That Electric Feel

Here I am in an Internet cafe in Melbourne, spending my hard-earned money so I can blog about my experiences. I hope you're all grateful!

*

I got to Melbourne Park yesterday a little after eleven, so all the matches had just started. Last year I spent a lot of time hanging out round the practice courts trying to catch big names close up, so this year I promised myself I would actually watch some proper matches during the day. So when I got there, I did a quick trawl round all the courts... and, yes, I did stop at courts fifteen and sixteen and watch some practicing, because there were two big names out - Djokovic on court fifteen (whom I only paused to watch so I could take a commemorative photograph... and because Tipsarevic was on court too) and Nadal on court sixteen, whom I watched for a little while. Anyway, then I sat down in Margaret Court Arena and watched the second set of Vera Zvonareva against Magdalena Rybarikova - the set in which Vera bagelled Magdalena. So a real long set.

*

Then I got up and left, and I really wish I hadn't, because I tried to get back in to see some of the Tomic/Starace match and there was not a seat to be found! I was very sad - you know how I like ranting on about Tomic. That has to be the big surprise result of yesterday, considering the lack of other upsets - a sixteen year old kid ranked #800 odd winning big over a top #100 player. It'll be interesting to see how Bernard progresses from here... me, I feel sorry for Starace. It must be a bit embarrassing being beaten by a kid who is basically about twelve.

*

I wandered round a bit more and caught the second two sets of Stan Wawrinka against Ivo Minar out on court nineteen. This was actually a really good match - Minar played really well, so it took Stan four to beat him. There were a lot of Federer fans there (noticeable by their Fed shirts!) and they were all cheering for Stan a lot, which I thought was sweet... though I don't know if Stan appreciates having fans simply because he comes from the same country as Roger, but what gives, eh? There were also a lot of Swiss people there, and pretty much everyone, except for a devoted five in one corner, was cheering for Stan. It was really nice.

*

I wanted to catch the Cilic match after that, but I had to go back into the city and check into my hostel... stupid late check in times. When I got back, there were literally about two hundred people waiting around an empty court sixteen. The Fed Squad was out in full, so I figured they must be waiting for him. And we waited... and waited... and he didn't show. Which was sad.

*

And then being in Rod Laver Arena at night was such a special experience! The only other time I've seen an Aussie play was when I saw Guccione against Tursunov in the final of the Medibank last year, and I was pulling against the crowd then. It was really nice this time to be supporting one of our own! It was such an electric ripple that went through the crowd when they announced, 'and, representing Australia, Casey Dellacqua!' It made all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

*

I do confess, however, that when Casey lost a HEARTBREAKING first set tiebreaker, I was kind of pulling for her to lose the second as well, because it was getting late and I wanted to see Federer before I inevitably collapsed of exhaustion. (Did I mention it was really, really hot? I have never sweated so much in my life. And looks like it's going to be worse today...) Hantuchova, thankfully, wrapped it up in two, and there was only a very short hiatus until the Man himself came out - and he was received with exactly the same warmth as Casey Dellacqua. He really is a favourite wherever he goes. He has transcended nationality, in some respects.

*

I was really nervous - who wouldn't be? - but Roger put my nerves to rest with a beautiful first set, at which he served at 73% and pulled off what has to be one of the most amazing shots of all time to conclude a very amazing rally - a down the line pass behind his back and above his head. Seppi just couldn't compete with that. The first set took about four seconds, but then Roger reeled it in a bit and the second two were much tighter. Seppi had a couple of chances - he even had a set point in the second set - but he never looked like losing. Federer was never behind in the breaker and then he broke Seppi in the last game of the match to win it.

*

It was such a privilege and an honour to see him play. I can't express it any better than that. And he handled the crowd really well - and he's really funny! His post-match interview with Jim Courier was hilarious!

*

Anyway, my time runs out - so catch you all tomorrow morning!

