Playing the Playoff

No, the tennis ain't quite over yet - we have the big Australian playoff starting tomorrow. Playing the playoff (can you say that?) are the winners of the under-18 championships, Marija Mirkovic and Brendan McKenzie. I was a bit sad to see Mirkovic beat Isabella Holland for the spot, but then she got in anyway, so that's all right. And Brendan McKenzie - I like what I am hearing about this kid.

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Let's start with the girls - top seed is Jess Moore, whom one would imagine would find some way or another into the draw whether she does well here or not, what with making the final of the girls' event last year and getting to the second round of the senior event. Another notables (ie. people I have heard of) include Monique Adamczak and Sophie Ferguson, but the really interesting one to watch is going to be Jelena Dokic, she who used to be #4 but who laboured under the shadow of the Damir. She's playing a sixteen year old from Queensland in her first match, and you'd want to hope she could win that one... otherwise I think we could safely say it was curtains for Jelena.

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The men is very interesting - particularly the match between the aforementioned Brendan McKenzie and Peter Luczak. That one could be seriously interesting. Previously, I'd have gone with Mr Milkshake every time, but this Brendan kid is looking seriously dangerous, if one can see that without ever seeing him play. His opponent for the final also made the cut to play the playoff (Dane Propoggia), and McKenzie rolled him 6-2 6-0 or something, so that's making a point. That'll be an intriguing match.

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Bernard Tomic against Colin Ebelthite will also be interesting - Ebelthite may not have the talent of Tomic, but he certainly has some maturity (you'd want to hope - he's 24!) There are some good names in the draw: Joe Sirianni is there, Robert Smeets, Carsten Ball, Sam Groth, Brydan Klein... actually, bar Guccione, the entire Australian Davis Cup team is in this playoff.

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That is frightening.