Australian Open 2015

yerwanthere123

Men's draw:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Australian_Open_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_Singles

Women's draw:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Australian_Open_%E2%80%93_Women%27s_Singles

Here's to an amazing two weeks!

yerwanthere123

Projected quarter-finals:

Mens:
Djokovic-Raonic
Wawrinka-Nishikori
Berdych-Nadal
Murray-Federer

Womens:
Serena-Wozniacki
Kvitova-Radwanska
Ivanovic-Halep
Bouchard-Sharapova

yerwanthere123

Delpo opens with Janowicz. That could be a serious hot mess.

Some potential matches:
Delpo/Monfils R2
Tomic/Gulbis R3
Nadal/Rosol R3
Goffin/Dimitrov R3
Nishikori/Ferrer R4
Gulbis/Berdych R4
Murray/Dimitrov R4
Federer/Kyrgios R4 (albeit unlikely)



Azarenka/Stephens R1, with the winner to play Woz/Townsend :pac: Amazing.
Heather Watson opens with Pironkova, winner could play Cibulkova in R2. Not a terrible draw for Cibulkova, but I thing she'll get to R4 at the most.
Easy draw for Petra, but she'll find a way to mess it up.

Some more potential matches:
Venus/Krunic R2
Serena/Svitolina R3
Bouchard/Kuznetsova R3
Wozniacki/Strycova R3
Venus/Radwanska R4
Ivanovic/Pliskova R4
Serena/Jankovic or Muguruza R4

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Djokovic apparently cancelled his practice today and has called a press conference for Sunday afternoon Melbourne time. Was due to do his regular presser on Saturday but didn't. Might be nothing to it. We shall see.

yerwanthere123

^ Saw that too. Intriguing. Not that I'd wish injury on someone but it would make men's half much more interesting if Djokovic couldn't take part.



Day 1 OOP:
Laver
Halep vs. Knapp
Ivanovic vs. Hradecka
Nadal vs. Youzhny

Federer vs. Lu
Sharapova vs. Martic

Court
Gajdosova vs. Dulgheru
Murray vs. Bhambri
Kerber vs. Begu

Bouchard vs. Friedsam
Kyrgios vs. Delbonis

Hisense
Goerges vs. Bencic
Lisicki vs. Mladenovic
Tomic vs. Kamke
Groth vs. Krajinovic

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Panic over. They're now saying he just postponed his Saturday presser and has a practice booked after his Sunday presser.

yerwanthere123

Rumours abound that despite playing Sydney this week, Delpo won't be able to play the Australian Open. Apparently he felt severe pain in practice and abandoned it after 20 minutes.

Rjd2

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Rumours abound that despite playing Sydney this week, Delpo won't be able to play the Australian Open. Apparently he felt severe pain in practice and abandoned it after 20 minutes.

If in any bother, he shouldn't play. His draw is brutal so its not worth it, still got plenty time of the year left to make an impact.

yerwanthere123

I'm starting to wonder if he'll end up retiring prematurely

Rjd2

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

I'm starting to wonder if he'll end up retiring prematurely

Its not a long shot sadly. He is 26 which is youngish, but man so many injuries.

ConM96

Delpo has called for an impromptu interview scheduled to happen in the next 30 mins so I guess we will know more then. Really unfortunate if he has to pull out but it was always risky returning when he admitted he still felt pain.

Hope Laura robaon doesn't Rush back as quick.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

He's been out for 10 months before Sydney, I know he had surgeries but if you can't get through more than 3 matches without suffering well. ... It doesn't look good.

ConM96

Delpo is OUT of the Aussie Open. Can only hope that he manages to make a recovery but it isn't looking very good:(

Rjd2

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

He's been out for 10 months before Sydney, I know he had surgeries but if you can't get through more than 3 matches without suffering well. ... It doesn't look good.

Agreed, it was either to early, which means he and/or his medical stuff should know better or he may be broke. Lets not forget his opponents, Stakhovsky a journeyman who had injury concerns as well, an insanely out of form Fognini and Kukushin who while no mug isn't exactly Djokovic.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

He says he's thinking of the long term by withdrawing but it's very hard to see where he goes from here. As I said, he hasn't played for 10 months, how much more time can he take off?

ConM96

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

He says he's thinking of the long term by withdrawing but it's very hard to see where he goes from here. As I said, he hasn't played for 10 months, how much more time can he take off?

The longer he leaves it the harder he will find it to come back as he will basically have zero ranking points and unless he can pull out some big wins with his SR when he does make a full return I'm afraid that will be the end of Delpo

yerwanthere123

Oh dear, Ivanovic in trouble against Hradecka.

yerwanthere123

Ouch.

