Official Australian Open thread 2012.

[Greystache]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

Ditto.

I wonder what tall people who are highly competitive get called?

In my case- "Tries hard but is just a bit shit!"

[KT31]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

I don't think so, maybe border line(same height as Libba and Gilbee who I see as short) under 6 ft is short to me.

Libba Snr was only 163cm, now that is short.

Maybe I mean more his me against the world/angry man attitude(well this is how he comes across to me).

Not near the same class but have always seen him as a "want to be" or a "poor mans" McEnroe.
One thing I do admire about him is he is still willing to have a crack.
Others better have given the game away because of the pressure or it was to hard to maintain the level needed to bring their A game.

[Bornadog]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

Great win by Hewitt tonight, bloke just never gives up.

I really enjoyed this match, just when you think he is gone, he pulls out another great shot. Next round will be a tough one for him.

[westdog54]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

I really enjoyed this match, just when you think he is gone, he pulls out another great shot. Next round will be a tough one for him.

Great to see him keep going, massive test against the Djoker, I think it may be a stretch too far for Hewitt but Novak will not have it easy.

As for Tomic, if he can somehow get past Federer then I'll chuck a redback on him to win the final.

[azabob]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

Great to see him keep going, massive test against the Djoker, I think it may be a stretch too far for Hewitt but Novak will not have it easy.

As for Tomic, if he can somehow get past Federer then I'll chuck a redback on him to win the final.

If Tomic somehow does win his odds will shorten more so than they already have. Then he has to get past Nadal, then Djokovic.

[westdog54]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

Some high praise for Lleyton Hewitt, courtesy of the world number 2:

Rafael Nadal swept up in Lleyton Hewitt emotion

WORLD No.2 Rafael Nadal says he has been swept up in the emotion of watching Australia's Lleyton Hewitt push his battered body into the Australian Open fourth round.
Nadal said 30-year-old Hewitt, who will meet world No.1 Novak Djokovic on Monday night, remained an inspiration with his ability to defy expectations and his own physical limitations.

The Spanish star said even though he was friends with Hewitt's beaten third-round opponent, Canadian Milos Raonic, who has a Spanish coach, he could not help but enjoy Hewitt's victory over the 21-year-old.

"I really get emotional when he finished, he goes to the floor. He was really showing out his emotions," Nadal said.

"So is something fantastic at this moment of his career, after having fantastic career, to keep having this motivation and this (belief) to win a third-round match. That's unbelievable.

[azabob]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

Some high praise for Lleyton Hewitt, courtesy of the world number 2:
.

The sad fact for Nadal is that will be him in 5 years time. A champion of the game but his body will continually let him down.

Hopefully Nadal's body improves as the longer he stays around the better game tennis is.

I saw Nadal on day one for the first time. I couldn't believe how powerful of an athlete he was from his shot making to his explosive movements. I can only imagine how powerful he was in his prime.

I find it amazing that before Djokovic amazing run that the two best players in the world for a long time are completely different players. The two things in common being their mental strength and never die attitude. Nadal a pure power athlete (who is highly skilled mind you, not an athlete (looking at you Monfils) playing tennis) and Federer is sublimely skilled, smooth as silk shot maker.

On Hewitt, I wasn't lucky enough to see him live in him prime, but I can only imagine how quick and agile he would've been after seeing him very close up V's Roddick.

I am lucky enough to be going to the day session tomorrow and I can't believe Im slightly disappointing about seeing Federer rather than Nadal, having said all that this time last year and the previous couple of years I was ecstatic at seeing Federer, it has more to do with how blown away I am with how consistently hard Nadal hits the ball

Fingers crossed for a Nadal, Djokovic final. - It will be one to remember.

[azabob]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

It would be great to see Rafa, Fed and Novak all make the semis -- then we'll have some fireworks.

--

On the women's side of the draw -- anyone watched Kvitova over the summer? She won Wimbledon last year but no one is really talking about her. She's definitely the form player coming into the tournament -- a BIG hitting lefty. Wozniaki (sp?) is a tenacious little energizer bunny, but I think Kvitova has her measure.

For the men Im hoping for a Nole V Nadal final and hope it is a brutal battle over 5 sets... Before the tournament I wanted Nole to win, but after seeing Nadal for the first time live on day one I am would gladly see him win again.

