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

Commentators are saying that's by far the best he's played all year and think I agree. Makes no sense after last weekends performance but can only be a good thing

Murray has pulled out of Rome due to fatigue.

C'mon Foggy!!

Oh blimey! Bellucci took the first set against Djok- I need Djok to win, so he can beat Nishikori next round.

It's all tactics, isn't it

Although Rafa is playing Stan- psychologically that may be tricky.

well, Fed has beaten Berdy and Djok looks in course to beat Nishikori. So all Nadal needs to do now is win his next 3 matches and he might be seeded 4th at RG.

simple!

Kei is attempting a comeback.

C'mon Djok!

Yay, Just got in to see the scores....about as good for Rafa as possible, he just needs to keep winning now
Surprised berdych lost so easily.

mama- me too. Maybe he's tired

Yes, the other players have done their bit, Rafa needs to his vamos

I've read two interesting, yet conflicting, articles on the 'fatigue' issue today. One saying Murray (and Serena apparently) are right to give up on Rome and focus on RG. And the other saying it is possibly a bad move, since if you skip any tournament pre- RG, then you skip Madrid (As Djok did). Rome is seen as the marker of how well players subsequently do at the French.

Whichever theory is right, if this is to be Djok's year, I would at least have wanted Rafa to give up his title in a final. That can't happen now, can it?

But of course #RG10 is going to happen.

They do all seem to be exhausted
Rafa and Stan both looking pretty nervous, each point is taking ages,
And Stan really needs to not be wearing those shorts, they're awful
No sadly I don't think a Rafa/Novak final will happen the commentators were saying the best scenario for fans would be a semi now, but if Rafa loses here tonight and the draw works out that way they could meet in the quarters or theoretically even before. Think Rafa will have an awful draw no matter what.
But as you say he's gonna win so what does it matter

I can't 'see' it, so will rely on your fashion critique- has Stan ironed his top? Love him, but even though I'm sure each shirt comes fresh out of a packet, he always looks dishevelled.

Nope the shirt is definitely not ironed and the shorts have a weird pink and white diagonal crisis cross thing going on, he looks awful bless him.
Glad to see him playing well though after the last few weeks.
Rafa broke but Stan broke back. Both still very nervous I think, some great shots but unforced errors as well.

I'm glad to see his fashion sense has got no better

But, sorry Stan- you need to lose. Nowt personal- if you were playing Murray knock yourself out... but not today...

vamos

Stan's outfit is truly awful. He looks like he's turned up to play in his pyjama bottoms & an unironed old polo shirt.

I wish Stan all the best & hope he can sort out his marriage woes.

But I also want Rafa to come back & win this match. Vamos!

That's not a good start, is it?

Well it might be if you are Stan I suppose.

Vamos

Uh oh....
Gonna be interesting to see if Rafa can come back now, if he can it has to help with the confidence but it's a big if. Vamos!

Stan reminds me of my youngest son (and he's only 2 ) he also always manages to look as if he's been dragged through the hedge backwards no matter what.

Shit.

I might go to bed.

VAMOS

Crap

Oh well....
No idea what happened that second set Stan played well but Rafa was all over the place. I'm hoping your article Raahh was wrong about this being the best indication for doing well at RG, but sadly suspect it may prove to be true.

Erm, well, errr...

Maybe he'll be nice and rested for RG now.

Oh dear

I had to go to bed as my tablets make me drowsy.

crap.

but yes, let's hope he gets a rest .(smiles sadly )

right. in an attempt to cheer myself up I have found these two stats
-Stan was the 8th seed when one won in 0z

• Cilic was seeded 14 at the US

so 7 might not be so bad after all .

( I am by nature a pessimist, this glass half full stuff is killing me:-) )

and apologies for garbled posts- I have a new phone and it changes language mid post if I press a button by accident!

Raahh
Fingers crossed 7 proves to be lucky :)
Novak through today, I'm team Stan now, let's hope he wins tonight (and that some one has ironed his shirt )

C'mon then Stan! Maybe he loses his mojo if he is more pristine?

I wanted Ferrer to win, but I think I need to stop caring who wins anything now!