Australian Open

McGetty

Thought I'd make this thread a little early in celebration of the fact that two Irish players, Conor Niland and Louk Sorensen, have made it to the final round of qualification in Melbourne. If they win one more match tonight, they'll become the first Irish players to compete in the main draw of a major in God knows how long. Definitely at least 10-15 years.

Rob2D

Thats pretty cool. Good luck to them!

barrera

Good and bad news overnight - Louk Sorenson made it through, 6-4, 7-6. However, Conor Niland missed out, despite winning first set 6-1, he then lost 6-4, 6-3. At 28, must be gutted to have missed out on such a chance.

Still, well done to Louk (AUS$19,400 in bag), plays Yen-Hsun Lu of Taiwan in 1st round, who is ranked 101st in world.

I believe the last Irish player in the main draw of a Grand Slam was was Matt Doyle in the 1980s.

L_Mn

Great achievement for Louk,delighted to see it. Would be unbelievable to see him go further. I think that was 1985 barrera was it?

The_Kew_Tour

Cant say im the biggest fan of tennis but I have to say its great to see soemone from your own country making it to massive stage such as the Australian Open.

Fingers crossed he will do well in his first match.

je suis awesome

thats an appearence on the late late then, cue tubridy with some cringe comment about how 'sorensen isn't very irish'

excellent news, unlucky for conor niland, well done louk

Interesting101

Great news, first time 85 i believe.

Any chance his game being on irish TV?

McGetty

No chance of him being on any TV, I'm afraid. Because both he and his opponent are unknowns they've been stuck on one of the outer courts with no TV cameras on Monday.

Conor had a chance to go up 5-3 in the second set of his match, so he must be fairly gutted. He also came within 3 points of qualifying for an ATP tour event a few weeks ago. Still, both he and Louk have had impressive starts to '10. If they can keep this up it could be a great year for Irish tennis.

Blisterman

Best of luck to him. He seems to have a fairly forgiving draw for the tournament. The earliest he'd meet a top 32 player is the 3rd round, so if he can keep the momentum up, hopefully we'll get a few matches out of it.

What are your predictions for the tournament? Not sure if Federer's on form enough at the moment. He put in a pretty lacklustre display at the ATP tour finals. But he's usually able to step his game up a few notches for the majors.
Nadal hasn't won anything in ages. Can't really see him keeping the championship.
Davydenko seems to be doing well recently on hard court. If I were a betting man, I'd put a few quid on him to get to the semis at least.

ocuf

Yeah, I have money on Davydenko and Del Potro. Davydenko for the form he is in and Del Potro beacuse he is going to dominate the hard courts some time in the future.
Nadal is getting his form back while you cant bet against Federer - 22 or so consecutive Grand slam semis!

Cosmo Kramer

I see Hocevar (who defeated Niland in three sets) drew Lleyton Hewitt too. A pity for Niland.

smackbunnybaby

ah, didn't see this thread before I created my one!

Well done Louk!

Mint Sauce

just heard about this Louk Sorensen fella over the weekend, great to have representation in a grandslam event, read some where 1st rd match tomorrow some time, anyone confirm this

ninebeanrows

irish-stew wrote: »

just heard about this Louk Sorensen fella over the weekend, great to have representation in a grandslam event, read some where 1st rd match tomorrow some time, anyone confirm this

His match will start around 5am Irish time tomorrow morning

Stevecw

Delighted to see Louk get thru to the 1st round. 1st time in all my time watching tennis that there has been an Irish person in a grand slam.

Lu is not the worst opponent to get, ok he is the favourite..but is beatable. It'd great to get to a 2nd round, and a match v Isner.

Pity Conor just missed out, loved to have seen him v Hewitt.

Hopefully I wake up to good news in the morning of a Louk win.

LiamMc

Is anybody watching the Australian Open this morning/

Maria Kirilenko has won the first set after a tie break against Maria Sharapova. Kirilenko is ranked 58 in the world, Sharapova has dropped to 14 and is seeded 14. Both players broke once during the set.

Ukraine-born Elena Baltacha (GBR) has won the first set against Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 6-4 after being 2-0 down.

