2019 Australian Open...ATP 2000...Melbourne, Australia

[don_budge]

Interesting start with Roger and Stefanos. Let's hope it continues and Stefanos grabs the first set to make it really interesting. Shame I have to go to work in 10 minutes time!

Further shame to miss the second set. An epic battle. Federer maintaining pressure on the Tsitsipas serve the entire set. Federer never out of his face. Stefanos averaged just under five minutes a service game and Roger was getting it home under one and a half. No matter...Tilden emphasized maintaining pressure on the opponent but there is an equally important facet of tennis psychology that Tsitsipas possesses in abundant quantity...resiliency. He just barely held it together the entire set as he was on the verge of being broken the entire set but once he was in the tie-breaker he just went into a sprint. Roger seemed to falter a bit...perhaps he is feeling a bit fatigued.

This is a quality that Bjorn Borg possessed in resiliency. You could never count him out. I noticed that about Stefanos early last year when I jumped on his wagon. You can get him down but you must put him away. He doesn't go away or throw in the towel early on. I would think that Roger is having his hands full now because it appears to me that Tsitsipas is about to enter another level of stratosphere of confidence level.

[don_budge]

Interesting start with Roger and Stefanos. Let's hope it continues and Stefanos grabs the first set to make it really interesting. Shame I have to go to work in 10 minutes time!

A shame to miss that first set. Federer wins the tie-breaker 11-9 in a beautifully contested final game. Wow! The level of tennis was just exquisite. It seems that I may be right about the modern game. Well...not seems. Tsitsipas is a beautiful player. He has style. So lacking in the modern game. A couple of things that remind me of Björn Borg...the facial hair and the legs. The legs seem to be slightly bowed but he motors around the court beautifully. Very graceful.

What can you say about Federer. Just stayed as calm as a cucumber. I wonder if Stefanos used up a bit more of his nerves in that very, very tight first set. He has shown in the past to show the ability to take a blow, recover and come back and deliver. Perhaps another Borg like quality. Second set...Federer holds at love. He served beautifully the first set and played some very effective sliced returns. Intelligent play...the Federer trademark.

[stotty]

Interesting start with Roger and Stefanos. Let's hope it continues and Stefanos grabs the first set to make it really interesting. Shame I have to go to work in 10 minutes time!

[don_budge]

I don't think Roger can beat Novak or Nadal in this tournament because of the subpar backhand return. The margins are so slim, and I've seen him dump way too many backhand chip returns in the net. Game looks good otherwise but he has to play almost perfect (Australian 2017, particularly 5th set) to beat either guy. I think Medvedev is the only guy that could stop Novak in his half. Berdych and Bautista Agut could trouble Nadal but not beat him, in my opinion.

Unfortunately Berdych hardly troubled Nadal when it counted. Roger has a tough match today against Stefanos Tsitsipas and then, should he win, he must play the winner of Cilic/Baustista-Agut before he can even think about Nadal. Roger's draw wasn't easy at all in the Grand Slam. If he does get to the point where he does play Nadal it will be a question about how much does he have in the tank. He would do himself a huge to dispatch Tsitsipas without undue fuss today. It helps that this is a night match. Roger is measuring his steps. Every year the tight rope act he is engaged in gets to be a bit more tedious. Chipped returns? We'll gage his performance today. Tonight in Melbourne.

Now it is Tiafoe who will face Nadal. The kid gave Dimitrov all kinds of trouble. All kinds.

Daniil Medvedev is going to be asked the question against Novak Djokovic. The existential question. He may prove to be "The Sleeper" in the draw much as Marin Cilic was a number of years ago when he won at Flushing Meadows. But with Novak is just about impossible to penetrate the defence. He takes care of his serve so efficiently and of course his return is just in another planet. Medvedev's slim margin for error may prove to be too much of a liability in this case as it seems to me that Djokovic has more variation of shape in his shots.

This round is revealing more and more "The Shape of Things to Come" at any rate. Federer looked superlative against Fritz...but Fritz is not Djokovic or Nadal. The key for Roger will be the serve. If the serve is 100 or 110 percent he stands a chance. If he serves subpar...it will be more telling than failed chip returns.

[stotty]

I don't think Roger can beat Novak or Nadal in this tournament because of the subpar backhand return. The margins are so slim, and I've seen him dump way too many backhand chip returns in the net. Game looks good otherwise but he has to play almost perfect (Australian 2017, particularly 5th set) to beat either guy. I think Medvedev is the only guy that could stop Novak in his half. Berdych and Bautista Agut could trouble Nadal but not beat him, in my opinion.

A very sound assessment, bman. You could well be right on all counts.

[bman]

I don't think Roger can beat Novak or Nadal in this tournament because of the subpar backhand return. The margins are so slim, and I've seen him dump way too many backhand chip returns in the net. Game looks good otherwise but he has to play almost perfect (Australian 2017, particularly 5th set) to beat either guy. I think Medvedev is the only guy that could stop Novak in his half. Berdych and Bautista Agut could trouble Nadal but not beat him, in my opinion.

