Australian Open 2013: Matches of the day : Day 8 21-Jan-2013

After one of the greatest tennis matches I've ever seen, I feel bad for Stan. What a performance he put. Tennis like some of the others sports doesn't have a draw and at times it does look harsh on the losing player.

The schedule is out for tomorrow. AO is heating up.

1.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) {23}

vRichard Gasquet (FRA) {25 }

Another battle of the french, but this one I'm sure isn't going to be anything like the last one. Jo is a bit off form recently, but Gasquet is looking very good. The Doha title will give him good confidence coming into this AO. Stan today showed some of the best SHBH shots I've ever seen. I have just as hopes from Gasquet.

My pick: Let me go with Gasquet just for the sheer brilliance of a SHBH shot.

2.
Milos Raonic (CAN) {29}

vRoger Federer (SUI) {18}

Its a great match every time they have met. Raonic has his serves, Fed has... well everything.

My Pick: Who else but Fed in 3.

3.

Jeremy Chardy (FRA) {33}

vAndreas Seppi (ITA) [21]

Both decent players who have shown more promise than actual results. Chardy beat Delpo is a stunning match causing the first major upset this AO. Can he handle the lesser force in Seppi.

My Pick: Chardy can.


4.

Gilles Simon (FRA) {30}

vAndy Murray (GBR) {19}

Battle of the similar styles of play. But Murray has moved a step ahead.

My pick: Murray. Simon is already injured.

5.

Serena Williams (USA) {19}

vMaria Kirilenko (RUS) {30}

Will kiri have the guts to beat Serena?

My pick: Let me pick Kiri as I'm sure none would.

First I would like to say it really stupid to make the ladies start first in the evening session but then making it start at 7.30pm instead of 7 or even 6 is really stupid. Fed's match likely to start at 9pm or later and that means a finish at 12am. What time did the match finish today?

vRichard Gasquet (FRA) {25 }

vRoger Federer (SUI) {18}

Jeremy Chardy (FRA) {33}

vAndy Murray (GBR) {19}

Serena Williams (USA) {19}

tsonga, feds, toughy i want chardy so i will pick chardy , murray, serena

Tsonga, Fed, Seppi, Murray, Williams

Tsonga
Federer
Seppi
Murray
Williams

Tsonga, Federer, Seppi, Murray, Williams.

Caroline Wozniacki plays the most disgusting tennis.

Murray won.. easy-breezy.

Saw Tsonga-Gasquet match. Gasquet played nothing like he did in Doha. Looked clueless at time as to what shot he should play.

Tsonga came in a lot of times.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Saw Tsonga-Gasquet match. Gasquet played nothing like he did in Doha. Looked clueless at time as to what shot he should play.

Tsonga came in a lot of times.

Making the most of those faster courts I guess. I am surprised by that result. I really thought Gasquet would win...but clearly he is not mentally ready yet to reach the later stages.

Fed-Raonic about to start...

No white Tshirt from Fed...a good sign.



Great returns already from Fed.

Rao quite aggressive actually. The good thing for Fed...IF HE GOES THROUGH....is that it won't be as taxing physically as teh Tomic match.

Serve dominant match till now. Fed has some great returns, but just not able to get it on imp points. Nothing to take away from Raonic, he is serving bombs.

get in!!!

Ouch....Lucky there Fed that Rao choked here. 1 set Fed 64!

Fed breaks Raonic's serve finally. Raonic is poor with his ground strokes. That is attributed to his poor mouvement I believe.

Fed won the set only losing 2 points on serve.

The things is for guys like Roanic, Karlovic, Isner: they don't really get under Fed's skin. Like Rosol f.i. got under Nadals skin.

Raonic misses some of the most easy balls. Either hits it long or wide or into the net. His technique perhaps is poor which could leave him imbalanced and hence missing the targets.

It will be hard for Raonic to win a possible tiebreak, let alone break Fed's serve

gallery play wrote:The things is for guys like Roanic, Karlovic, Isner: they don't really get under Fed's skin. Like Rosol f.i. got under Nadals skin.

The key here is how close you can cope with pace....and in particular how close to the BL you can afford to be. If like Nadal you stand 4m behind on the return, it gives the big servers time to trigger huge FHs behind their serves. Fed keeps them on the move constantly.

That is what defined talented players in the 90s.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Raonic misses some of the most easy balls. Either hits it long or wide or into the net. His technique perhaps is poor which could leave him imbalanced and hence missing the targets.

He would have that split sec extra if he were to play Djoko or Murray and that woudl make a huge difference in his ground shots.

Tenez wrote:

gallery play wrote:The things is for guys like Roanic, Karlovic, Isner: they don't really get under Fed's skin. Like Rosol f.i. got under Nadals skin.

The key here is how close you can cope with pace....and in particular how close to the BL you can afford to be. If like Nadal you stand 4m behind on the return, it gives the big servers time to trigger huge FHs behind their serves. Fed keeps them on the move constantly.

That is what defined talented players in the 90s.

yeah, playing in a rush is a nightmare to some but feels natural to others

Natural?? who??

TB time. Inevitable

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Natural?? who??

Taylor Dent

Tenez wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Raonic misses some of the most easy balls. Either hits it long or wide or into the net. His technique perhaps is poor which could leave him imbalanced and hence missing the targets.

