Australian Open Day 10-14 - Djokurray! And others! :P

First topic message reminder :

Well some of you hardcore mob will no doubt be up watching the first round matches and even up first thing if your boarding the Fed Express. I will be utilising the power of Sky+!

So we have Federer, Nadal, Murray, Berdych, Gulbis and Dimitov all in action on the men's side.

On the ladies we have Halep, Sharapova, Bouchard, Ivanovic, Kerber and young gun Bencic.

Should be an action packed day.

I had a feeling Berdy would come out strong and hungry in this match. Hope he doesn't berdbrain the win away on the big stage like he usually does.

Good hold but Rafa is slowly dialing in, and Berdych showing signs of stress.

It Must Be Love wrote:

emancipator wrote:

It Must Be Love wrote:

emancipator wrote:I have to say it's amazing how many times Nadal has been bagelled in his career.

I may have to do some research and produce a post with a list of all his bagels

Produce one with 'bagels' in Grand Slam finals too will you Eman, of all the players in the last decade

I might do a comparison of the top four. I suspect Nadal will have been bagelled far more often than Murray, Djokovic or Federer.

In Grand Slam finals ?

Well, I distinctly remember Federer dishing out a tasty bagel to Nadal in the W final

Nadal now producing his best tennis.

emancipator wrote:Nadal now producing his best tennis.

It Must Be Love wrote:

emancipator wrote:Nadal now producing his best tennis.

If you are so drained watching the match, take it easy and rest IMBL, we will update you

2 game points, break points , set points, match points , semi-final points squandered by the BoreDych.

Well, at least he goes out fighting. Two match points saved.

invisiblecoolers wrote:

It Must Be Love wrote:

emancipator wrote:Nadal now producing his best tennis.

If you are so drained watching the match, take it easy and rest IMBL, we will update you

Nope, if there's one thing I know is that it's sitting through the losses which makes the defeat special.

Can Berdych lose this from 4-1, if he does I get $250

From 36 odds on Rafa its has come down to just 7, Bet365 slowly believes Rafa is winning it.

3 MPs sqUANDERED.

Rafa did play his best on 3rd set but it was too late, condolences to Rafa fans N congrats to Berdych .

Well done Tomas Berdych. A scintillating performance, even when Rafa produced his very best in the third set he stayed resilient.

I guess I'll have to go to sleep now so I can wake up for Murray.



emancipator

Oh well. Quarter finals was a decent result first slam back. No idea what went wrong with Rafa set set, but he's had a lull almost every second set he's played here, so maybe just muscle fatigue. All the practise matches in the world can't prep you for the real thing. I can only hope Wawrinka repeats.

Now to get the voodooo doll out for Djokovic.

Great from Berdych, deserved to win; Nadal was far from his best, I really hope the Czech goes on to do well now.

Well congrats to Berdych he finally did something against Rafa. Sad for Rafa fans. No fedal in this slam is Hawk going to be OK?

Yes!

Congrats Berdych.  What a lovely lovely result.  I cannot believe that he is yet to drop a set this tournament.

There must be something difficult about beating a player 18 times in a row.  Apparently the 17 that times that Rafa beat Berdych is in a 4-way tie for the longest ever streak.

kingraf wrote:Oh well. Quarter finals was a decent result first slam back. No idea what went wrong with Rafa set set, but he's had a lull almost every second set he's played here, so maybe just muscle fatigue. All the practise matches in the world can't prep you for the real thing. I can only hope Wawrinka repeats.

Now to get the voodooo doll out for Djokovic.

Wawrinka is a pretty well built Voodoo doll. This high bouncing slow hardcourt is wonderful for Stan's big swings and heavy shots. Raonic, either Stan or Nish, and then either Murray or Berdy most likely left. Plenty of voodoo left and nothing decided.

kingraf wrote:Oh well. Quarter finals was a decent result first slam back.

Yes, obviously I'm disappointed with this performance; but still a good week for Nadal on the whole- did better than I thought.

Also lost to my second favourite player, which doesn't happen often.

Rafa played horrible the first two sets but was looking much better in the third; it would have been quite easy for Berdych to choke it away.  I was expecting some doubles down the stretch, but he held up fine.

Here's to many more Berdych's wins over Rafa.

