Australian Open 2017

RosyLily

First Slam of the year!

Men's Draw
Djokovic will open his title defense against Verdasco. Could be a good one, but Fernando had his chances in their last match and blew it. Dimitrov, Goffin and Thiem could cause trouble. No.1 seed Murray will play UKraine's Illya Marchenko. Federer (who got a qualifier) is lurking in his quarter and could be a potential QF opponent. Nishikori, Berdych and Pouille are also in that section. Nadal has Florian Mayer in the first round, followed by either Youzhny or Baghdatis.

Potential R16: Murray-Pouille; Berdych-Nishikori/Federer; Wawrinka-Kyrgios; Tsonga-Cilic; Monfils-Nadal; RBA-Raonic; Thiem-Goffin; Dimitrov-Djokovic

Women's Draw
On the women's side, Kerber begins against Lesia Tsurenko. Muguruza, Vinci, Navarro and Bouchard are also in her section of the draw. A decent enough draw for Angie. Serena is #2 seed and drew Belinda Bencic in the opening match. Also in the section are Wozniacki, Cibulkova, Konta, Petkovic, Garcia and Safarova. A rotten half for Konta imo...don't like her chances of reaching the SFs again. Venus is in the same part of Kuznetsova, Halep & Jankovic.

Potential R16: Kerber-Vinci; Navarro-Muguruza; Halep-Venus; Svitolina-Kuznetsova; Pliskova-Bacsinszky; Vesnina-Radwanska; Cibulkova-Konta; Strycova-Serena

We'll know tomorrow if James McGee makes the main draw. Fingers crossed he does!! Could end up facing Federer.

CassieManson

Easy first and second round for Federer - only has to beat two qualifiers to reach the third round!

yerwanthere123

CassieManson wrote: »

Easy first and second round for Federer - only has to beat two qualifiers to reach the third round!

It's a nightmare after that though, QF is surely the best he'll achieve.

mickmackey1

His 69th GS appearance, one short of Santoro's record.

RosyLily

Order of play for Monday is been released. Simona Halep is first out on Laver versus Shelby Rogers, then it's Venus Williams vs. Kateryna Kozlova and Murray vs. Marchenko. Kerber is first on the night session followed by Federer vs. Jurgen Melzer.

I'm hoping Eurosport stream Barty vs. Beck. I've heard Ashleigh's improved after her time away from court and is in great shape.

Johnmb

RosyLily wrote: »

Order of play for Monday is been released. Simona Halep is first out on Laver versus Shelby Rogers, then it's Venus Williams vs. Kateryna Kozlova and Murray vs. Marchenko. Kerber is first on the night session followed by Federer vs. Jurgen Melzer.

I'm hoping Eurosport stream Barty vs. Beck. I've heard Ashleigh's improved after her time away from court and is in great shape.

According to Eurosport's website, they'll be streaming every match on Eurosport Player. At least every match on a court with a camera, but from the way it was phrased, I got the impression every court will have a camera, but a number will just be a single camera at the back of the court.

RobertKK

Eurosport go to adverts as Muguruza wins the first set then looks distraught as she shakes her head.

RobertKK

Muguruza has a thigh injury as she leaves court for treatment.

RobertKK

Simona Halep is getting medical treatment after losing first set.

mickmackey1

Nishikori loses first set

yerwanthere123

Simona Halep looking to emulate last year's performance. No real surprise tbh.

mickmackey1

mickmackey1 wrote: »

Nishikori loses first set

But wins 2nd easily.

RobertKK

Muguruza through in the end despite injury, Halep out and Nishikori goes 2 sets to 1 up.

yerwanthere123

Well, at least Halep defended her points from last year.

Floppybits

mickmackey1 wrote: »

Nishikori loses first set

Nishikori is carrying a hip injury.  Has there ever been a time when Nishikori is not carrying an injury? Maybe he should take some time away from the tour to get himself right. The guy must be held together with cello tape.

Floppybits

Wawrinka in trouble in his first round match.  4-3 down and the 40-15 down in the fifth set

Floppybits

Wawrinka survives.

Jan_de_Bakker

Wavrinka struggles in 1st round - don't let that deceive though, he was gash untill the quarter finals at last years US Open ..

mickmackey1

Federer through in four.

Floppybits

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

Wavrinka struggles in 1st round - don't let that deceive though, he was gash untill the quarter finals at last years US Open ..

Standard Wawrinka. Seemingly he is not bothered in the early rounds and really only starts focusing when it gets to the business end of the competition.  Of the top seeds Cilic, Wawrinka and Nishikori all had 5 setters today

Rjd2

Floppybits wrote: »

Standard Wawrinka. Seemingly he is not bothered in the early rounds and really only starts focusing when it gets to the business end of the competition.  Of the top seeds Cilic, Wawrinka and Nishikori all had 5 setters today

Klizan was a pretty rancid first round draw to be fair.

Floppybits

Rjd2 wrote: »

Floppybits wrote: »

Standard Wawrinka. Seemingly he is not bothered in the early rounds and really only starts focusing when it gets to the business end of the competition.  Of the top seeds Cilic, Wawrinka and Nishikori all had 5 setters today

Klizan was a pretty rancid first round draw to be fair.

