Weeks 3 & 4 - Australian Open, Melbourne (hard) - doubles

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Weeks 3 & 4 - Australian Open, Melbourne (hard) - doubles

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
L16: (11) Rajeev Ram (USA) & Joe Salisbury CR 43 (22+21) defeated (6) Marcel Granollers & Horacio Zeballos (ESP/ARG) CR 31 (27+4) by 6-4 7-6(11)
L16: Santiago González (MEX) & Ken Skupski CR 102 (48+54) defeated (16) Austin Krajicek & Franko Skugor (USA/CRO) CR 77 (42+35) by 3 & 4
******
QF: Henri Kontinen & Jan-Lennard Struff (FIN/GER) CR 82 (17+65) vs (11) Rajeev Ram (USA) & Joe Salisbury CR 43 (22+21)
QF: Marcelo Arévalo (ESA) & Jonny O'Mara CR 130 (71+59) vs (4) Ivan Dodig & Filip Polasek (CRO/SVK) CR 25 (13+12)
QF: (WC) Max Purcell & Luke Saville (AUS/AUS) CR 170 (88+82) vs Santiago González (MEX) & Ken Skupski CR 102 (48+54)

Looking at the draw we have :

Joe and Rajeev v Kontinen and Struff - 50/50 match to be honest but I think Joe and Rajeev can come through as the more established pair

Winner of that plays Bublik/Kukushkin or Aussie pair Duckworth/Polmans (wild cards) - again, so hard to call that.

Then we have Jonny and Marcelo v Dodig/Polasek - Jonny will be underdogs here, got to fancy Dodig and Polasek, but..

Purcell and Saville are again wild cards, and home boys, but fancy Ken and Santiago in that.

Of all the above, my instinct tells me Dodig and Polasek will make the final from bottom half, obviously highest seeded players, and Joe and Rajeev at the top, again with seedings.

But very clearly that means very little this event - I think the MTB 3rd set in a slam is a mistake and does make it more of a lottery but you still have to win 6 matches to win the event, making it an achievement regardless.

Does anyone know what format the other slams will have this year? FO has been 3 sets, as has USO, are they going to MTB? Presumably Wimbledon sticking with 5 sets which sort of makes it the King of the Doubles Grand Slams, the de facto World Championships...

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

I see the only non Brit QF is being played now, after the Nadal v Nick K match - must feel a bit like trying to dance after the party is over and the lights are on

Nix · Futures qualifying

I agree with you Jon about the MTB in slams. I don't understand why they can't just play best of three sets. Not sure what the rationale is, whether MTB is supposed to be more exciting (not for me, as it makes the result more of a lottery in my view) or to make it more attractive to singles players by reducing the effort they have to put it to in practice a maximum of two and a bit sets.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
I see the only non Brit QF is being played now, after the Nadal v Nick K match - must feel a bit like trying to dance after the party is over and the lights are on

The doubles QF is nearing end of first set at c. 1215 am local time. It is going to be a 1 am finish most likely,

Really. Why?

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Bublik and Kukushkin came through to reach semis, Joe and Rajeev would play them at that stage if they make it through.

indiana · Tennis legend

Nix wrote:
I agree with you Jon about the MTB in slams. I don't understand why they can't just play best of three sets. Not sure what the rationale is, whether MTB is supposed to be more exciting (not for me, as it makes the result more of a lottery in my view) or to make it more attractive to singles players by reducing the effort they have to put it to in practice a maximum of two and a bit sets.

Folk, in the men's and wimen's doubles they do play best of 3. It's a MTB at 6-6 in the 3rd, not simply a MTB decider at one set all. It's just the mixed doubles that has that.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
Nix wrote:
I agree with you Jon about the MTB in slams. I don't understand why they can't just play best of three sets. Not sure what the rationale is, whether MTB is supposed to be more exciting (not for me, as it makes the result more of a lottery in my view) or to make it more attractive to singles players by reducing the effort they have to put it to in practice a maximum of two and a bit sets.
Folk, in the men's and wimen's doubles they do play best of 3. It's a MTB at 6-6 in the 3rd, not simply a MTB decider at one set all. It's just the mixed doubles that has that.

Ah, good. I am having a mare! I dont think I am paying as much attention as normal and read it through as a straight MTB without the set. That is better then, in which case the "lottery" of the results is probably more to do with early season and new , scratch pairings in many cases, and a general evenness of the field.

Still good stuff, thanks

wolf · Tennis legend

The Aussie WC's won 7 challengers together last year and 1 already this year so clearly not to be underestimated.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

In the week after the AO, most of our guys playing:

MONTPELLIER ATP - Jamie and Neal, Ken and Gonzalez, Dom and Qureshi

Doubles : Koolhof / Mektic, Rojer / Tecau, J. Melzer / Roger-Vasselin, J. Murray / N. Skupski, Carreno Busta / J. Sousa, Bolelli / Fognini, S. Gonzalez / K. Skupski, Nielsen / Putz, M. Lopez / Rublev, Inglot / Qureshi.

PUNE ATP - Jonny and Arevalo

Doubles : Haase / Lindstedt, Sharan / Sitak, Arevalo / O'Mara, Erlich / Vasilevski, Hsieh / Molachanov, Arends / Pel, Berankis / Donskoy, Duckworth / Reid; Lorenzi / Travaglia, Arneodo / Begemann.

Joe and Luke giving this week a miss. Hoped we would see Luke and Ben play somewhere but theyre obviously taking time out.

flamingowings · All-time great

Joe and Rajeev win 6-4 6-4, yay!

indiana · Tennis legend

Yay

Joe & Rajeev efficiently see off Kontinen & Struff 6-4 6-4 to move into the SF where they will play Bublik & Kukushkin.

67 points to 53, 2/4 BPs converted againdy 0/1. Served out the final game to love, having had a BP/MP in the previous game.

Babfive · Pro player

Jonny and Marcelo lose 3-6 2-6

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

flamingowings wrote:
Joe and Rajeev win 6-4 6-4, yay!

Great win!

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Babfive wrote:
Jonny and Marcelo lose 3-6 2-6

Step too far but excellent fortnight for the pair. Onto the main Tour now, Pune next!