Australian Open 2017

Chivito550

Worth noting that Wawrinka is 3-18 against Federer in career head to head, and has never beaten him on any surface other than clay. They could meet in the semi final.

RobertKK

What a strange first set in the Serena/Strycova match.

Started off with neither being able to hold their serve, but despite losing her serve three times, Serena win the set 7-5.

Serve and volley really coming back into fashion.

mickmackey1

Pretty amazing watching her in 2017 to consider she was a Grand Slam winner in the 20th century! :eek:

Jan_de_Bakker

God Monfils is such a waste of talent, this will be an easy easy 6-1 6-0 6-1 stroll in the park for Nadal.

Floppybits

Looks like this Nada/Monfils match is not going to last long. 3-0 to Nadal already

walshb

Nadal-Raonic will be very tasty!

Please, McEnroe STFU!

Jan_de_Bakker

I seriously think this lad Nadal will still be challenging for slams in 20 years time ...

Rob2D

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

I seriously think this lad Nadal will still be challenging for slams in 20 years time ...

Jan_de_Bakker

Rob2D wrote: »

!

Burial.

Unreal from Monfils

mickmackey1

Quel clown

Burial.

Get in Rafa super

NoviGlitzko

Chivito550 wrote: »

Worth noting that Wawrinka is 3-18 against Federer in career head to head, and has never beaten him on any surface other than clay. They could meet in the semi final.

That's massively misleading. Stan was Rogers pigeon before he got with Magnus Norman (14-0 or something like this) and every match over recent years there's been nothing between them. I'd place Stan the slight favourite between the two if they meet in the semis given both's current situation.

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

God Monfils is such a waste of talent

Commentators keep on saying this. Where exactly is this big talent? He's a pusher with a big serve. That's literally his game and nothing more. He also capitulated from 4-2 up to lose 4-6 to Nadal, and that's been the story of his career - mental weakness.

Tsonga Vs Wawrinka could be an absolute epic. I see 5 sets written all over this and can't predict the winner. Tsonga has a real shot.

Chivito550

NoviGlitzko wrote: »

That's massively misleading. Stan was Rogers pigeon before he got with Magnus Norman (14-0 or something like this) and every match over recent years there's been nothing between them. I'd place Stan the slight favourite between the two if they meet in the semis given both's current situation.


Commentators keep on saying this. Where exactly is this big talent? He's a pusher with a big serve. That's literally his game and nothing more. He also capitulated from 4-2 up to lose 4-6 to Nadal, and that's been the story of his career - mental weakness.

Tsonga Vs Wawrinka could be an absolute epic. I see 5 sets written all over this and can't predict the winner. Tsonga has a real shot.

Since Wawrinka won his first grand slam in January 2014, the head to head is 5-2 to Federer. This includes a straight sets win at 2015 US Open, and 4 set win at 2014 Wimbledon. Hardly "nothing between them".

NoviGlitzko

Chivito550 wrote: »

Since Wawrinka won his first grand slam in January 2014, the head to head is 5-2 to Federer. This includes a straight sets win at 2015 US Open, and 4 set win at 2014 Wimbledon. Hardly "nothing between them".

There has been nothing between them though. The WTF semi back at the end of 2014 could have gone either way on hard and they had an extremely close match in Wimbledon of the same year on Rogers supposed best surface. Not to mention Stan straight setted him in FO of 2015 (IIRC) albeit it was on clay. These matches were literally decided with an odd point here or there.

I see Wawrinka as the slight favourite here if he makes it past Jo. Love Stan but Fed is my #1 tennis player so I'd love to be wrong. Wouldn't begrudge left in the draw taking the title but others more-so than Nadal/Raonic.

Rjd2

NoviGlitzko wrote: »

T


Commentators keep on saying this. Where exactly is this big talent? He's a pusher with a big serve. That's literally his game and nothing more. He also capitulated from 4-2 up to lose 4-6 to Nadal, and that's been the story of his career - mental weakness.
.

Agreed, its due to hom flamboyant of a person he is, but his actual style of tennis is mostly pretty dull.

