OT: Australian Tennis Open

[wire chief]

Milos Raonic has been an out of his mind server this tournament and was favored over the Frenchman
Lucas Pouille, who had had a lackluster January so far. But the Canadian was ousted in 4 sets.
Lucas gives high credit to his coach. In 2016 he made a former Slam winner his coach.
But not one who anyone expected. He chose fellow Frenchperson Amelie Mauresmo,
the Becky Hammond of tennis.

Today's match schedule

Match Schedule | Australian Open

 

[eebmg]

Disappointing showing by Danielle Collins. 7-6 6-0. She got into multiple skirmishes with the umpire starting during the tie breaker and leaking into the 2nd set. Her anger index was very high and you cant play your best like that. That said, Kivitova is at her absolute peak. I think she wins this tournament in straight sets.

Probably also helped Kivitova that the temperature was so high, they closed the roof at 4-4 in set 1. I would imagine very hot conditions would have given Danielle the advantage.

 

[eebmg]

Osaka wins emotional 3 set match over Pliskova. She had to fight nerves and a tough opponent who raised her play after a flat set 1. Impressive but I think Kivitova will take it in 3 sets.

 

[eebmg]

Well Nadal stripped the flesh off the bone of Tsitsipis. The inevitable Nadal - Jokovic final is coming.

 

[wire chief]

Friday brings us Novak vs. Lucas. Here's a preview.

Day 12 preview: Gatecrashing the business end

The night match is about 7:30.

 

[Beemer]

It was in decline when i was playing tennis. I always used a one-handed backhand in my playing days late 80s to late 90s.. ... it felt so natural.. so free flowing. There may have been one other player on the team that used one-hand. The players that I loved to watch the most were the one-handers.... Edberg, Stich, Becker, Leconte, Noah, Forget, Sampras. Thats one of the reasons why I rarely watch Men's tennis anymore.

In addition to the one handed backhand I miss serve and volley. Nowadays it is almost all baseline play and I just can't watch it not the way I used to when Edberg & Navratilova were playing at their peaks.

 

[triaddukefan]

In addition to the one handed backhand I miss serve and volley. Nowadays it is almost all baseline play and I just can't watch it not the way I used to when Edberg & Navratilova were playing at their peaks.

Edberg was my all time favorite player. I even bought one of his adidas shirt to play in I know you remember this one.

Edberg had the most graceful game ever in my opinion..... sometimes I go on youtube to watch his old highlights and matches.

 

[Beemer]

Edberg was my all time favorite player. I even bought one of his adidas shirt to play in I know you remember this one.


View attachment 38674

Edberg had the most graceful game ever in my opinion..... sometimes I go on youtube to watch his old highlights and matches.

I do indeed!

I really liked him- low key guy but as you said so graceful in his movements, never any wasted motion.

 

[wire chief]

Now, I don't much miss serve & volley tennis, sometimes played by the tall trees, but I'm with you guys as a Stephan admirer. There's something to be said about the side to side long rallies that make the fans nuts.

 

[Beemer]

Now, I don't much miss serve & volley tennis, sometimes played by the tall trees, but I'm with you guys as a Stephan admirer. There's something to be said about the side to side long rallies that make the fans nuts.

I love serve & volley for its aggressiveness. I can't stand these interminable baseline rallies where one player hits the ball as hard as he/she can, prays it stays in and that his/her opponent will either be unable to run it down or will hit it out.

 

[wire chief]

But dear fellow, there's plenty of aggression in the going-all-out from side to side and picking that exquisite moment to launch an unreturnable.

 

[Beemer]

But dear fellow, there's plenty of aggression in the going-all-out from side to side and picking that exquisite moment to launch an unreturnable.

I'm not a fellow

Nope I just loathe baseline tennis, the rallies are interminable. Especially on clay.

 

[triaddukefan]

I'm not a fellow

Nope I just loathe baseline tennis, the rallies are interminable. Especially on clay.

Besides the US Open....... my favorite matches to watch back then were when Stich, Edberg, Sampras, Becker types played at the French Open

 

[wire chief]

Do you remember?
Two heavyweights of the '80's met in the US Open final. In the 5th set tiebreaker it went back and forth until a shot hit the tape and dribbled across, unreachable. That decided the championship.

Who were they?

 

[wire chief]

Here's a preview of Rafa-Novak.
Djokovic dominates Pouille; Nadal next at Australian Open

And the ladies final is at 3:30 am.

 

[eebmg]

Osaka had triple championship pt on Kvitova's serve (up 5-3) and blew it. She is an emotional wreck and lost 4 straight games. She has to find a way to regroup. You can't show such negative emotions.

Edit. Osaka wins the 3rd set 6-4. She is a beautiful player. She has every shot in the book except a net game (and second serve) but she hits the ball so well and so hard, it is really almost impossible to get her up into the net. This was the turning point when she went from a very talented human player into an automaton. No emotions at all in set 3. Her coach she plays best when calm. Have to listen to your coach.

Oh no. Her emotions are gone. She is not even smiling.

 

[iri10]

Not bad, Naomi. Summoned up a new reserve of nerves, and served it out. Winning her first two Majors back to back! Hasn't happened since Capriati, I believe.

 

[VAMike23]

Osaka did regroup ...and won ! 6-4 in the third

 

[eebmg]

Osaka's post match presser.




She is something else. She is such an enigma

 

[Beemer]

Thankfully she didn't have to endure the nonsense she had to put up with at the US Open last year.

 

[VAMike23]

I love how , on her forehand, she gets down SO low when returning a deep, hard groundstroke and just SMACKS that ball off the rise, using the pace of opponent’s good shot against her. She has impeccable timing because often she is able to not only take quality shots off the rise , she also redirects them onto aggressive angles. She’s something !

 

[wire chief]

Nonetheless, happy for Petra's progress.

 

[VAMike23]

Nonetheless, happy for Petra's progress.

Not following tennis nearly as closely as i did years ago, I was unaware of the nightmarish experience she went through and the aftermath with the trauma to the left hand. I was not prepared when I saw the “before” photo of her hand right after the attack. To think that she could EVER play high level tennis again with that hand is almost beyond belief to me. That she made it through to this match , a grand slam final, fighting tooth and nail in split sets is miraculous and is also a testament to both her talent and her strength of will. Simply amazing. Kudos to her.