win five games in a row vs. Young. Who is whinging and moaning as a result, obv.

Nishikori really has some of the loveliest strokes around when he's not playing passively and aimlessly.

Your women's last 16 is set.

(1) Serena Williams vs. (14) Ana Ivanovic
(WC) Casey Dellacqua vs. (30) Eugenie Bouchard
(4) Na Li vs. (22) Ekaterina Makarova
(9) Angelique Kerber vs. (28) Flavia Pennetta
(8) Jelena Jankovic vs. (11) Simona Halep
(20) Dominika Cibulkova vs. (3) Maria Sharapova
(5) Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Garbine Muguruza
(13) Sloane Stephens vs. (2) Victoria Azarenka

Predicting Serena, Bouchard, Li, Kerber, Halep, Sharapova, Muguruza, Azarenka
Hoping Serena, Dellacqua, Li, Kerber, Halep, Cibulkova, either, neither

Masha's played really badly so far this slam so I wouldn't be surprised if Domi takes her out. I usually have a feel for when she's a contender in a slam from the first round and this one's been very shabby.

hilarious Young meltdown in the second set, throwing his toys out of the pram after every point he lost in the last game

xp yeah Domi's playing well and Ma$ha is not, so I predict Domi storms to a 6-2 4-1 lead and then chokes/Fighting Warrior Ma$ha claws her way back. Probably the same against JaJa or Halep, and then Vika buries her.

Seriously though I've never seen Young smile on court or look remotely happy to be there or indeed like anything other than a petulant teenager even though he's now 24 years old.

Still not used to Monfils with short hair and stuff on his face.

From 2-5 down in the first set, Nishikori has won 14 of 15 games :D

After about 20 minutes, Rafa is 2-0 up.

I'm not all that used to seeing Monf this late into the fortnight, period.

He's a dead ringer for somebody, can't work out who - but it's easy to picture him in a Man Utd shirt.

Just watching JWT make short work of Simon....Bad news, his next date is Rodge, slightly better news: he's only ranked four spots higher these days. Also good seeing petulant permanent adolescent Young get thoroughly caned by Nishi - commentators mentioned a shoulder problem for Young Donnie, I think it's called a chip the size of the MCG....

16 of 17 games for Kei to close out the match! Boss. How's that for a "winnable" match, US media

Monfils hasn't been playing badly and the games have been close and he's down 0-4.

He's started to get some BPs but just can't seem to convert. 0/5 so far.

Men's last 16!

(1) Rafael Nadal vs. (16) Kei Nishikori
(22) Grigor Dimitrov vs. Roberto Bautista Agut
(4) Andy Murray vs. (LL) Stephane Robert
(10) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. (6) Roger Federer
(7) Tomas Berdych vs. (19) Kevin Anderson
Florian Mayer vs. (3) David Ferrer
(8) Stanislas Wawrinka vs. (17) Tommy Robredo
(15) Fabio Fognini vs. (2) Novak Djokovic

Tsonga, Bautista and Mayer with decent chances for upsets imo
..

Rennae Stubbs is speculating something is up with Serena's back. Her movement doesn't look good and there was a really awkward overhead that suggests maybe something is up.

Serena can't stretch for anything. Anything. She's dumping everything into the net.

lol serena hyperspeed

wowwww serena

Something definitely wrong, no doubt we'll hear about it. I guess, Even Ivanovic can beat a hampered Serena, how lol does it look for those who have flopped before.

I mean, I guess Ivanovic's forehand was good and she even hit some good backhands. But Serena barely got a ball in court in the third set except on her own serve.

I can't believe that one of Bouchard and Dellacqua -- Dellacqua!!!! -- is the only thing standing between her and another SF where hopefully whoever makes it there will be utterly monstered by Li.

Ivanovic has looked fantastic all tournament, she just outplayed her imo

bending to low balls has been Serena's weakness for years, more players should exploit it. Pretty much the only thing to exploit.

Serena's backhand in particular was appalling. I guess in that regard - low balls and attacking the backhand - she has been able to successfully use the same game plan two matches in a row. Probably won't work so well against Bouchard unless her BH breaks down.

in general in tennis we underestimate how great players can just have bad days at the office

True dat, but usually they're masked by less great players choking or having pretty bad days at the office themselves!

yea serenas timing was really off

ivanovic's returns were amazing. how often do you see a player hit 3 return winners in one game against serena?

Did I spy a DRAKE REFERENCE on one of Bouchard's supporter's placards?

Makarova, Stephens, Ivanovic - Serena really specialises in the most WTF losses possible in Australia these days. Wow, entire tournament dynamic turned on its head.

Ivanovic did not look good vs Stosur, she looked like the same one-dimensional, mentally weak desperate B-lister that she's been since 2008.

Omg Serena

Dellacqua 7-6. Neither of these women is much good out of position, but.. an okay set of tennis, kind of. Then they cut to Courier and Hewitt looking like they're dresed for a wedding and Hewitt actually looks presentable, god what is wrong with me/everything.

I only watched sets 1 and 2 vs Stosur, I wouldn't say she looked _good_, more that her game plan successfully turned her headcase opponent into butter. She played much better today.