I always recall his Murray match a few years at the french, Murray strolled into a two set win as Monflis tried to push Murray off court, genius tactics:rolleyes:

Then in the next two sets he went for broke, Murray got sulky as the crowd got rowdy, tried to come off court while Monfils won to make it 2-2.

Murray then won the fifth set 6-0.

Rjd2

Coco just turned it on, so much fun to watch, would love her to win this.

Loving both sides of the draw this year and some cracking knock out matches, Murray, Novak and Kerber gone definitely added some unpredictability to this.

Konta v Serena
Dimitrov v Goffin
Raonic v Nadal
Wawrinka v Nadal

all fun matches hopefully.

paulie21

Stan through in straight sets. Looks like Fed will too

Floppybits

Fed 2 sets up now.
Wawrinka and Tsonga had words at the change of ends. Tsonga wasn't happy that Stan was looking at him or something when he won a point.

Jan_de_Bakker

Nice win for Federer there, pity he gets the tougher semi final than Nadal ..

walshb

I'm all over the place with this. From always wanting Fed to win back in the day, to the last couple years seeing me rooting against him, and being a Stan and Murray fan. But just for old times sake I might just wish for a Nadal-Fed final, where as usual, Fed will crumble and commit UE after UE and lose.

walshb

The bookies have Roger favourite to beat Stan, which I don't agree with, as well as outright favorite, which I don't agree with. Stan on any form beats Fed in 3/4 sets. Raonic and Nadal will be a very tight match. Toss up. Raonic shows up and he wins.

Jan_de_Bakker

walshb wrote: »

The bookies have Roger favourite to beat Stan, which I don't agree with, as well as outright favorite, which I don't agree with. Stan on any form beats Fed in 3/4 sets. Raonic and Nadal will be a very tight match. Toss up. Raonic shows up and he wins.

Raonic has fever .... easy 3-0 win for Nadal.

He always gets the lucky breaks, it will be a real shame if he wins this.

walshb

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

Raonic has fever .... easy 3-0 win for Nadal.

He always gets the lucky breaks, it will be a real shame if he wins this.

Fever? As in he is not well?

Vandeweghe smashed Muguruza. just hope it's not a Williamas sisters final!

this is the weirdest GS in many years - most particularly on the men's side of course.
the current favourites out early and the unexpected renaissance of past titans in the one event.

Jan_de_Bakker

walshb wrote: »

Fever? As in he is not well?

Yes, he had a high fever in his last match and he said he was lucky to make it ..
Now sure it could be gone - but fever hangs around ..

Chivito550

walshb wrote: »

The bookies have Roger favourite to beat Stan, which I don't agree with, as well as outright favorite, which I don't agree with. Stan on any form beats Fed in 3/4 sets. Raonic and Nadal will be a very tight match. Toss up. Raonic shows up and he wins.

Where do you get this stuff from? Stan had never beaten Fed away from clay, and is 2-5 against Federer since Stan has been on form (since he won his first slam). Federer is the rightful favourite.

Chivito550

Jan_de_Bakker wrote: »

Yes, he had a high fever in his last match and he said he was lucky to make it ..
Now sure it could be gone - but fever hangs around ..

It was his third round match where he complained about fever, according to the articles showing up on a google search. He has won a match since then and finished strongly in it. With another 2 days recovery, you'd hope he'd be fine.

He doesn't have the flu anyway. If he had the flu he wouldn't be able to get out of bed.

Jan_de_Bakker

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/players/fedex-head-2-head/stan-wawrinka-vs-roger-federer/W367/F324

Confirmed , Wavrinka has only beat Federer on clay - looking good so !

Howwver having said that, Wavrinka will have a better chance v Nadal ..

walshb

Chivito550 wrote: »

Where do you get this stuff from? Stan had never beaten Fed away from clay, and is 2-5 against Federer since Stan has been on form (since he won his first slam). Federer is the rightful favourite.

What stuff?

Paddy Power give the odds, not me. And IMO I think Stan is favourite, and wait until tomorrow to see. Stan is hitting form now. By favorite I mean slight. Not saying it's outrageous that Fed is favorite, just that I would make Stan the favorite. I wouldn't slate Paddy for having Federer favourite. I can understand their take on it.

