BTW, the almost un-NOTICED Venus just played well...and she did it with a class act.

Hi everybody!

I like that one, for the first time to be first in a page!

Ren Hi back, yes Miss Vee's win was great,to an opponent in the past that has caused her some trouble.

Onwards and Upwards for our Vee.

Oh and yes, expected witty remarks from Blake!

Sweet 16- for what is worth- Rafa has never been big on the pecs department. Biceps- yes- but pecs, he is no Igor Andreev. ;)

Mr. X- I actually think that Delpo’s game is still a work in progress and don’t think he is a finished product. Like you, I find his forehands thrilling. I don’t think he will be just a serve and a forehand. He has a solid backhand, some pretty good defensive skills and his volley game and transitions are things that he has said he wants to improve on. He has areas that to me are still growing in his game and so I think as he continues to round his game he will be someone who can have quick points but also longer rallies. I may be overly optimistic- but I still think that at 21 he is not done, in particular when you think he has been steadily adding to his game over the past few years.

Hi Marge! I always remember you when I think of Vee. You always call her MISS VEE! I feel you're enjoying the whole AO!

Had to wake up at 2 am just to watch Federer and Vee!

Lollipop Thanks for those pics of Noles outfits

I better not say too much more as Rafa is wearing his Day Outfit today.Yikes

I hope and pray someone has either burnt or misplaced those Brown,Wall paper horrid shorts cause I fear they are his day time shorts.

Just popping another Valium while I post.

That "some posters" part was very subtle, AM:)
I wont make any more comments on Robredo. As i said, facts are facts. I said i was hoping he would prove me wrong, but he didnt.

Before the matches start, how are you guys doing in the SP? I'm still alive in both, waiting to see if Hantuchova wins today/tonight/tomorrow.

mina,
But we are in the antipodes. And no, i'm not talking about our opinions concerning a certain player:)

Ren Well I am loving watching tennis on my time zone,cause after the AO I will be back getting up at 1.00 am in the mornings sometimes Sigh!

Mr X Dont play with a woman who is Scorned

aussiemarg-you're just writing what everybody has been thinking: the shorts are horrid.

craighickman called them "pajama bottoms" and i nearly choked on my coffee.

Can't wait for Dementieva and Henin match! In support of my friends who are Henin fans especially SAM, am cheering for Justine!

So, the brown checkered short are coming out tonight? Hmm, i'm kinda glad i wont be watching:)

Carrie,
I dont mean that he's only serve and FH. His BH is indeed a very solid shot. Actually, it used to be his best shot, till the FH morphed into the ultimate weapon it is now. And he moves pretty well for such a big guy. Thing is, in the WTF, he was relying more on his serve than i've ever seen him do, and i'm fearing his evolution could go towards making him a much more serve-centered player. Which would be the logical thing, mind you, with the serve he can have. It's just that that wouldnt be my cup of tea.

LOL AM!

How is AA, btw?

Is Jewell up yet?

Well I just can't make a pick between Demmy and Justine, as I like them both. I will just say may the best lady win!

Talkin about outfits, sharapova's had been badly maligned! LOL!

Guys I could be wrong with the "shorts"

Though seeing Rafa wore the other horrid pair in his night session

That can only mean one thing,

My advice

Starting Drinking now! just to prepare ourselves.

"Mr X Dont play with a woman who is Scorned"
I just love playing with fire. Which is probably why i get burnt quite often:)

About the time diference, dont you usually work in the night hours, AM? I had the feeling that it helped your tennis viewing. If that's not the case, i bow down to you:)

Even if i think she will lose, i will be kinda cheering for Dementieva in her match. Let Justine wait till RG, i say.

Mr. X- I hear ya...about fears that Delpo will just become a serve machine. But I still think that it will still be a nice accessory and not the main event. Not all of his matches will be thrillers- but some can be and when his matches are- boy howdy! It will also be interesting to see him this year on clay. If he can harness some of the play he showed at the FO- it may very interesting.

This is goin to be a non-sleep night for me!

Mr X: c'mon give good fight...Demy will!

