Australian Open Day 4 Recap

Just a little more to the right

Best Pose:   Novak Djokovic (above) 'Voguing' for the camera during his shirt change.  He also defeated Santiago Giraldo with the sexy score of 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.

Milestones Reached:  Serena Williams joined her sister Venus as one of the four active players to have reached 500 match wins. "I knew I had to get there, too, because I do just have to do everything she does." 

She also later tweeted about it:

500 wins? I Can't believe I did it. Really?? I am so happy and I appreciate all the love! Could not have done it without u all! Love u!!

— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) January 19, 2012

Funniest quote outside of the pressroom:  Serena Williams, "I was a grumpy smurf that day" to Chris Fowler at the ESPN desk about her first round win and, "I just have really wobbly ankles, I wasn't meant to be a ballerina" in her on-court interview after defeating Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (say it 3 time fast) 6-0, 6-4 to advance to the 3rd round.

Most interesting on-court interview/awkward moment:  Vania King serenades Pam Shriver.

FORE!!!  David Ferrer clocked the chair umpire in the head with a ball.  I guess there were no babies in the crowd to take his frustration out on.  I jest. (If that ESPN link doesn't work for you, try this one.)

Biggest Scares:  Number 5 seed David Ferrer who went the distance against American Ryan Sweeting who was playing absolutely lights-out tennis, and the number 2 seed Petra Kvitova who also went the distance against the tricky Carla Suarez Navarro.

Big seeds bite the dust:  Gilles Simon [12],  Andy Roddick [15], Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova [15], Viktor Troicki [19], and Dominka Cibulkova [17]

and

Americans still in it to win it:  Serena Williams, Vania King, John Isner, and Christina McHale.

Photo courtesy of the Novak Djokovic Fan Club

Australian Open Day 4: Dark Horses and Bronzed Bodies

Fans brave the sweltering sun during the Australian Openby Kait O'Callahan

We’re here to see Stephanie Dubois lose. It isn’t nice, but we’re still bitter about Vesnina. Angelique Kerber stands strong, her thighs rippling, her blonde hair twisted into a tight bun. It doesn’t take a world traveller to guess her nationality. Her team yell encouragement at her in harsh German and she responds just as loudly. Dubois plays more aggressively than in her first round, but the match is still on Kerber’s racket. She takes it in straights, not without a struggle. She screams, pumps her fist, and finally allows herself a smile.

I expect some pretty poor tennis when we head over to Marcel Granollers and Frederico Gil - they’re not exactly household names. But Gil surprises me. He hits a strong backhand and moves well. There’s a big crowd, which is credit to how busy the Open is today. Our seats are quickly taken when we move on.

The difference between Asian and Australian culture is as exposed by the Westerners’ bronzed bodies when we take to Court 8. The fans of Japanese player Tatsuma Ito cover their arms, legs, and faces as they shield themselves from the harsh sun. The rest of us slather on sunscreen and hope it won’t halt our tan. I know whose idea of beauty is safer. Ito is fighting hard, but cult favourite Nicolas Mahut is starting to pull ahead. He will eventually seal a place in the next round against Novak Djokovic.

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Australian Open Day 3 Recap

Battered Fish Best Post-Win Celebration: After cruising into the 3rd round by defeating Stephanie Foretz Gacon 6-0, 6-1 in just 47 minutes, Kim Clijsters had the crowd sing 'Happy Birthday' to her sister Elke vs. John Isner pinching his chest after his 5 set win over David Nalbandian.

Best Racket Smash:  Marcos Baghdatis during his match with Stanislas Wawrinka (which he lost 6-7, 4-6, 7-1, 1-6). Check out the video below. 

Shot of the Day: Juan Martin del Potro hit what Brad Gilbert called, "A Rocket Tweener!"

ATP Upset of the Day:  Number 8 seed, Mardy Fish bowed out in the 2nd round after being defeated by Alejandro Falla 7-6(4) 6-3 7-6(6).

WTA Upset of the Day:  Number 10 seed, Francesca Schiavone was taken out in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 by countrywoman Romina Oprandi.

Easiest Match of the Day:  Roger Federer got a walkover due to Andreas Beck's retirement from a back injury.

Funniest GIF:  Feli always gives good face.  

Photo: Reuters

Australian Open Day 3: Monster Serves Mixed With Controversy

David Nalbandian arguing with the chair umpireby Kait O'Callahan

We got home late last night, and as a result I sleep past my alarm this morning. We turn up an hour late for day three - it seems insignificant at the time, but we will pay for it later, (bear in mind our 50 matches goal). We start our day with Sergiy Stakhovsky and Kevin Anderson, our favourite Rhino helping South African. It’s exactly what you’d expect; big serves, short rallies, and not a whole lot of rhythm. We leave after a set; there’s an Argentinian I have to watch.

