Australian Open 2016 - Main Draw - Melbourne, Australia - Hard

KK · Club Coach

RE: Australian Open 2016 - Main Draw - Melbourne, Australia - Hard

indiana · Tennis legend

Shuai Zhang is on a quite a journey here, qualifying and now reaching R4 ( plays Madison Keys, the winner to play Jo or Ekatarina Makarova in the QF ).

Although having a CH 30 and spent a pretty long time in the past well inside the top 100 she has previously appeared in Grand Slam MD R1s 14 times and lost 14 times.

She was very emotional finally breaking her duck in R1 here and against Simona Halep no less.

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 23rd of January 2016 03:58:29 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

KK wrote:
However, she does speak cut-glass English. I was amazed to hear the interviewer say she still sounds Australian with a hint of an English accent. They are desperately trying to hang on to her Australian roots!

For whatever reasons I did think Jo had a pretty noticeable hint of an Australian accent in her on court interview the other day compared to other times. But yes very much stretching it to say that she sounds Australian with a hint of an English accent!

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 23rd of January 2016 04:09:13 PM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Another useless little stat - by my reckoning Jo's combined earnings so far at AO (given current AUD to USD exchange rates) take Jo over $1M USD in total career earnings.

Her previous earnings, up to and including Hobart, were $847,551
She has earned at least $156,145 (singles $140,040; doubles $16,105) so far at this AO.

For a new combined total of: $1,003,696

Of which, $496,142 (49.4%) has come from Wimbledon 2015 onwards.
Essentially doubling her career earnings in the last ~6 months!

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

KK wrote:
However, she does speak cut-glass English.

I don't think she does. There's definitely still a hint of Oz (not entirely unsurprisingly) &, Heaven forfend, mid-Atlantic (equally unsurprisingly, given the amount of time she must spend in North America, exposed, however unconsciously, to all sorts of unwelcome influences), IMHO. hmm

DF · Tennis legend

Still has an Aussie accent.

indiana · Tennis legend

Peter too wrote:
The bottom half of the draw is opening up for someone unexpected to get through to the final, Kerber(7), Azarenka(14), Keys(15), Ivanov(20)and Makanrova(21) are the only seeds left.

Azarenka got to be the strong favourite here from the bottom half. Back looking like a really top seed again and sounding confident.

But I wouldn't mind someone else in particular getting to the final

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 23rd of January 2016 07:30:50 PM

Peter too · Tennis legend

Yes, I watched some of Azarenka's match and she certainly looked on form. At least Jo has the possibility a few other matches before she would meet Azarenka.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Johanna vs. Makarova is the one remaining R16 match not scheduled on RLA.
4th after 00:00 UK on Margaret Court - following a mens singles, and 2 womens doubles.

DF · Tennis legend

Painful to watch Friedsam.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

DF wrote:
Still has an Aussie accent.

Don't forget shes' in Oz at the mo, and has been for a few weeks now. I know that my accent is affected by the people around me, and I suspect that's the same for Jo.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

All matches scheduled before Jo have finished, so not long now.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Under way.

As well as streams, commentary, with David Laws & Leon Smith, available on radio R5LSX

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

Pity; chances to go 4*-1 up but now it's back on serve 3-3*

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Excellent first 4 games, all close, but Jo edged a break ahead
10 minute 5th game on Makarova's serve, several BP for a double break, but the Russian eventually prevailed.
Jo then a bit below her previous level, Makarova upped hers, and broke back.
Very competitive. On serve.