AUS open day 9

First topic message reminder :

Hello



It is almost time people.

Today (or tomorrow) is the start of the heavyweight contests.

First up: Fed vs Del-Po. Expected start time around 04:30

followed by The Nadull vs Big Bird around 08:30

So who's gonna stay up and who's gonna set their alarm(s)?

My children I shall be here, faithfully casting a critical eye over proceedings.



emancipator - tennis historian and intergalactic ambassador for UNICEF

Fair enough I can't say I'm sure then all I heard is that Rafa wouldn't be happy to see the result of the Hawkeye or something to that effect which I guess could mean anything.

Nadal will still win it though, he'll wear Berdych down.

Berdych doesn't have a good eye. His Hawkeye challenges have been terrible in this game. He is now out of challenges what a wassock.

Nore Staat wrote:Berdych doesn't have a good eye. His Hawkeye challenges have been terrible in this game. He is now out of challenges what a wassock.

That's our Berdy.

Does Berdych need to come to the net that much, his volleys are ineffective and he has a better chance from the baseline.

Berdych's concentration has completely gone, and it was self-inflicted. Nadal playing very well.

emancipator wrote:They haven't said that on Eurosport, just said that it looks out to them, but no mention of hawkeye

Not even that. They think the ball was good.

But anyway, Nadal will get Berdych at the end. Berdych can't keep it up.

Berdychs serving almost automatic and perfect. That should help berdych.

Excellent service game from Nadal, but Berdych looks a touch flat (probably mentally) at the moment.

I return to see that Nadal is 5-2 up. Just been looking at the stats, and Nadal has made just 3 unforced errors this set. Which is always a big help.

Nice last point from Berdy.

Does Berdych definitely need this set to win?

Nadal gets screwed again by a bad call.

Nadal sees the ball better than Berdych I think. Nadal calls it correctly. Nadal unfortunate there as he loses the point.

Well done Berdy to break. The last point was great.

Berdy has played the perfect match. Nadal cannot touch his FH.

And Berdych breaks back, which also means he's taken his 1st break point in 9 attempts. Probably going to need a better percentage success rate than that.

Nice serve and volley from Berdy to go 40 love. Holds serve to love.

Berdych shoudl have won that 2nd set had he not wasted the BPs in the first game. ...but again with Nadal we are used to the shouda woulda, coulda...

Very long from Berdy.

Nadal looking a little rattled.

Double fault. ..

What's with Berdych just giving Nadal the ball or hitting it softly at the net?

Good high pressure tennis - on both sides. Berdy manages to dig himself out of the whole.

Berdych's power on his day is devastating. Brilliant from him so far.

Ball is so heavy, court so slow, Nadal is bringing his clay court game to the hard court (from the commentary team).

Berdy off radar.

Tenez wrote:Berdych shoudl have won that 2nd set had he not wasted the BPs in the first game. ...but again with Nadal we are used to the shouda woulda, coulda...

Agree, that easy backhand volley into the net.

Nadal 4-1 up in the tie-break.

Nadal has been serving really poorly.

Why is Nadal standing so far back on the return?

Excellent serving from Berdych.

Berdych shouldn't come to net, it never works.

break_in_the_fifth wrote:Berdych shouldn't come to net, it never works.

Very true. Apparently with only a 59% success rate. Mind you, with an 84% win on 1st serve, it's all balancing out.

Now that is a choke if I have ever seen one

Berdy proves his Hawkeye challenges are useless and pointless.

there's some match going on here!

game over?

Quality tennis at it's best. Golden Era tennis over weak era any day.

BuLioli wrote:

break_in_the_fifth wrote:Berdych shouldn't come to net, it never works.

Very true. Apparently with only a 59% success rate. Mind you, with an 84% win on 1st serve, it's all balancing out.

Really? I've only seen him lose from at the net, well actually I can remember one point in the first set where he came out on top.

break_in_the_fifth wrote:game over?

Depends what's in Berdy's mind.

last call for Berdy

Berdy really fluffed his big chance with that wayward volley. Nadal was there for the taking

It's still in the balance but Berdy needs to do it in four.

emancipator wrote:... Nadal was there for the taking

It often seems like that ...

I would typically give Berdych zero chance to win from now but today I may have a bit more hope cause if he relaxes and make Nadal run, Nadal might tire...we now he can tire nowadays in longer match if he does the running.

Berdy will be gutted if he loses this match, he's totally outplayed Nadal.

A very poor, defensive performance from Rafa so far

Berdy gets the early break.

Nore Staat wrote:

emancipator wrote:... Nadal was there for the taking

It often seems like that ...

So true, and Berdy breaks

I tell you though Roger Federer will be loving this as at this rate the match is heading towards being around four hours long.