Australian Open: Day Six - 2014

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http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/schedule/schedule11.html

Monfils v Nadal is an intriguing match. La Monf has nothing to lose. Nadal in 4.

Murray v Lopez in the afternoon on HiSense is good test for Murray. Murray in 4.

Tsonga v Simon in the evening. Simon has the counterpunching to take Tsonga out. Simon in 5.

Raonic v Dimitrov. May be Raonic in 4 tight sets.

Nishikori in 3 v Young.

Federer v Gabashvili. Federer in 4.

Paire v Agut in 3. Klizan v Robert in 5.

Azarenka, MaSha, Woz, ARad should make it through after yesterday's close matches.

And Murray ups his level to take the tie-break to lead 7-6.

Solid TB from Andy and that is it for me.  Enjoy the rest of the match CC.  I will get maybe four hours of sleep and will be back for hopefully most or all of Rafa vs Monfils.

Perhaps it is a stiffness /paranoia issue. He seemed stiff early on but gradually worked his way into things. His mind seemed elsewhere as well. When his mind is not on the game and perhaps on his back it inhibits him. Lopez will really kick himself as he had big chances in that set.

Enjoy your nap sb. Murray breaks at the start of the second set and leads 7-6 1-0.

Some sublime tennis in the TB from Murray. There was some huge back coil in some of the forehands at the end as well.

Breaks at the start of set 2 as well as Lopez goes for the massive second serve on BP down and only finds a double fault.

Yes an improving sort of performance from Murray.

This is a golden opportunity for either Dimitrov or Bautista - a QF berth would be massive for both. I'm impressed that Dimi won today, Raonic is no pushover in any match.

As for Murray, if he is genuinely being troubled by the back, he has zero chance of making it to Nadal. Let's hope for his sake that it's just twinges and nothing serious...he does lack match intensity, after all. I sincerely hope that playing the AO so soon into his comeback is not a grievous error. Craig, BS, SB - if you're watching, what do you make of it?

Federer tied Vilas on the all-time ATP match wins today, apparently. 3rd place, with 929 wins. Not too shabby.

Silver I feel it may be paranoia on his behalf. Any twinge and his mind works overtime worrying is it the old injury and disrupts his focus. Murray fully focused is a match for anyone but when not tuned in he is more vulnerable than the other top players.

Murray takes the second set and leads 7-6 6-4.

I don't think there is a serious issue Silver. Basically he spent a few games at the beginning of the match looking a bit stiff but from about 3-3 onwards has looked pretty sharp. It will take someone playing extremely well to beat him here.

Murray breaks at the start of the third and leads 7-6 6-4 1-0.

A couple more destructive flashes of brilliance from Murray and then a disspirited Lopez dumps a slice in the bottom of the net at 15-40. Two sets and a break - main question now is if Murray's concentration will hold.

Murray playing some lovely stuff now and Lopez looks demoralised. Murray leads 7-6 6-4 4-1.

It must be said though that Lopez has fallen away badly in this set. Murray serves for the match.

Lopez is just a limited although talented player had no doubts about this one. To me he still doesn't have a strong enough backhand. Andy looks good considering the early stages of the comeback. I am sorry serve and volley does not work against the hard returning and good returning modern tennis player. S and Ving the modern return must be like trying to touch volley a bullet.

Murray wins 7-6 6-4 6-2. A slow and stiff start but improved greatly as he went on and ended up playing some great stuff. Lopez disappointing though as his whole game just fell apart.

Very very solid performance by Murray.

Lopez was in fine shape for the first two sets, was playing some very good stuff and looked to be hitting as many winners as Andy. But the greater U/E count started to cost him, and he was eventually dispirited and worn down. I am convinced that Lopez would have pushed many other guys hard today, and taken out a fair few.

Followed whole match here in Melbourne (but only on TV sadly) and Aussie commentator finished with "if you're Scottish and/or a Murray fan, don't be afraid to put a dollar on him for the tourney based on this form ......"