Floppybits

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Oh dear, Ivanovic in trouble against Hradecka.

Kerber and Lisicki also gone.

Floppybits

I will have to watch the Australian Open with my sunglasses on. Some of the clothes the players are wearing especially the Nike stuff is very bright.

yerwanthere123

Floppybits wrote: »

Kerber and Lisicki also gone.

Christ. I wonder does she regret playing all those late night matches in Sydney now. Anyway, Kerber going out really clears the path for Bouchard.

yerwanthere123

Speaking of that, Bouchard can now go through to the QF's without facing a seed! Garcia is looming in the 3rd round though, big opportunity for her also.

Tomic's draw isn't looking too bad, Kohlschreiber next, potentially Kokkinakis in the 3rd round, both players he's beaten in the last two weeks.

Also, Li Na has confirmed her pregnancy!

yerwanthere123

Watched most of the Townsend-Wozniacki match last night. Taylor has got a lot of potential, and she sure can crush a forehand. However, at the risk of sounding like an asshole, I'm dubious as to just how far she can progress given her very obvious weight issue.

Alba Frere

Floppybits wrote: »

I will have to watch the Australian Open with my sunglasses on. Some of the clothes the players are wearing especially the Nike stuff is very bright.

Yeah I'm loving Nadal's look lol. I've backed him at 9s. I know he's been injured but I was surprised he wasn't shorter. Looking good value now after his 1st round win. Of course long way to go yet but it was promising.

Rjd2

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Watched most of the Townsend-Wozniacki match last night. Taylor has got a lot of potential, and she sure can crush a forehand. However, at the risk of sounding like an asshole, I'm dubious as to just how far she can progress given her very obvious weight issue.

Yeah I feel like a tool slagging of a young girls weight as well, but sadly to go the top she will need to drop a few pounds.

yerwanthere123

I don't even understand how she can be overweight tbh, I mean you'd think surely by virtue of all the training she must do it'd be impossible?

ConM96

Delpo underwent more surgery today which "should" prevent the pain he was feeling. According to him he will begin rehabilitation in two week. Another lengthy sideline beckons I'm afraid.

Also hope heather Watsons illness isn't too serious. She was feeling the same symptoms as when she was diagnosed with glandular fever but it's extremely rare to contact this twice so hopefully it's just something minor.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I saw something that said Delpo was hoping to be back by the US hard courts which is disappointing.

On Watson, there's a story on BBC Sport that basically says it was that time of the month. Weird thing to write a story about but it's good news if it means she's not sick again.

Floppybits

Alba Frere wrote: »

Yeah I'm loving Nadal's look lol. I've backed him at 9s. I know he's been injured but I was surprised he wasn't shorter. Looking good value now after his 1st round win. Of course long way to go yet but it was promising.

I have a feeling that good value is going to be slipping away now. Nadal's outfit is the best of the Nike ones.

whiterebel

Floppybits wrote: »

I have a feeling that good value is going to be slipping away now. Nadal's outfit is the best of the Nike ones.

Some sportsmanship shown by Tim Smyczek, in fairness to him.

the_monkey

It's tournaments like these that Nadal wins ... in trouble ... fakes an injury , wins a match he should've lost ... boom he wins the whole tournament.

congrats to the guy who put money on him at 9-1 ...

hope it was at least €100

RosyLily

Some really good matches today! Thought Sharapova was a goner at one stage...somehow found a way! Some good tennis from Halep, moving really well. Hoping she goes far here.

Temperature supposed to be up in the 90s (F) tomorrow. Kvitova better prepare herself.

Rjd2

RosyLily wrote: »

Some really good matches today! Thought Sharapova was a goner at one stage...somehow found a way! Some good tennis from Halep, moving really well. Hoping she goes far here.

Temperature supposed to be up in the 90s (F) tomorrow. Kvitova better prepare herself.

You know the saying "the game was on her racquet" well very true in this case. She was all over the place in 3rd set, but got it done, but she will be disgusted she ended up in that scenario.

RosyLily

Rjd2 wrote: »

You know the saying "the game was on her racquet" well very true in this case. She was all over the place in 3rd set, but got it done, but she will be disgusted she ended up in that scenario.

I imagine her swearing a blue streak in Russian, kicking over stuff in the locker room.:p

Floppybits

Azarenka/ Wozniacki should be interesting tomorrow and it is only a second round match.

yerwanthere123

So disappointed Smyczek couldn't get the job done, but I never really believed he could. I imagine Nadal will only get stronger and stronger from here onwards, especially as he could get walking bye Gasquet in the 4th round.