[stotty]

His forehand alone is worth the price of admission. What a monster of a shot. He did beat Nadal a few years ago in the 1st round of the Aussie Open.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Might have his work cut out this time around, Klacr.

[stotty]

Yeah...the odd thing about Nadal is he really does push his opponents around. He bullies them. He dictates and they play to his tempo and play his game. Which of course he does better than anyone. But the guys that beat him actually stand up to him...they stand up to the bully and they lay down the law. He can be "hit off of the court". Djokovic does this. Federer has been doing it. Some big hitters in the past have down it. Cilic had him on the ropes when he cried "no mas". No more.

He is tough to slice and dice...but he can be bossed.

I am not sure Novak and Roger hit Rafa off exactly, not in the route one sense at least. Novak first stands up to Rafa, then out manoeuvres him. Often they cross a point in a rally where Rafa can't win it. I have always found that intriguing. The dynamic did change quite a bit last Wimbledon and Rafa is at least a bit closer to matching Novak. I think Roger just changed the attacking pattern. The beefed up backhand made all the difference. Both players puzzle Rafa at the moment, which isn't difficult as he's not the brightest in my view. But he is an animal and I think he might just savage Roger next time around...not sure he will Novak though.

[stotty]

That asparagus comment by Zverev sure did earn him a bunch of new fans.

Nice interview. Lovely to see that side of him. I am just amazed how someone that young can carry himself so well in an interview. His command of English is great. Handsome chap as well.

I wonder if he can break through this year. Now he is fitter and stronger it might make all the difference in the five set scenario. McEnroe has been sceptical of his efficiency in slams in the past and he's probably right. Winning a slam means winning seven matches and you can't waste too much energy along the way. It will be interesting who goes the furtherest between Tsitsipas and Zverev, both in this tournament and in their careers.

[bottle]

That asparagus comment by Zverev sure did earn him a bunch of new fans.

[bottle]

Peak moment in the AO so far came on the women's side with A. Anisimova's win over A. Sabalenko 6-3, 6-2 . It was just plain exciting. Ask any biologically normal person who witnessed it in person or even on TV. I don't know why I have to be the person to bring it up here. Call it effortless strokes and flawless accuracy from a tall lean American 17-year-old. But I won't explore how toxic masculinity is seemingly out to exclude all such happenings from its regular discussion. One can find plenty about "toxic masculinity" nowadays under that term at other websites. It's in the news.

[don_budge]

stroke will likely know the odds on that one but, yes, it's well within the realms of possibility. Nadal looks awesome at the moment but so far he has only had opponents he can boss about, and we all know how good he is when he gets to do the bossing. Djokovic looks imperious. I haven't seen Roger play so far yet but he seems to be cruising through nicely.

Can any of the young guns make a dent?

Yeah...the odd thing about Nadal is he really does push his opponents around. He bullies them. He dictates and they play to his tempo and play his game. Which of course he does better than anyone. But the guys that beat him actually stand up to him...they stand up to the bully and they lay down the law. He can be "hit off of the court". Djokovic does this. Federer has been doing it. Some big hitters in the past have down it. Cilic had him on the ropes when he cried "no mas". No more.

He is tough to slice and dice...but he can be bossed.

[don_budge]

The Round of Sixteen...Roger Federer versus Stefanos Tsitsipas and the REST

Nadal-Berdych tonight.

May I remind you of this gem...

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Berdych is strong. He beat Nadal at the Aussie Open as well back in 2014 I believe. He has the belief. Don't count out My Berdych.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

So which is it klacr...2015 as the video suggests or 2014 as you suggested in your post? Not that it matters. I'm not counting Berdych out. I'm counting on him...to man up and take that guy down. With impunity. I hope so. I really do. I don't think that I will ever root for "Doubting Tomas" as much as I will in my dreams tonight to take this imposter down. I like. him less with every passing match...every tournament. Sometimes you just don't like a guy.

I would just as soon be done with Rafael Nadal and his new service motion...which there is nothing new about. He has pared down the boring beyond words preserve routine but it is way too late for this fake to ever do anything that will appear to be of a positive nature to me. Colossal ego...colossal tennis racquet. He's a joke in terms of GOAT. Give him a wooden racquet and a slick grass tennis court. He'll whine all the way back to the locker room...bitching and complaining. I read somewhere recently how Roger Federer won't play him on a clay court because he is afraid of losing. What a louse. Come on Tomas Berdych...now or never. Please.

At the top of the bottom is Marin Cilic and Roberto Bautista-Agut. Could be interesting. Could get interesting. Marin is 4-1 head to head but a little foot note here...the one win for Roberto was at the 2016 Australian Open. It can be done. He knows it and Marin knows it. Now all he has to do is go out and do it. Cilic had the narrowest of close calls a couple of days ago against an ageing Fernando Verdasco. Fernando at 35 still show fits and starts of some really tremendous tennis but didn't have the presence of mind to finish it off when he double-faulted on match point. I speak of frictionless motion on the service delivery. You know...like mercury. When the pressure is on the motion just gets better with a bit of adrenaline.

