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

Wrong thread

oh Rafa.

I suppose if it had to happen, I'm glad it was a close match and when i saw he was playing Raonic, I knew he had one of the tougher quarter final, and the scoreline bears that out. Missing 3 match points will hurt though.

Onwards and upwards- next stop Miami, where Nadal needs to go one better than last year.

I like the

Well done to Djok, retaining his title. He's certainly started the year strongly.

continues to talk to self, unless you've all buggered off elsewhere

Yay! Rafa is playing at Queens. He's always gone on to do well at Wimbledon post Queens, so I hope this is a good omen. And he can't do any worse than he did at Halle!

Just found the thread again it fell off my list thing.
Yep, Great news Rafa will play queens it's been upgraded this year too.
The final was great from Djokovic, except for the crazy number of double faults he served! incidentally if anyone uses tennistv and couldn't watch the final, (they had a technical fault ) if you contact them and register a complaint they are compensating everyone.

Pleased to hear Rafa is playing Queens this year. Apparently the courts are the most similar to those at Wimbledon, so he thinks it'll give him the best preparation.

Del Potro is in action later in the first round in Miami- against Pospisil. Unfortunately if he wins, he plays Dimtrov

Vamos Potato!

Let's hope the wrist holds up this time for Potato.

well, he lost the first set but is winning the second. Vamos !

I have just caught RaahhPuppy chewing my 2012 Wimbledon tennis ball. He'll have to go.

just kidding

Eeek! Tie-break...

Oh dear

Really thought Potato was going to take the second set. Just goes to show how quickly things can turn around in a tennis match.

Dammit, used the wrong name

ooh, Dogs Bollocks who i still have a soft spot for, it doing ok against Robredo. Go Dogs Bollocks!

Vamos Nadal- although Verdasco is a tricky one, and I have an uneasy feeling....

seems I was right to be nervous

Oh Rafa :(

Rafa's out! Oh no

Monte Carlo next- despite his great record there, he will be wanting to get his title back after losing it to Djok last year. He had his worst ever April last year- hopefully a good one will boost his confidence.

Not sure whether Potato is playing there- I hope so.

He'll be glad to get back onto the clay, I reckon.

In the absence of Nadal , i am hoping DogsBollocks does well against Djok. I'm not hopeful but it would shake things up a bit.

I'll be cheering Dogs on as well.

Just listening now to Murray having an argument with the umpire about time violations for taking too long between points

Murray has been given time violations? The same Murray who constantly moans about Rafa?

And of course, the fact he's losing this set has no bearing on his ranting.

Come on Anderson!!

The very same

Well, Murray won in the end. I wanted him to win, sorry Raahh!

Now Dogs has taken the first set against Djok on the tie-break. Go Dogs!