The Australian Open.

[Incredible Schalk]

Federer was below par today again, i think he'll make the semis but he really has to sort all these shanks. For me Murray and Nadal look the best, Nadal especially has an incredible consistency that is unmatched by anyone off the ground. So far Federer and Djokovic have dropped two sets each whilst Rafa and Andy have dropped none although they both have to play their 4th round matches.

Gay-Guy, really good write up on Rafa, i think one of his strengths that isnt talked about enough is his ability to keep opponents guessing where the balls going to go until the last moment. His footwork is just incredible and his accuracy is unmatched.

 

[Gay-Guy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 26 2009, 12:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Jan 25 2009, 03:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jelena Jankovic has been knocked out by Marion Bartoli 6-1, 6-4. The biggest upset so far, perhaps?[/b]

not really, Bartoli is a former Wimbledon finalist, she's seeded, so it's not like it's outside the realms of probability especially given that Jankovic is yet to win a major. It's an upset but not a major one, Venus and Ivanovic's losses were far bigger upsets imo.
[/b][/quote]
Damn Ivanovic losing...now we have no babes to look at damnit!

Best womens final of all time...Sharapova vs Ivanovic....and not because of their play...

 

[An Tarbh]

So history won't be made at Melbourne as Murray is sent home by Verdasco, would have been the first time in history that all top 8 seeds have made it through to the quarter finals.

 

[gingergenius]

andy murray what a f***ing prat. Getting all our hopes up like that. You can go back to being Scottish.

 

[An Tarbh]

Tsonga turned things around nicely in that 3rd set to finish off Blake, that would have been a great match between himself and Murray, especially with Tsonga's serve going up against Murray's return. Oh well not to be.

 

[QLD]

Come on Dokic. She's Aussie again lol

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Ugh of all the top 8 seeds i didnt expect to lose in round 4 it was Murray, lack of focus at the start of sets pretty much cost him the match. In saying that though Verdasco did very well, considering he has never beaten AM before in 5 matches and not went past the 4th round in a slam before he closed out with a classic serive hold. Gutted we wont see a Murray/Nadal semi.

Mon Rafa B)

 

[An Tarbh]

I can't remember a major where there were this many retirments and again today as Djokovic retires in the 4th against Roddick.

 

[Flux]

One player I've been impressed with is Tsonga. He's just gone about his work without too much fuss and I think he could find himself featuring in another Australian Open final.

 

[Flux]

And not long after I say this he goes and loses to Verdasco. Well, f***.

 

[An Tarbh]

watching the rerun of this Williams Kuznetsova quarter final you've got to wonder why the roof wasn't closed from the beginning. The commentators are talking about temperatures of 55°C. Tennis isn't an endurance sport, if you have the means use them and give us a better match rather than the drivel which we were unfortunately being served up today and yesterday in the Bartoli/Dementieva match.

 

[Gay-Guy]

Straight sets win for Federer over Roddick.....

 

[An Tarbh]

even if it is Nadal in the final, the performance from Federer in his last 2 matches surely sees him starting as favourite.

 

[Flux]

Hoping for a Serena Williams win in the women's final, because I really don't like Safina.

Looks like it's going to be another Nadal v Federer final and I agree that Federer will go in as the favourite. That Nadal played possibly the worst game of this tournament and still managed a win must still look pretty damning for the opposition.

I didn't stay up to watch Federer v Roddick, so I'm just wondering what Roddick's serving was like?

 

[An Tarbh]

I only saw the third set but he was struggling to hold in practically every game. They were saying afterwards that he'd got rattled by a call early in the match and seemed to hold a grudge against the umpire all the way through, not exactly the best approach to take against Federer.

 

[Flux]

Definitely not the best way to play against one of the greatest players of all time. If he was gonna win that match he really needed to have a good service game.

 

[Haysie]

Brave effort from Jelena Dokic I thought, considering her father was a prat and all. I think she'd fought back from the black dog too, 3 years deep.

 

[Gay-Guy]

First set to Verdascoe.....tie break it was and what a crucial penultimate point Verdascoe took to help him win the break....the ball looked like it was curling out...hits the net...drops in and just touches the paint...luck of the gods!

 

[An Tarbh]

unbelievable stroke of luck for Veradasco in that first set tie break, ball was going well out and the net chord deflects it in. One hell of a match on our hands here.

 

[Gay-Guy]

Nadal is doing ALOT of running...lucky he has great stamina....but how long can he do this?