There were a few rancid first round draw today. Cilic got Janowicz,  Nishikori got Kuznetzov.   Tomorrow could be tricky for a set or 2 for DJokovic but I would expect him to beat Verdasco. Another tricky one is Nadal against Florian Mayer, I dont think it would be a shock to see Nadal lose that one.

RobertKK

Enjoying the Konta/Flipkens match, 5 all as Konta loses her serve as she was serving for it.

Floppybits

Well so much for my hopes of a couple of upsets. Nadal had a comfortable 3 sets win and Djokovic is destroying Verdassco in the 3rd set. 
Whats wrong with Stosur surely she should be beating the likes of Watson? She has hardly done anything since winning the US open.

Jan_de_Bakker

Novak wins 61 76 62 ... Now he is doing his love **** ... I wish he'd stop, It's total cringe ..

RobertKK

Karlovic and Zeballos on 20 games each in the 5 set.

Jan_de_Bakker

AFAIK its a record 5th set gamewise, Roddick v Younes El Aynaoui qtr final 2003 (21-19) was the record ...

Floppybits

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

Novak wins 61 76 62 ... Now he is doing his love **** ... I wish he'd stop, It's total cringe ..

Most cringing thing ever in tennis. Smells of desperation to get fans to like him.

RobertKK

Whoever is playing the winner of this extreme marathon of a tennis game that started in intense heat will be very confident.

RobertKK

Karlovic wins 22/20 in 5th set.

Both players must be half dead after 5hrs 14 mins.

Jan_de_Bakker

Floppybits wrote: »

Most cringing thing ever in tennis. Smells of desperation to get fans to like him.

He should feed off the hate like he used to ... made him a better player ..

Floppybits

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

Floppybits wrote: »

Most cringing thing ever in tennis. Smells of desperation to get fans to like him.

He should feed off the hate like he used to ... made him a better player ..

Exactly. This whole wanting to be loved is cringing. Just be natural. He is never going to get the love that Federer and Nadal have no matter what he tries to do.

Rob2D

Floppybits wrote: »

Exactly. This whole wanting to be loved is cringing. Just be natural. He is never going to get the love that Federer and Nadal have no matter what he tries to do.

Indeed. Fans love the tennis not the man. And his tennis is just too robotic. Plain and boring.

lostcat

Floppybits wrote: »

Exactly. This whole wanting to be loved is cringing. Just be natural. He is never going to get the love that Federer and Nadal have no matter what he tries to do.

I have decided to change my perception about this, it seems to me now that he is 'giving love' out as opposed to looking for love.

I find it makes the whole thing considerably less aggravating when seen in this light. One less thorn in the finger of life...

*puts self help book back in the loo

Floppybits

Seppi serving for the match against Kyrgios.  Currently 9-8 in the 5th set.

Floppybits

Yes Seppi does it.

Floppybits

Another shock Dan Evans has beaten Cilic.  3-1

Jan_de_Bakker

Thats a good result for Evans..

Floppybits

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

Thats a good result for Evans..

Thats a fantastic result for Evans.  Think he plays the winner of the Tomic match in the next round.

lostcat

wow, couple of potentially sticky wickets gone from the murray/stan/fed half of the draw there

CassieManson

Floppybits wrote:

Another shock Dan Evans has beaten Cilic. 3-1

Djokovic is out!

CassieManson

Floppybits wrote:

Another shock Dan Evans has beaten Cilic. 3-1

Djokovic is out!

I suppose that might have been worth a double post. Can Murray finally win one after 5 finals...? He just didn't seem to be able to beat djokovic h here.

Jan_de_Bakker

Djokovic should get his head sorted, either that or retire and open a Pizza joint in Belgrade.
Amazing, some lad in ITV said after he won the FO last year - 'it could be his last slam' - how prophetic !

Floppybits

Great chance now for Murray, Wawrinka and especially Nadal.  Looking at the draw all the top seeds are in Murray's half. Nadals has Raonic and Dimitrov in half.

Jan_de_Bakker

Nadal has to be favourite ..

Father Hernandez

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

Nadal has to be favourite ..

Can't see it, Murray has to go on and win it, no excuses

Floppybits

Break point to Baghdatis

marvin80

Floppybits wrote: »

Great chance now for Murray, Wawrinka and especially Nadal.  Looking at the draw all the top seeds are in Murray's half. Nadals has Raonic and Dimitrov in half.

Raonic has a good chance of getting through this side

marvin80

Floppybits wrote: »

Another shock Dan Evans has beaten Cilic.  3-1

I read yesterday Nike dropped Evans for 2017 so he went out and stocked up on some cheap gear himself - won that match in a $20 t-shirt!!

Jan_de_Bakker

marvin80 wrote: »

I read yesterday Nike dropped Evans for 2017 so he went out and stocked up on some cheap gear himself - won that match in a $20 t-shirt!!

Legend!

Love stuff like this ...