*

*

Today's Results

*

Australian Open

*

Men's Draw

*

Roger Federer def. Andreas Seppi, 6-1 7-6 (7-4) 7-5

Andy Roddick def. Bjorn Rehnquist, 6-0 6-2 6-2

Novak Djokovic def. Andrea Stoppini, 6-2 6-3 7-5

Juan Martin del Potro def. Mischa Zverev, 6-3 6-4 6-2

Marat Safin def. Ivan Navarro, 6-3 6-3 6-4

David Nalbandian def. Marc Gicquel, 6-1 4-6 6-2 6-3

Bernard Tomic def. Potito Starace, 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (8-6)

Marcos Baghdatis def. Julien Benneteau, 6-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2

Evgeny Korolev def. Carlos Moya, 6-3 6-1 7-6 (9-7)

Mardy Fish def. Sam Groth, 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 7-5 6-0

Tomas Berdych def. Robby Ginepri, 6-4 6-4 6-3

Viktor Troicki def. Alberto Martin, 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-4

Janko Tipsarevic def. Oscar Hernandez, 4-6 6-1 6-3 4-6 6-0

Fabrice Santoro def. Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-3 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 6-2

Brydan Klein def. Bjorn Phau, 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-3

Gilles Muller def. Feliciano Lopez, 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 4-6 16-14

Philipp Kohlscheiber def. Sam Querrey, 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 6-2

David Ferrer def. Denis Gremelmayr, 6-1 6-7 (6-8) 6-1 6-7 (4-7) 6-4

Amer Delic def. Taylor Dent, 6-4 3-6 406 6-3 6-4

Brian Dabul def. Philipp Petzschner, 6-1 6-2 6-4

Simone Bolelli def. Kristof Vliegen, 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3) 7-5

Dominik Hrbaty def. John Isner, 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 6-2 7-5

Robin Soderling def. Robert Kendrick, 5-7 6-4 6-4 7-5

Paul-Henri Mathieu def. Jarkko Nieminen, 6-2 4-1 retired

Jeremy Chardy def. Marcos Daniel, 6-4 6-4 6-1

Florian Mayer def. Lamine Ouahab, 6-2 6-1 6-2

Tommy Robredo def. Bobby Reynolds, 6-2 7-5 6-1

Yen-Hsun Lu def. Thomaz Bellucci, 6-3 7-5 6-4

Marin Cilic def. Kevin Anderson, 6-3 6-2 6-7 (4-7) 6-3

Stanislas Wawrinka def. Ivo Minar, 6-1 2-6 7-5 7-6 (11-9)

Xavier Malisse def. Michael Llodra, 7-6 (10-8) 6-1 6-1

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez def. Agustin Calleri, 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 6-0

*

*

Women's Draw

*

Jelena Jankovic def. Yvonne Meusburger, 6-1 6-3

Dinara Safina def. Alla Kudryavtseva, 6-3 6-4

Ana Ivanovic def. Julia Goerges, 7-5 6-3

Vera Zvonareva def. Magdalena Rybarikova, 7-6 (7-2) 6-0

Nadia Petrova def. Yaroslava Shvedova, 6-3 7 6 (7-3)

Caroline Wozniacki def. Shahar Peer, 6-3 6-2

Alizé Cornet def. Mariya Koryttseva, 6-3 6-4

Marion Bartoli def. Melanie South, 6-2 6-4

Anna Chakvetadze def. Anne Keothavong, 6-1 6-7 (4-7) 6-1

Daniela Hantuchova def. Casey Dellacqua, 7-6 (13-11) 6-4

Galina Voskoboeva def. Agnes Szavay, 6-3 3-6 6-4

Lucie Safarova def. Sybille Bammer, 6-3 6-1

Kaia Kanepi def. Kimiko Date Krumm, 6-4 4-6 8-6

Ai Sugiyama def. Stéphanie Dubois, 6-0 7-6 (7-5)

