Australian Open - Official Thread

Originally posted by sidsutton:
<strong>This current Federer game is a prime example of why he has yet to fulfill his promise. He's trying to play a clay courter from the baseline instead of attacking the net and keeping the points short.

It seems Hewitt is the only one of the new generation born with a brain.</strong><hr></blockquote>

depends on your game from childhood IMO.

i'm a big Agassi fan and i like Hewitt's style of play (altho i don't like him personally). I think it's more entertaining to watch and allow you to show more skills. Attacking the net keeps the game short and only works best if you're a little bit buff. Smaller players will tend to keep to the backline.

Players like Agassi, Hewitt, Ferrero will work their magic and push their opponents to make errors.

I don't like watching Sampras play tennis at all as it doesn't involve much rallying.. takes away a lot of fun IMO. but if you're his fan then you gotta love the way he makes those 'slams' of his... he's truly an expert at it.
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Originally posted by RUnited:
<strong>

depends on your game from childhood IMO.

i'm a big Agassi fan and i like Hewitt's style of play (altho i don't like him personally). I think it's more entertaining to watch and allow you to show more skills. Attacking the net keeps the game short and only works best if you're a little bit buff. Smaller players will tend to keep to the backline.

Players like Agassi, Hewitt, Ferrero will work their magic and push their opponents to make errors.

I don't like watching Sampras play tennis at all as it doesn't involve much rallying.. takes away a lot of fun IMO. but if you're his fan then you gotta love the way he makes those 'slams' of his... he's truly an expert at it.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I'm not saying I want every player to serve and volley, just hoping that a few players will keep the art alive now that Rafter is gone, Sampras and Krajicek are soon to follow and Henman might not be far behind if his shoulder doesn't fully heal. I want a nice mixture of styles.

I've sat through Ivanisevic/Roddick serving bombs at wach other at Wimbledon and Ferrero/Gaudio endlessly knocking the ball back to each other at Roland Garros. Both games were boring. That's why I would like to see some variation in the future.
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Definitely going to stay up and watch Henin/Kournikova tonight. They are first up on centre court.
 
I think Roddick's got what it takes in tennis terms, but not in his head yet. A bit like Hewitt a couple of years ago, he loses it WAY too quickly. Even more serious in A-Rod's situation.

As always, I'm putting my money on Agassi. Usually a safe bet. I reckon the pressure on Hewitt would be just too much and Safin's also likely to lose it.

In the world of crazyness, he who's been there and came back sane will win again.
 
Originally posted by sidsutton:
<strong>

I'm not saying I want every player to serve and volley, just hoping that a few players will keep the art alive now that Rafter is gone, Sampras and Krajicek are soon to follow and Henman might not be far behind if his shoulder doesn't fully heal. I want a nice mixture of styles.

I've sat through Ivanisevic/Roddick serving bombs at wach other at Wimbledon and Ferrero/Gaudio endlessly knocking the ball back to each other at Roland Garros. Both games were boring. That's why I would like to see some variation in the future.</strong><hr></blockquote>

i guess you have a point there.

btw, who won? Henin or Anna?
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Originally posted by Amir:
<strong>I think Roddick's got what it takes in tennis terms, but not in his head yet. A bit like Hewitt a couple of years ago, he loses it WAY too quickly. Even more serious in A-Rod's situation.

As always, I'm putting my money on Agassi. Usually a safe bet. I reckon the pressure on Hewitt would be just too much and Safin's also likely to lose it.

In the world of crazyness, he who's been there and came back sane will win again.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I take the complete opposite view. He's got the mental strength and desire IMO but not yet the game to go with it. That's why he loses his cool - he gets frustrated because his game doesn't match his desire sometimes. I saw some of his match today and he was really struggling against a no-name player. Most of this stems from his #1 weakness, and one I forgot to say yesterday - he can't return serve very well. He gets aced a lot and when he does get a 2nd serve, he can't do enough damage with it to take control of the point.

I love his enthusiasm though, even if it dos rub some people up the wrong way.
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Originally posted by RUnited:
<strong>

i guess you have a point there.

btw, who won? Henin or Anna?</strong><hr></blockquote>

They haven't played yet. They play at midnight UK time, 11am Melbourne time.
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Originally posted by sidsutton:
<strong>

I'm not saying I want every player to serve and volley, just hoping that a few players will keep the art alive now that Rafter is gone, Sampras and Krajicek are soon to follow and Henman might not be far behind if his shoulder doesn't fully heal. I want a nice mixture of styles.

I've sat through Ivanisevic/Roddick serving bombs at wach other at Wimbledon and Ferrero/Gaudio endlessly knocking the ball back to each other at Roland Garros. Both games were boring. That's why I would like to see some variation in the future.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I agree with RUnited. I think your preference is influenced a lot by how you played as a child. I played quite a bit of tennis and I was always a baseliner (couldn't volley to save my life).