He would have that split sec extra if he were to play Djoko or Murray and that woudl make a huge difference in his ground shots.

I am actually wrong here. Djoko and Murray woudl certainly return Rao's serve as well. By standing behind but compensating with extra power and of course the DHBH. However during rallies Fed woudl rush Rao more than the other 2. For Nadal it woudl be a stressfull from the word go.

Tenez wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Raonic misses some of the most easy balls. Either hits it long or wide or into the net. His technique perhaps is poor which could leave him imbalanced and hence missing the targets.

He would have that split sec extra if he were to play Djoko or Murray and that woudl make a huge difference in his ground shots.

I am actually wrong here. Djoko and Murray woudl certainly return Rao's serve as well. By standing behind but compensating with extra power and of course the DHBH. However during rallies Fed woudl rush Rao more than the other 2. For Nadal it woudl be a stressfull from the word go.

I must say Rao is pretty disppointing today...but I will not complain.

Tenez wrote:

Tenez wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Raonic misses some of the most easy balls. Either hits it long or wide or into the net. His technique perhaps is poor which could leave him imbalanced and hence missing the targets.

He would have that split sec extra if he were to play Djoko or Murray and that woudl make a huge difference in his ground shots.

I am actually wrong here. Djoko and Murray woudl certainly return Rao's serve as well. By standing behind but compensating with extra power and of course the DHBH. However during rallies Fed woudl rush Rao more than the other 2. For Nadal it woudl be a stressfull from the word go.

They certainly would prevent Roanic for hitting so many aces. But Fed's court positioning (toeing the baseline, even at first serve) puts a lot of pressure on the big server. Like we just saw in the tiebreak.
It's like how Agassi played Ivanisevic: Goran hit many aces against Andre but every time he hit a weaker serve Andre was right there to punish it.

gallery play wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Natural?? who??

Taylor Dent

R u sure? I'm not. Firstly because I didn't watch a lot of Dent play. But How can anyone play better when rushed into shots? That would mean that the word 'rushed' actually doesn't exist for him and he is never rushed into any shot. This is a paradox.

Or those were just reflex plays and somehow worked for Dent. Still doesn't mean he played better when rushed.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

gallery play wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Natural?? who??

Taylor Dent

R u sure? I'm not. Firstly because I didn't watch a lot of Dent play. But How can anyone play better when rushed into shots? That would mean that the word 'rushed' actually doesn't exist for him and he is never rushed into any shot. This is a paradox.

Or those were just reflex plays and somehow worked for Dent. Still doesn't mean he played better when rushed.

That was a joke rotla
Sure Talyor had a big serve but i couldn't think of a heavier dude than he was

Yes I mentioned a few times that Fed's return of serve is one of the most underestimated part of his game...essentially cause the courts are so slow that standing close to the BL and blocking it is not as efficient, nowadays, that standing further back and swing the return.

However should teh conds speed up again and the skill of returning close to the BL woudl become an advantage again.



I saw Fed returning an inform Karlo and Ancic live at Wimby.....It's something!

Oh! Fed back with the white T SHirt back on!!!



Could be a) preventing the back getting colder as the temperatures drop b) back starts to seize.

Gp,

And Fed with a white under T-shirt. Can he Bagel Raonic?

Oh my.. what a return winner... 215 km/h first serve and Fed plays a perfect drop shot return on it. Raonic could only watch in disbelieve.

And Raonic on board in set-3. Good. It could have been a lot discouraging if he couldn't even stay with Fed at all.

He is a good player. Perhaps a new coach is needed. The current one isn't taking him any further.

Tenez wrote:Oh! Fed back with the white T SHirt back on!!!



Could be a) preventing the back getting colder as the temperatures drop b) back starts to seize.

Many have put their jackets on in the audience so A is a legit explanation.
Last time he wore that thermo T shirt he did pretty well in the end But seriously: the back will remain an issue, rusty backs don't cure. Another 3 set win is very welcome for sure.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Oh my.. what a return winner... 215 km/h first serve and Fed plays a perfect drop shot return on it. Raonic could only watch in disbelieve.

What about that flat BH return on a 217 kph serve

I did not expect such a comfortable win.

wow, that was impressive. Raonic was useless in the rallies but got schooled in serving too

on court interview: hahaha, in your face Nadal!

Nice after match interview.

I need to calculate 2 days of points table.

I'll do it after I reach home.

"i put the t shirt on because i have such big muscles, i have to keep 'm warm. Particularly the left arm is so impressive, i think it's what shocks all the opponents when i walk out and they see that huge left arm when i toss the ball, scary, scary stuff"

Yes...that was funny!

However I am still surprised and worried he puts teh Tshirt and makes sure he wears a jacket when interviewed.



We need a second heat wave in Australia for the second week.

And why not wearing that T shirt throughout the match? Especially during the night sessions.

Good match from Federer, looked very comfortable out there, though in truth, Raonic offered little resistance. Other than his serve, he was utterly useless. The number of unforced errors in neutral rallies was astonishing.

Tenez wrote:I must say Rao is pretty disppointing today...but I will not complain.

He was particularly dreadful today, but I think you rate him a bit too high in general. Other than his serve, I am yet to see anything extraordinary. In my mind he is a slightly better version of Isner in general (but replace "better" with "worse" for today's specific performance).