Tennis Thread: Australian Open 2019 & onwards..........

[magimedi]

Hope it's OK for me to start a new thread - could not believe we'd burned out on the last one.

Am looking forward to seeing highlights of the Fed/Tits match later.

Sloane has the check trim on her top/horrible denim combo going on.

It's like someone raided the rag-bag at nike

I can't believe they put the women's match on after the men. Madness. I hope a lot of the crowd hung around for it.

It really is daft- I still don't get who benefits- we do, because we are on the right side of the world to watch. Presumably parts of the US are too. That's probably the reason for it in the first place- US broadcasters dictate a lot of things , world over.

I doubt even many Aussies are bothering to watch.

Yes that could be it Raahh - madness, anyway.

I see Roger said after the match, he will play the clay season this year

I will believe that when I see it, Private. Clay is not good for his back problems, for a start- and he is far more likely to lose in the early rounds- before he gets anywhere close to Rafa /Djok or even Thiem- I can't imagine him risking it.

But who knows. I can imagine him saying he will- and then withdraw last minute. I suppose it depends how the next few tournaments go. I know he isn't defending Rotterdam.

Oh, they are discussing Serena v Simona- I really want Simona to win that.

Really, really,really!

And so many commentators are playing own Djok's chances this year- the other day they felt he wasn't convincing in his match, I'm not sure why, given he has to have been the in form player coming into the tournament.

I wish I could have seen Rafa's match live (I have it recorded, but don't always like watching matches when I know the score)- from that scoreline, and the way he was playing the other day, he must have been on fire- and Rafa is usually one for being slow out of the starting blocks!

Actually- so annoying- I'm going through my recordings- about 4 of them seem to be of the Tiafoe match , and none are of the Rafa one .

But (continues to ramble to self) they are showing Rafa on Eurosport 1 now.

I was just popping on here to say Rafa is on TV now!

Yes let's see about Roger/clay - remember when Djok said he wasn't going to play the grass court season last year?! I think he said it after he lost to Chickenato - so, kind of a similar situation as Roger saying that today.

Thanks for that Raahh - just watching the Rafa highlights now

I'm trying to pretend to do some actual 'stuff'...

I can't be bothered, .

Ooh, Berdych had a bit of fight back in this last set!

Oh good- he won

I can't be bothered to do anything either. It's this weather - just so grey and horrible every day! It keeps making me think of that Bill Bryson book "Notes from a small island", where he says living in Britain is like living inside a Tupperware container . It's been like this for weeks here. So sick of it!!

We did manage to get outside for a couple of hours earlier, but not with much enthusiasm I must say.

The best match of tomorrow (imho) is Zverev - Raonic and it's the last match of the day session, so might see a bit of it. Djok - Medvedev is the night match. I see Medvedev has been playing "mind games" with Djok beforehand - good luck with that

Well, I hope they work .

It's not unheard of for Djok to have a bit of a wobble- but he's got to be fancying his chances now with Federer out of the mix. It's his best tournament really, in terms of results.

But I really want Rafa to be the one to have won all the slams twice- because unless Djok can win RG (it's unlikely Fed ever will again), he's got the best shot. And has come so close before.

I did want to see the Raonic/Zverev match.
Milos must be happy with the way his form is at the moment.

Yes me too. Hard to pick a winner in that one. I think RBA will take out Tsitsipas maybe

Playing the way he is, I think he could- Stefanos might lose focus a bit after such a big win. There will also be a lot more expectation on Tsits, and less on RBA. He's always the under dog.

Whether RBA-( who Rafa will know very well from Davis Cup will be any match for Nadal though...)

Keith is still quietly ploughing through too .

At this rate,Nishikori could do the unthinkable and actually win a slam- years after everyone said he would .

Watching the Fed Tits BBC highlights. Great tennis! Didn't realise Tits has a single handed backhand. Has Shaggy got one too? I'm a bit old school, a double handed doesn't look half as elegant as a single handed, imo.
What is Patrick M (Serena's coach doing in Tits' box?

I love an SBH as well kazza! One of the reasons I lurve Richard Gasquet so much. Yes Shaggy is a practitioner of it as well. I love that the kids are keeping it going!

I don't know what the connection is with Moratoglu - I know Tits practised with Serena at the Hopman Cup so maybe it's come from that??

I think Stefanos (as well as Popyrin, the Aussie who did well the other day) trained at Patrick's Academy.

I might have that wrong.

I have not moved from the sofa today 😂 God, I'm lazy. Dimitrov v Tiafoe match was very good. All those Agassi chakra vibes (they were kidding about it on the Tennis podcast) didn't save Dimi in the end although it was a great, competitive match.

I'd avoided social media but R4 spoiled me for the Fed v Tsitsipas result but I watched it all anyway! What a great match, it was still really exciting, wonderful shots and rallies (no grunting or shrieking either).

Can't believe that Kerber lost so badly, her opponent is a complete unknown to me. Watching a bit of Cilic v RBA now as RBA is facing Tsitsipas next, isn't he?

Fingers crossed for Halep against Williams.

I wonder about Tsitsipas in his next match - they always seem to lose after the huge adrenaline rush of a big victory.

Bagel I have everything crossed for Halep.

Now that the media/commentators favourite, Federer is out, they will be all over Serena. I am dreading listening to it. I might have to watch it on mute .

I don't think anyone would have picked Collins to beat Kerber, or not so comprehensively anyway. That was a real shocker.

I was a bit disappointed for Dimitrov, I had a sneaky feeling he could have done something here but it wasn't to be. Tiafoe is such a great story though, love his celebrations on court!

I think halep - Serena will be really interesting. Serena has only beaten one top 10 player since she came back from mat leave. Although whether that actually means anything or not for tomorrow, I'm not sure!

I honestly can't see Nishikori ever winning a slam if he has to play Djok at any point - I just can't imagine him beating Novak. I know he has done - in a Slam too - but I just can't see him doing it now.

Raahh I'd never realised about the winning a slam twice thing. Has only Rod Laver ever done it on the men's side? I really want Rafa to win now because of that, even more than before!!