I do enjoy watching Rafter/Henman. Even though they're serve and volleyers, I think they've both got a very complete game.

Have to admit it's players like Sampras/Krajicek that have made me lose interest in men's tennis at tournaments like Wimbledon. Not much fun watching guys ace each other for a couple of hours. But like you say it can be just as torturous at Roland Garros with clay court players. I remember reading an article when I was growing up where a journalist wrote that he went out to buy a snack, came back 10 minutes later, and it was still the same rally! Two different extremes...both equally boring.

I like Hewitt and Agassi though because I think they're aggressive baseliners. They don't just try to keep the ball in play.
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I enjoy watching aggressive baseliners like Safin, Grosjean, Gonzalez, Srichaphan to name a few. Agassi used to be aggressive but plays the percentages now and is more of a grinder.

Serena had that match in the bag all the time, Elfie. <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" />
 
Originally posted by sidsutton:
<strong>I enjoy watching aggressive baseliners like Safin, Grosjean, Gonzalez, Srichaphan to name a few. Agassi used to be aggressive but plays the percentages now and is more of a grinder.

Serena had that match in the bag all the time, Elfie. <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>

When you win 3-6, 7-6, 7-5, it's not what I call a match in the bag...
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I wonder if Elfie is awakw watching this...

Justine is leading Anna 4-0 in the first set.

Oops, make that 5-0 <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" />
 
Bagel, donut, call it what you will. Henin just served one to Kournikova 6-0.
 
A feast for Kournikova!! She got a breadstick in the second set. 6-0 6-1. Pitiful from Kournikova.

Elfie, I think Henin has taken a page from Kournikova's book. Henin's skirt is really tight, keeps riding up and she has to keep pulling it back down again! Kournikova's was pretty much normal for her.
 
Originally posted by Red15:
<strong>

I like Hewitt and Agassi though because I think they're aggressive baseliners. They don't just try to keep the ball in play.</strong><hr></blockquote>

have you ever watched Srichapan play? you've got to love his style. he keeps to the baseline, always and constantly trying to grind out a winner, rarely hits a slice unless his opponent is playing more aggressively (which doesn't happen a lot).

he approaches the net only a handful of times a match to fool his opponents with a drop shot... he's got what it takes but lack the experience and tend to lose temper quite easily.. if he keeps trying i think he'll go very far.

easily one of the most exciting player this year IMO.

he's playing Mark Phillipousis tonight last match of the Australian Open Day 3. Keep your watch, it could be the best game of the tournament yet.
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Originally posted by sidsutton:
<strong>A feast for Kournikova!! She got a breadstick in the second set. 6-0 6-1. Pitiful from Kournikova.

Elfie, I think Henin has taken a page from Kournikova's book. Henin's skirt is really tight, keeps riding up and she has to keep pulling it back down again! Kournikova's was pretty much normal for her.</strong><hr></blockquote>

anna had pants underneath.. it actually destroys the tradional look of the women i must say.. but it does seem to raise the confidence of the women wearing them..
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Originally posted by sidsutton:
<strong>Bagel, donut, call it what you will. Henin just served one to Kournikova 6-0.</strong><hr></blockquote>

christ.. anna got only 7 points in the first set.. pitiful.. anywho, i think she'll be guaranteed a spot in every grand slam for next 10 years even with her rankings sliding down the table.. she seems to help increase attendances for the first 1-2 rounds of every major events.. pure profit reasons in letting her play methinks.
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Originally posted by sidsutton:
<strong>Agassi used to be aggressive but plays the percentages now and is more of a grinder.

</strong><hr></blockquote>

comes with age IMO.. he's too old to be aggressive.. the way he plays now gives a lot of edge over younger and hotter-tempered players on the tour.. he makes them frustrated with his superb returns and they make the same stupid mistakes everytime..

still my all time favourite player though.. and said he was as fit as ever so it should be good!
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agassi took the second round by storm. 6-1 6-0 6-0.

how the Korean player even got through the first round is beyond me.
 
Loved the way Larsson put pressure on Hewitt yesterday. Just shows how talented the previous generation with edberg, becker, sampras, agassi etc were when one who didn't really make it to the absolute top back then when a couple of stones overweight just uses his talent and pushes the world number one. No real profiles in the game anymore when Agassi and Sampras stop playing. Just hardworking players running the baseline with mediocre talent.
 
Originally posted by AhmedDimwitson:
<strong>Loved the way Larsson put pressure on Hewitt yesterday. Just shows how talented the previous generation with edberg, becker, sampras, agassi etc were when one who didn't really make it to the absolute top back then when a couple of stones overweight just uses his talent and pushes the world number one. No real profiles in the game anymore when Agassi and Sampras stop playing. Just hardworking players running the baseline with mediocre talent.</strong><hr></blockquote>

this is a transition period i think..

