Aussie Open Day 8 Recap: Upset Monday

The Tennis Gods can't even help you today

Special Kei:  Kei Nishikori defeated number 6 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a 5-setter to advance to the quarterfinals.  With this win he becomes the 1st Japanese man to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 80 years, and he also breaks into the Top 20 for the first time.

Stunned Serena:  5-time Australian Open winner, Serena Williams, who also was the last American standing, was dismissed in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 by number 56 in the world (and Steffi Graf look-a-like) Ekaterina Makarova.  It is the first time in 4 years that she has lost a match at the Australian Open and the first time she has lost to someone outside of the top 20 in OZ.  Serena said this in her presser,

On how she played: 

I just did not serve well.  It was just disastrous really.  

My lefty serve is actually better than that.  Maybe I should have started serving lefty. 

On her ankle:

I don't know.  I've been on meds, so I have no idea.  Right now it feels good, so it's fine.

Obviously I'm not a hundred percent, and I haven't been.  But it's no excuse or anything.

On whether she would have played if this wasn't a Slam: 

No, no way.  I probably shouldn't have played.  But no way.  

Serena generally does not discuss injuries, but the torn ligaments in her ankle clearly affected her match, so everyone please put the, "She's over the hill" and "She's lost her passion," stories away.  I personally believe that she has got at least a couple of Majors left in her.

Twilight Zone:

Erik, from Adjusting The Net, tweeted this interesting little fact:

Coincidence or foreshadowing? Last time Serena lost at AO in '08 was on same day Djokovic defeated Hewitt nyti.ms/AbzVpr

— Erik G. (@AdjustingTheNet) January 23, 2012

And it was indeed foreshadowing, as Novak Djokovic defeated Lleyton Hewitt in 4 sets, 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Coach of the year?:  Andy Murray in his post-match interview talked a little about his new coach Ivan Lendl.  My favorite part was when Andy was asked by Jim Courier to repeat a joke that Lendl has told him during their time together and he said, "I promise you, none of them are clean enough for TV."  ESPN later interviewed the legend and he was hilarious.

Superbowl picks:  Roger Federer, who was at the Patriot/Giants Superbowl in 2008, picked the Giants for the Super Bowl.   I don't always agree with Fed, but I am definitely going with the G.O.A.T on this one.

And your quarterfinalists are:

Novak Djokovic vs. David Ferrer

Kei Nishikori vs. Andy Murray

Juan Martin del Potro vs. Roger Federer

Tomas Berdych vs. Rafael Nadal

Caroline Wozniacki vs Kim Clijsters

Victoria Azarenka vs Agnieszka Radwanska

Ekaterina Makarova vs. Maria Sharapova

and

Sara Errani vs. Petra Kvitova

Photo: Getty Images