Sara Errani def. Maria Kirilenko, 6-0 6-4

Alisa Kleybanova def. Sofia Arvidsson, 7-5 7-5

Tsvetana Pironkova def. Karolina Sprem, 6-0 6-4

Ekaterina Makarova def. Aravane Rezai, 1-6 7-5 6-4

Monica Niculescu def. Katie O'Brien, 6-4 6-4

Edina Gallovits def. Maria Elena Camerin, 6-3 2-6 6-3

Karin Knapp def. Monika Wejnert, 7-6 (8-6) 6-4

Mathilde Johansson def. Jill Craybas, 6-2 1-6 7-5

Marina Erakovic def. Petra Cetkovska, 6-4 7-5

Nathalie Dechy def. Viktoriya Kutuzova, 6-3 6-0

Virginia Ruano Pascual def. Mariana Duque Marino, 6-3 6-2

Stéphanie Cohen-Aloro def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 6-3 6-4

Sania Mirza def. Marta Domachowska, 6-1 6-4

Kirsten Flipkens def. Rossana de los Ríos, 6-3 6-2

Patricia Mayr def. Julia Schruff, 6-4 6-1

Andrea Petkovic def. Kathrin Woerle, 5-7 7-6 (7-0) 4-0 retired

Alberta Brianti def. Yanina Wickmayer, 6-4 6-2

Jelena Dokic def. Tamira Paszek, 6-2 3-6 6-4

Everybody Hates Etienne

Etienne de Villers is retiring. I bet there's a lot of people that are really, really sad about that. Weeping, wailing, gnashing their teeth, etc, etc. Except not.

*

I am right, aren't I? Everybody hates Etienne, yesno? That has certainly been the impression I've had. He seems to have changed everything round really fast, and I don't think people have liked that very much at all... especially the Hamburg tournament. I do like the fact he added an Asian swing, as I think that was lacking - but I think the players know best.

*

I know there's a players council, and that Federer, Nadal and Djokovic all sit on it - does anyone know how much attention people pay to them? I would like to think it's a lot, but I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't. Important as I think it should be, something like that has token written all over it. Actually, wasn't it why the three big boys decided to run for office? To give it a higher profile? I think Ivan Ljubicic and James Blake used to sit on it, and while they're very important and lovely men, they don't quite have the clout that the Big Three do. And even though I have personal objections to certain members (well, member) of the Big Three, I think they're all good choices. Roger is the ultimate tennis statesman. Rafa is dogged. And Novak could just annoy people till they did what he wanted.

*

I remember reading somewhere that a few years back, when they were planning a major overhaul of the schedule - was it 2005? Maybe 2004? - that four of the players sat down with the ATP guys in a hotel room and nutted it out. Federer was there, and Safin, and I think Rafa, but I can't remember who else. I wonder how much of that there was under the Age of Etienne? (I'm pretty sure that was pre-Etienne.) I have a feeling the council got marginalised. I know there was a lot of unrest. So kudos to the Big Three, who might well be partially responsible for the decision of de Villiers. I would like to think so, anyway.

*

This means there'll be looking for a new guy, and while I don't know who they should pick this time, I know someone who would make an excellent Etienne in future. Can you go past Ivan Ljubicic?

*

And another shoutout to my boy Luka Gregorc, who is in the semis in New Haven, despite coming through qualies and being ranked #434 or something in the world. He has taken out several big names this week, including Ivo Karlovic, and his next victim was Andreas Seppi, who he took out in the quarters. Wouldn't it be awesome to see him win? I love a good underdog (except when the underdog is playing Federer.) I confess I am going for Cilic, but should he lose, then Luka all the way!

*

*

Today's Results

*

Pilot Pen Tennis (New Haven)

*

Men's Draw

*

Fernando Verdasco def. Mischa Zverev, 6-2 7-6 (7-4)

Luka Gregorc def. Andreas Seppi, 4-6 6-4 7-5

Mardy Fish def. Jesse Levine, 6-3 7-6 (7-4)

*

*

Women's Draw

*

Anna Chakvetadze def. Sorana Cirstea, 6-3 6-3

Alizé Cornet def. Daniela Hantuchova, 3-6 6-4 6-4

Caroline Wozniacki def. Marion Bartoli, 6-4 6-0

Amélie Mauresmo def. Agnes Szavay, 6-4 7-5

*

*

Forest Hills Tennis Classic (Forest Hills)

