2009 Australian Open

[Newcastle Forever]

Starts on January 19

Who is everyone going for?

[mozza]

Sharapova obviously.

[Newcastle Forever]

I thought she was ruled out?

Ivanovic is hotter anyway..

[U23]

Sharapova obviously.

Almost certain she's been ruled out.

I'm going for Roddick and Ivanovic/Jankovic

[mozza]

Ivanovic is hotter anyway..
She's alright but sharapova is better

[pommieknight]

Murray - all day long. Beaten Nadal and Federer (twice).

[Newcastle Forever]

Well in the mens im going for

Djokovic
Federer
Lleyton
Murray
Tsonga

And in the womens

Ivanovic
Stosur
Delacqua

[knight-no-7]

Ivanovic
&
Nadal (& Hewitt, but he will get eliminated sooner or later)

[Denno]

Hewitt and Roddick.

And if Sharapova was playing, then her, but she's not. So then Ivanovic =]

[Newcastle Forever]

Hewitt played well yesterday against Nalbandian in Sydney

I think he is going to do well in Melbourne

[Jonno_Knights]

Hewitt wont make it past the first round, he has drawn Gonzalez

[Newcastle Forever]

****

is that a joke?

[knight-no-7]

Mens Draw:
http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/scores/draws/ms/r1s1.html

Womens Draw:
http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/scores/draws/ws/index.html

[Denno]

****

is that a joke?
Well he is unseeded so it's always a possibility. Still heaps unlucky though.

If he's gonna win he's gotta beat the best anyway. Hewitt is capable of beating Gonzalez.

[Jonno_Knights]

Well he is unseeded so it's always a possibility. Still heaps unlucky though.

If he's gonna win he's gotta beat the best anyway. Hewitt is capable of beating Gonzalez.

yeh but for a grand slam u always like to have a few cupcake straight set wins early on, to be fresh for the second week.

[Newcastle Forever]

yeh but for a grand slam u always like to have a few cupcake straight set wins early on, to be fresh for the second week.

True

But a draw against tough openents can also help prepare you

Look at Lleytons draw in 05, when he made the final

Clement
Blake
Chela
Nadal
Nalbandian
Roddick
Safin
And don't forget, in the RLWC last year the Kangaroos smashed everyone and then when the final came around they choked

[Denno]

yeh but for a grand slam u always like to have a few cupcake straight set wins early on, to be fresh for the second week.
Yeh I agree but say if he beats Gonzalez then he'll be up against an unseeded player. He can still have a decent draw after this first game, that could lead him deep into the 2nd week.

[Newcastle Forever]

He'll play either Guillermo Canas (Argentina) or Nicolas Kiefer in the 2nd round if he makes it past Gonzales

Don't know much about Canas but Kiefer is a former world no. 4

[GUNNERS]

Yeh I agree but say if he beats Gonzalez then he'll be up against an unseeded player. He can still have a decent draw after this first game, that could lead him deep into the 2nd week.

Ye, If he beats Richard Gasquet in the third round aswell, and Nadal in the 4th, if the favourites win. It will be very tough for Leyton.

[Denno]

Yep I looked deeper into the draw today, and with Nadal in his quarter and a few other decent players... even apart from Gonzalez, doesn't look good for Lleyton.

What about Bernard Tomic... he is a 16 y/o exciting young Aussie. Should be interesting to see how he goes.

[Newcastle Forever]

He won the boys tournament last year didnt he?

[Newcastle Forever]

TEENAGE tyros Bernard Tomic and Brydan Klein and former wunderkind Jelena Dokic got the Australian Open off to a flying start for the local contingent.
Tomic lived up to all the pre-tournament hype, holding his nerve to beat experienced Italian Potito Starace 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (8-6).
(http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24932479-5002324,00.html)
At just 16 years and 89 days he became the youngest male winner of a Australian Open match in the opening era, beating the previous record set by Todd Woodbridge 21 years ago.

Time and again, the reigning Australian Open boys champion fired backhand winners down the line against Starace, who has been ranked as high as No.27 in the world.

Tomic came back from a service break down in the third and fourth sets to win his first-ever best of five encounter before an adoring capacity crowd on Margaret Court Arena.

"It's a dream come true to win a first round in my first grand slam," said Tomic.

"I'm just thrilled that I could pull off a win today.

"With the crowd behind me, it was an unbelievable experience, they just lifted me more when I needed it.

"That was the main thing - if the crowd wasn't there, I wouldn't have pulled it off."

Klein, who preceded Tomic as the Australian Open junior champion in 2007, was no less impressive in disposing of German Bjorn Phau 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-3.

The 19-year-old's only previous experience in the main draw of a grand slam tournament came at Melbourne Park last year when he lost a tight four-setter to Chilean Paul Capdeville.

But this time it was Klein who dictated terms against Phau, more than 10 years his senior.

"Australian tennis has been criticised a little bit recently and it's understandable," said Klein.

"We haven't got anyone high up like Lleyton Hewitt and Pat Rafter, like we used to.

"But we've definitely got some good players coming.

"This is a great day for Australian tennis."

The last time Dokic won a match at Melbourne Park was way back in 1999, when she was even younger than Tomic is now.

Dokic has since experienced the highs and - more often - the lows of life in the sporting spotlight and admitted after the 6-2 3-6 6-4 win over Austrian Tamira Paszek (http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24933398-5002324,00.html) she had suffered severe depression during a three-year period off the tour.

Now totally estranged from her father and former coach Damir, the 25-year-old is patching up the relationships with her mother and brother.

It certainly puts tennis into perspective, although she was still thrilled to win her first match at grand slam level since the 2003 US Open.

"You know, tennis is not the most important thing in the world, but it's something that I love," she said.