I think the unique thing Del Potro has going for him is the high strike zone and trajectory of his shots. Maybe I'm mistaken but I think it lets him hit flatter and harder than anybody else. With more bouncier, spinnier HCs around, that works pretty well for him. But then again, he won the USO which is not a particularly bouncy HC, so I could be talking rubbish.

Mr X I am not working at the moment,just relieving.Though daytime matches here start at 11.00am in the morning.

sad for baby fed! must have been terrified Youzny will shed some blood!

C Note posted this on twitter... Dina please, i'm begging you: DON'T!!!
http://bit.ly/7ZILNK

(I posted the following comments some time ago on this thread, I thought. Since I don't see them, I'm re-posting - with the added comment that I see that CJ mentioned what I said about tennis.com and the blue, and Karen has commented very nicely on the 41-win business.)

I thought that when tennis.com went from grass green to sea blue, that was the signal that blue was now the official color of tennis. ;)

Let me join the chorus of posters saying that Serena has always been smiley, giggly, girly (some might think almost too much so) in her interviews. Pete just missed that.

Unless a player turned pro and jumped straight into the top ranks of her tour, she would have had to face seeded players (16 then, 32 now) for quite a few years in Rd 1 of Slams; then, we've all heard of top players meeting an "unknown" or hot lower ranked player and bombing out in Round 1 of a Slam. (My most memorable was Agassi in the FO in one year; I was on vacation out West, and I woke up to see Agassi's on TV looking as if he would burst into tears.)

Hence, the excitement, I would imagine, over Serena's not flopping in the first round of a Slam in 41 entries, ie the equivalent of 10+ years of Slams. It was quite revealing and interesting to me to hear Serena admit that she gets nervous thinking about that record almost, it seemed, more than any other record she may have. I think I understand why she feels that way.

what's your time there AM?

Ren AA is working at the moment temp work

Jewell has been on,though its probably due to time factor.

Ren At the moment it is 10.00 am in the morning,1 hour to go till the AO starts.

AM, hehe, we'll see who laughs last. Especially if my British a** (as you put it), knocks out the famous a** in the QF ;-).

Regarding del Potro -- I don't think his chances of becoming a serving machine are particularly high. Doing that requires a certain extra focus on the serve, to the detriment of the rest of the game. But, we'll see. Anyways, I love watching the guy scaring every1 with those atomic fhs....his return game alone is worth watching a match for. Will be interesting to see how he does here...my guess is that the top few guys might be able to get him to work more for points...since it's a slow court.

Ren,
I would give a bigger fight if Demmy was a particular fave of mine, but she isnt, i just think she deserves another chance to go far in a Slam, while Justine will certainly get her chance on the Parisian clay. Now, if Henin-Clijsters happens, i'll be all in for Kim:)

AM,
Meant to say that it helps you to watch tennis during the night when you are actually working.

VC,
That's true, but the serve is becoming a bigger and bigger factor as time goes by. Let's hope he doesnt become a full serving machine. Although it would probably be good for his career, but who cares about that? I want entertainment:)

Mr X By the way you can still Bow Down To Me ok

Most people do,just saying.

Ren, MaSha's dress was fug. kinda like Rafa's shorts.

Mr X, us here in the antipodes as you called it get tortured 90% of the season by having to watch at 1am or the crack of dawn. Europe and the States are actually lucky, cos they have more tourneys in their timezone and at different times of the year at that.

and who is this player we have differing opinions of again? haha it's Sampras i think...

Me likee blue- mostly because it is so easy to see the ball for those of us stuck watchin' on the teevee.

Ruth - and others - agree about Serena...Serena is giggler, warrior, scary warrior, comic, fashionista and about a dozen over things - as the occasion and her mood call for.

Ren - are you being sarcastic about Maria's dress? As far as I can tell Sblily and I are about the only 2 people on tennis earth who LIKED it. It would be great to have some more company! :-)

Pspace Watch it ok

I am onto you

Anway I have more important and immediate issues to deal with

Like Rafa's shorts and also Dinara playing today

As I say and quote

We Gonna See No?

Good morning, we are about to leave for Melborne Park and I wish that I had more time to fill you in on all that I've seen

Have Hisense tickets today so I get to see Caro up first.....yesterday Roger almost killed me!!!!!

