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E.L.
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1114
Location: Go Giants!
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 Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 1:29 pm Post subject: Aussie! Aussie! Open! Oy Oy Oy! |
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I'm knee deep in the Aussie Open right now. Saw Ana Ivanovic take care of some scrub in straight sets. I'm hoping to catch the next Djokovic match. I also saw Jankovic and Baghdatis win with difficulty.
The Ivanovic match was great, the in-out computer replay thingy wasn't working and the line judge botched a couple of calls. Ana was so pissed at the end she didn't even shake the judges hand. That was pretty funny.
I honour of my two faves, Ana and Daniela Hantuchova, here's a great commercial they did together:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrhuJz7A7qk
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saskhab
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 17 Oct 2007
Posts: 2441
Location: Saskatoon!
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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Fuck, that ad kicks ass.
I really wish I could just veg out and watch a shitload of tennis right now. I really do. I watched a lot of tennis when I was in college and had ridiculously lame hours. That was the life.
I've never really, really watched the Aussie because of it's awkward timing (both time of day and time of year). But I'm more determined this time. Don't like TSN jumping back and forth with these tape delays to squeeze in all the action that they can.
I saw that Baghdatis match as well. Also saw Nalbandian. Dude is way too fat to win, isn't he? But fuck, he's got talent.
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saskhab
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 17 Oct 2007
Posts: 2441
Location: Saskatoon!
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| Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:21 pm Post subject: |
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I was going to bed last night... and I flipped on the TV in my room just when I was getting ready. I can't remember what I was going to check, but it turned on to TSN, and I saw the Federer/Trapserovic match. It was in the 2nd set at the time, and Trapserovic had won the 1st set and it was 4-4 in the 2nd.
The match was an epic that lasted 4 1/2 hours total (3 1/2 hours from that point on) with the 49th ranked player giving the greatest player of all time all he could handle. It was one of, if not the greatest match I've ever seen. It was so tense, some amazing rallies, and some amazing in-game comebacks to bring it to the 5th set in extra games to finally determine the winner.
If this is on replay today/tonight and you missed it, watch it. I still can't believe this match occurred, and I'm glad I stayed up past 4:30 watching it all before finally going to bed.
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E.L.
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1114
Location: Go Giants!
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| Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:30 pm Post subject: |
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Good stuff. The Baghdatis/Safin match from a couple of days ago was equally crazy. Baghdatis won the first two sets but Safin hung in there and tied it up. Eventually Baghdatis won but not before 4 hours had passed.
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saskhab
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 17 Oct 2007
Posts: 2441
Location: Saskatoon!
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:32 am Post subject: |
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After I stayed up until 4:30 AM watching last night, the Aussies stayed up to that exact same time (for them it was Sunday morning) to finish Saturday's play. Hewitt, Australia's best hope, beat Baghdatis in 5 sets in a longer match than the Federer-Trapsorevic one earlier that day.
Blake had an amazing comeback on Saturday as well, coming back after losing the first two sets.
Unseeded Aussie Casey Dellacqua defeated former Aussie champ Mauresmo on the women's side in the Saturday action as well. Apparently she arrived in Melbourne from Perth and her luggage didn't, so she had to call up her dad and say "I need clothes!" She went on a Target shopping spree and with word of this, has picked up a Target sponsorship and a whole new wardrobe.  Dellacqua goes up against Jelena Jancovic today in the Round of 16.
All those stories made the defeat of the #2 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova to the 29th ranked Angieska Radwanska an afterthought on Saturday.
They are calling Saturday's action amongst the best Open tennis ever. It really was an amazing day.
So far Sunday has been fairly ho-hum from the sounds of it.
Ivanovic looks to be on the warpath with Venus, and Hantuchnova is now the top seed on the bottom side of that draw, though she's gotta face two seeded opponents in a row before facing either Ivanovic or Venus in the semis.
Vaidisova's trying her luck against Serena right now. Could be a good one.
