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

Nadal looks shaky at the moment

Big hold from Nadal, Berdy wasted a lot of chances there

You can always count on Berdy to choke when it really matters

Berdych must win this first set for me. If he does he has a decent chance but should he lose it....game over.

Yep I agree, he'll probably crumble if he loses this set

Berdych lacks so much composure on the easier points to put away.

This is a poor quality match so far

Since I don't have access to the moving pictures, I can only rely on live text! Sounds pretty even though - Berdych holding serve comfortably, but not making any impression on Nadal's serve. How many chances has he had for a break point?

Yeah Berdy just snatches at his opportunities

I think theyve had one BP opportunity each so far. But Berdy has gotten to deuce on Rafa's serve a few times

It feels quite tense out there

I think people are waiting for one of Berdych or Nadal to smack a volley straight at their opponent - that would get the cheering and booing going!

Berdy will blow it soon enough, and after a tight 1st set it'll run away.

Rafa still has to hold serve though....

And there's 3 break points for Berdych.......

Can't tell who the crowd favours.

What a rally! Berdych was smacking that ball so hard

Actually its obvious now.

...and there go all 3 opportunities!! Methinks that was one of the best times to put the hammer down.

Though as I write this, break point no.4 comes up....

Berdy blew it

Commentators favour Berdych in the tie break but I'm not so sure. Should be good.

No doubt about it. Berdych MUST now win this set or he can kiss his chances goodbye. He'll realise that as well that the first set was there to win.

nadal playing better now

Berdych's movements not that good, I guess he's a tall player though.

That was too late

Nadal, you are ridiculous!!

That ball was out, Rafa really hard done by. He should just have been given that point.

another piece of fine cheating from Nadal.

And Berdych takes the set at the 5th time of asking! Well with that come to pass, I must go for a bit and try and get things to work in a lab. Back in a bit!

Berdych takes it.

Jeremy_Kyle wrote:Nadal, you are ridiculous!!

Tell me more, i'n not watching..

Nadal : enough is enough: :

I wanna see the hawkeye replay

Berdych takes an absorbing first set 7-6 and it is now match on.Federer will be back in his hotel room now grinning as this looks like it could have the makings of a three hour plus match.

Nadal calling for HE afrter realising he has lost the point.

He just called for the Hawk 2 shots after the one he wanted to challenge

Ball looked out to me, but you can't challenge 2 shots after it's happened.

I think this is too much even for Nadal, this is getting out of control.....

Nadal was wrong, it's not for him to wait for the call, if he thinks it's out he should stop play immediately and challenge

He was right though and the ball was out. The rest he can be given the benefit of the doubt for.

He could have gotten to the next ball but instead he stopped and wanted to challenge. He was focussed on hitting his shot and realised the out call hadn't come.

Brilliant last three points by Berdych on the tie break. He has won all seven tie breaks he has had on tie-breaks.

However replays show that it was right for Nadal not to be given the challenge. He did pause and look at the line judge to make a call, which she didn't. However, Nadal did actually go for the ball on Berdychs next shot belatedly (and weakly), and only when he had lost the point did he raise his arm to challenge.

Well at the very least not cheating and a harsh outcome as he would have had set point.

Djokovic last year has shown that Nadal can be beaten. This should give some the extra belief they might have lacked in the past.

They should know from history that every player can be beaten...

Some nice winners from Nadal.

You don't know if the ball was out, it looked on the line to me but I haven't seen any replays, have you? Besides the point is that the challenge system requires making the challenge immediately when the ball is still in play, if you're allowed to wait and see what happens next then it becomes pointless. Waiting for the call is not an excuse since there will be no call if the linesperson thinks its in.

Some excellent attacking change of directions from Nadal.

The commentators keep saying hawkeye shows it was out or words to that effect though I haven't seen a replay.

I have to say, Wilander is an excellent commentator

break_in_the_fifth wrote:The commentators keep saying hawkeye shows it was out or words to that effect though I haven't seen a replay.

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