We are off now for our walk, feet are killing me!

Hi, I have written an Australian Open blog with detailed reports of each match I watched. I will be writing it for the first six days of the tournament. http://www.tennis-brain.com.

I have to say it- with Dinara looking happy (for her), having clear skin, trying out scary headbands and even laughing once on the court: she's got a beau! Maybe the "handsome hitting partner" that Myles alluded to in her blog.

Btw, how does Rafa's next opponent play? I was hoping to see him play Mayer :-((...but what's Lacko's style?

Yeah, I kind of agree that Del Potro will get a bit boring to watch if he develops a huge serve. I mean, ace, service winner, short putaway, baseline rally followed by putaway, ad nauseum... not particularly fun. Sampras's brand was fun (atleast for me) to watch despite winning a lot of free points on serve because of his athleticism and S&V which was becoming a dying art.

Thank goodness I'm not planning on watching Dina tonight, I just KNOW that I jinx her.

AA I just had my eyes checked,to my surprise me being short sighted would you believe with age they have got better ok "faints"

Though I have to apologise and I am thinking of getting another opinion regarding my eye sight.I though Fox Pay TV were starting their coverage of the AO today.I looked againat the program and Nothing.I have rung Fox Tel they had programming issues with Channel 7 and will not be televising the AO this year.

So we are stuck with rotton Channel 7 for the AO and probably will only see centre court matches and Margaret Court matches.Triple Pfft.

Carrie, i think Dina is just happy to see Ferru in the draw. ROFL.

i don't think the hitting partner is all that... i'm still holding out for Dina-David. hehe

Psapce I am in love with his name,no idea about his play

Lacko or just LL? what a name.

Karen, I just don't think that NOT LOSING in the first round of majors is a big-deal streak... especially when you become a seeded player. Uh... you ain't supposed to lose in the first round when you are seeded!! So how is NOT LOSING a great thing? But obviously, Serena or Rafa getting past the first round in majors when they were not seeded is cool - I'm not disputing that. But most of Serena's streak is as a seeded player, so I just don't see the big deal. Just me.

Pspace - a Q for you ...and I dunno we may have talked about this before...forgive me if so...SWISS cheese for brains...but if a player has a decently powerful serve...not Roddick-esque... but powerful, but the opponent is reading it well and teeing off on it, a la Muzz and sometimes the Ent, don't you think it would be a great move to every once in awhile throw in a TRUE change-up...an Ephus serve? Wouldn't it totally throw off the receiver's timing? And lay the seeds for doubt in the receiver's mind as the match wears on?

Well I saw Safina's hitting partner at Medibank this year,he is not handsome at all,though she could have got another one.He is the same hitting partner she had last year at Medibank too.

I had posted this earlier but after seeing AM posting about Fox tv and paying I thought I would repost it. Please note that Tennis Channel will be broadcasting Indian Wells this year as of 13 March. It would seem therefore that Fox no longer has the broadcast rights. Can I get an Amen. I would love if Tennis Channel or one of the other broadcast networks got Miami as well. That means I may now be able to watch Indian Wells.

Alexis - I disagree - but for reasons you have to PROMISE never to tell Andrew about. ***whispers***

I think it has to do with the layman's sense of 'odds.' I mean it just SEEMS that if ANYONE plays, in effect, the same match in the same circumstance, i.e., first round of a GS enough times, sooner or later their 'bad day' is going to run into an opponent's 'out of his mind' day. I mean think Benneteau in Bercy in a GS setting. Sure it is harder over 5 sets, but it just seems like that match is always teetering on a karmic edge.

mina,
I hope my antipodes comment didnt sound bad to you. That certainly wasnt my intention. Just trying to say that, geographically, our countries are actually in the antipodes. Well, almost.
I know you have it hard the rest of the year, but (doing my best Homer Simpson impersonation) I WANT TO COMPLAIN NOW!:)
As for said player, it's someone more recent. And more Scandinavian. Although i rarely comment on him, because i'm clearly biased.

