Weeks 3-4 - Australian Open - Melbourne

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

RE: Weeks 3-4 - Australian Open - Melbourne

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

A bit of blatent advertising here...

Would be great to get our new (and old) members playing the pickem contest for the Aussie Open. The thread with info and links is over in tennis predictions and can be found here. I'm posting here as I know that fewer people read that section and I'd hate anyone to miss out on a really fun game. (it has nothing to do with the fact that Steven and I are the one who run it. nothing. honest

)

Back on topic, sorry to see Ancic out. I wish he could manage a whole year of healthiness.

-- Edited by imoen at 15:29, 2008-01-11

steven · Tennis legend

Two Brits in the main draw, both in the 3rd quarter:

L128: (9) Andy Murray WR 9 v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) WR 38
L128: (Q) Jamie Baker WR 217 v (20) Ivo Karlovic (CRO) WR 22

steven · Tennis legend

MONDAY OoP

Jamie B 1st on Court 7 (i.e. midnight GMT)

Andy 3rd on Rod Laver (i.e. it might be as early as 02.00 GMT if Serena and Justine hand out quick thrashings)

-- Edited by steven at 09:27, 2008-01-12

murrayfan99 · Lower Club Player

I'm sure a lot of people reckon that getting to one GS semi would be a good achievement for Andy in 08. For that goal, this draw could be the best GS draw he will get this year even if his seeding improves as the year goes on.

Crucially, Davydenko would be the first choice opponent in the last 8
Gasquet isnt much more of a worry than Ferrer, Roddick or Gonzalez in the last 16.
Chela who is no mug is still preferable to a few of the other top 32

Only downside of this draw is that Andy and his entourage could get distracted thinking about their prospects in the later rounds and neglect to take care of business in the early rounds.

murrayfan99 · Lower Club Player

Now I realize that if you refresh a page having previously posted - you get the post repeated.

-- Edited by murrayfan99 at 08:03, 2008-01-13

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

murrayfan99 wrote:

Only downside of this draw is that Andy and his entourage could get distracted thinking about their prospects in the later rounds and neglect to take care of business in the early rounds.

Doesn't look as though Andy himself is - from Friday's London Lite:

Murray going for a Tsonga in Melbourne

James Olley

ANDY MURRAY has been drawn against rising French star, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, in the first round of the Australian Open. The Scot, seeded ninth at the first grand slam of the year, which starts in Melbourne on Monday, beat the 22-year-old in their only previous meeting on the ATP Tour in October last year. But big-serving Tsonga is a tough draw, as his commitment to go for his shots and powerful aggression have seen him rise to a career-high N° 38.

"He's obviously playing really well right now - in the next month or so his ranking will probably get him seeded at slams, so it's a tough match," said Murray. "He has a good serve, is a good athlete, hits the ball pretty hard from the baseline and it's going to be a hard match for me. But if I play like [ouch!] I have been, I have a good chance to win."

Murray will fancy his chances of getting to the quarter-finals - where he could face Frenchman Richard Gasquet - and has notably been drawn in the opposite half of the draw to world number one, Roger Federer. "Hopefully, I'll come through against Tsonga and then start to look at the draw a little bit," he said. "But when you've got a first round match like that, you are not going to look past someone as tough as him."

Murray finalised his preparations for the event this morning with a 6-2 7-6 win over Brydan Klein in his final match at the Kooyong Classic.

* Not all that different from other reports I've seen, I'll grant you, but at least they're all an indication that he's not underestimating his first-round opponent.

helki · Futures qualifying

Here's what an eminent French coach has to say on the subject, "Tsonga is one of our hopes for the future but compared to Murray he is pitiful in talent. Your man has so much skill, while ours just likes to hit the ball hard. Many of us in France would trade 10 of our players for Murray. We look for players who can knock Federer off the throne. Maybe it is Nadal at Roland Garros, that is proven. But at the places where Federer rules, here or New York or even Wimbledon, it could be Murray. He is a future Grand Slam champion, and soon."

* From a longer article in today's ST.
** No falling at the first hurdle Andy!

wolf · Tennis legend

channelsurfing.net have two live streams wunning.

DJ · County player

wolf wrote:

channelsurfing.net have two live streams wunning.

Didn't realise you have a lisp, Wolf. Does that mean your name is really
'Rolf'? :)

andyjmr · Intermediate Club Player

Shame the new banner is out of date already Drew :(