Australian Open

[stroke]

That is the way to get it done and close out a match. Stef really wants it. So does Khachanov, who has quietly gotten to the semis.

[stroke]

I'm watching Tsitsipas versus Lehecka at the moment. Tsitsipas is going to have to play better than he is right now to beat Novak. I haven't watched Lehecka before. He certainly has a heavy game (who doesn't these days) but not exactly the most entertaining player, bit robotic. Roger has been gone a while now but I do miss him. I think he'd carve Lehecka up pretty darn quick.

Lehecka seems to have a better, more reliable backhand than he does forehand, which is of course unusual. He does have a nice, all court game, and very strong legs. Tsitsipas is large and in charge with his forehand, which is hurting Lehecha. Tsitsipas certainly looks to have one of the very best forehands on tour, and he is so good at stepping in and taking the ball early with his weight moving through the shot, a la Federer. His backhand will certainly have to be at its absolute best to have a chance if he gets Novak. He would certainly be a big underdog.

[stotty]

Well, after that comprehensive win vs the demon, Novak is the comprehensive favorite vs Rublev, with an implied winning percentage of just over 86%. That is something, and it was certainly something how he made the demon look like a lower level practice partner. The demon is a very good, tough player, who competes for every point. In today's game of such small margains, 4th round of a Major, it is hard to put into words how impressive that was. It is looking like maybe only an in full flight Tsitsipas can really have a chance to beat him.

I'm watching Tsitsipas versus Lehecka at the moment. Tsitsipas is going to have to play better than he is right now to beat Novak. I haven't watched Lehecka before. He certainly has a heavy game (who doesn't these days) but not exactly the most entertaining player, bit robotic. Roger has been gone a while now but I do miss him. I think he'd carve Lehecka up pretty darn quick.

[stroke]

Well, after that comprehensive win vs the demon, Novak is the comprehensive favorite vs Rublev, with an implied winning percentage of just over 86%. That is something, and it was certainly something how he made the demon look like a lower level practice partner. The demon is a very good, tough player, who competes for every point. In today's game of such small margains, 4th round of a Major, it is hard to put into words how impressive that was. It is looking like maybe only an in full flight Tsitsipas can really have a chance to beat him.

[stroke]

There was a good interview with Ben Sheldon on Eurosport with Mats Wilander. Mats had played against Ben's dad and uncle. Anyway, Mats mentioned Ben's live arm, and Ben put it down to playing quarterback at football, lots of baseball and generally loving throwing any kind of ball.

Yes Ben has a really fast twitch scary motion. His service motion reminds me of Sam Groth, who also had a huge serve.

[glacierguy]

Novak back to the clinical drama free version tonight, and to say he is routineing the demon would be putting it in best light. Very good win for Paul over the benchmark RBA. And how about Ben Sheldon. A very live arm lefty serve, a big game, and very good defensive skills, a skill set that usually bodes well career wise.

There was a good interview with Ben Sheldon on Eurosport with Mats Wilander. Mats had played against Ben's dad and uncle. Anyway, Mats mentioned Ben's live arm, and Ben put it down to playing quarterback at football, lots of baseball and generally loving throwing any kind of ball.

[stroke]

Novak back to the clinical drama free version tonight, and to say he is routineing the demon would be putting it in best light. Very good win for Paul over the benchmark RBA. And how about Ben Sheldon. A very live arm lefty serve, a big game, and very good defensive skills, a skill set that usually bodes well career wise.

[don_budge]

Great win for Rublev, best he has had in a bit.

Yes...and more importantly, he sets the table for Novak "Novax" Djokovic. A dreaded Russian villain and the man who refused to take the dreaded vaccine...a certain hate fest for the Western public. Come to think of it they could hold a "two minutes hate" before the match. I recommend that they do it just before the coin toss.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvGmOZ5T6_Y

[stroke]

Great win for Rublev, best he has had in a bit.

[don_budge]

The Russian Prevails...

[jimlosaltos]

The Curse of Netflix

Couldn't resist sharing ...

filedata/fetch?id=99491&d=1674421931&type=thumb

[jimlosaltos]

Some good bits on Djokovic's injury & Murray's grind in NYT

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/21/sports/tennis/djokovic-murray-australian-open.html?smid=url-share

Excerpts on Djoko:
On Rod Laver Arena, his assassin’s glare has been replaced with the worried look of a man who keeps hearing the same grave diagnosis no matter how many physicians he asks for an opinion.

Djokovic managed his ailments like a guy whose old car has a clutch and choke that needs to be handled just so to get from here to there.

Djokovic has said his leg generally feels fine at the start of the matches, but then a bad move tweaks it and things go downhill from there.

“Pills kick in, some hot cream and stuff, that works for a little bit, then it doesn’t, then works again,” he said. “It’s really a roller coaster, honestly.”

It’s all eerily reminiscent of a moment two years ago, when Djokovic tore an abdominal muscle during his third-round match, then figured out the right combination of rest, painkillers and match management to cruise to his record ninth singles title in Melbourne.


Excerpts on Murray:

Murray, whose rocking pigeon-toed walk has never been pretty, played for nearly 11 hours over 10 sets in his first two matches, the second of which finished after 4 a.m. on Friday. He fell asleep for three hours as the sun was rising, having pulled off a finals week-style all-nighter. Then he returned to Melbourne Park to have seven or eight blisters on his foot drained.

If you have ever watched a friend who has run a marathon try to descend a flight of stairs the next morning, you have a good idea of what Murray looked like during the first set on Friday night, when he lost 6-1 within half an hour. He looked like the Tin Man from “The Wizard of Oz,” his joints desperately in need of oil.

“My legs were actually OK,” Murray said after Bautista Agut had sent him packing in four sets. “I was struggling with my lower back. That was affecting my serve.”

[stroke]

Extraordinary match, great win for Tsitsipas. 2 great tennis players. Tsitsipas rock star mode 5th set.

[stroke]

Tsitsipas has hit a purple patch, got a break and up 5-2 in 5th.

[stroke]

On to the 5th set. Sinner just does not get rattled. Oddmakers now have Sinner as slight favorite, with an implied probability of winning at 51%.