"I was very disappointed when I couldn't play well - it was a tough time in my life.
"I had a lot to go through, a lot of family issues.

"It's really a miracle for me and it's really emotional to win today."

For periods of his clash with No.23 seed Mardy Fish, it seemed that Sam Groth would join his compatriots on the winners list.

But the American held sway in a tight third set before running away with the match in the fourth to win 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 7-5 6-0.

The 21-year-old from Melbourne battled cramps in his arm for much of the clash.

Fifteen-year-old Queenslander Monika Wejnert held her own against Italian Karin Knapp before losing 7-6 (8-6) 6-4.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24934104-5002324,00.html

:D:D:D

[U23]

I watched the whole match with Tomic playing. Absolute thriller of a game and loved seeing him smash it down the line on so many occasions. Great!! :D

[knight-no-7]

Hewitt couldnt even last a round... Nadal gets my support now.

[-AK-]

Suppose he blamed his hip for the loss.

[bigdan]

Hewitt's had it. He's goooooooooone....

[GUNNERS]

Hewitt played well. He was versing a hard opponent for a 1st round match. He was unlucky. He pulled back a break to win the 4th. His first serve let him down as usual. I am very dissapointed that he is out. He would have beaten most players the way he played today, but Gonzalez who is much higher ranked obviously came out on top.

[Newcastle Forever]

If he had got a fairer draw he would of done well

And to rank somebody on how far they've gone in one tournament is ridiculous

Because Tomic and Klein have gotten to the 2nd round does not mean that they are better players than Lleyton

[Denno]

Disappointing but he didn't play all that bad. I reckon that means Gonzalez wont get to the 2nd week, also depending on his next matches.

Australian tennis really does need someone new to be a 'superstar'. I reckon Tomic has what it takes to be big.

[Vallabinho]

Tomic and Stosur will be the stand-out Australians. Maybe Guccione.

[-AK-]

Jelena Dokic knocks over the 17th seed.

Bernard Tomic up 4 - 1 in the first set of his game against Muller.

[Denno]

Tomic almost out.... haven't been watching though.

[Newcastle Forever]

Yeah same, just got home from a party and before that I had work so I had no chance of watching it

GO AUSSIE

[Newcastle Forever]

OLE OLE OLE OLE AUSSIE AUSSIE


JELENA Dokic's Australian Open odyssey continued with a sparkling third-round win over Danish dynamo Caroline Wozniacki.

Dokic, once again the darling of Australian tennis, lit up Rod Laver Arena with a spirited 3-6 6-1 6-2 victory over the tournament's No.11 seed.

The most improved player on the women's tour, Wozniacki rose from outside the top 50 to finish the 2008 season as the world No.12 - with a bullet.

But the highly-rated teen was unable to match the firepower and sheer will of Dokic, who rebounded from a set down to storm into the last 16 for the first time at Melbourne Park.

And as on Wednesday night when she ousted 17th seed Anna Chakvetadze, Dokic displayed nerves of steel despite having played just one grand slam match in the past five years prior to this week.

Wozniacki took the first set with the only service break in the third game after Dokic wasted a total of six break-back chances in the fifth, seventh and ninth games - including having the Dane down love-40 at 5-4 and serving for the set.

Undeterred, Dokic powered through the second set, reeling off winners from both wings to break Wozniacki to love in the fourth game and again two games before serving it out to put the match back on level terms.

The comeback queen nabbed another early break in the deciding set, only to drop serve the very next game as the tension rose.

But it was Dokic who raised her game when it mattered most, the former world No.4 and Wimbledon semi-finalist staying cool to win the last four games and seal victory on her second match point after one hour and 43 minutes.
"Losing the first set today went in my favour,'' Dokic said.

"We had a couple big games and from thereon after I lost the first set.

"I was happy with the way I hung in there - she's nearly on the verge of the top 10.

"From there, I got the first break and things went my way. I felt comfortable rallying with her.''

Dokic, who infamously walked out on Australia after claiming the 2001 Open draw had been rigged to pit her against then defending champion Lindsay Davenport, thanked Tennis Australia and tournament director Craig Tiley for having her back.

"Since 2001, things really went downhill and we had a tough couple of years,'' she said.

"Sorry for being a pain. I really made things difficult at times and I apologise for that, but Craig has been so great for giving me opportunities and helping me along.

"I'd like to say this win is for me and for my team and it is. But I have to thank Craig and Tennis Australia and the whole Australian nation. Really, this is for them.''


http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24955018-5002324,00.html

[shamz]

WOOO GOOOO JELENA ! I had so many emotions rushing through me watching that match, it was so good to see her win.

[Denno]

And again yesterday. Knocked off the #29 seed 8 - 6 in the third set.

[Newcastle Forever]

Go Jelena! :D

Australians always deliver on the big stage!

[-AK-]

How great was last nights match. 5 set thriller with Nadal prevailing.

[Newcastle Forever]

Best match I've ever seen (didnt watch wimbledon last year)

Verdasco has so much talent, needs to stop the unforced errors though

He had 72 compared to Nadals 30-ish

[jamesgould]

How great was last nights match. 5 set thriller with Nadal prevailing.

I only watched the first set, but it was good.

[knight-no-7]

How great was last nights match. 5 set thriller with Nadal prevailing.

Watched the last 3 sets and it was a ripper of a game!

[Vallabinho]

Serena won!!! And Nadal will winn!!!

[mozza]

Serena won!!! And Nadal will winn!!!

Not likely Federer to win in straight sets

[Newcastle Forever]

Federer in 4

Nadal will win the first set but will tire easily after that

[Vallabinho]

I told ya ;)

[mozza]

Lame the fact I wached tennis means that footy season is too short