In news no one cares about any more I saw the first two sets of Kerber/Pennetta before falling asleep and they were really good.

Also, Tom

Dammit, phones. Also tomic*** needs hip surgery. Not that I'm a huge fan, but it gives a little less credence to the booing and jeering from spectators / sports writers re: his retirement from the nadal match.

I'm resigned to Bouchard making a Slam SF at some point à la her talent equivalent Kournikova so it may as well be now tbh. She's much more mentally strong though.

Poor Serena - injury was the only that could've stopped her.

yeah serena never loses matches unless she's injured

Dellacqua has seriously descended, this is terrible from her

Bouchard has this very weird and very obvious blind spot to having the ball hit behind her in the corner. Every time Dellacqua does that, she wins the point. But basically she's now playing crap and this match will last another 15 minutes if that.

yeah serena never loses matches unless she's injured

Well she didn't win Wimbledon but its certainly true for the way this tournament was shaping up.

Serena can lose when not injured but in losses to STEPHENS and IVANOVIC injury is certainly the only plausible explanation

delolcqua

Anyway here's a match I do give a crap about. WIN STAN OR I WILL NOT BE HAPPY.

i didn't know stan had such a terrible h2h against boredo :(

“It was all Ana today,” she insisted. “I thought she played really well. I made a tremendous amount of errors [31 unforced, against Ivanovic’s 27], shots I missed I normally don't miss, that I haven't missed since the 80s.”

love that

Stan's hit 40 winners in 2 sets and 1 game

Yeah this is a really great performance. A few errors, but very high ratio of winners to them. Gotta be close to 50 now.

lol Boredo arguing with the umpire when he's completely wrong, love it. Mathc point to the REAL Swiss No. 1!

In news no one cares about any more I saw the first two sets of Kerber/Pennetta before falling asleep and they were really good.

This match was GREAT

i didn't get to see the match but omg i am so shocked and disgusted like wtffffffffffff to IVANOVIC? ohgodohgod. i hear she was injured so ok i guess :( but stop getting injured in australia ffs. women's tournament is officially over for me. 3 straight wins for azarenka i guess yawn

I have a large amount of entirely misplaced faith in Li to get it done the third time. All of this faith is based on blind adoration and little on anything else. (Maybe A-Rad will woman up and play the match of her life and take out Azarenka this time... assuming she gets past Muguruza...)

I have a million times more faith in Li to beat Azza than A-Rad. Li really should have done it last year were it not for the stupid fireworks and nearly concussing herself. It's a question of whether she can hold her nerve to get to the final.

just got back from my parents' house so now i can stay up late and watch the first matches on court.
watching tennis before bed >>>>> waking up early to watch tennis

But if this match continues to go this way I'm just going to fall asleep so I can wake up for the tantalising night session instead...

Domi up two breaks in the second. Sharapova in complete screaming iceberg mode now, always dangerous.

Domi's amazing outfoxing cross-court dropper at 4-0 0-15 :D :D :D

^that was great.
other than that it's mostly just been errors and fist pumps though

Yeah this set has basically been Maria playing shit for five games and then the tables turning.

And if someone can fail to serve out a set twice, then surely they can do it a third time.

DOMI!!!! You can foresee ugliness in the third coming can't you.

:D
despite the fistpumping errors thing i still don't get why Cibulkova isn't more popular. she's FIT and kind of charismatic

weird moment earlier when the comms were talking about Sharapova's MTO and Mercer suddenly started repeating the word 'buttock'

Gorgeous hitting and absorbing from Cibulkova now. If only she'd taken one of those BPs.

I think a lot of people are put off by the "Poďme!"

But her offensive and defensive slices are so so so good and are inciting lots of errors. And Domi's errors aren't brainless, she's making them going for the right shots.

Ivanovic did not look good vs Stosur, she looked like the same one-dimensional, mentally weak desperate B-lister that she's been since 2008.

― lex pretend, Sunday, January 19, 2014 8:54 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

no, she was murdering the ball and returning like a boss just like she did against Serena. If that's the one dimension you're talking about it's a pretty good one.

Sharapova just hit a wild shot that bounced off the net and landed right on the line, match point down. ugh, if this catalyses FIGHTING SPIRIT I WILL KILL.

:D

completes her career QF slam too

Crowd acknowledging her adorableness.

Haha, Cibulkova swatting aside Sam Smith's long-bow-drawing. "I have beaten Maria before".

No way Cibulkova only hit 16 winners surely.

lol wtf 6-1 in the 3rd? missed the match ugh.
i have nobody to root for on the women's side at ALL. like srsly. i guess i'll root for li to avenge last year's loss or something

weird that maria would make such a comeback in 2nd set and then fade entirely in set 3

This Stephens/Azarenka match is not very good. Some excitement - Stephens hit a ball right at Azarenka (it was the right shot too). But then had an opportunity to do it again, didn't and lost the point.

Stephens' slice, court positioning and return of serve are all totes rubbish.

This may not last, but Nishikori is playing really beautifully right now.