"but what's Lacko's style?"
I was wondering the exact same thing. Still alive in the SP, Pspace?

Mr X Macron posted yesterday to me,cause I had my head around Mayer,that he is about 30?

hey, I like the blue! It makes for good TV viewing and some awesome shots like this: http://i.imgur.com/TY2pK.jpg

Forgot GH posted that he is from Croatia

Alexis, I know I am perhaps beating a dead horse, but after watching tennis for many years and seeing many seeded players going out in the first round on many occassions, it is, to my mind a testament to her consistency (a word that we can never associate with Serena) that in 41 attempts at a major she has never lost in the first round. She has faced players who have pushed her to 3 sets. She has saved match points, been not playing at her best, comes in injured, disaffected, no motivation and never has she lost in the first round of a major in 41 attempts.

Just to note- I am only calling Safina's partner handsome because Stephanie Myles referred to him as such. I am hoping that she ends up with either Ferru (because they walk the same way) or Elf (because she wouldn't have to slouch and they have been chatty before).

LOL Mr X i was just messing with you :) and yes on the blonde Scandiavian first round loser at the AO '10. boo.

is Melbourne having another one of its Wimbledon days? while Sydney is enjoying endless blue skies and sunshine. yay us! Laver should have totally been built here. hahaha

Carrie - BWAH! I tend to think of Ferru as "my" man, but even I gotta laugh at the mental picture of him and Dinara together, lumbering their way through all kinds of romantic date-y things.

CL, I didn't love the seaweed dress, but I didn't hate it. Would love to see a ballroom-style version of it.

Got thrown out of WTA SP thanks to Tammy T, but as I like her, that's ok. Survived the ATP SP bloodbath thanks to Gicquel and Chiudinelli; tonight I'm cheering on the Finnish #1. ;-)

CL, most players _do_ have change ups. For example, you'll see Fed vary greatly the kick on his serve. Nando, del Potro etc all have good slower balls. But, if you're wondering about a puff ball, I'd guess most guys would be able to put it away 9 times out of 10.

I think the more important thing when a returner is in the zone is to place it better...more body serves and such like. And, it becomes a sort of chess game to see whether the returner has adequate footwork to free his arms. We saw some good examples of that yesterday in Fed-Andreev...you get alternations of winner, return-error patterns.

sblily, the petty fights between those two would be sooo hilarious. kinda like a Dina-Z on court coaching session... raised to the power of 20.

I found some information about Lacko in the Spanish media. Let's see:
He was born in 1987, so he's 22. Plays well on all the surfaces, although his favourite is HC (well, like pretty much anybody not Spaniard or Fed). He has a good serve and FH (yeah, anothe big surprise) He started combining ice hockey and tennis. His father, PE teacher, always took care of his physical conditioning.
Started on tour in 2004, but has only played a few matche since. His overall record is 9-13 in ATP tournaments, which tells me he probably has played a lot of Challengers to get his #75 ranking. He plays Davis Cup for Slovakia, with a record of 6-8 (6-6 in singles).
This year, he reached the QFs in Chennai, beating Ginepri along the way. Ginepri has just beaten Sod, so i guess that's a quality victory.
Probably it would be safe to say that he's in the best moment of his career.

Yes mina- Ferru would yammer away while Dinara stares off into space completely ignoring him. Ferru gets mad and kicks a clock....

Did anyone get to see any of Tipsys match last nite with the young American? What kind of tennis was it if you did? Thoughts.

mina - Yep, just like Dinara and Z, only -with- the angry, make-up, ahem, relations. :)

Please, tennis gods, make this tennis r/ship happen!

I'll absolutely eat my words if I'm wrong, but I have to chime in for the record: Davydenko will not win this Australian Open, nor any other Grand Slam. Ever. The last two wings over Federer and Nadal were aberrations at best. When it comes down to it in a GS event, he'll play the role he's always played: dutiful punching bag who has his moments, but not nearly enough of them to bring it home.

Mr X Ok I cant read as well now

Blind,Deaf and no comphrension levels

Only 26 as well

Thanks for the info on LL

Thanks, Mr. X. Alls I know about this Lacko guy is he played Mario (sniff) realllllll close in Zagreb last year. Is kinda crazy and has a monster forehand.

