Anyone paying attention to the Australian Open? I'm hoping Nadal comes back with a force this year and since Serena is out rooting for Sharapova.

Anyone paying attention to the Australian Open? I'm hoping Nadal comes back with a force this year and since Serena is out rooting for Sharapova.

I was debating about starting a thread but figured no one gave a s***. Getting ready to watch Djokovic/Hewitt coming up live in a few.

 

A bunch of surprises today with Tsonga and Serena losing. Federer/Del Potro should (hopefully) be a great match.

 

And I don't see Serb going anywhere. Nole has lost just 8 games in the first 3 rounds. And actually, there's a 2nd Serb in the top 10 now with Tipsarevic.

Well Hewitt is giving us a game, I'm glad because up to this point it seemed the top4 seeds were gliding through without the slightest bit of a challenge.

Well Hewitt is giving us a game, I'm glad because up to this point it seemed the top4 seeds were gliding through without the slightest bit of a challenge.

Pretty shocked at how he turned things around down 2 sets and 3-0 in the 3rd. Once the crowd got involved, you knew it was inevitable he was going to make some things happen. All of the sudden he was getting to balls that he had no business of getting to and he gave Djokovic a taste of his own medicine in making him have to hit one or 2 extra balls.

 

So many good matchups in the quarterfinals. With how well Berdych is playing, I wouldn't be surprised to see him beat Rafa, but I also wouldn't be shocked if Rafa won in 3 easy sets. I think DelPo has a much better chance against Fed.

So many good matchups in the quarterfinals. With how well Berdych is playing, I wouldn't be surprised to see him beat Rafa, but I also wouldn't be shocked if Rafa won in 3 easy sets. I think DelPo has a much better chance against Fed.

With the Aussie crowd going to be very anti-Berdych he doesn't have a chance. Plus he's not playing that well. He needed 4 sets and 3 tiebreakers last round. Doesn't get much closer than that.

With the Aussie crowd going to be very anti-Berdych he doesn't have a chance. Plus he's not playing that well. He needed 4 sets and 3 tiebreakers last round. Doesn't get much closer than that.

It'll be important for him to get off to a good start and try to nullify the crowd as much as possible. And that's definitely not an impossible task against Nadal. Berdych has the tools to beat anyone, but if he has the mental aptitude to hang with the elite for 5 sets, we haven't seen it yet.

I dont see Nadal not making the semifinals. Everyone talked about him having a down year when he made 3 finals and won one last year. The question will be what adjustments he made for djokivic.

I dont see Nadal not making the semifinals. Everyone talked about him having a down year when he made 3 finals and won one last year. The question will be what adjustments he made for djokivic.

He's apparently switched to a heavier racket head. The bigger question would be if his shoulder/knees hold up. The man had an incredible, incredible season last year. Going 0-6 or 0-7 or whatever it was against Djokovic in finals is tough though.

Even though Djokovic lost a set to Hewitt, he definitely still looks his dominant self from last year. I haven't had a chance to watch Andy Murray, be interesting if he finally can get over that hump and challenge the top3 this season. Has to be tough being significantly better than everyone but have 3 guys who are some of the best who ever played the game ahead of you.

Federer got off to a good start but DelPo broke and is serving to tie the first set at 4. Fed's serve looks as good as ever.

 

EDIT: Eh, DelPo had 2 good chances (4-4, 1st set and 3-5 2nd set w/ break point) to turn the match around and couldn't convert on either. DelPo didn't serve all that well and when he did get Federer to give him a short ball, he did nothing with it. Federer played pretty damn well.

With the Aussie crowd going to be very anti-Berdych he doesn't have a chance. Plus he's not playing that well. He needed 4 sets and 3 tiebreakers last round. Doesn't get much closer than that.

Just got booed coming out on court. Be surprised if he comes close to taking a set from Rafa tonight.

Berdych had set point, 15-40, on Nadal's serve, up 6-5 in the first. And Nadal saved it with what might be the best point of the tournament so far. Then comes back to win the game. Tiebreak time.

Berdych had set point, 15-40, on Nadal's serve, up 6-5 in the first. And Nadal saved it with what might be the best point of the tournament so far. Then comes back to win the game. Tiebreak time.

 

Berydych's serve is pretty much as good as it gets right now and might be enough to beat Nadal at this rate.

Clijsters knocks out Wozniacki

Nadal finally figured out he cant stand 10 feet behind the line and started kicking some major ass, should be a fun semi's. Despite being the first seed Djokovic got the toughest quarterfinal match.

Federer, Nadal, Murray into the semis. Djokovic/Ferrer coming up in 2 hours.

Federer, Nadal, Murray into the semis. Djokovic/Ferrer coming up in 2 hours.

 

This match will be telling for Djokovic, if he makes easy work of Ferrer I think the only one who has a shot vs him in the Aussie Open will be Federer.

This match will be telling for Djokovic, if he makes easy work of Ferrer I think the only one who has a shot vs him in the Aussie Open will be Federer.

Got him in 3 sets, but it certainly wasn't easy. Those first 2 sets were absolutely grueling but Djokovic crushed him in that 3rd set. Ferrer is such a pain in the ass.

 

Hopefully Djokovic's hamstring is ok. He'll have to be 100% for Murray.

Got him in 3 sets, but it certainly wasn't easy. Those first 2 sets were absolutely grueling but Djokovic crushed him in that 3rd set. Ferrer is such a pain in the ass.

 

Hopefully Djokovic's hamstring is ok. He'll have to be 100% for Murray.

 

Yeah I think Ferrer gave up in the third. Those first 2 sets were some good tennis though, we get the big 4 in the semi's now I think given what I've seen anyone can beat anyone.

I wish I was in college so I could wake up at 2:30 and watch Federer/Nadal. Damn real world and time change.

Nadal back in the finals, that was a pretty awesome match. The last game was a little sloppy on both sides but some awesome shots throughout.

Nadal back in the finals, that was a pretty awesome match. The last game was a little sloppy on both sides but some awesome shots throughout.

The match was over when Nadal broke to make it 5-2 in the 2nd set. Then the fireworks break came and Nadal won 11 straight points. He hit a couple insane passing shots in that stretch.

The match was over when Nadal broke to make it 5-2 in the 2nd set. Then the fireworks break came and Nadal won 11 straight points. He hit a couple insane passing shots in that stretch.

 

 

<!--quoteo(post=2541379:date=Jan 26, 2012 -> 02:32 PM:name=SoxFan1)-->

<!--quotec-->The match was over when Nadal broke to make it 5-2 in the 2nd set. Then the fireworks break came and Nadal won 11 straight points. He hit a couple insane passing shots in that stretch.

 

 

Yup, that was the first one. Then a couple points later he hit a 2 handed backhand down the line and everyone lost it.

It was actually poor tennis from Federer. He's better than Nadal, but is at the point where he's completely mental. His forehand was downright bad in the last 3 sets.