Nishikori rn :o

I swear Rafa's shorts get shorter every year.

THAT POINT TO BREAK! That get from Nishikori surprised even Nadal

<3

I just hope he can keep it up - he's been zoning all day and probably should have won that first set too, if not for Nadal doing his usual impenetrable wall routine.

this is gonna be another disappointing tiebreak, isn't it? :/

oh wait Nishikori hasn't even held the last game yet. this is what happens when you're half-watching at work.

not even a TB. ;_;

Man, Nishikori has broken Nadal twice and looks like he won't even get a set to show for it.

Three times now, still hope.

Four times! Wow!

Sigh

murray/robert match is insanely fun rn

6-6 in the TB

Murray's served for the match and had 4 MPs, including 2 just now!

lmao murray

Plucky French underdog. Of course, TV station here is showing it in about 10 minute delay. Cunts.

robert wins the set! with a bit of drama (murray's shot called out/umpire overrules/robert challenges/ball was indeed out/murray smacks his racket)

Get the fuck in! Abandoned Domi/Ma$ha after the first set because it wasn't even good tennis but I'm happy to wake up to this result.

Oh look, Halep's having a deeper Slam run than Stephens now she's got the benefit of a top 16 seed too.

Ivanovic did not look good vs Stosur, she looked like the same one-dimensional, mentally weak desperate B-lister that she's been since 2008.

― lex pretend, Sunday, January 19, 2014 8:54 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

no, she was murdering the ball and returning like a boss just like she did against Serena. If that's the one dimension you're talking about it's a pretty good one.

― Matt Armstrong, Monday, January 20, 2014 2:21 AM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Did you not see us all LMAOing at the chokeyness of the first set? Stosur was next to useless. Yes, Ivanovic always murders the ball on the FH side, but that's been the case for the past five years.

Federer came to play, eh. Lucky, but very impressive break to go up 2-0!

JWT keeps leaving vast swathes of the court unguarded for no reason

Hey, remember when Federer HATED the very concept of the dropshot?

He likes three dropshots in one game though.

So glad Halep made the QF btw. There seemed to be a myth developing last year that she could mop up the titles but flop at the Slams, by contrast to Stephens who "peaked" when it counted. Utter nonsense. Halep's rise began in May, she was unseeded at RG and Wim where she took sets off seeded opposition in her losses, then she made her first R4 at the USO. That was about not having seeding benefits, not about her level being lower.

JWT waited to be 3-5, 5-7, 2-4, 0-40 down to start fighting.

Tsonga's first break point of the match?

Federer may have juuuuust escaped the fightback there.

Also, why is Tsonga only growing out his afro now his hairline is receding?

That was a great performance from Fed notwithstanding JWT failing to really turn up. Murray wasn't exactly impressive earlier...

Your men's QFs:

(1) Rafael Nadal vs. (22) Grigor Dimitrov
(4) Andy Murray vs. (6) Roger Federer
(7) Tomas Berdych vs. (3) David Ferrer
(8) Stanislas Wawrinka vs. (2) Novak Djokovic

So all very expected, JMDP the only top 8 player who failed to hold his seed. Hope that Stan/Nole can reprise their classic last year that I sadly missed. Really not sure how the middle two matches will go!

Fed barely was out of first gear for most of that match. Held comfortably, broke often enough.

This is the kidn of match I expect A-Rad to lose that she always comes out and plays well in, so.. er. Hard to say.

Nice stylistic contrast between A-Rad and the White Mug. Aga closes out an epic third game by serve-and-volleying but Muguruza's BH DTL has really impressed me.

A-Rad's forehand is complete garbage atm though.

Great reflexes to break though!

For some reason we are getting shots of Muguruza cuddling an adorable puppy. Odd.

WOW that Aga volley to close out another epic game

Muguruza is, uh, not good when even slightly off-balance.

First four games of that set took 40 minutes, last three games took about 40 seconds.

Even 50% Vika is going to mop up the winner of this, alas.

That's not exactly news though.

Muguruza's brain is broken and her spirit frazzled, she's either playing way too carefully or bashing errors, and has forgotten how to play anything in between. Quintessential example of Aga dealing with young power players.

First four games took 37 minutes. Next 12 games took 40 minutes. "A learning experience", etc.

Your women's QFs!

(14) Ana Ivanovic vs. (30) Eugenie Bouchard
(4) Na Li vs. (28) Flavia Pennetta
(11) Simona Halep vs. (20) Dominika Cibulkova
(5) Agnieszka Radwanska vs. (2) Victoria Azarenka

Predicting Bouchard, Li, Halep, Azarenka. I worry that the top half isn't as easy for Li as it looks, she's struggled with all of those players in the past. If Halep wins, an Azarenka SF will be a very interesting measuring stick for her. But I can't look beyond Li vs Azza, part deux in the final.

