I have two concerns for Andy for the next two weeks.
1. His rivals are in peak form
2. Question marks over his fitness with regards to best of 5 set matches. I think his fitness will improve as the season moves on but not quite sure its were it has to be right now.

I must admit I would be surprised if Andy's fitness had not greatly improved from last year after hard work over the close season.

I was concerned re his fitness for much of last year after he effectively took time out after last year's Australian Open and seemed to lose his desire. He admitted himself he did very little woirk for a number of months.  I said during last year, and I think that it showed, that he was always likely to be playing catch-up fitness wise in the 2nd half of the year even if his form returned.

However, we do know that when his mind is right he has a huge appetite for hard work and I would thus have expected his fitness to be much improved on lastt year's general level.

I admittedly didn't see Andy's Hopman Cup matches, but am aware that training in the heat for a number of hours beforehand was a supposed major issue one day and indeed still being in reasonably hard training at that time would have an effect in any event.  Hopefully he has very much reduced his workload leading into the Open.

I guess we will find out more in time anyway....

Tomic has beaten Chardy in 3 so just the womens match to go now before Andy is on

-- Edited by airsmashers on Tuesday 18th of January 2011 02:08:45 AM

The 4:10 estimate was pretty much spot on! Andy's just held serve in the 1st game at 11 minutes past.

I recorded the match overnight and have just watched it - yes, I agree it won't be up for match of the tournament! But good enough for the win and that is pretty much all that matters at this stage. As they say, you can't win the tournament in the early rounds but you certainly can lose it.

-- Edited by Madeline on Tuesday 18th of January 2011 04:58:13 PM

Can't beat this.

Watching Andy play live on my favourite court in the World.

Played on MCA last year and all was good.

Should be fun and hopefully an easy win.

:)

I managed to watch this, though I had my coat on and was half-way out of the door by the end - drat that delayed start! - and I thought it was a good match for Andy to have at this point. It won't have taken much out of him but should have sharpened him - Marchenko did well enough to make Andy play a few brilliant shots!

GGL next. He is a player I rather like to watch; they have only played once, on grass at Queens in 09, and Andy won 6-4 6-4 but I seem to remember the match being a little closer than the scoreline would suggest.