Aus Open Day 7

Kontaveit (32) vs Suarez Navarro (33)
Nadal (1) vs Shortzman (24)
DIMI (3) VS Kyrgios (17)
rybarikova (19) vs Wozniack (2)
Busta (10) vs Cilic (6)
Edmund (33) vs Seppi (33)
Allertova (33) vs Svitolina (4)
Martic (33) vs Mertens (33)

Suarez, Shortzman, Kyrgios, Rybarikova, Cilic, Edmund, Allertova, mertens
bulge: konta, schwartz, nkr, ryb, cilic, seppi, svit, mertens
mikey: suarez, rafa nkr, rybar, cilic edmund, allert, mertens
T: suarez, navarro, schw, nkr, rybari, cilic, edmund, allert, martic

Suarez Navarro (33)
Shortzman (24)
Kyrgios (17)
rybarikova (19)
Busta (10)
Edmund (33)
Svitolina (4)
Mertens (33)

I have completely lost touch with women tennis. Imagine if I did not know who Zverev was, never heard of! Svitolina is number 4 seed but never heard of her. If I had been asked the ranking of Wozniaki last week, I woudl have said around top 20! Needless to say no clue about Rybarikova, Martens or Allertova.

Agree, but since Serena is not playing, I started watching it again.

I stopped watching women's tennis after Henin retired. I had no idea who was the world #1 until I saw it yesterday.

But, more importantly, Schwartzman needs to win today.

I reckon I’ve probably heard of every man in the top 200 or so and would recognise most of them. However, I’ve never heard of Kontaveit before reading this article and she’s seeded (and I see knocked out Ostapenko). 

Dimitrov v Kyrgios is the standout match by some way. Kyrgios should win but the pressure on him will be immense.

summerblues wrote:I stopped watching women's tennis after Henin retired.  I had no idea who was the world #1 until I saw it yesterday.

Me too, re Henin.

Cilic mentally as strong as ever.

Federer and Nadal are the only two players who reached Rd4 without dropping a set.

From set points at 5:2, Cilic manages to lose the first set. His service game at 5:3 was quite sad to watch.

Kyrgios at 2:3 is the only player remaining in the top half with a respectable H2H vs Nadal. None of the other guys beat Rafa more than once, and their combined H2H vs him is 3:31.

Navarro, Schwarzman, Kyrgios, Rybarnikova, Cilic, Seppi, Svitolina, Martic

Womem’s draw indeed looks crazy, don’t know what half of those players look like, somehow I am imagining they all look and play the same.

Well, I am up early...must be the excitement of Scwarzman potentially knocking out Nadal.  

Schwarzy, you little Argie, you must play your socks off now...think of tango, your great predecessors...Maradona etc....just do it maaan!

Impressive third set TB from Cilic. But now it is Schwartzman time. Let's do it!

After seeing one game I have concluded Schwartzy has no chance.

He is good but not gutsy enough.

To beat Nadal you need either:

angles,
line painting
DTL shots
or to be Djokovic.

And Schwartzy does none of this so far.

Actually, the court does play nice and fast and Fed will have no problem with Nadal on it.

Nadal faced with three BPs reverts to moonbaling extraordinaire, reverting to his comfort zone 6m behind the baseline.

And it worked...

Shame that Diego could not break.

Well he had many chances but bottled it...Nadal however presses on his opportunities and breaks.
I am off to catch some more sleep of I can...

That is not very encouraging. Diego had his chances, Rafa was not playing very well, and yet Rafa won the set quite comfortably. Sadly, if Rafa wins this match, he will be guaranteed No 1 spot after the AO.

summerblues wrote:Federer and Nadal are the only two players who reached Rd4 without dropping a set.

Now only Fed has not lost a set....but he has played less.

I picked it up at 6/5 Nadal and Nadal to serve for the set.....just to be broken. TB....And yep Nadal looks tired. Unlike the USO, the extra speed is simply too much for him and makes UEs....is being dictated instead of dictating when the courts are dead slow.