Corrie As we were discussing last night with our Ausssie "one eye press" just listenting to Ken Sutcliffe on our radio here in Sydney, the "hyep" has started on young Bernard Tomic already.Well it will be a very tall order if he beats Cilic tonight on Rod Laver Arena.

Has anyone ever looked at the country scoreboard on the AO website. It makes for very interesting reading. As of today, the country with the worst win/loss differential is Australia, followed closely by the US. Aus had 15 players entered and they are 4/10. They have 5 players left. The US had 20 players and they are 9/11, with 9 players remaining in the draw. The country with the best differential is actuall Serbia 5/0 followed by Russia 12/7. The UK is not doing badly either.

sblily, that has even more hilarity potential than the fights. if Dina-David ever happens i will cry my eyes out with joy haha

i wanna see all these matches: Blake/Elf (serious bashing display, that one) Lena/Justine, Wicky/Flavs rematch and N/Z doubles

plus Rafa and Dina's

Love Pete the Man. I do.

But I have to agree with Ren.

Looking for dramatic angles and passionate narratives all these sportswriter contrivances is been there ever since and will continue to be as long as the larger-than-life personalities exist. We have to write about them, think for them, react for them and at times decide for them. We have to. Never mind how we buy what they sell. Some of the larger-than-life personalities go with the flow - as they know they *need* the public if not more as much as we need them - and do what they set out to do. Others get tangled up, play up their image, create a media personality, get caught in the frenzy and start relating to the public via the media. I am sure Fed is Fed and knows what he needs out of "us public" and what to be given back to them.

Evening, all. *waves to CL*

I like the adjusted blue colors very much. The first incarnation gave many players a deathly pallor. The slate version has contrast with the exterior but a more neutral feel.

Serena Williams' accomplishment is a heck of a thing. Even if you assign a top player a 95% chance of winning a first round match, you still end up with about a 12% probability of their going undefeated in 41 independent trials. No injuries or lapses of concentration, plus playing three set matches.

Reflecting on Federer-Andreev again before we get started with today's play, I think Pete is bang on the money with his assessments. The aspect of Federer's game that continues to worry me the most is his passing shots. If any of you can remember a single topspin passing shot off the FH or BH wing with Andreev in position at the net, you have a better memory than me. Several times Federer left the ball up for a drop volley by his opponent; the one time I remember him being successful was with a lunging BH slice which clipped the top of the tape at 30-0, 6-5 third set - a crucial stroke of luck. But he also missed in the net on more than one occasion. The pass is an integral part of Federer's game - think of what he did to Andy Roddick three years ago.

Federer's foot speed was in good nick - he made some great plays wide out, then recovered well to continue rallies. Apart from a shaky 5-5 game in the third set, I didn't feel he was off rhythm, just that his opponent was playing well.

Hope today's tennis is as much fun as yesterday's.

Also I want to give a big Shout Out to NP he stayed to the wee hours with Richards match

I left when Molik was to serve for the match,I needed sleep.well I found out this morning what happened.Pfft

I like this "through our eyes" opener...from TC.
They couldn't have picked a more tongue rolling phrase - given what < 10% of the entire 256 pros speak English as a first language? Funny

I have the AO now on my tv screen.

Weather in Melbourne is sunny and temp is to be expected 28 deg f.

Federer's stretch/running passing shots have become an increasingly rare phenomenon lately. When he was at his peak, his defensive passing shots were second only to Nadal's.

Triple F: Thanks for that one. I must agree that once you choose a public life then indeed you begin to be immersed in the masses and be treated like your are owned by them. But a little respite will do. I am awed by how Venus put it, so succinctly, in fact that it touches the heart: "I don't mind at all being unnoticed. I've been in the headlines...I am here to win matches!"

Mr X: We'll be on the opposite sides of the court if that happens, but I know I am against a worthy cheerer!

AM: yeah, just a few minutes more...and the battle is on!

CL: am not into women's fashion actually...as long as they look sexy, its ok! The slits in Vee's yellow dress befits her queenly stature. Sexy!

oh Bill that haircut should just go friend.

