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TENNIS - 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

• TENNIS - 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

• RE: TENNIS - 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

  StrumSolo > 15/01/2014, 17:28

  Well if the internet says so it must be legit...
  
  :)

• RE: TENNIS - 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

  RussyRover > 15/01/2014, 18:13

  You're not trying to suggest people would try to use the interweb to spread untruths!!!! Next you'll have us believing that our politicians are dodgy, philandering, lying, cheating gits....
  
  
  
  Meanwhile back in Aussie land the lads were continuing the way forward with Djokovic having it all too easy again 6-0, 6-4, 6-4 against Argie Leonardo Mayer, as well as Tomas Berdych having a 4, 1 & 3 win over Frenchie Kenny De Schepper...
  David Ferrer needed 4 sets though to beat another Frenchie Adrian Mannarino 7-6, 5-7, 6-0, 6-3.
  
  4 seeded players though will play no more, Ivan Dodig (32), Dmitry Tursunov (30), Ernests Gulbis (23) & Mikhail Youzhny (14) all taking home their $50000 as well.... Although Ivan Dodig thought that he might even die!!! Ivan Dodig 'thought he might die'
  
  
  
  
  It's supposed to be damn hot tomorrow as well, and Rafa has his match in the afternoon, although it is against Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis (who is ranked 570...), so can't see that one lasting very long...
  
  But Andy Murray had got himself another night match, the last game on the Rod Laver Arena, against 267th ranked Frenchie Vincent Millot. Again, should have that one sown up in 3...

• RE: TENNIS - 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

  RussyRover > 16/01/2014, 21:57

  Round 2 continued on Day 4 and it was as hot as they predicted...
  
  After a few hours they called the extreme heat measures procedure which effectively meant suspending play till approx 5pm once the set in play was completed, and the closure of the roof on the main courts...
  
  This didn't help Maria Sharapova much as she was well and truly caught up in the 3rd set once it was called... And if Lisicki was annoying yesterday then Sharapova was equally so today, after winning the first set, she then proceeded to continually hit the net, double faulting and send the ball long to lose the 2nd set and pretty much doing the same in the 3rd until clawing back to having 3 match points at 5-4 but squandering those, and eventually taking it to 10-8... Phew what a long match and her opponent, the Italian Karin Knapp had her chances but lost out 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 to Maria...
  
  Another early match between 11th seed Romanian Simona Halep and US (previous Uzbekistan) Varvara Lepchenko also had a heat issue as Lepchenko took the first, then seemed to get more and more down and virtually out as Halep upped her game and fought back to the point where Lepchenko had the doctor out to provide attention as a 'Medical' time out that was no more than needing to literally cool off!!!!! Still, that was her down as she completed the match, just barely, losing 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 to Halep...
  
  Now I know it's hot and all that, but these are supposed to be professional sportsmen (and women), so buck up and if you're not fit enough to run around in the sun, stop fuckin whingeing and just lose or retire already..... It's starting to get annoying now, the unfit ones bleat and although the fitter ones do too, at least they cope and get on with it.... Bloody overpaid sportspeople, always wanting to be molly coddled!!!!!! Fuckin world's becoming a joke!!!!!
  
  Elsewhere for the women, Caroline Wozniacki needed 3 sets to beat McHale 6-0, 1-6, 6-2 and Vika only needed 2 to see off Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-1, 6-4 as did Radwanska, 6-0, 7-5 over Olga Govortsova.
  
  A much better day for the women then, and so onto Round 3 where the seeds start to meet each other, well at least those that are still in the draw that is....

• RE: TENNIS - 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

  RussyRover > 17/01/2014, 00:09

  The blokes also completed their Round 2 matches today...
  
  Rafa seemed to have a bit harder match than everyone expected against 570 ranked Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis, but it was still an easy 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win.
  How about Andy Murray? His match against 267 ranked Frenchie Vincent Millot was going along nicely, although it was pretty humdrum, until the 3rd set when Millot woke up and went into a 5-1 lead. Cue Murray who thought he better wake up also and after 15 points in a row, he pulled level, and a further 8 later found himself a 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 entrant into the 3rd Round... If he doesn't wake up sooner in future matches, he'll find his arse out of the tournament....
  
  Tsonga had a straightforward 7-6, 6-4, 6-4, win over Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci who had a problem with the heat also. Surprising really considering where he is from?!?
  
  Federer and Monfils also had straight 3 set wins but it was Juan Martin Del Potro who fucked up my 10 way acca up by losing in 5 sets in the early hours (about 14.20 our time) to Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 in what seemed like a frosty encounter between the two.
  
  Fuckin Argie.... I mean even Kei Nishikori and Feliciano Lopez won to see 9 out 10 results before JMDP put the mockers on it... thanks for nuffin....
  
