Australian Open

[don_budge]

2024 Australian Open...Melbourne, Australia...ATP 2000

Match of the Day is awarded to a battle of two lefties. One crafty (Adrian Mannarino) and one hot dog (Ben Shelton). Shelton thought he had it in the bag and started with the hot dogging after he took a two sets to one lead. However Mannarino realizes that it isn't over untlil the fat lady sings. Mannarino serving for the set. But it isn't over yet...is it?

Not yet. 3-5...Shelton serving to stay in the match.

[don_budge]

2024 Australian Open...Melbourne, Australia...ATP 2000

Match of the Day is awarded to a battle of two lefties. One crafty (Adrian Mannarino) and one hot dog (Ben Shelton). Shelton thought he had it in the bag and started with the hot dogging after he took a two sets to one lead. However Mannarino realizes that it isn't over untlil the fat lady sings. Mannarino serving for the set. But it isn't over yet...is it?

[stotty]

Alexander Zverev also went to a final set tiebreak, his against qualifier Lukas Klein in 4 hours and 31 minutes. This is Zverev's 30th five-set match and his 20th five set win at 26 yo. So, his first question in the presser was whether he'd attend his assault hearing in Germany. Undecided. Make of that what you will.

I always think one of the strangest records is Nastase winning more five set matches than anyone else. He won 37 of his 57 five set matches. Strange when you consider his flaky temperature and as someone who was considered lacking in balls. I guess also in his day there were more five set contests around as some ATP finals used to be five sets like the slams.

[jimlosaltos]

Ditto here: Finalist Elena Rybakina (and my singles pick #@$*($#^#^) is out early to unseeded Anna Blinkova, ranked 57, who won a monumental 22-20 match tiebreak. Rybakina lost despite winning more points in the three setter. Both players were broken 5 times. Highlights: https://youtu.be/PQR1Kd-z__0?si=L8tU8S9zdBGEiH0H

[jimlosaltos]

Alexander Zverev also went to a final set tiebreak, his against qualifier Lukas Klein in 4 hours and 31 minutes. This is Zverev's 30th five-set match and his 20th five set win at 26 yo. So, his first question in the presser was whether he'd attend his assault hearing in Germany. Undecided. Make of that what you will.

[jimlosaltos]

Arrived home late from dinner last night just in time to somehow see the ends of three, tight, exciting matches including. Iga Swiatek held off Danielle (Dan-Yell) Collins in a slug fest. The loud American dictated through the middle stretches, simply hitting harder than Iga. Collins was up two breaks, 4-1 in the third but, as she tends to do, Danielle took her foot off the pedal playing safe with the lead only to let Iga storm back with three breaks of her own. Collins said 2024 will be her last year on tour. Highlights: https://youtu.be/tQK5HM2U8aM?si=zNGUHAv-rehxeXMb

[jimlosaltos]

Caspar Rudd also needed a match tiebreak to fend off Australian Max Purcell, who was just red-lining and storming the net -- hitting 93 winners, more than double the Norwegian's, and coming to the net 101 times for 72 points! Odd stats: Both players had identical first and second serve won percentages and top serve speed. But Ruud got a couple more firsts in. Made the difference. Highlights: https://youtu.be/9DlmhNfZ-fk?si=orq4wxPFjMmGtk1s

Seems to be a trend. In what seem to be fast conditions (haven't heard anything concrete yet myself) the unknowns and otherwise under dogs are red-lining with success, some winning.

[jimlosaltos]

Rune is down 2 sets to 21 year old French wildcard Arthur Cazaux, list at 6' tall, he is certainly no taller. First time I have seen him play, but he seems to have the best serve in tennis for a not tall player.

Indeed, Cazaux hit 51 winners including 18 aces - and Rune is a pretty good returner.

[stroke]

The Wall just does not seem to crumble. It has to be knocked down. Ruusuvouri definitely had chances, but did not get it done.

[stotty]

Ruusuvouri has painted a masterpiece on how to play Medvedev in taking a 2 sets to love lead.

Not much to dislike about Ruusuvouri's baseline game. He is beautifully compact on both wings and can really inject pace when he wants to. He has a nice service motion but doesn't always do too much with it. Meddy is playing better and could well turn the match around. It will certainly be a late finish, sadly, for either player, and that's tough for the one going through to the next round.

[stroke]

Ruusuvouri has painted a masterpiece on how to play Medvedev in taking a 2 sets to love lead.

[stroke]

Rune is down 2 sets to 21 year old French wildcard Arthur Cazaux, list at 6' tall, he is certainly no taller. First time I have seen him play, but he seems to have the best serve in tennis for a not tall player.

[stroke]

Grigor and his beautiful game in full flight with a 2 set lead over Kokkanakis, an no fuss taking all the air out of the room performance. Very impressive. He definitely looks like a serious contender for the title. His biggest hurdle may be his big 3 scar tissue, but 2 are gone. To me, that has had a real positive effect on Grigor.

[stotty]

Are They Locusts?

A trio of 16 year olds are creating a buzz on the WTA side. It's the first time in 16 years that more than one 16 year old has won a first round match.

Tennis.com: "The kids did it the hard way: After both won three matches in qualifying (Alina) Korneeva even saved match points in the second round, they won three-setters. In her Grand Slam main-draw debut, Korneeva was a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 winner over Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo, while {Brenda} Fruhvirtova also came from a set down to beat Romania's Ana Bogdan, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, for her first win in her third main-draw appearance after two first-round losses last year." Fruhvirtova subsequently fell to defending champ Arnya Sabalenka.

And "Per the WTA, the last time at least two 16-year-olds reached the second round of the Australian Open was in 2005, when Nicole Vaidisova, Michaella Krajicek and Tatiana Golovin all did it." Meanwhile, the more highly touted 16 yo, Mirra Andreeva took out one of her idols, Ons Jabeur love and 2. So, rude, giving your idol a bagel in public! I admit that I did not see that one coming.

At least the rest of the WTA can assume it will be 16 years before the next batch of eggs hatch yielding the subsequent buzzing swarm of 16 year old tennis prodigies.

I saw Hingis at Wimbledon when she was 12 years old playing in the junior event. She made the last four as I recollect. Kournakova was also playing that year, serving plenty of double as i remember. Hingis was amazing. I took some photos! I will see if I can dig one out an scan it up to the forum. You won't be impressed with my photography though...

[stotty]

Novak looked very patchy today against Popyrin and somehow escaped three set/break points on his own serve in the third set. It bodes well for Sinner who looks to be in form and you can't help feeling he will to go deep this year. Sinner would beat Novak in their current form so far in the tournament.

Carlos was awesome in the second and third set against the swashbuckling D'Artagnan yesterday.