If I’ve known absolute joy as a Roger Federer fan, I’ve had my fair share of heartbreak with Juan Martin del Potro. Thankfully, today isn’t one of those days. Del Potro is never in danger of losing to Blaz Kavcic, despite being broken in each set and falling behind 0-3 in the first. He plays in patches, some brilliant, some far from it. Kavcic never really goes away, although he matches del Potro in unforced errors and throws in more than a few double faults. Del Potro says after the match that he’s happy with his level, and on later reflection, so am I. At the time though, I’m clutching my hands in a prayer position, dangling on the edge of my seat. I’m fairly sure the girl beside me has decided I’m nuts, but then she thinks the best thing Francesca Schiavone’s done is beat Sam Stosur in Brisbane, and is wearing shorts that resemble a denim bikini (these shorts that don’t cover your bottom need to go. Mothers of teenage daughters worldwide- get onto that). Del Potro takes his sweet time winning in straight sets, and by late afternoon we have seen only two matches.

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Australian Open Day 2: I Dream of Bagels

There were no bagels for Samantha Stosur yesterdayThere were no actual double or triple bagel blowouts on Day 2 of the Aussie Open, but there did seem to be an extraordinary amount of bagel sets, 20 to be exact which included: 

Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1
Philip Petzschner 6-0, 6-0, 6-2
Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-0, 6-0
Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-0
Kei Nishikori 6-1, 7-6, 6-0
Petra Kvitova 6-2, 6-0
Shahar Peer 6-2, 6-0
Nadia Petrova 6-3, 3-6, 6-0
Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 3-6, 6-0
Barbora Zhalavova-Strycova 6-0, 6-4
Ekaterina Makarova 6-0, 2-6, 6-0
Pablo Andjuar 6-1, 7-6, 6-0
Roberta Vinci 6-0, 6-1
Marion Bartoli 7-5, 6-0
Mikhail Kukushkin 6-4, 6-3, 6-0
Marcel Granollers 6-0, 7-6, 5-7, 5-7, 6,3
Ana Ivanovic 6-0, 6-3

Best tweet about the bagels:

I heard Oprah is in Melbourne. RT @Ataraxis00: You get a bagel, you get a bagel, everybody gets a bagel! — Tennis Updates (@tennis_updates) January 17, 2012

Best bagel trivia: @4AllSurfaces tweeted a list of all the double and triple bagels in the ATP over the past 30 years, check your knowledge by clicking here.

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Australian Open Day 2: Broken Hearts and Tattered Flags

by Kait O'Callahan

Before I set off on my recap of day two, I’d like to share my ‘goal’ for the Open. My brother and I saw 46 live matches at the AO 2011. This year we plan to hit 50. We do not have to see matches in their entirety; nine games or one set is enough. Of course, if a match is good, we will see it out. This goal motivates us to see matches we would normally avoid, and spend less time watching TV. It is also a lot of fun. We started day two off on Show Court 3.

Sabine Lisicki’s abdominal strain is still an issue. Not only could she not buy a first serve in her opening match today, but her little known opponent, Stephanie Voegele, pushes her through three tight sets. Lisicki’s powerful game is streaky but far more dangerous than her opponent’s. She survives to reach the third round, but only just.

Like many other females, I have a soft spot for Ernests Gulbis.  The Latvian man with striking cheekbones and quick wit has captured the hearts of many worldwide, and then proceeded to break them all. It’s business as usual for Gulbis against Michael Llodra. Gulbis is battling the wind, the crowd, his game, and his opponent. Things get tense when Llodra complains repetitively about the time Gulbis is taking - Gulbis allows himself to get distracted, and never recovers. I busy myself in studying the watch on the woman in front of me - it’s a Rolex. An accreditation pass hangs around her neck, and I peer further to try and catch which career change might afford me a Rolex. Turns out she’s a tennis player’s mother. My eyes catch the sneakers of the girl sitting next to me.  It’s Shahar Peer, and she’s talking enthusiastically with her mother about something to do with Wozniacki, Jankovic, and Schiavone. Whatever the language is, at the moment I wish to understand it.

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Australian Open Day 1: Too Much Electricity Not Enough Rainbows

Don't touch me I might shock youFashion #fail:  Above was Fernando Verdasco's Adidas kit 'Electricity With High Energy'.  I usually love Adidas outfits, but I think they needed to turn the energy down just a smidge.

Best quote about his oufit:

He's a man who's not uncomfortable with his looks. Any man who's prepared to be an underwear model is not going to be afraid of this gear.

- Jim Courier via The Syndney Morning Herald

Best tweets about his outfit:

Fernando Verdasco's on-court attire begs the question, "Do you want fries with that?" twitpic.com/87vqdb #AustralianOpen

— Dylan Stableford (@stableford) January 16, 2012

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