Edit: that Sharapova - kirilenko match is turning into the match of the round. Sharapova forced herself over the line to win the second set.
But Kirilenko isn't giving up and has broken Sharapova to go 3-0 up in the final set. Sharapova is wearing dressy outfit over her sports kit, wear a gold coloured double-belt around her waist. She must be going to a party after this.

Louk Sorensen's Court 11 is still stuck in the first tie. the first set took 86 mins to complete and the first game in
the second set took over 20 mins to complete. It's not rain, maybe a recurring injury to one of the players.
Sorensen's tie is after Women singles, Women singles, Mens singles.

Edit: Sharapova broke back in the ninth game for 4-5 but Kirilenko was not to be denied to win 7-6, 3-6, 6-4. Quite brilliant. Somewhere in the world a Russian girl is playing tennis.
Interesting Australian TV were interviewing the victor immediately after the game on the court.

That first Court 11 match was been played while other courts had suspended play, the points were never racked up so quickly. Games are still going to their full length.
A mid-term prediction Louk Sorensen starts play at 06:30 (Irish time) give or take 15 mins.

LiamMc

Elena Balchata (GBR) through 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

Edit: Play suspended on outside courts for over an hour now. Court 11 still in second set of first tie. Pushes all the games back.

Only two covered courts in use, Andy Murray is 4-0 up first set.

Blisterman

I see the match has been cancelled today. Does that mean it's pushed back to tomorrow?

BlackMamba

Blisterman wrote: »

I see the match has been cancelled today. Does that mean it's pushed back to tomorrow?

Yep. It's on Court 11 at 11am Australian time tomorrow. The schedule for Day 2 is posted on the Open's website now.

Bukman13

Luke winning 3-1 in the first set.

Good start.

Tomthepost

Bukman13 wrote: »

Luke winning 3-1 in the first set.

Good start.

Whats the best way to follow it?
No streams I take it?

Bukman13

Luke just won the first set 6-4

je suis awesome

louk

Bukman13

je suis awesome wrote: »

louk

Yea, cheers!!

I just type Luke out of habit haha...

Louk , up a break in the 2nd.

Xavi6

Federer a set down to Andreev.

Xavi6

Fed now 2-1 and a break up. Boo-urns

JONJO THE MISER

Xavi6 wrote: »

Federer a set down to Andreev.

Fed wins 3-1, go on the Fed, make me some money:D.

Blisterman

Louk's facing John Isner in the Second round.

Five seeded player exits already: Robin Soderling, Radek Štěpánek, Tommy Robredo, Sam Querrey and Jürgen Melzer

Surprised about Soderling. He's just come off a great year.

BlackMamba

Dementieva beaten by Henin 7-5 7-6. Match lasted about 3 hours....epic! Henin could be the dark horse to win this.

LiamMc

BlackMamba wrote: »

Dementieva beaten by Henin 7-5 7-6. Match lasted about 3 hours....epic! Henin could be the dark horse to win this.

You could be right. Kim Clijsters is one of the favourites, but rightly seeded 15. She had a hard fight against Tanusugarn yesterday/this morning. Although Clijsters next opponent Petrova (19 seed) struggled in her tie aswell.

LiamMc

Marcos Baghdatis was two sets down to David Ferrer, came back to two all. And now has gone 5-1 up in the last set.
But when he prepared to serve for the match he started to suffer cramps. He is not allowed receive treatment until he suts down at his chair. So he is serving and winning some fine points but Ferrer is keeping Baghdatis moving. Crowd have been going crazy for ages.

Baghdatis wins an extraodinary match

RosyLily

Clijsters is out of the Open, beaten 6-0 6-1 by Nadia Petrova. Was a great game by Petrova, she took her chances unlike Clijsters. It'll be interesting to see what Kim does next.
Jelena Jankovic out as well. Beaten by Alona Bondarenko. Dunno about you but the Serbian women seem to be getting worse instead of better. I think they need a serious shake-up.
Baghdatis and Hewitt is on later. Really looking forward to this match! They played a cracker at the Open last year (I think it was last year anyway). Hope this game lives up to the hype. The Cypriot and Aussie fans will be great!:D

Sea Devils

Roddick survived against Gonzalez and won in five sets. Now through to play Martin Cilic in the Quarter finals.

