Australian Open 2013 Match Thread

[User 774433]

First topic message reminder :

Australian Open 2013:

Information: The Australian Open is a major tennis tournament held annually over the last fortnight of January in Melbourne, Australia. First held in 1905, the tournament is chronologically the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events of the year – the other three being the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. It features men's and women's singles; men's, women's, and mixed doubles and junior's championships; as well as wheelchair, legends and exhibition events. Since 1988 the tournament has been played on hard courts at Melbourne Park.
The Australian Open typically has very high attendance, second only to the US Open. It was also the first Grand Slam tournament to feature indoor play during wet weather or extreme heat with its two primary courts, Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena, equipped with retractable roofs.

Day by Day Match Reports: http://www.sportpulse.net/category/tennis

v2 Preview: https://www.606v2.com/t39437-australian-open-2013-the-contenders#1785084

Dates: January 14 - January 27

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

Schedule: http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/scores/schedule/index.html

AO Rankings Points Tracker: https://www.606v2.com/t39351-points-tracker-ao-2013


Ready? Play.

Amritia3ee

[summerblues]

Surely this is done now. No sets lost yet, no breaks either. Keep it going, old fella.

[Danny_1982]

Really impressed with Fed. Moved well, hit the backhand great, looked fresh and relaxed. He's looking really good.

[summerblues]

Better luck next time, Bernie. Love Feds, not so much Tomic, so could not be happier now.

[Josiah Maiestas]

Fenomenal Phederer.

Only thing he needs to change is to go more with flat hitting and less using spin which gets him in trouble.

[User 774433]

Fenomenal Phederer.

That's good

[LuvSports!]

good win, tomic did well for 2 sets.

one thing that is worrying though is that he is wearing a shirt/vest under his normal shirt. Last time he did that he had back problems at wimbledon (malisse match ) which is never a good sign (no excuse but just worrying to see).

[CaledonianCraig]

And there we have it, Roger Federer wraps up a straight sets win against Bernard Tomic in two hours. Next up for Roger a Fourth Round match against Milos Raonic. I take Fed's three dimensional game to win out over Raonic in perhaps three or four sets.

[summerblues]

Fed also saying court playing faster this year.

[Haddie-nuff]

I may be well wide of the mark but I sense that something is troubling Federer tonight. To me he doesn't look well and it's his vast experience that's put him ahead rather than a top notch performance.

I think all us Fed fans are paranoid about the back, much as I expect Rafa fans will be about the knees. We've seen it come out and wreck too much.

But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

I think that the vest was more as a precaution rather than a cure... even when it is hot during the evening a cool breeze comes down as the sun goes in... when you are wearing a wet shirt is when even that can be a problem if you do have back problems..He was moving too well for it to be something he was feeling during the game.

[bogbrush]

Very impressed with Tomic today, he's got himself back onto an upward curve.

[Guest]

Man what a contrast watching the Simon-Monfils match. Back and forth, back and forth all day.

[Guest]

Yeah I'll have to re-evaluate Tomic - He is talented, I can see it now. The first two sets were good quality but then he became deflated. He needs to work on his fitness too.

[bogbrush]

Man what a contrast watching the Simon-Monfils match. Back and forth, back and forth all day.

Can you believe anyone happily pays to watch that garbage?

[carrieg4]

Why the feck does Monfils stand so back.
It's stupidity.

Because he's an idiot.

Yup just idiotic.

Rasheed tried to cure him of that habit years ago, seems like he didn't listen

[Guest]

Come on Simon.

The only thing going for Monfils is that he's a 'character' - he's been dining on that all his career.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Man what a contrast watching the Simon-Monfils match. Back and forth, back and forth all day.

at least Simon is trying to be aggressive, when he can. Monfils is so frustrating to watch, great athlete, has the power, all the tools, but for some reason thinks his best chance of winning is from 5 yards behind the baseline.

[summerblues]

Was never too worried about Tomic, Fed could probably beat him wearing pink shoelaces. Raonic is more dangerous I think. Really just because of that big serve, but that is enough to potentially cause trouble.

[Haddie-nuff]

Yeah I'll have to re-evaluate Tomic - He is talented, I can see it now. The first two sets were good quality but then he became deflated. He needs to work on his fitness too.

Needs to work on the mental aspect of his game... this is where the big boys have the advantage. He appeared to lose the plot in the third set.
Concentration appeared to be a problem for him at times.

[lags72]

So the Tomic ten match run comes to an end, and Federer goes through.

Tomic would have beaten many many other players tonight, and there is surely a bright future ahead.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Yeah I'll have to re-evaluate Tomic - He is talented, I can see it now. The first two sets were good quality but then he became deflated. He needs to work on his fitness too.

his FH's really improved I feel. Like I said with the easy power and change of direction he can generate he reminds me a bit of a young Federer (though they look completely different). His fitness needs work I agree, though there are mitigating circumstances: long match in the heat the previous round, won Sydney the week before so has a lot of matches in his legs.

Monfils tries to hit a couple of FHs, plonks the second one halfway up the net

[User 774433]

MFC, your analysis of Tomic is spot on

[CaledonianCraig]

Like I said Tomic wasn't at the stage of development to beat Roger Federer.

[summerblues]

Yeah I'll have to re-evaluate Tomic - He is talented, I can see it now.