Sundry H2Hs:

Bouchard leads Ivanovic 1-0
Li tied with Pennetta, 2-2 (first match was 14 years ago, last match was in 2010, Pennetta's won the last two)
Cibulkova leads Halep 2-1 (Cibulkova 1-0 in past year)
Azarenka leads Radwanska 13-3 (Azarenka 1-0 in past year, Radwanska's last win was in 2011)

Nadal leads Dimitrov 3-0 (Nadal 2-0 in past year)
Murray leads Federer 11-9 (Murray 1-0 in past year)
Ferrer leads Berdych 7-4 (tied 1-1 in past year)
Djokovic leads Wawrinka 17-2 (Djokovic 4-0 in past year, Wawrinka's last win was in 2006)

Did you not see us all LMAOing at the chokeyness of the first set? Stosur was next to useless. Yes, Ivanovic always murders the ball on the FH side, but that's been the case for the past five years.

― lex pretend, Monday, January 20, 2014 8:34 AM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I watched the whole match, I don't need to know about your "LMAOing." She won the last 4 games of the match with fabulous shotmaking and hit plenty of great backhands. Choking a couple shots in one tiebreak falls into the rearview after that.

Well, if you really want to believe she's "back"...you do that.

I heard the TV commentators talk during the match about how it was the best she'd looked in years but I realize I should have just gone to the ILX experts and checked if they were LMAOing

Most TV commentators just hype up the better-known names. I mean, weren't they hyping Stephens/Azarenka as a potential classic?

Predicting Ivanovic, Li, Cibulkova, Azarenka. Nadal, Berdych, Federer, Wawrinka Djokovic

middle QFs look like the hardest to call on both sides.
Murray hasn't looked amazing in this tournament but still kind of better than i expected, apart from the usual occasional massive lapse of focus.
got a feeling he'll have enough to beat Fed.
hope he does because at least a Nadal-Murray beatdown would contain some intrigue, they haven't played eachother since 2011 and all that

worst passage of questioning in any AO interview:

Q. As your profile rises, people find out more about you, your breast reduction surgery was three or four years ago. Does that play any part in your success?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, it was a long time ago, my breast reduction. I am happy for that. Now if I have to do again for tennis, I would do, yeah. It was a good decision for me.

Q. What about outside the tennis?
SIMONA HALEP: Sorry?

Q. What about outside the tennis?
SIMONA HALEP: Outside the tennis what?

Q. You said you would do it again.
SIMONA HALEP: I don't want to say anything about this (laughter).

like wtf dude what is going on in your horrid, sexist head to be fixating on that???? would you ask a male player about his dick? jfc.

Pretty ridiculous Lex. Comedy Simona Halep boobs were pretty funny about 5 years ago but now that she has had real success I think we can let it go.

and asking her about how the op affected her life outside tennis is just so obviously out of bounds!

Interesting stat - this is the first Slam on the women's side since RG '94 with no American or Russian in the QF.

That interview with Halep is ridiculous!

Li v Flav is shaping up to be a good 'un already

Ha, or not.

Li's backhand is so so orgasmic.

<3

Can SOMEONE please hold their serve here?

If Bouchard made it into the SFs without even facing a top 50 player that would be a travesty. And it would also be a travesty for anyone to beat Serena and then lose to Bouchard. So Ana has to win this.

(I know it wouldn't be Bouchard's fault, but the hype machine would just be unbearable so it has to be derailed now.)

"a top 50 player until Ivanovic". Why don't I just withdraw that objection.

this is a cool match

Actually it was a decent match, although I had my landlord visit in the middle of it (if they'd come during Li/Pennetta I'd have missed it entirely, ha). Now, I wonder if any of the skepticism that Flipkens got for her Wimbledon semi will be on show here for Bouchard. Bet not.

This on-court interviewer is trying to set Bouchard up with Justin Bieber. wtf is going ON here? I really enjoyed that match, but I had intended a disco nap before Berdych/Ferrer. Ach well, it's not like i have anything to do tomorrow except, er, watch Nole v Stan. I can do a straight 27 hours without sleep, right?

I don't know why Berdych isn't more aggressive on his backhand in general. Seems to work when he does it.

and when he pushes it he gets eaten up by Novak and Rafa, so...

~~~~Ana is back~~~~

I can't believe Serena messed up this cakewalk draw it's so upsetting ugh

Bouchard is 19 and in the top 32 before making a slam semi, I don't see the Flipkens comparison really.

Flipkens was seeded 20 at Wimbledon.

~~~~Ana is back~~~~

― uberweiss, Tuesday, January 21, 2014 4:53 AM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

indeed.

it's comparable to Stephens' run last year except Bouchard only indirectly benefited from Serena's injury. and like Stephens I have no doubt Bouchard will make more Slam QFs and maybe SFs but both get FUTURE OF THE GAME!!!!!111 nonsense along with unseemly Pretty Girl Hypewanking in Bouchard's case. Oh well, she is the highest ranked teenager for now and I'm pretty sure time will bear me out so people can believe in her wince-inducing FH if they want, I'mma just sit here waiting for Keys, Konjuh and Bencic to get good.

Saw first four games of Li/Pennetta before falling asleep. Heartened to see that Li seemed to be completely unbothered by her draw falling apart. Keep it going Na.

This on-court interviewer is trying to set Bouchard up with Justin Bieber. wtf is going ON here?