What on Earth happened to Sharapova overnight, being taken to three sets by Panova?! She was my pick to win the title before the tournament started, but I can't really see it now.

Good to see Garcia, Pliskova, Tomic and Kyrgios progressing through their respective draws. All very exciting. Shout out also to Mattek-Sands, who's taken so many blows throughout her career and keeps coming back, into the 3R in Melbourne at the age of 29.

yerwanthere123

Floppybits wrote: »

Azarenka/ Wozniacki should be interesting tomorrow and it is only a second round match.

Agreed, I think Azarenka could pull off the upset there.
Woz leads the h2h 4-3, and 4-1 on hard courts, which seems pretty incredible given Azarenka's hard-court prowess! Although most of these matches took place before 2012.

the_monkey

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

So disappointed Smyczek couldn't get the job done, but I never really believed he could. I imagine Nadal will only get stronger and stronger from here onwards, especially as he could get walking bye Gasquet in the 4th round.

What on Earth happened to Sharapova overnight, being taken to three sets by Panova?! She was my pick to win the title before the tournament started, but I can't really see it now.

Good to see Garcia, Pliskova, Tomic and Kyrgios progressing through their respective draws. All very exciting. Shout out also to Mattek-Sands, who's taken so many blows throughout her career and keeps coming back, into the 3R in Melbourne at the age of 29.

Yep its a done deal ... good news is paddypower and betfair still have him at 9-1 , I'm gonna stick some money on ... money in the bank .

RosyLily

Radwanska just demolished Larsson in less than an hour. Really impressive!

Nishikori just lost the first set in his match. Looking forward to Woz vs Aza later.

yerwanthere123

Nice win for Aga, off the court before the clock struck midday. Funny to see Navratilova in the players box laughing it up.

This Zvonareva match is painful. Vera had three set points in the first set, then failed to serve it out, and now trying to save a double break in the second. Predictable!

RosyLily

Kinda surprised that Azarenka beat Wozniacki in straights, was expecting a closer battle. Can we say Vika is back?

Ugh, Stosur loses again in Australia. Nice win for Coco though. Sam's still got the doubles to go...hopefully she'll be around a bit longer. Interesting to hear Hewitt discuss his future a bit in press conference. I'm expecting 2016 to be his last season tbh.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Not sure if Vika is back or Old Woz is back?

yerwanthere123

Watched the second set of the Woz-Vika match. Extremely disappointing result for Woz, I think she needed that win a lot more than Vika. If Vika lost she could say, ok fair enough, I'm obviously not back to my best. What does it say for Woz? For me it reaffirms her biggest weakness, that she's a solid player but cant cut it against the biggest hitters on tour. Fair enough, Vika looked good, she was probably playing at about 75%, but Woz really, really should have done a lot better.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Not to be one of those awful media types but I wonder if it's just coincidence that Woz allegedly has a new boyfriend now? They all said her previous decline started when she got with Rory

RosyLily

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Not to be one of those awful media types but I wonder if it's just coincidence that Woz allegedly has a new boyfriend now? They all said her previous decline started when she got with Rory

The NFL'er? Step up from McIlroy imo.:P

Kvitova looked good in her match, especially in the 1st. I hope she can keep it up. Could have a potential QF match with Aga/Venus.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

RosyLily wrote: »

The NFL'er? Step up from McIlroy imo.:P

Anything's a step up from McIlroy

I'd say Woz could be feeling the effects of running a marathon in her off season. She may just need a little bit more time to get going this year. Plus Azarenka is a top player, Woz was very unlucky to get her in R2.

RosyLily

I'd say you're right about the marathon taking its toll. Woz will be in form soon enough I reckon. She had a stinker of a draw for the Aussie Open!!

yerwanthere123

I must say, Eurosport have been making some baffling decisions as to what matches to show/not show on the tv channels this year. I mean, how did they go for Errani/Wickmayer over Pliskova/Makarova? I wonder are they trying to get people to subscribe to the player?

whiterebel

Fed gone in 4 to Seppi. Watched back on the match between the 2 meltdown merchants yesterday, Janowicz and Monfils. Jerzy really needs a coach to sort his head out, 2nd and 3rd set was like he had just seen a racqet for the first time. Once he stopped roaring like a dying bull every shot, he played really well. Helped by some erratic play from Gael, of course.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Murray quietly going about his business unnoticed. Gone are the days where he flailed about needlessly in the earlier rounds. He might do well here, especially with Federer being out of his section now and Nadal always with a question mark over him.

walshb

Murray has a tasty 4th rounder and chance at slam revenge over Dimitrov.