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

[bogbrush]

Yes, credit to Simon. Some might have taken the early bath before now but he looks like he'll see it through.

[Mad for Chelsea]

hard to know exactly what to make of that match really, Murray knew if he played to anything like a decent level Simon had no chance, and so it proved. Yes there were moments of sloppiness, but almost inevitable in such circumstances. All in all, a pretty decent work out for Murray again, but I'm starting to worry he'll reach the semis a little undercooked...

[JuliusHMarx]

Murray says "Grand Slams are so physical these days and it is tough"

Don't say the 'P' word Andy!

[CaledonianCraig]

He got the job done comfortably but his ball-striking hasn't been what I'd like in his last two matches. A bit too many unforced errors as well but the fact he hasnt dropped a set yet even though he has been below his best says a lot. Like MfC I am concerned he will be undercooked for the semis if he gets there unless Chardy can really test him. Congratulations to Andy on reaching his 9th consecutive slam quarter-final and to Gilles Simon for carrying on to the bitter end.

[shivfan]

Serena beats Kirilenko at two and love....

[laverfan]

Federer and Raonic. Like the pink shoe-laces win earlier today (Chardy), may the best player win.

[LuvSports!]

4-4 but feds had break points a couple of games ago, needs to take those bp's, his conversion rate hasn't been great

[Guest]

Break of serve, takes the set and now serves first in the 2nd. Pressure is really on Raonic now.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Interesting that two of the leading lights of the younger generation (Tomic and Raonic) both have real weaknesses on the return of serve. In particular Raonic just doesn't seem to me to be improving in that department, which has to be a concern (Tomic's has got better since last year at least, though it's still a weak point).

Stunning stat, Federer has made just three UEs so far to Raonic's 20

[CaledonianCraig]

This match going exactly the way I thought it would. Raonic with a big serve but lacking in other areas such as returning serve and Fed pouncing at the business end of the sets.

[Mad for Chelsea]

it's bizarre: I watched Raonic get beaten up by Murray in New York, and that day he got it badly wrong with his tactics, playing much too passive in the rallies. Then when he beat Murray in Tokyo he was taking the ball early, ripping the BH up the line and I was suddenly thinking that maybe this guy did have something. But here he's pretty much back to NY tactics, Basically as soon as a rally starts Raonic retreats and just plays soft balls up the middle, you won't beat the best players like that...

[Mad for Chelsea]

couple of dreadful net approaches from Raonic in the TB, nailed by Federer both times, and one rank BH error, and Federer is cruising and two sets up.

[CaledonianCraig]

Sorry but until Raonic develops a return game he will never challenge for a slam.

[Mad for Chelsea]

FH error, FH error, BH error, BH error. Break Federer. Game over. Go learn how to hit groundstrokes properly Raonic, you won't make it to the top of the sport without them...

[Born Slippy]

Raonic keeping up his average of winning 2 points a set on Fed's serve. Wouldn't it be great if the courts were quicker and we could watch more of his wonderful serve and woefully inadequate baseline game?

In all seriousness, Federer has looked every inch the GOAT so far in this tournament. It's frightening just how good he is now. Can't believe that he is only third favourite. I imagine that will change after this. Heavy favourite even if it is Murray in the semi-final and Djokovic obviously looks very beatable.

[dummy_half]

Have I counted up right that so far in 11 service games + the tie break, Federer has lost 5 points on serve?

Close score in games, but really much more one-sided.

[Mad for Chelsea]

again, Raonic convinced that he has to play 4 yards behind the baseline, dumps a couple of shots halfway up the net.

[Guest]

It seems the concern that Raonic would test Federer was nothing but a red herring.

[dummy_half]

Break to love for Fed (oh, and it was 4 points he dropped on serve in the two sets). Surely match over...

[Josiah Maiestas]

Mirka would have more chance breaking the Federer serve than Milos..

[Mad for Chelsea]

what really worries/annoys me about Raonic is that he's at exactly the same level he was last year. I thought in Tokyo he showed signs of improving, but this is a big step back. His net play is usually OK, but has been pretty dire today, and an easy BH volley into the net gives away another break.

