Australian Open Day 2: Broken Hearts and Tattered Flags
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 9:45AM 
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.
