Australian Open 2022

whiterebel

Rublev is going to need therapy for his serve after this. Cilic is just unloading on it every single chance he gets. Break in the 3rd, can't see Rublev coming back from this, he doesn't seem to have any answers.

Mantis Toboggan

Game on now

whiterebel

And with that, Rublev takes the 3rd......😀

Ah the WTA world

World no.2 gets through with a win despite 10 double faults over 3 pretty short sets and it's a good result (even if half-joking)

The world No 2 has served 80 double faults during her first five matches of the season but is at least happy that the numbers are heading in the right direction.

She said after beating Marketa Vondrousova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1: “I’m really happy right now, and mostly really happy that I made only 10 double faults.”

https://www.tennis365.com/australian-open/aryna-sabalenka-news-double-faults-laughs-off-serving-woes/

https://twitter.com/jiastaburuagac/status/1478732555058921472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1478732555058921472%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennisnet.com%2Fen%2Fnews%2Fwta-adelaide-aryna-sabalenka-suffers-from-yips-and-hits-18-double-faults

NoviGlitzko

Cilic is back! Fantastic to see. I remember he had that run in 2014 USO. The man was so so good. He played a brand of serving and forehand execution that was literally unbreakable. Hope he gains some confidence and has a deeper run.

yerwanthere123

Stayed up late to watch the Tauson match but kind of regretting it now. Lot of talent there but she was physically done in the end. Think she needs work on the fitness badly, I don't think any 19 year old should be struggling to continue after a two and a half hour match in just the 3rd round.

NoviGlitzko

Hadje! Great scenes with Marin.

Rublev reminds me of Zverev some years ago in the slams. High ranking but afraid to make an impression on the big time.

So Rublev was allowed to travel to and into Australia while still testing positive for Covid (even if low shedding and quarantine afterwards)

Really makes sense in the light of others' expereience

Zverev and other players have said that the testing for Covid during the tournament varies from lax to non-existent

Players were not tested at all for up to a week after arrival and didn't have to show anything to get into Melbourne Park

So some positive players are walking around the place, going where they want basically - they could be interacting with hundreds of children or something - where is the outrage here - surely extensive pearl clutching and moralising is warranted?

A French player (Umbert) was knocked out and failed his Australia exit test subsequently

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1118096/rublev-australian-open-covid-19-testing

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220120-australian-open-under-pressure-over-optional-covid-tests

yerwanthere123

Let it go, nobody cares.

a fair postscript point showing the complete hypocrisy of the situation I think

some ravers have shown to want some players out on the basis of just pure hostility but the broader picture is more than faintly farcical and it's fair to highlight that, especially considering the whole saga

whiterebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118516750#Comment_118516750

You would wonder why he didn't do it more since 2014. He is near impossible to play against when he executes that plan properly. Suits him as he gets older too, to shorten the points like that. That's 2 top 10 players today alone that looked very uncomfortable when being pressured by opponents coming into the net.

yerwanthere123

https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/1484872877128425475

Would be happy for either one of Berrettini, Shapovalov or Nadal to make the final from the top half, but Zverev is surely the favourite.

Hard to see past Medvedev on the bottom half, but would also like to see either Sinner or FAA (highly unlikely) make it.

https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/1484872956660838407

WTA side has held up reasonably well so far. Barty has to be the huge favourite to make the final from the top half, but she will have her work cut out for her. Personally I'd like to see Azarenka have one last stab at glory before age catches up with her for good.

Halep should on paper be the favourite to make the final from the bottom half, has made her way through an easy draw with few problems. Cornet is a potential banana skin though, she's only beaten her once in four meetings, although their last match was in 2015.

Swiatek in another one quietly making her way through the draw, but she's had problems recently getting past the 4th round at slams. I'd be surprised if Cirstea brings her tournament to an end here though. Somewhat surprising that Sabalenka had made it this far with her huge serving problems, can't see her going much further unless she can find a way to overcome it, especially against giant-killer Kanepi. All things considered, hoping for either one of Halep, Swiatek or Sabalenka to make the final from the bottom half.

