Weeks 3-4 - Australian Open (hard)

indiana · Tennis legend

RE: Weeks 3-4 - Australian Open (hard)

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Courier ''can you give me an example of a Lendl joke?"

Andy "Ah that would be unsuitable for daytime TV"

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Julia Carrot wrote:
Courier ''can you give me an example of a Lendl joke?"

Andy "Ah that would be unsuitable for daytime TV"

Correction, he actually said

'none of them are clean enough for TV' biggrin

indiana · Tennis legend

Aww, so we might not even get to hear a Lendl joke after a night match smile

In other business, do rather like Andy's first serve return success, 27 out of 33 ( 82% ) ! Second serve return success rate was 7 out of 14 ( 50% ).

Nishikori wins the third set : 2 - 6 6 - 2 6 - 1

indiana · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
Andy goes two sets up 6 - 4 6 - 2 with the last game being just about the most enjoyable I've seen in a tennis match in a long time.
Such touch from both and Andy's smiling

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 21st of January 2012 09:43:02 AM

Well, the Australian Open official site also rather took to that final game of the second set against Llodra.

In the video highlights for Day 6 they have a video entitled :

"The Best Game of Tennis Ever ?" with accompanying blurb :

"In tennis you can go for games without seeing something truly outstanding. When Andy Murray took on Michael Llodra they produced four of the best points you'll ever see in the course of a single game. Enjoy"

You just see these four points. I can't remember the other points, but they evidently didn't stand up for inclusion with the fab four, which if maybe a little exhibitionist had a huge amount of initiative and skill on both sides and well simply, if you haven't seen it before, go look and as they say : "Enjoy".

-- Edited by indiana on Monday 23rd of January 2012 01:48:10 PM

Julia Carrot · All-time great

indiana wrote:
Aww, so we might not even get to hear a Lendl joke after a night match

Nishikori wins the third set : 2 - 6 6 - 2 6 - 1

And the match ! Big surprise that. Poor old Tsonga. I didn't watch. Wonder why that happened. Heat ? (Serena out too. Blimey.)

So Andy's draw has got kinder, for the moment.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

The Frenchmen are dropping like flies - both Tsonga and Gasquet out overnight. Spoils Andy's chances of increasing the GEM count.

Hmmm. Nishikori rather than Tsonga next. I'm not sure I wouldn't have preferred Tsonga, we know Andy has his number. Although Andy beat Kei during the Asian swing, Kei was carrying an injury then I believe. However he surely must be tired after all these five-setters.

RJA · Hall of fame

Madeline wrote:
Hmmm. Nishikori rather than Tsonga next. I'm not sure I wouldn't have preferred Tsonga, we know Andy has his number.

Can't agree with that. Andy might have a good record against Tsonga but the latter is a vastly better player than he was a year ago. On his day he is devastating and capable of playing at a level that Nishikori isn't. Bottom line for me. If Andy plays well he will beat Nishikori, if he plays well against Tsonga he can still be in a very tough match.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes. that glass is more than half full to my mind as yet another expected opponent drops out of Andy's way smile

steven · Tennis legend

Just noticed that Serena, Tomic, Dammit & Tsonga all going out in R4 means that if Nole finishes off Lleyton today, GB will be the only slam-hosting nation with a quarter-finalist in either singles draw!

Muzz has certainly been the last player from a slam-hosting nation standing before, obviously, but it has only happened this early in a slam once before ... at last year's AO!

Serena has reached the QFs at 15 of the last 20 slams, with Venus (2010 USO), Bartoli (2011 RG & Wimbledon) and Monfils (2008 RG) among those filling in when she didn't make it.

steven · Tennis legend

Anyway, there is certainly an argument (and I think Ratty, among others, has already made it to some extent) that what Muzz needed even more than a coach was a slam draw opening up like this - I mean, I know he's still likely to have to get through Nole and Fed or Rafa to actually win the whole thing, but at least this time he has a fighting chance of reaching the semis without having knackered himself out already. (I know Kei could knock him out or take him to 5 sets, but that won't be the draw's fault, if you see what I mean)

DavidC · Tennis legend

Andy tiring himself out before the semis used to be a problem, but not in recent Australian Opens - he only lost 1 set in the last 2 years up to that stage. Essentially it is still the same question mark as to whether he and Lendl can come up with, and execute, a game plan to win the semi and final against 2 of the top 3, unless they lose before then.

philwrig · Hall of fame

The Djoker was very average today against Hewitt, but its probably a bit much to ask that he continues to play like that.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
So, it is Mikhail Kukushkin again, the guy who Andy spent an inordinate time on court against in Brisbane R1, shaking off some rust and getting his creaky limbs in working order again. Well, Andy's sure looking better now, and although Kukushkin must be playing well, it's a draw to like before Nishikori in the QFs

Did you have any money on that, Indy, or are you not a betting man? wink

indiana · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
indiana wrote:
So, it is Mikhail Kukushkin again, the guy who Andy spent an inordinate time on court against in Brisbane R1, shaking off some rust and getting his creaky limbs in working order again. Well, Andy's sure looking better now, and although Kukushkin must be playing well, it's a draw to like before Nishikori in the QFs
Did you have any money on that, Indy, or are you not a betting man?

No, I used to bet a reasonable amount, but I also manged to lose a resaonable amount so rarely do these days.

Plus actually I firmly expected Tsonga to win. The mention of Nishikori was purely a winking reference to how Andy's expected opponents were fallling by the wayside.

Anyway, Nishikori it is, before Ferrer in the SFs wink