Incredibly, Schwartzman takes the second set even though he was playing better in the first. Rafa making quite a few errors. Three times Rafa was up a break in this set, and each time Schwartzman was able to break back.

Anyway. Bedtime for me, and Vamos Diego!

Nadal being given 4 towels at the change of end.

Great set by Schwartzman. Court looks quite slow and Rafa is really struggling to find winners - whereas Schwartzman’s early ball striking still enables him to create chances. No chance this Nadal is beating Fed.

Which player in the tournament is currently on a streak of 57 consecutive service holds, which I’m assuming is the longest of any of the players left!

Double net cord creating a break point for Diego but saved with a good serve. Another one with a missed backhand from Nadal. Looks in real trouble here. Just can’t get any free points.

Its a festival of errors from both sides. Shwartz missing an easy BP.

Yeah, I wonder how crucial that missed forehand on break point will prove.

I can't remember exactly why I got kicked out of v2 but I seem to remember it was because I called Nadal a moonballer....I was the Galileo Galile cause he is a moonballer.

Shwatz does not seem to have anything left in the tank in that 3rd set.

Lol - I doubt Schwartzman is feeling this at all yet. He’s an absolute machine and it’s not even that hot today. He’s just had a bit of a dip which is always going to happen in a long match.

I have only seen him play ok in that TB. He is making so many UEs it's really bizarre. I am hoping the shade on the court will help him recover and lower Nadal's moonballs.

3rd set gone, maybe Schwartz on 4th can do a bit better.

Nadal purposedly making 4 UEs in a row to save energy to serve for the set.

Slippy wrote:I reckon I’ve probably heard of every man in the top 200 or so and would recognise most of them. However, I’ve never heard of Kontaveit before reading this article and she’s seeded (and I see knocked out Ostapenko). 

Dimitrov v Kyrgios is the standout match by some way. Kyrgios should win but the pressure on him will be immense.

But. but..... it’s equally valid and well worth equal pay.

The smarter girls know what really makes you a star in the game.i bet Genie Bouchard out-earns those unknown people some have said are top 4 players.

COme on tak it to 5 sets, already 3h play

4 BPs for Scwartz......but hey not enough!

Tenez wrote:4 BPs for Scwartz......but hey not enough!

But you bet Nadal will only need one to break Schw!

and I was right!

So predictable. No merit!

Credit to Nadal, defying lots of bps and winning his is something he does often and does tell you something.

I’ve thought Cilic could do him for a while. Mentally fragile of course, but the guys serve puts pressure on.

bogbrush wrote:Credit to Nadal, defying lots of bps and winning his is something he does often and does tell you something.

Tells me more about his opponents. Djoko/Murray have an excellent rate cause he keeps the ball in.

The problem with Cilic is that his serve will save Nadal a lot of energy. Nadal needs to be beaten physically. Schw had it...but not mentally.

Tell you what, Edmunds looks serious here. Might have been fun to see him play Nadal as he corresponds to the type of player who’s been hitting him off courts.

Tenez wrote:

bogbrush wrote:Credit to Nadal, defying lots of bps and winning his is something he does often and does tell you something.

Tells me more about his opponents. Djoko/Murray have an excellent rate cause he keeps the ball in.

Tells me he’s stronger at tight points. If it was merely about a style of play winning points he’d not be in bp saving mode. It’s about percentages.

The guys not #200 with a vast international conspiracy elevating him to #1 you know.

bogbrush wrote:Tell you what, Edmunds looks serious here. Might have been fun to see him play Nadal as he corresponds to the type of player who’s been hitting him off courts.

I havenot seen him play but you might be right. I see him as a Murray with a FH!

No, nothing like Murray, he has enormous power, inclined towards hitting winners, and isn’t a roadrunner.

He’s a baseline abd British, but even then he’s English, not Scottish.

Edmund is nothing like Murray in style at all. He looks vastly improved though - both his serve and backhand are starting to look like top level shots.