  
  --------------------------------------------------
  
  Well it won't be long until Day 5 and Serena plays Daniela Hantuchova first up on Rod Laver, while on Hisense, Angelique Kerber plays Alison Riske and I fancy Riske to take it to 3 sets for this one, so that's my bet going on for a +1.5 set handicap at just under evens.. It'll also pay out if Riske happens to pull off a 2-0 win....
  
  That should be over in time to see England get squashed again by the Aussies in the 2nd ODI...

• RE: TENNIS - 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

  RussyRover > 20/01/2014, 17:26

  Rounds 3 & 4 have now been completed, so who's been doing what?
  
  Ladies first of course - R3;
  
  Serena comfortably breezed past Hantuchova 6-3, 6-3 to set up a Round match with Ana Ivanovic who made slight harder work of it against Aussie Sam Stosur 6-7, 6-4, 6-2
  Another Aussie who had to qualify, Casey Dellacqua did make it to Round 4 however by beating China's Jie Zheng 6-2, 6-4, and she will play rising star, Canada's Eugenie Bouchard who had just an easy passage through 6-2, 6-2 over the American Lauren Davis, and whoever wins that will play the winner of Williams/Ivanovic in the QF...
  
  In the other half of the draw, Azarenka dropped just 1 game against the Austrian Yvonne Meusburger 6-1, 6-0 and she goes on to play American Sloane Stephens who won 7-5, 6-4 over the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.
  But the upset of the day was#10 seed Carolina Wozniacki who got dumped by Spain's Garbine Muguruza 4-6,7-5,6-3 to set up her Round 4 match with Aggie Radwanksa who also needed 3 sets to beat Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 5-7,6-2,6-2.
  
  Sharapova again made hard work of it beat Alize Cornet 6-1,7-6 and for her troubles will play diminutive Dominika Cibulkovawho smashed Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1,6-0, impressive...
  
  
  So onto Round 4 which was completed today and here's where the shocks start...
  
  SERENA LOST!!! though apparently she did have a bad back!! Ana Ivanovic doesn't care though as she makes the Quarter Finals with a 4-6,6-3,6-3 win over the #1 seed and heavy tournament favourite...
  She will now play Eugenie Bouchard who knocked out the sole remaining Aussie in the Ladies draw Casey Dellacqua 6-7,6-2,6-0
  
  Na Li will play Flavia Pennetta in the other QF in that half of the draw, so I'd say it's looking pretty rosey for Ana Ivanovic right now...
  
  Azarenka only needed 2 sets to see off Sloane Stephens earlier today 6-3,6-2 and she will play Aggie Radwanska who also only needed 2 sets over Garbine Muguruza 6-1,6-3, so it's all going to plan in the part of the draw, although Muguruza shouldn't feel too unhappy, as she'll now take home AUD $135,000, not bad for a weeks work is it? Although I'm sure $270,000 would have sounded better for getting through to the QF...
  
  BUT, in the other half of the bottom half draw, there was more upsets.... Maria Sharapova at 6foot2 and a full 11inches taller than her opponent, Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova made even more hard work of it this time as the Slovak won 3-6,6-4,6-1, and the #20 seed will now play #11 seed Romanian Simona Halep who also beat her opponent, #8 seed Jelena Jankovic 6-4,2-6,6-0
  
  WOW, well done to anyone who picked those selections... There'll be a lot of grins in the locker room now as Serena is out.... Anybody's title now, and they'll all be busting a gut to get there I reckon...

• RE: TENNIS - 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

  StrumSolo > 20/01/2014, 17:41

  (20/01/2014, 17:26)RussyRover Wrote: SERENA LOST!!! though apparently she did have a bad back!!

  
  What does she expect playing tennis at her age?

• RE: TENNIS - 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

  RussyRover > 21/01/2014, 00:19

  The men have been having a slightly better time of it, with more seeds winning their matches.
  
  Rafa won in 3 sets to set up a Round 4 match with Kei Nishikori who also won in 3 sets, and in turn Rafa only needed 3 sets to beat Nishikori 7-6, 7-5, 7-6
  
  Murray also won his Round 3 match in 3 sets to have a Round 4 tie with Frenchie qualifier Stephane Robert who then took Murray to 4 sets, but lost all the same 1-6, 2-6, 7-6, 2-6
  
  Not to be outdone, Djokovic also had a 3 set Round 3 victory to play his Round 4 match against Italian Fabio Fognini who has never beaten Djokovic and this run continued as the Serbian fairly dispatched him 6-3, 6-0, 6-2
  
  
  
  The QF's start later tonight with 7th seed Tomas Berdych taking on 3rd seed David Ferrer followed by 8th seed Stanislas Wawrinka who has the unenviable task of meeting #2 seed Novak Djokovic.
  