Wow, even more shocking on Sabalenka's 2022 serving

A couple of days ago it was running at 1 double fault for every 2 second serves

And this is the WTA world number 2 and is still in the competition and will be going on to play a fourth-round match

https://twitter.com/josemorgado/status/1483985655030067201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1483985655030067201%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.news.com.au%2Fsport%2Ftennis%2Faustralian-open%2Faustralian-open-star-copies-anna-kournikova-in-all-the-wrong-ways%2Fnews-story%2F6afa8f999a914a8b638344ae6358cd9b

yerwanthere123

https://twitter.com/DavisCup/status/1484827695192195072

Hopefully he'll have a healthier career than Delpo 😬

Maxine Cressy who I had highlighted before the start of the tournament as he's a complete rarity in high-level men's singles as a serve volleyer has made it to the fourth round to face Medvedev

That will surely be the end of his journey but fair play

Should be interesting to see how his service games go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlu1vjZuIU8

poppy37

It’s hard to see beyond Barty but I wouldn’t rule out Badosa. Krejcikova v Azarenka could be very interesting, hope Krejcikova cuts out the lengthy bathroom breaks.

Tauson will be disappointed, could have won but Collins is an amazing competitor. The conditions were brutal as well, hottest day of the tournament so far but yes her fitness and conditioning need work.

Medvedev seemed to win back some of the crowd support today, his on court interviews are pretty entertaining to say the least.

NoviGlitzko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517212#Comment_118517212

For sure. That's the fascinating thing about players the like's of Cilic and Del Potro, the ceiling is so high. When they're on, they can wipe the floor with anyone. Cilic left Federer option-less in that USO and Del Potro absolutely dismantled Nadal in USO 09 semi. Great to watch.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517354#Comment_118517354

Really looking forward to the Zverev - Shapovalov match up, hope it's a cracker. The latter is probably my favourite tennis player atm bar Federer. Also looking forward to the Cilic - FAA game and on the women's side the Barty and Azarenka matches.

I have 50 on Zverev to win the tournament at 4/1 at the start of the tournament. I think it's his time.

mzungu

I'd like to see Shapovalov bag himself a slam at some point.

Zverev will be the favourite but he has a match on his hands. Shapovalov is not afraid of going for his shots and can cause him lots of problems.

HeidiHeidi

Keys conducting a fairly clinical demolition of Badosa .....

HeidiHeidi

And gone, 6-3 6-1.

Badosa left her serve in her hotel room, it seems.

yerwanthere123

Keys redlined the ball as usual, except everything was landing in! Badosa clearly struggled physically, but not sure it would've mattered anyway. As is usually the case, playing a tournament the week before a slam rarely a good idea, although Keys would probably beg to differ right now.

Hoping Vika crushes Krejcikova.

NoviGlitzko

Nadal Mannarino 1st set is riveting stuff!

HeidiHeidi

Incredible first set and tie break! 16-14 Nadal in the end, tie break alone lasted nearly half an hour!!!

Mannarino looks busted after it though.

Can't remember when I last saw such physical tennis. Punishing.

HeidiHeidi

Zverev, on the other hand, just won a service game in 52 seconds!

Struggling to hold on to the first set though.

Such a shame these two matches are on at the same time.

HeidiHeidi

Back to Nadal match again, and I see he's broken straight away in the 2nd.

I wonder can/ will Mannarino recover from losing the tie break?

As bad as it was physically, it has to have been a huge psychological blow to lose it.

Plus he looks completely bollxed, and like he has a bad groin strain.

NoviGlitzko

Zverev in trouble. Him being a counter puncher suits Shapovalov's game a lot. He destroyed Andy Murray who's this classic archtype not so long ago. He's gonna have to be more aggressive or else this will be done in an hour.

HeidiHeidi

2nd break now.

After the heights of the first set (and the was some of the best tennis I've seen in years), I fear this might be over fairly quickly now.

I wonder how different it might be if the 1st had gone Mannarino's way....

Mannarino seems to be seizing up, looks like he's asked for trainer at next changeover.

HeidiHeidi

Mannarino is a goner, I think.

Doesn't even look like he'll last the set.

HeidiHeidi

And then, he breaks Nadal to love!!!

Still can't see him winning this set, never mind the match, though.

NoviGlitzko

That's true. The match was over for Adrian after that tie breaker, he had to win it to have a shout. Nice player to watch regardless.

Shapovalov is the ATP version of Ostapenko. When they're on, they're amazing to watch.