Aus Open 2021 Thread

[N2D2L]

Aus Open draw:

https://ausopen.com/draws

[raiders_of_the_lost_ark]

I didn't even realize untill today morning that Aus Open has started. Man!!.. This is a different world now.

[naxroy]

it looks like top seeded will reach quarters

[naxroy]

Except schwartzman probably

[Tenez]

I didn't even realize untill today morning that Aus Open has started. Man!!.. This is a different world now.

Very true.

[Tenez]

it looks like top seeded will reach quarters

De Minaur can hurt Nadal and Djoko will probably retire next or simply will be beaten by Rao.

[N2D2L]

it looks like top seeded will reach quarters

De Minaur can hurt Nadal and Djoko will probably retire next or simply will be beaten by Rao.

Fognini crushed De Minaur, and will likely beat Nadal.

[naxroy]

will novak play?

[Tenez]

has anyone watched Karatsev play? I just saw the 3mn summary and I quite like his game. He stands very far on returns and after that he plays inside the baseline with very good hands.

I like what I saw.

[naxroy]

has anyone watched Karatsev play?  I just saw the 3mn summary and I quite like his game. He stands very far on returns and after that he plays inside the baseline with very good hands.

I like what I saw.

the story of this AO so far, without a doubt

[Tenez]

Nadal wears the proof of his steroid taking on top of his head.

When one thinks about the money he put into hair transplant. He should have given it to charity.

[Tenez]

Flaky Fog! 4/3 0/40 up and throws away 3 BPs....and already wasted the advantage of a break up. 4 all in the second set.

[Tenez]

And without doing anything Nadal breaks . Fog never had the mental strength........and never will.

[N2D2L]

Nadal wears the proof of his steroid taking on top of his head.

When one thinks about the money he put into hair transplant. He should have given it to charity.  

Many men have that. 

Also could be side effects of medicines he took to recover from injury problems. Remember the Russian hack leak revealed Nadal took TUEs for medicine to treat knee problems from 2012 onwards. 
And Nadal had loads of hair when young and into his mid 20s, it only started thinning once he had longer injury breaks in mid 20s onwards.

[N2D2L]

Flaky Fog! 4/3 0/40 up and throws away 3 BPs....and already wasted the advantage of a break up. 4 all in the second set.

Agree with this. Fognini definitely should have won that second set, had it under his grasp. Blinked at the wrong moment.

[naxroy]

Didnt expect Thiem to miss the quarters really.

Now Djokovic´s half looks easier than Nadals. One week ago was the other way around

[naxroy]

Nadal reached his 13th quarter finals in australia.

Just one win, but still it is probably the slam (apart from roland garros) where he has been more consistent throughout his career

Australia: 1W, 4F, 1 SF, 6 QF (13)
Wimbledon: 2W, 3F, 2SF (7)
USOpen: 4W, 1F, 3SF, 1QF (9)

Number of semifinals (or more) is pretty close in the three non clay slams, but he has reached far more quarters in Melbourne than in New York or London.

[Tenez]

Didnt expect Thiem to miss the quarters really.

Now Djokovic´s half looks easier than Nadals. One week ago was the other way around

Yep. But Nadal's first 4 rounds were much easier than Djoko. However now it s reverse.

[naxroy]

yes, thats what I said

[N2D2L]

@Tenez, what were your thoughts on Nadal's answer to the question he was asked at 2:06?

[Tenez]

Was Dimi injured? Or did Karatsev killed him physically?

I only watched the last 4 games. This Karatsev is a "super Nalby". Never saw someone return as well. Might be due to a resigned Dimi.

[Tenez]

Exactly he wanted play Fog under hot and very bouncy conds. No news here. And I know he asked for it. Not about pace but bounce. The higher the bounce the harder it is to inject pace.

[naxroy]

He will play evening against tsitsipas

[naxroy]

Dimitrov was clearly injured after set 2

to be honest in set 3 he did some passive game that could have been santioned, I dont know why he didnt retire instead, because clearly he couldnt move

[naxroy]

Zverev is having lots of chances, but when it matters Djokovic is simply better.
Good champion the serb, if only he did a little less theatre

[Tenez]

He will play evening against tsitsipas

He cannot have his way everytime.

[Tenez]

Dimitrov was clearly injured after set 2

to be honest in set 3 he did some passive game that could have been santioned, I dont know why he didnt retire instead, because clearly he couldnt move

Ah ok....gave me wrong impressions then.

[naxroy]

He will play evening against tsitsipas

He cannot have his way everytime.

Exactly

[Tenez]

did anyone watched Med v Rub? Med might win this AO. just too solid plus the serve.

[naxroy]

Agree. 

Djokovic is always top favourite, considering he is defending champion and 8 times winner here, but he has been strugling in most of the matches to a certain point, whilst Daniil has been superb except for the match with Krajinovic

Taking into consideration what we have seen so far (also atp finals and atp cup) Medvedev is also my favourite for this Australian Open.

Lets see today how good Rafa or Stefanos arrived to this point

[Tenez]

Rafa is playing well.....very solid.

[Tenez]

But Steph is not playing that well.... tired already.

[naxroy]

5 setters can have swings, but for the moment Nadal is in control.

Tsitsipas should not be tired, or maybe that walkover in 4th round was not good in terms of rhythm

[Tenez]

Unlike Federer, Tsi takes the ball too late hence cannot dictate which is key v Nadal.

[Tenez]

5 seters can have swings, but for the moment Nadal is in control.

Tsitsipas should not be tired, or maybe that walkover in 4th round was not good in terms of rhythm

It's not a question of sets played as much as having long successive rallies. There is nothing more killing than sustaining long gruelling rallies. This is why Nadal and Djoko have been so dominant over the years. Only them could sustain those. And now Medvedev can too it seems.

[Tenez]

With Nadal's FH cross court, if you take it 1m further away from the baseline, you have to run to extra meters......there is no choice than to take the ball early.

[Tenez]

This is why the time in between points is so key! and having extra red cells is essential!

[Tenez]

and having said that, the perfect proof with Nadal taking his time after a 23 shot rally.

[naxroy]

I great of the sport no doubt. 
And each year his game is more varied, so you shall be liking it by now

[naxroy]

2 mistakes in the tiebreaker than can cost him a lot.

[naxroy]

3 mistakes

[naxroy]

4 mistakes

[naxroy]

and it cost him the set of course

those mistakes came mostly in points he had under control

[Tenez]

now the number of sets played could make a difference.

[Tenez]

I great of the sport no doubt. 
And each year his game is more varied, so you shall be liking it by now

He will never be a great for me cause I know too much what is behind physical games nowadays.

You might not want to look at it but it is there.

[Tenez]

can you now see the effect of that oxygen in that 4th set? UEs going up fast.

[naxroy]

Great Tsitsipas changing the match upside down.

Rafa has no answer right now

[Tenez]

oh...com'on.....you know it is all down to Nadal's fitness. And of course he has to take a MTO to get some more repair!

This guy is the frankeinstein of tennis.

[Slippy]

Nadal looks to be running on empty to me. Movement has looked a little hampered since the start of the 4th set. Understandable as his build up was interrupted. Even if he gets through this, Medvedev will crush him.

[naxroy]

naxroyOnly Nadal can save this forum






This is what I meant

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