OT: Australian Tennis Open

[eebmg]

Speaking of Andy, my eyes opened at 6 am, and (VAUC will be impressed with this) I knew immediately that it was 10pm in Melbourne, so I hit the tv control. Andy is serving at 4-5 to stay alive, so I delayed tooth brushing and left my newspaper in the driveway. He manages to even the sets at 2-2, but petrol becomes only fumes for him in set 5. The Aussies say goodbye for the very last time, and we will await his decision about Wimbledon. Simultaneously Roger is into round 2 in straight sets.
Last night ESPN2 starts off with Maria S, who did not let her Brit opponent take a single game.
Also the Woz and Kvitová among the heavyweights are through to round 2. No upsets, men or women.

You can see additional matches on the Tennis channel.

Tonight ESPN2 only opens broadcast at 9, and that will be 2 hours later than the 11am Aussie time
matches.

I was awake on;ly through the third set tie breaker where he already looked like he was on fumes and breaking down in front of our eyes., I am glad he went to a 5th set and the crowd was so behind him. What a competitor.

 

[wire chief]

Day is done. (Long) gone the sun.
The Tennis channel now rebroadcasts, so if you want to see Serena, her match has just begun.
I'll be back with news.

 

[eebmg]

My quick thoughts on the few games I saw + miscellany

1) Serena looks a,lot stronger and is moving better than she did at the US Open. This is her tournament to lose. Next match against Bouchard who finally seems to be playing better. I hope Bouchard puts up a competitive game.

2) #1 Halep survives a scare against Kanepi. Kanepi essentially had a break up in set 2, missed a wide open slam near the net which missed by 50 ' and quicky double faulted the break away.

3) Osaka looks good but seems to be making a few more errors. Of course, hard to play cleaner than at the US Open

4) I feel bad for Azarenka who is out after round 1. Injuries and drama beyond her control stole a big chunk of her career

5) Keys looked good but I doubt she will survive the hottest of hot tournaments.

 

[wire chief]

And the Tennis Channel announces that Venus' match will immediately follow.
The early am matches included #1 Simona Halep, who had a close match with the Estonian Kanepi. Simona dropped set one, and surprisingly for a close match, Simona had only 1/3 unforced errors as her opponent.
Simona had the good luck to face an opponent, who was clearly troubled be a hand blister. the world's #1 had lost 5 matches in a row at the end of last season, and after this opening, is causing a wondering, if she can go far.

US Open winner Naomi Osaka closed the evening tennis in Melbourne with a 6-4, 6-2 win.

Poor Victoria Azaranka, winner here in 2012 & 2013, starts well to take the opening set 7-6, but couldn't maintain Fans know that she had given birth 2 years ago and then ran into custody problems that inhibited her travel to tournaments.

For all the higher seeds it was no worries, mate in day 2., with the exception of #10 Daria Kasatkina.

 

[wire chief]

Just watched Venus' match vs Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania, a woman seeded 25 here but was over 500 in her ranking just 2 years ago. Our old lady has played in more Majors than anyone, man or woman,
and she's still got it.
And she needed it. Things were going swimmingly for her when up 5-3 in set one. But then the rhythm shifted in the Romanian's favor. Suddenly Venus is facing a tiebreaker loss and down 0-2 in the second.
Now Venus has long liked taking the net, but did not do much of that to this point. She changed that.
By the end of the 3-setter she had rushed the net about 35 times and won 3/4 of those charges.
The 2nd set tiebreaker went well for her, as Mihaela looked tight on the last 2 points.
The last set went more comfortable for Venus, only giving up 2 games, as she kept taking time away from her foe.
She next faces veteran Frenchwoman Alize Cornet.

Tennis Channel is now showing Novak's match.

 

[wire chief]

As I write, Rafa is on ESPN2 early in the 3rd set, after he easily won the first 2.

 

[wire chief]

By advancing past the 2nd round, Angelique Kerber has joined the club of 100 wins at Majors.

We all know that American male tennis has been in sad shape, and this current major is no exception, in that already a host of Americans have been bounced. Taylor Fritz is one who has escaped, by triumphing over well known, athletic Gael Monfils.

But the larger story belongs to Frances Tiafoe, ranked 39, who has ousted #5 Kevin Anderson. Time for bandwagon jumping?

Among the top 10 women, the only casualty is Kiki Bertens, while the rest of the top seeds got through pretty easily.

And now Rafa is victorious.

 

[eebmg]

By advancing past the 2nd round, Angelique Kerber has joined the club of 100 wins at Majors.