They're all very young, but i do find some of 'em exciting.. Hewitt, Roddick, Gambill, Paradorn, Ferrero..

they're all base liners but i feel they have what it takes to give this sport its needed excitement in the foreseeable future.
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Originally posted by Dans:
<strong>So did horny korny win then?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Yeh she lost in str8 sets.

Watching the Philipoussis match now against Schrichapan (Thai bloke). 1 set all. Scud just won the 2nd set ! CMON SCUD !!!

Evie Dominikovic won today to make it 3 Aussie women thru to the next round for the first time since 94.
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Bring back Jimmy Connors! Tennis would be fun again.
 
Originally posted by AhmedDimwitson:
<strong>Loved the way Larsson put pressure on Hewitt yesterday. Just shows how talented the previous generation with edberg, becker, sampras, agassi etc were when one who didn't really make it to the absolute top back then when a couple of stones overweight just uses his talent and pushes the world number one. No real profiles in the game anymore when Agassi and Sampras stop playing. Just hardworking players running the baseline with mediocre talent.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Larsson really rolled back the years. Hewitt is always vulnerable to being overpowered. Consistent hard hitting really troubles him. That's why Moya basically owns him.
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Originally posted by Dans:
<strong>Bring back Jimmy Connors! Tennis would be fun again.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Next thing you'll be calling for is the men to go back to wearing trousers and the women to ankle length skirts!

Connors was an asshole though.
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Originally posted by RUnited:
<strong>

have you ever watched Srichapan play? you've got to love his style. he keeps to the baseline, always and constantly trying to grind out a winner, rarely hits a slice unless his opponent is playing more aggressively (which doesn't happen a lot).

he approaches the net only a handful of times a match to fool his opponents with a drop shot... he's got what it takes but lack the experience and tend to lose temper quite easily.. if he keeps trying i think he'll go very far.

easily one of the most exciting player this year IMO.

he's playing Mark Phillipousis tonight last match of the Australian Open Day 3. Keep your watch, it could be the best game of the tournament yet.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I've seen Srichaphan play plenty of times. I loved it when he thrashed Agassi at Wimbledon!!

Philipoussis, I think we can all agree, is the type of player we don't want to see a lot of. All brute force and no brains. Too bad he won today.
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Don't know if you all have heard the news that Hingis says she may never play pro tenis again. Her feet seem in a pretty bad way.
 
Originally posted by sidsutton:
<strong>I wonder if Elfie is awakw watching this...

Justine is leading Anna 4-0 in the first set.

Oops, make that 5-0 <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>

<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" />

No unfortunately I wasn't awaked as the game began at 1 AM in France. This match has a morale ! Justine is incredibly talented and such a nice person.
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Originally posted by sidsutton:
<strong>Don't know if you all have heard the news that Hingis says she may never play pro tenis again. Her feet seem in a pretty bad way.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Sad news although I'm not surprised. :(
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<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/australian_open/2003/2660495.stm" target="_blank">The tennis embarrasment that is Anna Kournikova</a>

"Kournikova was so poor in Melbourne that one attempted serve flew straight out of the court, while another bounced before hitting the net."

<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" />
 
Originally posted by arnie sidebottom:
<strong><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/australian_open/2003/2660495.stm" target="_blank">The tennis embarrasment that is Anna Kournikova</a>

"Kournikova was so poor in Melbourne that one attempted serve flew straight out of the court, while another bounced before hitting the net."

<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>

I saw her play Dokic on tv last year and she did one serve that bounced on HER side of the net. <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" />
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Veedey,

What is the general opinion in Russia about Kournikova? Still respected or now ridiculed?
 
Originally posted by sidsutton:
<strong>

I've seen Srichaphan play plenty of times. I loved it when he thrashed Agassi at Wimbledon!!

Philipoussis, I think we can all agree, is the type of player we don't want to see a lot of. All brute force and no brains. Too bad he won today.</strong><hr></blockquote>

absolutely agree.

5th set was all too much for Srichapan.. the crowd was behind Scud all the way.. i think Srichapan lost his way after being broken for the 4th set..

I have a feeling Scud will go 2 more rounds this time.. his overpowering serve will require a good returner to break him down.. Now that Moya is out he has no real competition until the quarters.. where he might meet Ferrero.. that guy is quick and will definitely take out Scud IMO.
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Kuerten is out of the running.

The guy is a bore methinks.. hits non-stop rally from the back court.. not a lot of winner attempts.. no wonder he's only good on clay.. players like him don't deserve the no.1 as he's not consistent throughout the year IMO.
 
I don't care either way about Kuerten's game, but what puts me off him is all the hype or image around him. You constantly hear "Everyone loves Guga", "Guga's such a great guy", "How can you not like Guga, what's wrong with him?" is what I hear endlessly from his fans.

I've seen him be just as petulant on court as everyone else but it seems to be ignored. It really irritates me and has put me right off him.
 
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