Rob2D

Disappointed at that. I love to watch Gonzalez. He's a funny guy!:pac: Sickened that Tommy is gone too.:(

RosyLily

Roddick and Gonzalez was a great match! Could have went anyway...til
A-Rod ran away with the final set.
Safina retired during her match with Maria Kirilenko citing a recurrent back injury. Tbh, I'm not expecting much from her this year. If she wins the French Open I will extremely surprised.
Really looking forward to the Murray-Nadal match later. Could well turn out to be the match of the tournament.:D

Mr sinister

Anyone else just see Venus Williams' bum :eek:

LiamMc

Novak Djokovic.

I want the wonder tennis players to win.

LiamMc

Are there any Minnesotta or North United States players left in the competition? Any North American at all. any at all?


If there is none, it's okay. Novak Djokovic will move on to a better player.

Mr sinister

Epic match going on between Tsonga and Alamgro, who has a broken bone in his left wrist aparently

fryup

i try my best to warm to murray, but i just can't....he's dour dour dour

Sea Devils

Roddick and Cillic was apparently a classic. Roddick came back from two sets down to force a 5th setter but Cilic eventually pulled away and took it in the 5th. Cilic now plays Murray in the Semi's.

Mister Sifter

fryup wrote: »

i try my best to warm to murray, but i just can't....he's dour dour dour

Whatever about his personality (and i don't see anything wrong with it), you can't deny that he is one hell of a tennis player. Some awesome tennis played by him today. Shame that the shine was taken off a little by Nadal's injury.

Going to be very tough in the semis though...

Xavi6

fryup wrote: »

i try my best to warm to murray, but i just can't....he's dour dour dour

Met him the other week and he seemed pretty sound. Crackin player as well. Wouldn't mind seeing him win it,

Mr sinister

When did the injury happen. It looked to me it only happened at the start of the 3rd set but I wasn't fully watching. I want Murray to win now that all my other favorites are out, not been a good slam for me

Rob2D

Not sure. He fell down at one stage but I don't think that was it. I guess the knees are just acting up again.

fryup

fryup wrote: »

i try my best to warm to murray, but i just can't....he's dour dour dour

Xavi6 wrote: »

Met him the other week and he seemed pretty sound. Crackin player as well. Wouldn't mind seeing him win it,

Well he needs to take some classes in PR, cause on TV he comes across as flat as a pancake.

And while he's at it he should go to a hairdresser and get that scraggy hair sorted out and a few hours under a sunbed to cover up that pasty white skin of his.

Blisterman

Can't see anyone but Federer winning this one now.

davyjose

fryup wrote: »

Well he needs to take some classes in PR, cause on TV he comes across as flat as a pancake.

And while he's at it he should go to a hairdresser and get that scraggy hair sorted out and a few hours under a sunbed to cover up that pasty white skin of his.

He's not a bloody TV presenter.

I like the fact that he doesn't seem to give a flying fcuk what people think about him. Seems like a normal enough bloke to me, but with an incredible talent. Hopefully he can make Fed (as ungracious in victory, as he is in defeat) blubber like a baby again this year.

ArmaniJeanss

I was unsure about Murray myself but this article in the Sunday Times during the US Open swung me to be a fan.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle6814781.ece


Rather than staying in an exclusive quiet hotel on the outskirts of town, Murray stays slap bang in the middle of Manhattan near Times Square so that he can stroll around, meet people and enjoy the hussle and bustle of NY. And he travels to Flushing Meadow sharing the same courtesy bus that is used by stewards, ballboys and journalists.

So, sod all the Murray haters... CMON ANDY.

fryup

armaniTShirts wrote: »

So, sod all the Murray haters... CMON ANDY.

haters, is that a swipe at me??

well i certainly don't hate the guy, i just wish he would loosen up a bit and smile a bit more

and if its federer in the final, i'll shout for murray

ArmaniJeanss

fryup wrote: »

haters, is that a swipe at me??

well i certainly don't hate the guy, i just wish he would loosen up a bit and smile a bit more

and if its federer in the final, i'll shout for murray

Sorry, definitely wasn't aimed at you - I more or less just copied the text from when I'd previously posted it in the poker BBV thread 5 months ago in response to a bit of Murray hate. I should probably have taken that line out now