Australian Open 2016 - Day 2 (and predictions)

Rafael Nadal (ESP) [5]
vs.
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 33


Alexander Zverev (GER) 33
vs.
Andy Murray (GBR) [2]

Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 33
vs.
Sam Groth (AUS) 33

Bernard Tomic (AUS) [16]
vs.
Denis Istomin (UZB)


Milos Raonic (CAN) [13]
vs.
Lucas Pouille (FRA) 33

Jerzy Janowicz (POL) 33
vs.
John Isner (USA) [10]

David Ferrer (ESP) [8]
vs.
Peter Gojowczyk (GER) 33


Santiago Giraldo (COL)
vs.
Donald Young (USA)

Ernests Gulbis (LAT) 33
vs.
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) [30]

Tatsuma Ito (JPN)
vs.
Radek Stepanek (CZE)

Rafael Nadal (ESP) [5] 5 points is a lot nowadays.


Alexander Zverev (GER) 33

Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 33

Bernard Tomic (AUS) [16]

Lucas Pouille (FRA) 33

John Isner (USA) [10]

David Ferrer (ESP) [8]

Donald Young (USA)


Jeremy Chardy (FRA) [30]


Radek Stepanek (CZE)

Nadal, Murray, Tomic, Pouille (on principle  ), Isner, Chardy, Stepanek, Young, Groth, Ferrer

Pouille-Raonic is the first match on court 2, glad as that's the only one I was interested in seeing.

Though Nadal-Verdasco may be interesting, too, but not interesting enough for late nigh watching.

Nando, Zverev, Mannarino, tomic, JJ, Ferrer, Young, Chardy, Ito. raonic

Verdasco
Zverev
Mannarino
Tomic
Raonic
Isner
Ferrer
Young
Chardy
Stepanek

silly goose: nadal murray mann tomic, rao isner ferrer young chardy step

Pouille taking the ball early, especially on the return. If he keeps to it he will improve at it quickly....that's what gasquet never did....only in patches .

...but his serve lets him down badly. The court is playing v fast....helped by the players of course.

awful serving from pouille. no first serve and average 2nd serve.

Tenez wrote:...but his serve lets him down badly. The court is playing v fast....helped by the players of course.

Apparently day time conditins are much faster and bouncier than evening...explains the score!

Wow, s&v from Lucas, very nice! (even though the volley turns out to be - out)

The court is definitely helping Raonic's serve....no wonder it's all happening so quickly.
Don't know what the first set was like, but not great tennis in the second.

Pouille's serve can be really good, though.

Rao's fh can b quite deadly.

beaten fair and square! good night!

Vamossss Nandooooo!

Tenez wrote:Rao's fh can b quite deadly.

Yes, lost of pace, but somehow mechanical. Not organic and wholesome like Verdasco's for example.

Hugh Jass (not seen it yet): nando, murr, mann, tomic, rao, jj, peter, young, gulbis step

Verdasco take out Nadal in 5 sets.. Great ball striking and super tennis.

Verdasco hits 90 winners 

Unreal play from Verdasco, deserves to be through.
Nadal needs to work on his second serve, but apart from that full credit has to go to Verdasco.

DONALD TRUMP wrote:Unreal play from Verdasco, deserves to be through.
Nadal needs to work on his second serve, but apart from that full credit has to go to Verdasco.

Sorry Donald, I hope you are not too gutted

We've all been there before!
At least now you can relax and enjoy the rest of AO!

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Verdasco hits 90 winners 

I only started watching at 2:3 down in the fifth set...awesome turn-around from Nando.

And indeed 90 winners, that's the way to win a match!

Verdasco has talent and all the shots, he is strong, only his heart (I refuse to say lack of brains!) gets the better of him in matches when he goes for his shots.

But today was his day, so happy for him, bravo Nando!  

Some surprising scores - Anderson out!
How on earth did he manage that
Match fixing?

Also, must have been a good one between Chardy and Gulbis 13:11 in the 5th!

noleisthebest wrote:Some surprising scores - Anderson out!
How on earth did he manage that
Match fixing?

Also, must have been a good one between Chardy and Gulbis 13:11 in the 5th!

I believe he was injured. So was karlovic.. they looked very pale in the pre-Aus open tournaments...

is it going to be the last career match for Hewitt?

Duckworth is showing too much respect for Hewitt.. applauding far too many shots from him.. I don't think he wants to win here.

ahh and as expected a tame end for the set..

Wante to check the "pretty" American boy Fritz, but only managed to see the match point...

He was 2:1 and won that third set 6:0 in 17 minutes.

Jusging from Sock's winning roar/grunt, looks like he won some American class war in that match...

I also reas some funny comment from Paire about the young Yank who beat him...like he was nit a good player! Be-nooo-it....

Nice to see Tursunov!

Looks like it's a good match. 5:4, Stan serving to stay in the set.

Rare chance to watch some proper tennis...

Stan squandering 2 BPs.. Tursonov calling the trainer for a chit-chat..

And looks like it was a good match berwen Mukker & Fofnini.
Fabio lost in 3 TBs...but didn't go out without an aria...love it!



Btw, Stan't outfit is HORRENDOUS!!!!!

interesting stats...

"When they played their epic five-set semifinal in 2009, Nadal won one more point than Verdasco – 193 to 192. This time, Verdasco managed to win two more than his Spanish rival – 182 to 180."

Verdy is going to lose next round. It's one thing hitting winners v Nadal, it's another versus a player who plays less safe.

Fast conds never suited Nadal...never will.

Tenez wrote:Fast conds never suited Nadal...never will.

Is the AO playing faster this year? I haven't read anything about it from any players.

Not great tennis going on.. stan is self destructing... missing easy points..

I thought it did. Certainly in daylight and hot conditions.

The other very interesting stat is that over 70% of rallies were short (1 to 4 shots). Typical of fast conditions.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Not great tennis going on.. stan is self destructing... missing easy points..

not watching but the bottom half is going to be dead boring at this rate.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Not great tennis going on.. stan is self destructing... missing easy points..

I like it!
Esp enjoying Tursunov's FH.

Funny to see Stan playing the grinder in this match-up....

from the beeb...
=====

It was an all-or-nothing strategy for Verdasco that made strategic sense against one of the best defensive players of all time. He was not going to out-rally Nadal. He simply out-hit him.