Seriously, would they ask Andy Murray who he'd like to date on-court after a win?

A native of Montreal, Bouchard’s father is a well-off investor. Her family lives on the same street as former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney, and has an obsession with English royalty—obscure British royalty. Genie and her fraternal twin sister, Beatrice, are named after Prince Andrew’s daughters.

-_-

amazing BH by Stan to break! maybe this match will come alive at last?

Flipkens was seeded 20 at Wimbledon.

― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Tuesday, January 21, 2014 5:53 AM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

oh. Well she's still a lot older, much more reason to think that Bouchard is rapidly improving than Flipkens.

Loving that second set. So impressed with how Stan recovered from losing that 0/40 lead and won some of the gruelling rallies directly after it.

Wow. A loose game from Nole and Stan breaks in the third

Outstanding ball-bashing from Stan to do it again!

WOW

Nole is still the betting favourite, haha.

This game is so crucial...

And Wawrinka holds after four deuces. He's painting the lines

The Nole comeback like clockwork. THAT look in his eyes and he breaks from 40-0 down.

lol could this have gone any other way...

N
I
D

oh man really feel for stan if this is how it's gonna go down again

NID. NID. NID.

Nole with the break in the fifth. He's winning all the punishing rallies and Stan can't hit through him any more.

I've seen this EXACT comeback so many times before from Nole.

COME ON STAN

YAS

Unexpected twist!

allez

Please no expected counter-twist.

i'm rooting for nole. i like stan, but i don't want nadal to win the tournament.

Stan can't buy a first serve or easy point.

That one will do nicely

Massive hold from Stan

love these shots of Becker looking serious http://imgur.com/coWYOOa
ALLEZ STAN

Becker looks like the front-man of a 90s Eurodance act, 20 years on.

ruh-roh

Rain delay at 5-5 in the fifth hahahahahaaargh

lol @ edwardo.

Shortest rain-break ever.

Ugh why do I have to leave the house right now? ;_;

omg omg omg omg omg

STAY THERE ROZ

MATCH POINT STAN

SO MUCH LIFE

OH YES

YESSSS

He had better not lose to Berdych.,

Amazing!

their embrace at the net was kind of hot

Amazing.

Nole's serve-volley on MP was possibly the worst ever attempt at it

FUCK OFF JIM COURIER

actually really like Courier as a commentator but he's not good with people

Djokovic doesn't hold a Slam title now :o

He had better not lose to Berdych.,

― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Tuesday, January 21, 2014 7:30 AM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^^

Wawrinka has really dominated that h2h in recent years. He leads 8-5 overall but has won 6 of their last 7 matches

I totally missed it. ;_;

But YAY STAN!

Unrelated: can anyone remember the last classic Slam match Sharapova was involved in? I was thinking recently how "what's good for the game" isn't actually big names but great tennis - that's why everyone remembers Schiavone winning RG fondly! - but Sharapova matches tend to be either a) Sharapova squashing scrub, boring; b) Sharapova getting squashed by her superiors, boring; c) error-fest mess. I genuinely can't remember her last Slam match that was memorable for the right reasons.

I thought I had taken Stan at 33/1 each way to win the tournament last night, turns out the bet didn't go through. Took him at 18s half way through the match just now, he's now 5/1 second favourite. I have probably just confirmed him collapsing to Berdych now :-(

Unrelated: can anyone remember the last classic Slam match Sharapova was involved in?

I'd say back when she was still a teenager?

I don't follow the WTA closely enough to offer anything here, but the 2006 Wimb sf vs Mauresmo had its moments, right? But, yeah, she was 19 then.

Yeah, the last one I could think of was the 2006 USO final vs Justine.

I'm not even talking about classic classic matches, just great, compelling one, like both Serena/Vika USO finals.

i forgot that the nadal-dimitrov h2h is actually semi-competitive. probably still insane to have any expectations here, right?

Domi fistump on first point.

A "come on" on the second point. And a fistpump on the third point before she realises her ball is out.

I put a flutter on Cibulkova at 30-1 the other day.

her recent matches against Vika have all been pretty competitive i noticed

If only it was clay just for that match.

cibu was p impressive that set

I love Cibulkova so much

me too.
not trying to pre-empt anything but this run has felt a bit Bartoli at Wimbledon-esque

Bartoli-at-Wimbledon-esque

Commentators have just mentioned the Bartoli-at-Wimbledonesque nature of this. Yesterday they were admitted to getting stats off Twitter, perhaps they're lurking here too. Hi Virginia!

AdmittING. This no-sleep shit is fucking with my brain. Next week, I am going to sleep for like a whole week.

Christ these on-court interviews are the worst :(

I wouldn't be too scared yet if I were Azarenka, though it's certainly not gonna be a foregone conclusion. Halep did precisely nothing out there.

A-Rad held her serve! Break out the bunting!

Beautiful cat and mouse point. Insane, but beautiful. <3 A-RAD

Perhaps she's worried already -- this is a ridiculously poor, error-strewn beginning. She can't buy a shot on a line. 3-0 to A-Rad!

if aga wins here then the semi final line up will be the absolute coolest

omg Aga I fucking love you sometimes

Ludicrous cross-court short ball exchange ending with Azarenka flailing around like a retarded flamingo :D :D :D

Azarenka is so so so so bad of both wings and Radwanska is as cool as a cucumber. 5-0!