In other news .....Dimitrov on top v Raonic, leads 2 sets to 1 and it's a real scrap in the fourth at 4-4

lags72 wrote:In other news .....Dimitrov on top v Raonic, leads 2 sets to 1 and it's a real scrap in the fourth at 4-4

Have you gone back in time lags? That match is long over.

Sorry !

Was engrossed in the Murray match and then when it finished I needed a proverbial bathroom break. Meanwhile Channel 7 here had started showing replays of Dimi/Raonic when I got back to the sofa .....!

I won't let on with score then or it may spoil It for you.

Cheers CC !

Channel 7 doing their very best to crank up their viewing figures for tonight with regular hyping of Nadal v Monfils during changeovers in other matches today.

Now being billed as "The Spanish Bull v The French Wizard "    

Tsonga and Simon under way. I think Tsonga will win in three tight sets. Something like 7-5 6-4 7-6.

Meanwhile I've caught up in real time ..... great result for Grigor.

I do like his game and hope he can go even deeper.

lags72 wrote:Meanwhile I've caught up in real time ..... great result for Grigor.

I do like his game and hope he can go even deeper.

Yes he seems to be coming of age and such a run at a slam can only do him the world of good. Has an impressive all-round game. That Bautista match in the next round should be a cracker as both are in the forum of their life. Whoever wins will be in their first ever slam quarter-final.

Tsonga take the first set in a tie-break.

Kei Nishikori in control against Donald Young a set and a break up. Tsonga leads 7-6 5-4 and about too serve for the second set and Rafael Nadal about to step onto court to play Gael Monfils.

Tsonga seals a 7-6 6-4 lead.

Nishikori coasting as he leads 7-5 6-1 1-0.

Tsonga through to play Federer winning 7-6 6-4 6-2.

Nishikori through in straight sets against Donald Young winning 7-5 6-1 6-0. He will play the winner of the Nadal/Monfils match. Nadal leads 3-0 against Monfils.

Awful match with Nadal and Monfils. Just wondering, was Monfils' forehand always that loopy?

Clinical Nadal is working Monfils over and wins the first set 6-1. Rafael in no mood to give Gael an ounce of hope.

Monfils is missing everything like he did again just now.

Does seem that the top 6 favourites left are all in dangerous form. None of Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Tsonga, Berdych or Murray have dropped a set yet.

Monfils needs to find his form here. He's not playing all that well so far. I'm still hoping he might make this a cracker.

Nadal foot injury?

Ouch Rafael limping all of a sudden. Looks like his right foot. Fingers crossed it is nothing serious.

Not sure if it is too bad.

Yeah he looks fine. Monfils got to hang in there.

Seems to be moving okay now. Monfils looks knackered already.

It would be interesting if Monfils could keep the level from that game where he just held but I doubt he can maintain it.

He's not putting any pressure on Nadal's serve and his own service games are like 50-50. I think that's the difference, if Nadal were playing Djokovic then he'd be playing longer rallies because Djokovic wouldn't miss after 2 shots every time. A lot of the time the shots Monfils is missing with aren't even power shots.

Monfils is just far too erratic. Either hits a dreamy winner or more likely hits it long or wide. Nadal wearing his man down and going in for the kill.

Truly shocking game from Monfils - 3 doubles in 4 points from 30-0 and then a couple of poor forehands.

Nadal playing very well. I'm unconvinced it's the best he has ever played (as Wilander has just said) as I don't think Monfils has played well enough to pressure him. However, his backhand is looking stronger than usual and his serve is very strong.

Utterly awful from Monfils. He looks to have given up now.

Agreed BS a silly remark from Wilander. In stats Monfils has actually hit more winners than Nadal.

I really like Mats as a commentator. Most don't but I do.

I don't mind him either LuvSports but that remark was just silly. So Nadal is playing the best tennis of his life though Monfils (struggling) had hit more winners than him. Curious.

Yeah he is a big Fed fan  . Have to say I think he's probably comfortably the worst regular commentator - talks absolute nonsense half the time.

It can't be the best Nadal has played because Monfils hasn't played well enough to give him the opportunity to play that well.

Not to mention at the time he made that comment Nadal had made more errors than winners.