Well Yellow seems to be the in "colour" for the woman at the AO

And there's the Hott Woz. Boy, she pretty.
*fanboy moment #1*
The new Stella thing...well, i guess it's better tahn the USO one, but why do they have to go with such neutral colours? She looked great in Madrid, in blue.
Hott Woz didnt know about the new no-timeout allowed for cramping. She asked the chair umpire to explain it to her.
Hey, if she wants a massage, quit with all the conditions! I volunteer, dmanit!:)

TTC has free livestreaming. Sveta-NastyP is on right now.
http://tennischannel.rayv.com/

WTF, is wrong with the ESPN, in this country? All they show is basketball, and football, and without any tennis? I will have to bear with Justin tv again.

Andrew -- he had a couple of passes in the fourth set, even one of the running FH variety on a point of which Andreev had been in control, but I agree with your larger point. (And the only reason I "remember" it is because ESPN just finished replaying the match.)

I have Jarmilla Groth v Sophia Arvidson on court

Goodness me the Aussie Fantatics v The Swede Fanatics going toe to toe in rant with each other already

Lyn Welch is the umpire.

Groth to serve

hmmm...will just check some livestream.

I think the last time Federer played TMFesque was Cincinnati.

I get always the feeling that he always struggles in the rest of the matches.

I think i'm gonna call the ball Hott Woz picks for her 2nd serve "the lucky one":)
Well, after the first game, where she holds, her game doesnt look very different to me. Maybe the 1st serve has a little bit more in it, but it rarely went in in that game. 2nd serve is pretty much the same. Fh still looks too loopy, although she hit a good deep one to set up the BH winner to go up 40-30.

oops my bad

Arvidson to serve

Arvidson got the early break

Arvidson 2-0

I think i'm gonna call the ball Hott Woz picks for her 2nd serve "the lucky one":)
Well, after the first game, where she holds, her game doesnt look very different to me. Maybe the 1st serve has a little bit more in it, but it rarely went in in that game. 2nd serve is pretty much the same. Fh still looks too loopy, although she hit a good deep one to set up the BH winner to go up 40-30.

type pad very slow

Oops, double post. I'm losing focus, i guess:)
Wozniak holds. Yep, Hott Woz is playing pretty much the same game she had the last time i watched her. Steady in the rallies, but without a big weapon. Wozniak hit 2 good winners from both sides to win the game from deuce.

15-40 for Caroline as Aleksandra DF
30-40 Aleksandra BH winner
40-40 Caroline FH long
A-40 Aleksandra BH winner
40-40 Aleksandra nets BH
A-40 Aleksandra BH winner
Aleksandra holds as she hit FH winner

Caroline to serve 1-all

I'm having some problems to access TW. Has TypePad imploded after 2 consecutive posts with 20+ pages?
Maybe it's the Hott Woz, who definitely looks great. The new Stella seems to fit her much better, and that's a positive:)

Le Sigh

Too many of the matches I'd like to see are on way too late for me this evening.

After last night's rollercoaster with Fed I have to get some sleep for several different meetings on the morrow.

Is there a fault with this site?

I am having trouble getting back on

Arvisdson 4-1 1st set

Caro's dress has a better cut (phew...no ruffles), could've done with a brighter color. This maker her look pale.

Mr. X I was of the view that she was going to do something in the off season. 5 games have been played and she has hit 4 winners and made 4 UFE. This is pitiful. Come on CWoz start taking control of these points. You are putting people to sleep.

Dear Nike and Stella M./Addidas,

You have wonderful subjects to work with. Why can't you make this clothing thing work? Rafa, Maria, Caroline, etc...I bet your competitor's designers are drooling over the opportunity to create a line of tennis attire for them.

Ugh!

Disgruntled Fan.

Maybe the biggest improvement in the Hott Woz's game i notice is that she seems to be making an effort to go for flatter, deeper FHs at times. Although it only happens occasionally, and many points still follow the known pattern of keeping the rally, trying to move her opponent, and wait for the UFE, or for a big opening.
Anyway, she holds pretty easily to go up 3-2.