Azarenka is still the bookies favourite to win this. I DON'T THINK SO *nips off to print free money*

Oh wait, Aga now slight favourite.

In about 10 minutes I have to leave the house to go to a meeting to discuss some lucrative work I might get, so I will miss the inveitable collapse in the second set (a real pattern for A-Rad of late).

wanna watch this and Murray-Fed and i'm not sure where sleep comes in. can Nadal-Dimitrov last for 7 hours please

BH return winner. Those have been few and far between, mostly because every point is an Azarenka error.

joined this match at 0-5. what on EARTH was happening there o_O

really hope radwanska can pull this off! that lob to save BP!

lololol

Radwanska 6-1 *3-2

then 8 straight points for azarenka, making radwanska look completely helpless. 3-4 now! 3 set nailbiter with drama please. i miss that.

Azarenka is still the bookies favourite to win this. I DON'T THINK SO *nips off to print free money*

I bottled it.

SHOT OF THE TOURNAMENT

omg lol azarenka should def stop dropshotting.

love how she's managing to fuck this match up for herself.

omg azarenka's play is utterly disastrous! still feel if she could drop the negative attitude and up her level a bit this match would be hers for the taking. but radwanska's being watertight rn

Azarenka is just terrible now. I feel like everything she does is an unforced error.

Back home in time for the fight-back-back!

Aga's reflex volleys are so so so joyous. Such a clusterfuck.

OH
MY
ACTUAL
GOD
RADWANSKA
THIS IS AMAZING

can't wait for the highlights reel!

Now do that again on BP!

Redfoo not impressed. Suck it.

I AM LAUGHING OUT LOUD
this is RIDICULOUS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w9DiGlZksU

I know I shouldn't visit tennisforum but I bet if A-Rad serves this out then it will definitely crash.

cliff drysdale has called radwanska a genuis approx 20 times this match

<3

That was just great.

Oh no, court-side interview :-(

lolololol 6-0 3rd set
some very special play by radwanska (although those kind of highlights are only possible when she's allowed to play like that; truly pathetic stuff from azarenka)

tournament just got a bit more interesting. def up for grabs!

Congrats Aga, and well done on your magnificent tank in Sydney. Beautiful.

well I'm super psyched right now

While I was dancing in my bedroom and talking to my equally-thrilled mother, Dimitrov has a break early on!

very tame start from nadal! wonder how bad his blisters are

nadal 3 DFs to get broken back o_O wtf was that. not even on the sunny end

nadal DFs to get broken back AGAIN

those blisters must be really hurting him - so many routine forehand misses too.

Nadal completely shanks a drive volley! SP Grigor! C'monnnnnnn

And Grigor completely shanks a return ;_;

play a better TB this time, Dima!

that miss ;_;

nadal making inexplicable errors to give dimitrov back both his mini breaks in the TB. 5-5. please a miracle ;_;

This tie-break makes no sense at all.

ANOTHER TERRIBLE ERROR. SP ON GRIGOR'S SERVE OMG PLEASE

ARGH

o
m
f
g
why

3rd SP...

thank god he didn't fuck up that putaway
GIVE US ONE MORE ERROR NADAL

fuck this

omfg
the predictable, pathetic choking

highly doubt he has the legs to make it to a fifth set too :/

yeah literally turning this match off
THAT SET POINT ON HIS SERVE IN THE TB ;_; criminal

omg I hate Australian timezones

I don't think ANYONE gave Aga a chance there. A bagel! Vika out! I'm so happy

Predictable end to that Rafa match but still, way closer than I expected! Dimitrov may be a perennial disappointment but so much fun to watch when he's on.

Ben Rothenberg ‏@BenRothenberg 2m
In many ways, crying on Rod Laver Arena after losing to Nadal may be the most Federeresque thing Dimitrov has ever done. #AusOpen

Nah that ridiculous shank on SP in the third set was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlF0EzgWy3g

reliving 5:20, 8:18 and 8:58 forever

Also this is probably the most minor result but still a surprise - what happened in the Halep match? Didn't necessarily expect a win, Domi led the h2h, but also didn't expect her to get squashed. I have no idea what kind of real deal Nu-Halep might be...

bless you uberweiss, gonna go in on that in a sec

Halep started nervously, Cibulkova was pumped and being uber-aggressive every point and Halep didn't seem to have any big enough weapons to counteract it?

Yeah...seems plausible. Halep was a top junior and reached the top 100 as a teenager but she stagnated for a couple of years, and every time I saw her she looked weaponless and generic. I basically haven't figured out yet whether her rise last year was down to adding more aggressive elements to her game or just getting super-fit and being able to play defence to perfection.

Those Radwanska points <3333 This victory is so sweet after how one-sided her 2012 matches with Azarenka were.

i'm so excited for this match but i'm so tired already, why australia why

what a rally!