Stan in 4 sets. 6/4, 6/7, 7/5, 6/3.......Place your bets, fellas.

lostcat

Are the courts playing a bit faster than previously this year? Seems so to me but I haven't been able to watch much of it.

A faster court would do Federer no harm. He is making a good jobs of shortening points in this tournament by going for winners, its a riskier strategy for him now than when he was in his pomp.

lostcat

lostcat wrote: »

Are the courts playing a bit faster than previously this year? Seems so to me but I haven't been able to watch much of it.

A faster court would do Federer no harm. He is making a good jobs of shortening points in this tournament by going for winners, its a riskier strategy for him now than when he was in his pomp.

he knows that he has a much better chance of winning in 3 or 4 sets than 5 obviously, given his age, and as you said, keeping points short also. even the 5 set match against Nikishori was only 3h 23 mins - short for a 5 setter.

MrKingsley

With regards Federer v Wawrinka I'm not sure that looking to matches played a decade ago will have an impact. Or their previous meetings on clay for that matter.

What will have an impact though is the fact that Federer is playing as well as he has done for 4/5 years. He was exceptional against Berdych and again this morning and saw off Nishikori in between.

If Federer continues to serve, move and hit his backhand as he has done so far then I see him winning in 4 max. However if his serve dips or the UE come back into play then it could go either way

walshb

Their most relevant match that relates to this is the U.S. Open back 16 months, where Stan just didn't turn up. That's the issue with Stan. He is flaky, but right now he seems to be finding real form, hence my picking him to beat Federer here "decisively."

SlickRic

It'll be a Stan/Raonic final, unless they choke.

God, the nostalgic side of me would love a Fed/Nadal final though. I'll cancel anything I have on Sunday to watch that.

walshb

SlickRic wrote: »

It'll be a Stan/Raonic final, unless they choke.

God, the nostalgic side of me would love a Fed/Nadal final though. I'll cancel anything I have on Sunday to watch that.

I agree. Would like to see it, but I'd rather Stan or Nadal to win this than Roger.

MrKingsley

Im not sure I'd rather another sporting moment than seeing Federer beat Nadal in the final.

I love them both plus Stan but id love to see Federer win one more. It would be an unbelievable comeback from where he was 3 or so years ago

Chivito550

MrKingsley wrote: »

Im not sure I'd rather another sporting moment than seeing Federer beat Nadal in the final.

I love them both plus Stan but id love to see Federer win one more. It would be an unbelievable comeback from where he was 3 or so years ago

People are quick to forget that Federer had an outstanding 2014 and 2015. He was a whisker away from beating Novak in Wimbledon final in 2014 after 5 thrilling sets, and took Novak to 4 sets in both Wimbledon and US Open finals in 2015. He destroyed Murray in the 2015 Wimbledon semi. He could well have won Wimbledon last year too. He blew a strong lead against Raonic in the semi final.

Let's stop pretending that Federer has been nowhere the last 3 years. Totally incorrect. He's playing no better here than he did in 2015 Wimbledon.

It's a comeback from injury, no more. It's not a comeback from 3 years of average form which your post implies.

NoviGlitzko

Chivito550 wrote: »

It's a comeback from injury, no more. It's not a comeback from 3 years of average form which your post implies.

While that's true, I still place Stan as a slight favourite. I think when it comes to the 4th or 5th set Stan will start to pull through physically. There is still unknowns here with Federers fitness, and this is where in the tourny Wawrinka starts to go into god mode.

I think the match will go the way it did in the 2014 WTF semi final. An extremely nervy and tight affair that will again be decided on crucial points and whoever gets the luck in tiebreaks etc.

I don't want Nadal to be within the possibility of breaking Rogers 17GSMs so I don't want him to win the final. To me, a Federer vs Dimitrov final would be a dream!

MrKingsley

Chivito550 wrote: »

People are quick to forget that Federer had an outstanding 2014 and 2015. He was a whisker away from beating Novak in Wimbledon final in 2014 after 5 thrilling sets, and took Novak to 4 sets in both Wimbledon and US Open finals in 2015. He destroyed Murray in the 2015 Wimbledon semi. He could well have won Wimbledon last year too. He blew a strong lead against Raonic in the semi final.