*

Iveta Benesova def. Ekaterina Makarova, 2-6 6-2 6-4

Carla Suárez Navarro def. Martina Müller, 6-2 6-0

Peng Shuai def. Vera Dushevina, 6-4 7-5

Lucie Safarova def. Jamea Jackson, 3-6 6-3 6-0

The Italian Job

Well, well, well. I think I can safely say that Wimbledon this year is the most unusual Grand Slam we've seen in quite a while. My 'dead cert' for the women's semi finals, Ana Ivanovic, has gone crashing out to Jie Zheng, who is more famous for being a doubles player than anything else. And it wasn't a very dignified loss, either. Ivanovic was just never in it. It was Sharapova mk 2. And once again I find myself saying that this quarter of the draw is now wide open.
*
Who is going to be my new semis tip? Hmmm... if we went with seeds, it would be Chakvetadze, but she hasn't been very impressive this year. I'm going to go with Agnes Szavay, the young Hungarian. She's got a great game, and it's about time she made a run for the semis. In the second quarter, the Kuznetsova quarter, there are a couple of possiblities. Mattek aside - even though she did just knock out last year's finalist Marion Bartoli - any player there stands a chance of getting to the semi.
*
But first, let me do my quarter final picks for the top half of the women's draw. I think we'll see Szavay vs Vaidisova (depending on how well Vaidisova plays - neither she nor Chakvetadze have been impressive of late, so that could potentially be a fourth round match of very poor quality.) And even though Kuznetsova has looked pretty good this tournament, I'm going to pick Agnieszka Radwanska in that one to come up against Serena Williams.
*
One final word on women's tennis. I know that everyone is talking about Venus and Serena, but Jelena Jankovic must really, really fancy her chances now.
*
Right. Men's tennis. Back to the comfort zone. I was very pleased with the way this all panned out. Federer was lethal over Gicquel, which is just the way I like it. If one counts out the very first game of the match, where he was broken, this was an almost perfect third round match. He had Gicquel in trouble on serve nearly every single game. He won convincingly in straight sets - but not SO convincingly that one could accuse him of peaking too early. He was just right. The headline on the Wimbledon website said 'Federer romps to easy victory.' This was the final paragraph:
*
'It was Federer's 38th consecutive win at Wimbledon and one so comfortably achieved on his favourite court with nine aces, 34 outright winners and a first serve percentage of 72 that he might have been wearing carpet slippers. John McEnroe described the sight as "a master at work".'
*
That brought a smile to my face. I wish I could have seen more of the match - of course, since it was on at the same time as the Hewitt match, most of it wasn't broadcast on Australian television.
*
This is something I find endlessly annoying, but I doubt it will ever change. Hewitt will now come up against Federer in the next round, though, so at least I can be pretty much guaranteed that one will be shown! This might prove to be Federer's toughest test yet, but I don't think there is any cause to be fearful. Federer has owned Lleyton for the last few years, and I don't see much sign of that changing.
*
To Lleyton's credit, he played an excellent match against Bolelli today. It was very clean tennis from him - though I'm not sure how much of that was due to him hitting the lines versus Bolelli making errors before Hewitt had the chance to. I'm not particularly enamoured of Hewitt, but one thing I do like about him is that he never tanks a game. He has a real point by point mentality, and I think that's very important in tennis. You rarely see Hewitt give up in a tennis match, even if he's pretty much down and out (not that he was today!) and that's pretty admirable.
*
He also has a pretty decent tennis IQ, which is something I realised watching his match today. He knows how to use the topspin lob or the ball looping high over the net to give himself time to reset himself if he's out of court. He hit some really nice winners today, forehand and backhand, crosscourt and down the line. Bolelli was giving him a lot of opportunities, to be fair, but Hewitt wasn't missing. He pretty much dismantled Bolelli - and I haven't seen Hewitt dismantle an opponent in quite some time. So that was nice for him... but I think we're going to see the reverse of it on Monday! Hewitt will be the one dismantled by the mighty Federer Express.