Basic misses from Murray. Down a set and a break now.

alright maybe i'll just go to bed. this is a non-event from murray

tepid

still think murray's basic level is ok he's just lacking any kind of match sharpness

lol edberg

This has been a weird match. The actual quality of play is OK - Federer has been pretty flawless and Murray's highlights reel won't be bad either - but there's been absolutely zero drama. As cerealbar says it's Murray's lack of matchplay and occasional resultant carelessness that's made it seem like one-way traffic rather than his level.

Hahahahaa Fed serves for the match, gets broken for the first time

First break points he'd faced too. Interesting...

Fed to win the breaker surely.

yeah I think that had the feel of dying-gasp resistance rather than full-on comeback but stranger things have happened...

Would be identical score to 2010 final, wouldn't it?

Fed mini-break.

If Fed holds his serves hes through.

Ha. Murray saves two MPs

Hmmm. Falling over the line here if at all.

Excellent FH from Murray - SP!

Well, well, well.

LOL at the conclusion of that set!

lol

Would be identical score to 2010 final, wouldn't it?

― Michael Jones, Wednesday, January 22, 2014 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Just goes to show history doesn't repeat itself :)

Losing six points of seven from 6-3 6-4 6-6 (5-2) is something that Roger does these days, I suppose. His first-serve %age is falling too.

Back in the day you'd now expect Murray to lose this set 2-6 or something. I still don't think his matchplay is where it needs to be to win but it's not implausible any more...

Well, Federer-2007 wins this set 6-1 vs practically anyone but Nadal. Murray-2012 probably wins the match. I can't call this.

that rafa hand in full (warning, gross):

https://twitter.com/Hectorfernandez/status/425943233865449472

Anyone other than Rafa loses their next match with that hand!

(I seem to say "anyone other than Rafa" a lot).

Fed's defence is still better than it has been for ages

Deuce, deuce, deuce...

Radio banter is pretty excruciating. Goran just wants this guy to stop goofing around.

A million deuces

Haha did Murray break the net?!

10th deuce, approx 18min this game. Ridic.

1-1. Now I have to go to a meeting.

Massively stupid approach right back to Murray from Fed and Murray finally takes the game after TEN deuces and saving 7 BPs.

Murray getting match fit now huh?

Awesome point. Let's see whether Federer can serve it out this time.

And he does with clutch serving from 0-30.

Obviously the "Federer is BACK!!!!1111" narrative is a lot more dependent on how he does vs. Nadal than vs. a just-off-back-surgery Murray.

SF h2hs:

Li 1-0 Bouchard
Cibulkova 1-5 Radwanska (Radwanska 2-1 last year)

Nadal 22-10 Federer (Nadal 4-0 last year, Nadal 2-0 at the AO
Berdych 5-8 Wawrinka (Wawrinka 3-1 last year, Berdych 1-0 at the AO)

Hoping for Li-Radwanska and Federer-Wawrinka finals, with Wawrinka and...either as champions

Predicting Li-Radwanska and Nadal-Wawrinka, with Li and Nadal winning though

Late-Roger may never have a better chance to beat Prime-Rafa in a Slam. But then I thought that in this event two years ago.

An all Swiss final would be fun I suppose.

Fed and ARad make me happy :) Thx to whomever it was posted the highlights of Vika vs ARad.

ugh not gonna get to see either women's SF...but both men's SFs are at UK-friendly times at least

had a couple of naps earlier and set my alarm to watch this because YOLO. feel kind of ill now.
i like Genie but her in the final would feel premature, rooting for Li all the way

I feel sorry for Bouchard already. She's motivated, positive, and already just being demolished.

Good luck whoever wins that other semi-final.

Unwelcome cameo for ErrorNa there for two games, but still, comfy.

Li absolutely killing these crosscourt backhands

That half-a-set blip where her forehand was a bit errant and Bouchard served a little better appears to be over.

first thing Mercer (i think) has to say about Cibulkova is how she posed nude for a magazine. creeeep

erm is radwanska even on the court. i'm not here for a cibulkova/li final ;_;

lololololol this is pathetic
remember when radwanska beat cibulkova 0 & 0 in the sydney final?
this is a GS semifinal and cibulkova's the only one who's turned up. radwanska should be ashamed of herself rn! i want a good match :(

yeah this is fucking woeful. Is she even trying?

Yeah, this is just a rain of.. somewhat repetitive winners from Cibulkova (impressive, of course) and Radwanska batting them tamely into the net.

3 break points wasted, which could have made this somewhat of a contest. 1-6 0-3. she barely tried on those returns.

And Cibulkova DFs on break point but it's not called and A-Rad doesn't challenge. 5 points in a row and it's 3-0. This is kind of embarrassing. I think she'll look on that heartbreaking Wimbledon semi fondly after this is over, if she cares.

hopefully cibulkova starts choking hard because i really need some entertainment

i mean cibulkova in the SF and li in the F isn't easy but it's not gonna get much easier (unless you get lisicki in the SF and bartoli in the F lol) so i mean... maybe put some effort in?

she just looks completely drained. Pome though

well, 1 break back
praying for a humiliating choke right now. i need some dramaaaaaa, come on girls this is the semis of a slam

holds from 0-30! had a big chance for 3 break points. choke harder!

oh for fuck's sake
had a chance to recover the second break but no

that was utterly disgraceful
props to cibulkova for actually showing some heart and bothering to fight for a spot in a grand slam final at least.