Guess who seemed to agree with good old don_budge...Mats Wilander. That's who. Not that I need a second opinion mind you. But Mats discussed this infamous serve at length...not just once but twice. He spoke of it after the match and then he came back the next day to further clarify. You see...that serve stuck in Mats' craw much as it stuck in mine. Surely it made an impression on Fernando too as he stood there gaping with his mouth wide open for how long? It seemed like a long time. An eternity to Fernando. Did he also double-fault on match point? If he did...certainly I would have the "track engineers" out looking for the friction. On the match point for Fernando he tried to go up the tee for the big winner and missed on the first. Then he managed to dump the second one in the net. Wilander's analysis...why on earth was he going up the tee when his slice wide was taking Marin nicely off of the court and Fernando would be playing a forehand most likely next with a host of options. You see...Mats thinks like I do. Tactically. Percentage wise. It was a real shame for Fernando. To get himself in that position was quite a feat and to not finish it off what a shame. My dear old tennis coach...I can still here his voice...he said that you more or less have to be "fatalistic" with that second one. You have to believe it is going in. You have to will that ball in and just take a swing at it without any reservation or any hint of doubt. I always figured my motion was so good that it was not possible to miss twice in a row. Maybe give it a bit more spin. Maybe even hit it harder. No fear. Poor Fernando. I really felt for the handsome Spanish player. He played one helluva tennis match. So did Marin Cilic. I'm not a big fan of baseline tennis but these guys were just ripping it. Big points...no fear.

Which brings us to you know who...Roger Federer versus Anybody only in this case it isn't just anybody. Anybody is none other than Stefanos Tsitsipas who don_budge has taken a real shine too. It gives me just a tad of hope. I tiny bit of hope for the future. I like this kid. There is something about him that reminds me of Bjorn Borg. Maybe it's the hair...the bandanna. Something about his mystique. Can't put my finger on it. He is really good. A nice competitor. Maybe that is what reminds me of Borg. The same sort of nonchalant killer attitude. That is what I hope I see. Hoping against hoping before the expectations get their hooks in him. Hoping he can avoid that pitfall. So far so good. He doesn't have that deer in the headlights look at all to me. The tour is starting to pile the hype on but so far he seems to be unaffected. Nonplussed. He has a certain attitude...as if he is above the normal pitfalls.

Federer and Tsitsipas teed it up a couple of weeks ago in a preview of what is to come and it was a splendid tennis match. Albeit not officially a tour match. Apparently the Hopman Cup isn't sanctioned by the ATP. Speaking of ATP...what's up with Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic making all of those waves about the future of the ATP's number one guy. And what's up with Justin Timberlake too? I mean Justin Gimelstob. Forgive me again...I don't like this bozo either. Nothing about him.

At any rate I've already mentioned Nadal and Berdych. Berdych just has to man up. Not much more to be said. He has to go out there...and tree as Aaron Krickstein et al used to say. Tree as in playing over your head. How do you put yourself in that zone where you believe in everything you do before you do it? That's where "Doubting Tomas" has to be tomorrow. Play aggressively to the forehand and open up the road to the Nadal backhand...which isn't a picnic either. But Tomas would do well to look for a specific pattern that he can bet the house on and then go out and execute it. Execute him. Matador style. It is all that will do. Nothing less against Nadal. He never gives up. Until he knows he is beaten and then he just might feign an injury. But to get him to do so is tantamount to getting Donald J. Trump to cry uncle. It ain't gonna happen.

Francis Tiafoe versus Grigor Dimitrov? Well...a couple of things. Number one chalk up another beautiful one handed backhand in the draw. That is three out of eight in the bottom half of the draw. But what about Francis? Funky forehand? I guess so. He seems to be a bit unorthodox and is it me or does he walk around like he has something sort of wrong somewhere. The gait looks to be sort of...stiff? But I noticed one thing after a fairly hard match against one of the nicest guys on the tour, Kevin Anderson, it appeared that Kevin wasn't very pleased with something that Francis did during there match. When they were shaking hands there was a comment, a gesture. Some bad blood? Francis then when out in the middle of the court...flexed his bicep and started to pound on it with his left hand. It all seemed a bit unseemly to me. Like way over the top. Federer goes out and waves to the crowd. He does his job without the wild gestures. It is almost as if he is from another era. Back when they all wore white and used white balls. Traditionally speaking of course.

[klacr]

Nadal-Berdych tonight.

May I remind you of this gem...

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

I have always thought Thiem is truly a big tournament contender only on clay. Alex, I can see him contending on all surfaces. If there is a sleeper, I would definitely go with Medvedev. Regarding Denis, I like his swashbuckler game, reminds me of Henri LeCounte. I don't think Henri could take out Novak in that match either.

Medvedev is a threat for sure, as is Tsitsipas. Two upstarts in with a shout and with nothing, absolutely nothing to lose.