Get your strings tightened and your balls polished - gearing up for Aussie Open

[JuanPotatoTwo]

Happy New Year tennis folks (and others of course, if there are any) :)

Getting very very excited to see Pot back in action, feel like a hyperactive child rather than a middle aged woman. He didn't make it to Brisbane so wasn't counting on Sydney but he's there. Look:

www.facebook.com/245291448857687/photos/a.519072434812919.1073741828.245291448857687/784944874892339/?type=1&theater

Juan- and Dani

Why are they still harping on about his back surgery? If thy were going on about Nadal ,15 months after his surgery, people would moan.

I'm also relieved because it means Rafa remains at number 3 in the rankings (just).

It must be soo hard to hang about there after you've lost. All you want to do must be to hide and cry. Well, that's what I'd want to do.

It's why i don't like all the speeches. I'm sure they didn't always do the speeches.

Well I enjoyed the first two sets & the start of the third.

FFS - Andy is 27 - surely he should have learnt by now that all this negative body language & ranting get him nowehere?

If I were his coach I'd tell him I'd be leaving the players' box if he started all that rubbish.

Raahh WTF are you ironing sweatshirts? The creases in them come out with body heat.

magi- For some reason the 'new' sweatshirts are made of really rubbish thin fabric that needs ironing or it looks awful . I only do it at the beginning of the week though. After Monday, i care not what they look like

Disappointed for Murray. But Novak is one amazing athlete. Looking forward to the Davis cup in March now.

I firmly disapprove of all the speechifying. Remember 2012 when Rafa and Novak were pretty much on their knees, and they weren't even offered a chair, and they were just banging on for ages about how it was the best Grand Slam and so on What rubbish. Everyone knows the best GS is Wimbers. Andy looked like he was going to puke he was so disappointed :(

I was disappointed by his performance. He has the skills, he has the body, but he doesn't have the mind. He had the mind when he had Lendl - such a shame.

It why he's so frustrating. The only thing that's stopping him winning more is his mind. Once he loses it he ends up throwing a set or the whole match. Lendl sorted it out to an extent but without him he just can't quite keep it together.

At this level, its all about temperament, they can all play the game. Look at Serena yesterday- iron will prevailed. Andy needs to spend as much time in the mind gym as he does sprinting through sand.

Cash also sounds very frustrated with him.

I'm going to miss live tennis

But my score refreshing finger is ready- bring it on

I have to agree with Cash. Murray just catipulated in the third set and from a potentially winning position! I felt he lost rather than Donovan won. All in all, it was a very strange, topsy turvy match.

Donovan? Djokovic

Yep agreed. Murray was all over Djok in that 2nd set tie break, and the beginning of the 3rd set. He had found the formula for winning the match and then just totally threw it way. Djok didn't do anything different, just said thank you very much. I found it very frustrating as a Murray fan. He needs to see a sports psychologist.

I lost the thread.

literally.

Is anyone watching Rotherham?

Is it on free view TV? I saw that Murray had on his first match

Oh crap obviously a meant Rotterdam, damn autocorrect
I'm watching it on tennis tv (pay subscription) I'm not sure if it son anywhere else. Berdych playing now, in a weird match

@ Rotheram .

I have been trying to keep up with the scores- can't find anywhere to watch it. (I'm sure Dh could find it if i asked ).

Also at Rotherham!!

It's on Eurosport, which is where I'm catching bits of play, but don't know about anywhere else.

Just caught the end of Stan's match, which went to three sets. It was a bit of an odd ending. He thought he'd won, but on the match point his Spanish opponent Garcia Lopez called a challenge. The ball had gone well wide & the umpire & lines people had all missed it. In fact it was so wide I'm not convinced they got the right mark. So they had to carry on playing & it took Stan a couple of points to settle down again & close it out.

Oh andy andy andy!! So frustrating to support. He can beat anyone and anyone can beat him. I'd have bloody beaten him today! Sort your head out boy!!

Good start for Rafa is Rio. Always good to get a solid first win

I can't sleep. Which is annoying given it is half term and I don't have anything to get up for!