That was atrocious. I'm trying to think of a worse performance by a top player going down to an underdog late in a GS and it's kind of hard to.

I mean not only was the execution woeful from Radwanska, the tactics were all wrong. Low balls - so low most of them hit the net - does not work against Cibulkova.

On the plus side, I stand to win $450 if Cibulkova takes out Li, so.

Huh, Aga descended from the heights to the depths in one day then. When I saw the score I assumed some sort of injury. How disappointing.

Oh well, I like Pomenika and now there's no conflict of interest in the final. Aga will just have to win Wimbledon one day. Third time in the AO final for the win for Na!

Sort of annoying that we won't get a potentially interesting final. Li leads Cibulkova 4-0, only one of those - on clay in 2010 - went to three sets.

Holy moly those Li backhands!

i don't want either of them to win ;_;

aussie open has not been my friend since serena last won it in 2010 (that year tho <3 the azarenka comeback + beating henin in a slam final <3)

Sort of annoying that we won't get a potentially interesting final. Li leads Cibulkova 4-0, only one of those - on clay in 2010 - went to three sets.

stosur was 4-1 against schiavone prior to FO 2010 and had won their last four matches (only loss was hasselt 2005) so who knows!! and lisicki was 3-1 against bartoli including their last three matches. cibulkova's certainly been playing with a lot of heart and li could totally flop under the expectation.

the thought of li flopping makes me irrationally happy, but then i realise that would mean cibulkova's a slam champion and just no

didn't expect Berdych to peak in that TB, the set always looked like it was going Stan's way

Well, he peaked in that TB, and...troughed in this one. Two DFs including on SP.

This is a really good match otherwise though.

I know everyone loves Stan's BH, and rightly so, but his FH has been OTM today

his forehand often seems to steal the show when he's playing really well

or rather he plays really well when his forehand is firing

I don't know why I just want an all-Swiss final.

Hey look, it's a Berdych DF in a TB again

Ha, Stan just rubbing it in with an ace. He's been so much more clutch today.

Lucky Stan has three MPs to play with...eek, that DF.

STAN :D

:)

Can't believe three of Berdych's four DFs came in TBs, that's so bad. Don't care though, so happy for Stan - he was so HUNGRY for this, hungrier than Berdych, it was palpable. Obv fuelled by all those epic losses. Remarkable that they seemed to gain him mental strength and self-belief.

<3 Stan, this makes up for losing DelPo so early, also money from bookies, yay.

Love for Stan to win the lot, prob won't :-(

Rafa leads Stan 12-0 in matches and 26-0 in sets :////

So happy for Stan! And spot on re his forehand. And yeah, Rafa just frustrates his game to no end. Kinda hate watching them play for that reason.

As much as I love Federer, I can't help but think that if Wawrinka wins (whoever it is over in the final) it will shut up commentators who love to bring out the factoid that only one man not in the "big four" has won a slam since year Y. THIS STAT BORES ME.

So yeah, go the Vav.

Federer with a super-aggressive, net-rushing, BH-driving strategy then, but let's see how long this lasts if he misses a few opportunities…

I don't want Nadal to beat Fed's GS wins record so come on Fed.

Nadal is holding his serve pretty easily so far.

so far it's the highest quality Fedal match in years

Way more errors than winners but the rallies are good and Rog's netplay is great when he can get near the thing.

such an intense rally ending with such a lame fed bh

I can't stand watching Roger hit those backhands mid-net. I'll grit my teeth and watch the inevitable tie-break and then throw myself into work.

I am only following via words on the page...I just get a sinking feeling about this..

bf just emailed that he used to want a BH like Fed's; now, he thinks Fed's BH is like his

Oh dear

This TB is a nightmare.

lol Fed can only win points off droppers sometimes

Welp.

Sinking feeling confirmed.

I know Fed is generally in decline, but is the bounce significantly higher off Rebound Ace than whatever they've laid at the O2? Because I seem to remember seeing the debut of this drive-thru-every-BH approach vs Nadal at the year-ends in 2010 and it worked a treat (even more so a year later). I guess his timing is not quite there now.

Started looking for early Sunday cinema listings, but then thought that the final would be over by 10am anyway.

Oh god that Fed drive volley

xp Rebound Ace has always had a higher bounce than most Euro indoor courts though the talk this tournament has been about how it's been sped up a lot

Great dropshot from Rafa

Fed is GOATing only when he's BP down. He can't touch Rafa's serve

How did Nadal get that back from BEHIND him o_0

I'm guessing that's basically it unless all the skin comes off Rafa's left hand. And even then.

He's not going to let that bother him Michael.

Two amazing points for Rafa to pull back to 30-30...

Well then. :/

I don't think I've ever wanted anything in life as much as Rafa wants to make Federer lose over and over again and maybe cry.