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saskhab
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 17 Oct 2007
Posts: 2441
Location: Saskatoon!
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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TSN has live coverage tonight in Prime Time (6-10 my time; 7-11 EST). Running head to head with the NFC Championship. I think I might watch instead, although I've got floor hockey at 7.
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saskhab
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 17 Oct 2007
Posts: 2441
Location: Saskatoon!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:33 pm Post subject: |
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Apparently only EL and I care, but here it goes anyways:
Upsets seem to be thinning out as the tourney hits the quarterfinals. All 8 matches are set for both the men and women, and the first quarters start today.
The Men's draw features goes as follows:
Today:
J. Tsonga (FRA) v. (14) M. Youzhny (RUS)
(24) J. Niemenen (FIN) v. (2) R. Nadal (ESP)
and Tomorrow:
(1) R. Federer (SUI) v. (12) J. Blake (USA)
(3) N. Djokovic (SER) v. (5) D. Ferrer (ESP)
I think the Niemenen/Nadal matchup is a good one, with a high chance of an upset. Niemenen is a tough opponent, especially when the matches go deep. He's played quite a few sets already, but only 1 5 set matchup which is when he almost let his first round opponent make a stunning comeback. All that said, that side is still Nadal's to lose. Tsonga is the only unseeded player left in the tournament, man or woman.
The intriguing aspect of the Men's side is still the potential for a Federer/Djokovic semi. Djokovic looks determined to make a statement this year and win an Open. Federer seems to be having a bit of difficulty with the new surface at Melbourne, which plays softer than most hard courts.
Here's the woman's quarters:
Today:
(1) J. Henin (FRA) v. (5) M. Sharapova (RUS)
(3) J. Jankovic (SER) v. (7) S. Williams (USA)
Tomorrow:
(8) V. Williams (USA) v. (4) A. Ivanovic (SER)
(9) D. Hantuchnova (SVK) v. (29) A. Radwanska (POL)
3 of the matchups could pass as an Open Final. I have no clue who's going to win pretty much any of these matchups, though I do think Serena's the safest bet of the bunch at this point. She looks on top of her game, which if she is, means she's really the #1 seed. This tournament seems to be a bit of a Serbian collective victory though, so who knows. Hantuchnova stumbled to victory yesterday, and I think is prime for an ouster here at the hands of the young Radwanska, but whoever wins the Ivanovic/Venus match will make the Final. Henin will be in tough to reach the final against 3 women who play a more power oriented game than her.
My instinct is a Serena/Ivanovic Final on the Women's side, and either Federer or Djokovic v. Nadal on the Men's. I think Djokovic has the best chance at beating Federer, but I'll make my decision on that one after each of their quarters. Djokovic in particular has a tough quarter matchup so I'd like to see how he handles it.
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E.L.
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1114
Location: Go Giants!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:48 pm Post subject: |
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Agreed on the Serena/Ivanovic final. Serena has looked unstoppable this week.
Djokovic is very quickly becoming the most dangerous man on hardcourt, and Federer has looked kinda shaky at times. I missed his last match, though, and he won that one in straight sets. We saw Djokovic take care of Nadal and Roger in Montreal last year, and I don't think that was a fluke. I could see him beating them both again.
Agreed on the Niemenen front, he's a tough oppoenent and someone who won't lie down.
What about Blake? I know the guy folds the tent as soon as he meets a top-10 seed, but on a hardcourt and with his skill set he could finally develop some sack and finally win a big match. If he were facing anyone about Novak and Roger I'd say he had a shot.
I would also like to point out the Aussie Open has been amazing. Sports fans are really missing out.