Let's stop pretending that Federer has been nowhere the last 3 years. Totally incorrect. He's playing no better here than he did in 2015 Wimbledon.

It's a comeback from injury, no more. It's not a comeback from 3 years of average form which your post implies.

Please don't put words in my mouth

When did I say he was nowhere the last three years? I purposefully said a comeback from where he was three years ago, and not from 3 years of poor play, because if he was to win another GS then that would be the icing on the cake.

3 years ago he was ranked number 8 and really struggling to cope with so many players. To win another one would represent a huge turnaround from that moment considering how many people were so quick to write him off

lostcat

the only players who would have beaten Federer, in the last three slam finals he played, were Djokovic or (maybe) Nadal. He would have beaten anyone else in straight sets. is he playing that well now? I don't think so, so not sure I can make him outright favourite.

still, djokovic is out and nadal, while playing well enough, has only won this tournament once.

the winner looks like coming from the Fed/Stan semi, although I would like raonic or dimitrov as a first time winner to start off the year (I'd settle for Nadal and Federer playing the US open final instead for a 'perfect end', rather than a 'perfect beginning', to the year)

Nadal wins no 15..... Federer wins no 18..... what's the point really?

Rob2D

It has saved him a few shanks here and there. But overall I don't think it would have made too much difference if he stayed at 90. If anything, his forehand took a huge hit. It's a shadow of it's former self. A bigger racket will always be more difficult to wield, because it is literally that, bigger. End of story.

Headsize has nothing to do with power. It's the thicker/stiffer beam that helps there. Even so, all that does is allow for a faster swing without compromising results. And that's why I think he changed. He knew he was a step slower and would have to swing later/faster, make quick adjustments. The racket didn't start to fail, it was the man.

Swingweight is what determines power and a midsize racket will always be more powerful than a larger stick when struck in the sweetspot. Hell, the most powerful racket I own is my 60 inch Head Vilas :pac:

Anyway, I'm gonna predict a Nadal/Fed final. I think they're both hungry enough right now to do it. And then Nadal to take the final in 4.

Rjd2

Shameful performance this from Pliskova, Lucic is a mediocre scrub and Pliskova has absolutely bottled this match.

Stevecw

Rjd2 wrote: »

Shameful performance this from Pliskova, Lucic is a mediocre scrub and Pliskova has absolutely bottled this match.

3 games in a row now, looks like she has finally woken up

Rjd2

Stevecw wrote: »

3 games in a row now, looks like she has finally woken up

Jinxed her!

Lucic breaks back, to be fair she is playing pretty well, just Pliskova very shaky here.

Surprising as she has been very clutch recently.

Stevecw

Rjd2 wrote: »

Jinxed her!

Lucic breaks back, to be fair she is playing pretty well, just Pliskova very shaky here.

Surprising as she has been very clutch recently.

Surely she wins 3rd set from here. Stepped it up big time last few games, the winner in 2nd last game was class.

Or maybe not Lucic played an injury time out perfectly & then wins!

Rjd2

Shameful from Pliskova. Lucic played well, but she should not be able to live with someone like Pliskova.



Hopefully she doesn't get hammered to much in the semi final.

Stevecw

Konta putting in a good 2nd set v Serena. Should really go to bed, but this has me hooked!

Richard Hillman

Is it just me or is Serena wearing an awful lot of clothing considering the sun and heat?

3/4 length leggings, an underarmour type top, with a dress either over it or part of the elasticy material, with a sports bra underneath. Then 2 long sleeves on her arms.


I know when it gets a certain level hot, your better off covering up than exposure but her gear is skin tight to her.

Stevecw

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Is it just me or is Serena wearing an awful lot of clothing considering the sun and heat?

3/4 length leggings, an underarmour type top, with a dress either over it or part of the elasticy material, with a sports bra underneath. Then 2 long sleeves on her arms.


I know when it gets a certain level hot, your better off covering up than exposure but her gear is skin tight to her.

It seems to work for her. Very impressive win there, thought Konta would be a serious test for her, but won it easily. Flying along still at 35 & no signs of slowing down.... can't see anyone beat her now.