*
Going back to Bolelli, I was not very impressed with him at all. I don't know whether it just wasn't his day or whatever, but his game seemed to be composed of flair and not much else. His first serve was pretty sweet... when he got it in. He hit some outrageous winners... when they went in. And mostly, they weren't. Having flair is all very well - look at Federer, King of Flair! - but it needs to be consistent. And there ought to be times when there is at least a Plan B, an ability to be able to resort to percentage play. I'm all for redlining your game, but it did nothing for Bolelli. Hewitt played very well, and I don't want to take that away from him, but Bolelli did nothing for me.
*
And has anyone else noticed that he kind of looks like Andy Roddick in a wig? Like, eerily so from some angles? Maybe it's just me. One thing I did like about him was his shirt. It had piping round the shoulders in Italian colours. I liked that. That one gets a Jodi Wimbledon Fashion Endorsement (tm), along with Roger's cardigan and Serena's trenchcoat. MaSha's tuxedo gets NO endorsement - though I have to say that the worst crime against fashion this week has come from Ernests Gulbis. Impressive as his game was against Nadal was, someone needs to tell Swanboy that black underpants and white shorts is never attractive.
*
One person who looks good in whatever he wears is Marat Safin, and excuse while I scream out DAVAI MARAT! Three matches in a row for the first time this year - that's something to warm the cockles of your heart (and the sub-cockle regions.) Seppi played well, too - the second set is testament to that - but Safin rose to the occasion and outplayed him. It was simply splendid. There were some spectacular Marat-cool-losing moments, like that forehand shot that went rattling down the stairs in the stadium! - but Marat has got his head in the game. (Clearly he's been watching that basketball scene in High School Musical...) Marat is back - and what a time to pick for it! And he has got to pick up some serious rankings points for getting to the round of sixteen - how well did he do in Wimbledon last year? Let me check... oh. Of course. Third round, lost to Federer. Okay, so maybe not THAT many rankings points (yet) but that's still something. I'd dearly love to see Maratski up towards the top of his game.
*
It's just so wonderful to see him playing WELL again. Seppi, unlike his compatriot Bolelli, really put up a fight. He's ranked higher than Safin - he's seeded here - but Marat always looked like the better played. C'mon, Marat. Davai. Wouldn't it be awesome to see Marat seeded at the US Open, which I think is his favourite Slam?
*
And I'd just like to send out a farewell to yet another one of the top eight seeds who went out today - though he went down fighting, unlike Djokovic, Kolya, Roddick and LameDave before him. Vale Ferru. You fought bravely.
*
And so my quarter final picks for the top half of the draw run thusly: Federer vs. Ancic. Hewitt will be no match for the Mighty Fed (tm), and while Verdasco reached the final at Nottingham and clearly has some game on grass, I wouldn't bet against Super Mario. And then Safin vs. Baghdatis. Feliciano Lopez is another one of those Spaniards with the good grass game, but I wouldn't bet against Marcos, and though I really like Stan Wawrinka a lot, I think Marat's on a roll now...
*
*
Wimbledon Results - Day #5
*
Men's Draw
*
Roger Federer def. Marc Gicquel, 6-3 6-3 6-1
Marat Safin def. Andreas Seppi, 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-6 (7-3) 6-4
Mario Ancic def. David Ferrer, 6-4 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-3)
Lleyton Hewitt def. Simone Bolelli, 6-1 6-3 7-6 (7-2)
Fernando Verdasco def. Tomas Berdych, 6-4 6-4 6-0
Marcos Baghdatis def. Simon Stadler, 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-2
Stanislas Wawrinka def. Mischa Zverev, 7-5 6-1 retired
Feliciano Lopez def. Bobby Reynolds, 6-4 7-5 4-6 6-4
*
*
Women's Draw
*
Serena Williams def. Amelie Mauresmo, 7-6 (7-5) 6-1
Jie Zheng def. Ana Ivanovic, 6-1 6-4
Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Barbara Zahlavova Strycova, 6-2 6-4
Agnieszka Radwanska def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-3 6-2
Anna Chakvetadze def. Evgeniya Rodina, 6-4 6-3
Bethanie Mattek def. Marion Bartoli, 6-4 6-1
Agnes Szavay def. Anabel Medina Garrigues, 7-6 (7-5) 2-6 6-2
Nicole Vaidisova def. Casey Dellacqua, 6-2 6-4