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saskhab
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 17 Oct 2007
Posts: 2441
Location: Saskatoon!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:06 pm Post subject: |
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That Montreal tourney does have me thinking that Djokovic is ready. He doesn't appear to ever get rattled, and I fully agree this could be his first Open win. But he's got to face the #5, likely #1, and likely #2 seeds to do it, which is by far the hardest sequence of the Big 3 to get there. If he handles Ferrer like he can, than I'm going to pick him to beat Federer and win the Open. If it's tight and Roger cruises past Blake, then I'm thinking Federer is going to notch up another one for lucky 13. One thing's for sure, they are incredibly close and we're in for a hell of a year of Men's tennis, because I think any of the 3 could win any of the Opens right now, and that includes Roland Garros in spite of Nadal's incredible run there.
Serena's never been good at repeating, so we'll see if she stumbles here against Jankovic. I think Jankovic would be her toughest match before the Final, tougher than Henin or Sharapova. In theory, though, it's her tourney to lose at this point (as much as I love Ivanovic).
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saskhab
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 17 Oct 2007
Posts: 2441
Location: Saskatoon!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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Oh and w/r/t Blake... he's impressed me in this tourney moreso than he has before, but him knocking off Federer would be beyond any expectation and I think would require a massive meltdown by Roger. It's possible, but no more likely than everyone at any tournament he's at not named Nadal or Djokovic. 
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E.L.
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1114
Location: Go Giants!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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Since I only realized an hour ago why no one in the States is responding to my calls or emails ( ), I decided to catch the Hewitt/Djokovic match. It's a repeat and I know the result, but Hewitt looks like he's going to give Novak a good tilt.
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saskhab
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 17 Oct 2007
Posts: 2441
Location: Saskatoon!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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Holy shit... match point Jankovic.
....and Serena's gone. 
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saskhab
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 17 Oct 2007
Posts: 2441
Location: Saskatoon!
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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Man, quick work on Day 1 of the quarters. Sharapova destroyed Henin in straight sets (including a 6-0 result in set 2), so we've got a semifinal of (5) Sharapova v. (3) Jancovic. The unseeded Tsonga won in straight sets over the Russian Youzhny, and Nadal beat Nieminen in what was an entertaining tilt, but still a straight sets win for Rafa. So one of the semis for the mens is Tsonga v. (2) Nadal.
Bold prediction: Today will have more than 1 match that goes the distance.
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E.L.
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1114
Location: Go Giants!
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:39 pm Post subject: |
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Sharapova is a moody player with questionable fitness levels, but she's looking on this week.
She tore apart the best female player in the world with little trouble. Like Serena, when motivated Sharapova is too heavy a hitter for most ladies to compete against.
Ivanovic/Venus is going to be a great match.
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saskhab
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 17 Oct 2007
Posts: 2441
Location: Saskatoon!
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:04 pm Post subject: |
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ANA!!!!
Straight sets over Venus, and man was she good.
So we get to see that Sony Ericsson ad re-match in the semis. 
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E.L.
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1114
Location: Go Giants!
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:33 pm Post subject: |
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Ivanovic v. Hantuchova, and no longer just in my dreams. It shall be a classic. I'm thinking Ana is the heavy favourite, just based on how she obliterated Venus.
I'm watching Djokovic/Ferrer. Ferrer is in great shape, but doesn't seem too intimidating.
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Oz
Kangaroos and Didgeridoos
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 122
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| Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Go Tsonga! |
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E.L.
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1114
Location: Go Giants!
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| Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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Sharapova up 5-0 in the first set against Weird Al Jankovic, and now she's starting to unravel. Unforced errors, double faults, overall body language malaise. You just know when a girl like her's too tense.
OK, she just won the set 6-3, but she's no shoo-in just yet.
I guess the Ivanovic/Hantuchova game is the 3:30 AM match? That sucks, I think I might stay up for that.
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E.L.
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1114
Location: Go Giants!
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| Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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Whoa, Hantuchova looking great in the early going. Up 3-0 with two breaks on Ivanovic.
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E.L.
Morally Bankrupt Scum
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1114
Location: Go Giants!
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| Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:58 am Post subject: |
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Great match. Ivanovic comes back after losing the first set 6-0 and being down 2-0 in the second to reach the final against Sharapova. Her girlish screams after winning a big point are awesome.
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