  
  The Berdych/Ferrer match should be a good one, with Berdych actually the favourite at about 4/7 with Ferrer 11/8. I'm expecting it to last more than 3 sets...
  
  and no surprise to see Djokovic 1/14 for the win, and around 8/1 if you fancy Stan to do the upset... Nah, I don't think so....

• RE: TENNIS - 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

  RussyRover > 21/01/2014, 19:24

  Quarter Finals and time for it to be serious, and Na Li was serious, or maybe an attack of nerves on Flavia Pennetta's part meant the #4 seed had a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 entry into the Semi Final...
  
  Ana Ivanovic must have been feeling extremely confident now that Serena was out, so when she started her match against the 19 year old and first time slam quarter finalist Eugenie Bouchard she seemed to be taking it just that little bit easier, and that prove to be a big mistake for the Serbian former #1, as Canada now has a new Semi Finalist with an impressive 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 win to give her a shot against Na Li...
  
  I think that's as far as she is going as Li is playing pretty well, but don't despair Eugenie, you'll pick up AUD £540,000 for your efforts...
  And it seems that she'll be travelling higher than her #31 ranking this year if she keeps on like this, Top 10 even...
  
  
  
  So, tonight completes the QF's with #11 seed Simona Halep taking on #20 seed Dominika Cibulkova first up, 4/7 if you fancy Halep with Cibulkova 11/8.
  
  That is then followed by (hopefully) the super match of the #5 seed Agnieszka Radwanska versus #2 seed Victoria Azarenka, and Vika is 1/7 to progress with Aggie 9/2.. Think I'll just watch and keep my dosh in my pocket...

• RE: TENNIS - 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

  RussyRover > 21/01/2014, 21:53

  After the excitement of the ladies QF's, the men then had to follow...
  
  First up was the #7 seed Tomas Berdych against #3 seed David Ferrer, and Berdych lived up to the bookies expectations as he surged into a 2 set lead before Ferrer, who always looks as if he's ready to drop, started his comeback, but alas he just couldn't get it done as Berdych waltzes to the Semi's with a 6-1, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 win.
  
  He would then have to wait to see who he'd play, as #2 seed Novak Djokovic the 1/14 favourite to beat #8 seed Stan Wawrinka was the first match of the evening session.
  Now Stan hasn't beaten Djokovic in the last 12 matches, even though he has take him to a few long 5 setters, and after losing the 1st set, I thought it was going to be number 13.... but Stan had other ideas as he took the next 2 sets to raise quite a few eyebrows, before Nole of course equalled it up in the 4th... Cue the all important 5th set and again the almost certainty that Stan would fold and give way.. Nope that didn't happen, so well done all you 8/1 punters to backed Stan as he's now a Semi Finalist with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 9-7 hard earned 4 hour victory...
  
  
  
  I dare say both men will now be eyeing the next 2 matches tonight to see their potential opponent in the Final, as we start with Rafa Nadal against the #22 seed Grigor Dimitrov, which follows the Azarenka/Radwanka match. Now Nadal is the 1/12 favourite to win with Dimitrov 7's... and even though we learned a lesson last night with Djokovic, I can't see Rafa losing this one, he is 1/2 to take it 3-0!!!!
  
  Andy Murray then gets another evening match as the #4 seed takes on his old nemesis in the form of #6 seed Roger Federer. Evens for Murray with Federer a slight favourite at 4/5... So once again, I'll be keeping my cash firmly in my pocket...

• RE: TENNIS - 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

  RussyRover > 22/01/2014, 16:52

  The Quarter Finals were completed today and the first ladies match on court was Simona Halep vs Dominika Cibulkova and it was clear from the off that there was only ever going to be one winner of this match as the tiny Slovakian fairly bludgeoned her way past, over and through the Romanian 6-3, 6-0 in a match that lasted just about an hour. Cibulkova wanted this and it showed, if she plays like this in her next match, she's in the Final, no matter who her opponent is...
  
  
  and on the matter of who her opponent would be, well they followed next on court in the guise of Agnieszka Radwanska vs Victoria Azarenka, and Aggie started tremendously racing into a 5-0 lead, and forced Azarenka to serve to avoid a donut score, which she managed to do barely... But back came Vika in the 2nd set as Aggie seemed to waiver a bit, but not so in the 3rd as Radwanska advances with a 6-1, 5-7, 6-0 pasting of the double defending champion....
  
  
  Now this semi will be very interesting indeed, Radwansa vs Cibulkova who will play tomorrow after the conclusion of the first semi, and the bookies have Aggie as an 2/5 favourite!! Well we know what happens to favourites don't we??? I'm expecting (and rather hoping) for an explosive game..
  
  
  But before that game and 2nd match of the day on Rod Laver (not before 02.30am our time) will be Eugenie Bouchard vs Na Li, with Na the 1/5 favourite. You can have the Canadian at 7/2 but I don't think Na will let this happen.
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