[Mad for Chelsea]

I'm also a bit puzzled as to why Raonic hasn't used his huge kick serve out wide to the ad court, you'd think it would be an ideal weapon against a SHBH, and these courts should be quite receptive to it...

[CaledonianCraig]

Roger Federer comfortably beats Milos Raonic in straight sets to set up a quarter-final match against Jo Wilifrid-Tsonga. Raonic was very disappointing and showed himself up to be what I expected - one dimensional. Fed done a thoroughly professional job on him and never gave him a sniff.

[Mad for Chelsea]

so there it is: Federer never really having to make it out of third gear to absolutely cruise past Raonic, so much for the "toughest draw ever" eh?

Federer through to the QFs without breaking sweat, him Berdych and Murray the three to reach that stage without dropping a set. I think Federer looks very good so far, next up for him is Tsonga, which might tell us a bit more.

For Raonic, it's back to the drawing board I'm afraid. There's so much to work on with his game, but he just isn't showing the improvement necessary for me.

[dummy_half]

A slight oddity - Federer lost more points on his serve in his four service games of the third set than he did in the 11 of the first two sets, even got taken to deuce in one game.

While the first two sets looked close in the games score, Raonic was really not close to the great man today.

[laverfan]

Federer.

Raonic. @MfC... Yes, it is back to the drawing board for him.

[Josiah Maiestas]

Milos is aiming to eclipse Gasquet's run of 4 straight 4th rounds in a calendar year, losing badly each time when getting to it.

[bogbrush]

so there it is: Federer never really having to make it out of third gear to absolutely cruise past Raonic, so much for the "toughest draw ever" eh?

Federer through to the QFs without breaking sweat, him Berdych and Murray the three to reach that stage without dropping a set. I think Federer looks very good so far, next up for him is Tsonga, which might tell us a bit more.

For Raonic, it's back to the drawing board I'm afraid. There's so much to work on with his game, but he just isn't showing the improvement necessary for me.

Yeah, so much for the thing that nobody said

It remains a beast of a draw; that he's handling it so well is just good for him.

[User 774433]

Basically my analysis was spot on lol

[User 774433]

Today's Match Report: http://www.sportpulse.net/content/australian-open-day-8-federer-serena-untroubled-6358

[laverfan]

Na wins the first set against Radwanska but down a break in the second.

[Leff]

Radwanska is about to crash..

[laverfan]

Na wins. Rodriguez making a difference to Na's game.

[Leff]

Na Li through.

Ferrer vs Almighty coming up on Laver...

[invisiblecoolers]

Vamous Ferrer, great break, I can't see this guy losing.

[summerblues]

Vamous Ferrer, great break, I can't see this guy losing.

sadly, I think you may be right

[summerblues]

[invisiblecoolers]

[invisiblecoolers]

I love Ferrer's ethics, given the limited talent nobody gives 100% on the court like him .

Ferrer rules

[invisiblecoolers]

WTF Ferrer hands a break to Magro in the 4th?

[invisiblecoolers]

THX GOD Ferrer wins the break back with his hard work, he put back 4smashes of Almagro back on play in a row.

[invisiblecoolers]

Again swap of Breaks, OMG this game is giving me heat attack.

[spuranik]

Hey IC.. I was talking to myself on the other thread...

[spuranik]

Ferrer just refuses to let go...

[invisiblecoolers]

OMG again, Ferrer loses his serve and Mugro from 2 points from winning the match and Ferrer breaks again.

[CaledonianCraig]

Or Almagro refuses to take it?

[invisiblecoolers]

Again

[invisiblecoolers]

Or Almagro refuses to take it?

Both of them are so tensed, they both playing good, very high quality match of never say die.

[CaledonianCraig]

If Almagro loses this he will be mentally scarred for life.

[invisiblecoolers]

OMG I am dying , Ferrer again break when Mugro serves for the match.

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