This also changes how I can look at the rest of this AO. Just like that, I can now root for Kyrgios against Andy, for Rao against Nole in the QF, and for Stan or Nishi against Nole in the SF.

I hope Nick makes an impression and sound in this part of draw, We Believe in Kyrigious.

summerblues wrote:This also changes how I can look at the rest of this AO.  Just like that, I can now root for Kyrgios against Andy, for Rao against Nole in the QF, and for Stan or Nishi against Nole in the SF.

I'm always surprised people have this sort of attitude towards tennis tournaments, it seems a bit mean spirited. I would always think of a tournament in positive terms (i.e. I want the player I'm supporting to win), never how much I want a specific player to lose.

It is rather mean spirited.. but I've cheered for everyone Djokovic has faced in the last two years, so whatevs.

kingraf wrote:It is rather mean spirited..  but I've cheered for everyone Djokovic has faced in the last two years, so whatevs.

With the exception of Nadal and Berdych, I tend to support the underdogs in every match; but I never set aside a player I specifically follow tournaments just to see him lose.

It Must Be Love wrote:I'm always surprised people have this sort of attitude towards tennis tournaments, it seems a bit mean spirited.

Yeah, we have had these discussions before.  I know some people do not like it if someone roots against a player.  I do not agree with those sentiments; just as fine to root against a player as for one.  I said before, that in some sense I find rooting against players easier.  I prefer to root for the underdog, so if my favorite player wins everything, it may become a touch harder to root for them.  But no such problem with a successful player I do not like - I can root against them while also rooting for the underdog.

summerblues wrote:[But no such problem with a successful player I do not like - I can root against them while also rooting for the underdog.

Yes, but I still see that as a inherently negative outlook when following tennis.
Ie you are getting joy solely because a player you dislike is getting misery; the feeling you can't get that I can is the feeling of euphoria when the player you support is joyous.

Thank you for your concern Amri, but I can assure you my feeling at the end of today's match was quite satisfactory

summerblues wrote:Thank you for your concern Amri, but I can assure you my feeling at the end of today's match was quite satisfactory

I know, obviously unless Nadal wins 100% of matches, you are going to be feeling 'quite satisfactory' at the end of most tournaments
My point is that I see a difference in gaining happiness at someone else's misfortune and misery, than gaining happiness at someone else's joy and positive emotion.
Anyway, we will have to agree to disagree to this one.

Great win for Tomas. Held it together well in the 3rd.

As for Rafa, I suspect he will be happy with a QF. He got some good match practice and was gradually getting some form during that match. Berdych just a step too far currently.

If Federer was to play tennis with Beelzebub himself over the fate of humanity I would be deeply conflicted, usually I would go with Beelzebub although in this narrow circumstance I might give the nod to the Swiss.

Oh Nadal, what have you doneeeeee

That is a funny way of putting it Socal. I was just thinking that if Nole won this tournament, and the tournament director had a WWE-esque moment where he announces during the trophy presentation that there will be a one point shootout for the title and the director is his opponent and will serve first, I'd quietly hope the ball boys have Already taken Djokovic's racquets to the change room... and locked it

summerblues wrote:There must be something difficult about beating a player 18 times in a row.  Apparently the 17 that times that Rafa beat Berdych is in a 4-way tie for the longest ever streak.

Well, since to meet the guy 18 times he must be good, and then to beat him 18 times, yes it is hard.

I guess focus moves to Federer / Ferrer for the record, currently at 16-0.

Murray's draw now looking less daunting than it did a week ago...

KR, tennis is a sport that needs heroes and villains it is such an individual and personality driven sport it is hard to discern between the player and the person at times. As much as we don't know these guys personally and most of them are really good guys the energy in sports is both positive and negative.

Ferret will notch a win against Fed this year, and feel good he is better then Berdych with only 16 loses to a single player.

Woken up to the news. Can't say I will dance around the bedroom like some might in light of Nadal losing rather than Berdych winning. That said I don't think he will do the result justice by winning the tournament.

Ja very true. You don't really harbour any resentment or hate to any player, indeed Djokovic doesn't really come to mind unless he's playing a match, but the one on one gladiatorial aspect of the sport does demand you pick a side.

LK, why not? Don't like Berdy one bit, but I will shake his hand for being the best player so far at AO.

Go STAN Go!!!

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