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

Oh crap.

I had prents evening at school and have only just got back. This was not the result i was hoping for, but deep down suspected.

There's nothing else to say. Except that like Raahh I suspected that might happen.

C'mon Klingon! I really don't want Nishikori to win.

And I want Ferrer to win the tournament. Vamos

I am still feeling pretty down about Rafa's results. He needs to catch a break- and seriously consider a new coach.

oh rubbish- just seen the Ferrer result.

This tournament is not going to plan.

Hello lovely peeps. My Dad died in Feb so have been missing in action. But - I did go to Monte Carlo last week (dh made me do it, honest) and went to the tennis on Friday. The only match worth watching was the Rafa v Ferrer one - the others were all a bit one sided. But lots of familiar face spotting was to be had - Shrieky, Boris, Goran, Prince Albert etc.

Hoping to get properly back in to the tennis in next few weeks once have scattered dad's ashes :(

Hope everyone's ok.

So sorry to hear about your dad, Juan . Hope you are doing OK.

oh, Juan so sorry to hear that. I wondered where you were.

Take care of yourself

I also had a very inappropriate dream involving Djok, of all people, this week.

Hormones are strange

Thank you Rafa and Raahh. I'm getting there - we were very close. I stayed with Dad when my parents divorced and he saw me through my teens. He was brilliant. But he was old and frail so although it was sad I can't say it was totally unexpected.

Will distract myself with tennis

That sounds like a good plan.

I'm having problems keeping up with the tennis since I broke my laptop. The live scores site doesn't seem to work on my tablet.

Juan I'm very sorry to hear about your Dad. He was clearly very special to you. My condolences

I'm so very sorry to hear of your loss Juan
Thinking of you x

Oh thank you all. I still get caught out when something silly or unexpected makes me cry - seeing his name in print always brings on the tears - but it is getting slowly better.

Anyway - how have you managed to break your laptop Clay? I see Garcia-Lopez has won in Bucharest. And sad news about Stan and his Mrs, not a total shock though I guess.

I dropped it. Not from a very great height, but high enough to have damaged the graphics card or screen. Or at least I think that's what I've damaged. Seems to work but with no picture. Not sure how to get it fixed though.

Oh thank you all. - seeing his name in print always brings on the tears

It does for me too - 24 year on. And I'm glad it does. It means he is not forgotten.

for you, Pesky - it's a tough time.

Hope everyone has had an ok week.

Grudging congrats to Murray in Munich- but I think Kohlshreiber (sp) should have won it.

Onwards to Madrid and Rome- Vamos, Nadal- you need to do well, or the RG draw will be very tricky indeed.

Morning all, Madrid this week, vamos Rafa. Think he really needs to do well here or RG just isn't gonna be happening.
How is everyone? Good bank holiday weekend?
I took my four away in my newly adapted car, very fancy and means I can drive safely using my one good leg. It was chaos but great fun
I hope you're doing ok juan. 8 years after my nans death seeing her name always gives me a jolt but it also makes me smile these days.

V happy with Andy's win at the weekend. Good for confidence going into Madrid, despite the lower calibre of competition in Munich. Always nice for a player to tick off a first.

Hope Rafa finds his mojo this week otherwise Djok is going to steam through all the GS this year and that would be very boring indeed.

While I've got you, can anyone explain the Rosol hate?

Hi all anyone watching madrid?
Rafa has taken the first set against Dimitrov but is a break down the second. Playing well, except his serve seems to have gone walkabout
Was glad to see Kyrios beat fed the other day

Yes mama following Madrid. Wanting a final between Andy and Rafa.

Very good match for Rafa today- Berdy is playing well, so it has to have helped his confidence.

I think Murray/Nishikori could be close- Nish seems to like the clay.

Couldn't watch Rafa/Berdych as DH had a very important rugby match to watch so I let him have the tv, but I followed the scores online.

Murray/Nishikori could be an interesting one this evening.

Let's go Andy, let's go! Tasty final tomorrow.

Tasty final indeed. Can't wait!

carabos when Rosol beat Rafa at Wimbledon a couple of years ago he deliberately bumped into Rafa at one of the changeovers. Just a bit of gamesmanship, which you be fair, they all indulge in from time to time.

Muddled and Mama, thank you for kind words. Twelve weeks tomorrow :(

Did you all clock Kyrgios's win over Fed? Good result for Nick. I read that Fed said he'd been unable to deal with Nick's first serve.

Have you seen the TV ad for the French Open? I like it. Can't believe it's nearly upon us.