Exactly my thoughts, this is the first time he impressed me. I did not even know he could play this way. I thought all he could do was to hit junkballs masquerading as "variety". Was much better than that today.

[Guest]

Monfils is so fast it's crazy. I bet he coulda been a top 400m runner.

[Guest]

Yeah I'll have to re-evaluate Tomic - He is talented, I can see it now.

Exactly my thoughts, this is the first time he impressed me. I did not even know he could play this way. I thought all he could do was to hit junkballs masquerading as "variety". Was much better than that today.

Exactly. Flatters to deceive is what I thought, but today he bossed many of the rallies and had Fed scrambling in a way that I've on really seen the top 3 and Berdych do in recent times.

[Haddie-nuff]

Like I said Tomic wasn't at the stage of development to beat Roger Federer.

Totally agree CC.. Roger at 31 yrs old looked the younger on court. There was no way he was going to be good enough

[User 774433]

I bet he coulda been a top 400m runner.

He'd probably hide 10 metres away from the track, and then run it in under 45 seconds backwards.

[Guest]

I bet he coulda been a top 400m runner.

He'd probably hide 10 metres away from the track, and then run it in under 45 seconds backwards.

rotapicname

[Josiah Maiestas]

Where be all of these Federer should retire mugs?

Tomic would've beat Murray and Nadal today playing like this.

[summerblues]

Oh this is so boring. Why has Monfils not done more with his talent? What a waste.

[summerblues]

71 shot rally - LOL.

[Haddie-nuff]

Rubbish JM unless he was playing Rafa in his present condition.
Tomic is getting there but he isn't there yet... in the mental department he has much to learn

[Guest]

That was just a ridiculous, at least 67 of those shots were pointless

[User 774433]

[Mad for Chelsea]

good from Simon, great BH down the line to save BP...

[CaledonianCraig]

Moment of the Fed match was second set at 5-5 when Roger moved to break point. He played a superb point sending Tomic scurrying left and right on the baseline and won the point finding a great angle across court with a winner.

[summerblues]

I have had enough of this, I think I can go catch up on my sleep now (had to wake up 3am my time to watch Fed).

[User 774433]

What a crap match this is

[Haddie-nuff]

Moment of the Fed match was second set at 5-5 when Roger moved to break point. He played a superb point sending Tomic scurrying left and right on the baseline and won the point finding a great angle across court with a winner.

And that was a turning point because Tomic played his best tennis in the second set... he gave the third to Fed with bows on

[bogbrush]

Thankfully Simon gets the 2nd. Hopefully ends in 3.

[Mad for Chelsea]

as a Murray fan I should be hoping these two keep at it for another three hours or so, but I'm not sure I could stand it...

[bogbrush]

as a Murray fan I should be hoping these two keep at it for another three hours or so, but I'm not sure I could stand it...

[Mad for Chelsea]

that FH from Monfils does make you wonder why he doesn't do it more often. I remember him blowing Nadal away in Doha (09?) by stepping in and being ultra-aggressive, so he can do it, but for some reason chooses not to.

Looking cooked here TBH...

[Danny_1982]

Was never too worried about Tomic, Fed could probably beat him wearing pink shoelaces. Raonic is more dangerous I think. Really just because of that big serve, but that is enough to potentially cause trouble.

It's all about the Raonic serve. If Roger gets enough back he should win fairly easily. Murray got loads back in New York, and from there dismantled him. Raonic will know he has to win lots if free points off that first serve or it'll be the same.

Roger in straight sets for me. With maybe the first couple being close.

[Guest]

Now that Simon can no longer move Monfils is ending every point within 3 shots with UE. What happened to the long rallies!

[The Special Juan]

Monfils is just a poor man's Djokovic (sorry Gael). He's like Djokovic because of that slidey thing they both do no matter what the surface except Monfils is the one who gets injured because of it. He is a much more impressive physical specimen than Djokovic first but he needs to get rid of the beardy growth on his chin.

[lags72]

I think Danny that Raonic ran into an inspired Murray at the USO, and worth remembering that Raonic still leads their h2h, albeit just by 2-1.

Raonic on song can be incredibly difficult to break. I'd be very surprised if we don't see at least one TB in the Fed clash, as has been the case in their previous meetings, and once you're into TB's anything can happen (remember Isner v Nadal at RG...)

Federer still favourite to go through but not in straights IMHO.

[bogbrush]

Monfils thinking hard how he can lose this now. I'm confident he'll find a way.

[Danny_1982]

I think Danny that Raonic ran into an inspired Murray at the USO, and worth remembering that Raonic still leads their h2h, albeit just by 2-1.

Raonic on song can be incredibly difficult to break. I'd be very surprised if we don't see at least one TB in the Fed clash, as has been the case in their previous meetings, and once you're into TB's anything can happen (remember Isner v Nadal at RG...)

Federer still favourite to go through but not in straights IMHO.

I agree with all that lags, but if Rogers ground strokes are as solid as they were today I can only see one winner. I agree there may be at least one tie break, and I think Raonic is dangerous, but I was really impressed with roger today. He looks right in the zone.

[Danny_1982]

This Simon Monfils match is a strange affair. Both have such a languid style that it feels like a practice match.

Not sure if I'm enjoying it or bored out of my a**e !

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