We all know that American male tennis has been in sad shape, and this current major is no exception, in that already a host of Americans have been bounced. Taylor Fritz is one who has escaped, by triumphing over well known, athletic Gael Monfils.

But the larger story belongs to Frances Tiafoe, ranked 39, who has ousted #5 Kevin Anderson. Time for bandwagon jumping?

Among the top 10 women, the only casualty is Kiki Bertens, while the rest of the top seeds got through pretty easily.

And now Rafa is victorious.

Saw Tiafoe's interview. Nice kid. Would be nice if he can make the quarters.

 

[wire chief]

And now the tallest of trees are all dismissed. You need be 6' 10" to qualify. Americans John Isner and Reilly Opelka, first, then Ivo Karlovic lost to Kei Nishakori(# 8) in 5 sets with tienreakers galore. to finish.

As in round 1, Venus needed 3 sets, and as in round 1, she was dominant in set3, allowing only 2 games to her opponent first, and now blanking Cornet to finish.

Simona Halep still looks shaky out there, again needing 3 sets, this time to an unseeded American. But she remains a tough finisher. She was down in set3, but won the last 4 games.

The Madisons went their separate ways. Brengle actually took a set from #7 Karolina Pliskova, but lost. Keys is successful in straight sets.

Speaking of 7's Dominic Thiem retired and so is gone.

And the US Opens finalists last year, Serena & Osaka, cruised in straight sets.

As I write, Novak and Jo Willi are battling in the midnight hour. So too is #4 Alexander Zverev with Jeremy Chardy entering set #5.

 

[wire chief]

Both are through the 3rd round. Check.
Both needed 3 sets in rounds 1 & 2. Check.
Both have proven they know how to battle back. Check

And come Saturday #1 Halep and #37 Venus will be together again for the 6th time.

I mean, who could want to miss such a match?

 

[Waquoit]

Just caught Amanda Anisimova for the first time. Wow, what poise and game. On to the 4th round after beating 2 seeded players. Her potential next opponent is a player she beaten before, Kvitova.

 

[eebmg]

Just caught Amanda Anisimova for the first time. Wow, what poise and game. On to the 4th round after beating 2 seeded players. Her potential next opponent is a player she beaten before, Kvitova.

Beat me to it. She is like a cobra. So thin but generates so much power.

 

[newfrontier]

Sharapova beat defending champion Wozniacki in 3 sets. Gotta love the poetic justice and sweet revenge, as Wozniacki was one of the players who whined and cried the most about Sharapova's so-called favorable treatment following her return after the drug ban in 2017.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Serena, on to the next... hopefully I catch a match one of these nights

 

[eebmg]

Saw Tiafoe's interview. Nice kid. Would be nice if he can make the quarters.

Tiafoe in a 5 set winner over Seppi into the Rd of 16.

 

[wire chief]

Tennis Channel will have you live at 7, then Espn2 takes over at 9.
Here is the player schedule.

Match Schedule | Australian Open

 

[eebmg]

Cilic seems ready to pull of a 5 set win over Verdasco after being down 0-2. Verdasco had a mini break in a 4th set tie breaker but double faulted. After that, it's a train running down hill. I guess we will have to endure more games of Cilic's annoying ball bouncing before his serve.

 

[Waquoit]

Sharapova beat defending champion Wozniacki in 3 sets. Gotta love the poetic justice and sweet revenge, as Wozniacki was one of the players who whined and cried the most about Sharapova's so-called favorable treatment following her return after the drug ban in 2017.

I agree, Woz lost me there. Same with that never-was with the big mouth, Genie Bouchard.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Yo, Wire Chief! What male was awarded the 1965 Wimbledon Cup?

 

[wire chief]

That was answered elsewhere.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Tiafoe! Slow the bandwagon down so that I can be helped on.

 

[wire chief]

Beat me to it. She is like a cobra. So thin but generates so much power.

The young American vs Petra is the only singles match scheduled for 11am. Surely the Tennis Channel will give it complete attention.

 

[wire chief]

And here is the full schedule.

Match Schedule | Australian Open

 

[eebmg]

The young American vs Petra is the only singles match scheduled for 11am. Surely the Tennis Channel will give it complete attention.

Kvitova dominating over Anisomova Lost set 1 6-2.

 

[wire chief]

And the 2nd is not going well for the American either. The Czech has been overpowering, hitting 80% of first serves and losing only 1/3 of her foe's 2nd serves. Not bad for one who almost lost her dominant hand to an attacker.