RE the women as you say Kvitova is having a great start to the year and has continued her great form bar one or two sets.
Before her ankle injury Clijsters would've made the final, but now Im not so sure.
Wzniacki I think may choke at the vital stage again, hopefully for her she manages to break through for her first grand slam win.

Having said all that I think the number 3 seed Azarenka is looking very strong and may just outlast them all.

[westdog54]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

I find it amazing that before Djokovic amazing run that the two best players in the world for a long time are completely different players. The two things in common being their mental strength and never die attitude. Nadal a pure power athlete (who is highly skilled mind you, not an athlete (looking at you Monfils) playing tennis) and Federer is sublimely skilled, smooth as silk shot maker.
.

To me, Federer is a pure tennis player, and I firmly believe that if all players had to use old style wooden racquets for a tournament, he would be simply unmatched.

Watching him play, two things strike me. Firstly, he never plays a two-handed backhand. I don't think there's another player in the world at the moment who can boast that. The second is the way does the little things. Even his little flicks to the ball kids after a point is finished are sheer perfection.

He is simply a marvel.

[azabob]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

To me, Federer is a pure tennis player, and I firmly believe that if all players had to use old style wooden racquets for a tournament, he would be simply unmatched.

Watching him play, two things strike me. Firstly, he never plays a two-handed backhand. I don't think there's another player in the world at the moment who can boast that. The second is the way does the little things. Even his little flicks to the ball kids after a point is finished are sheer perfection.

He is simply a marvel.

Agree 100%.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

The sad fact for Nadal is that will be him in 5 years time. A champion of the game but his body will continually let him down.

Hopefully Nadal's body improves as the longer he stays around the better game tennis is.

I saw Nadal on day one for the first time. I couldn't believe how powerful of an athlete he was from his shot making to his explosive movements. I can only imagine how powerful he was in his prime.

Fingers crossed for a Nadal, Djokovic final. - It will be one to remember.

Nadal hits his forehand harder now than he ever did -- his game has also constantly gotten better: improved his serve tremedously over the past three years, comes to the net more, and has a much better backhand now than he did when he first started. He was also a pure clay-courter when he first started, but has continuously improved and adapted his game (shortened his backswing, hit flatter) to win on grass, and then do well on hard courts (built a wide-swinging serve from scratch, flattened out his serve down the T). He is now working on his forehand, flattening it out even more to attack good defensive backhands.

Nadal hasn't even yet hit his prime, much less be 'past it'. Just because Djokovic has now gone past him doesn't mean Nadal's worse than he used to be.

ps. Comparing Nadal's body to Hewitt may have been the popular cliche five years ago, but it's passe -- Nadal has won 10 majors, on all surfaces, and is in the middle of his career (he can literally quit now and will still end up in top 5 discussions of GOAT players), Lleyton managed two in his entire career, no comparison.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

Firstly, he never plays a two-handed backhand. I don't think there's another player in the world at the moment who can boast that.

No argument with the rest of your post (Fed is GOAT, full-stop -- Djok is playing AMAZING tennis, but has another 5 years to go to even get into the equation), but...

... you mustn't watch a lot of tennis if you don't know any other one-handed backhands on the tour. I can think of at least 5 just off the top of my head -- Lopez (although it is pretty meh, used it well at Wimbledon last year to set up his volleying, but not that penetrating), Haas (okay), Blake (meh), Almagro (very, very nice backhand), and Wawrinka (which is probably more powerful than Fed's, but without as much variety). I'm sure I could come up with quite a few more as well if I thought about it.

[azabob]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

ps. Comparing Nadal's body to Hewitt may have been the popular cliche five years ago, but it's passe -- Nadal has won 10 majors, on all surfaces, and is in the middle of his career (he can literally quit now and will still end up in top 5 discussions of GOAT players), Lleyton managed two in his entire career, no comparison.

I was talking about injuries. Both of them due to their game style have and will continue to cop a lot of injuries. No where did I say Hewitt was in Nadal's class in playing the sport.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

I was talking about injuries. Both of them due to their game style have and will continue to cop a lot of injuries. No where did I say Hewitt was in Nadal's class in playing the sport.

Fair enough... apologies for misunderstanding.

[azabob]

Re: Official Australian Open thread 2012.

Fair enough... apologies for misunderstanding.

No drama.

So who is your tip for ladies and the mens?