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Post by falafaclese on Jan 10, 2014 1:59:33 GMT
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Post by mooncreek on Jan 10, 2014 15:38:24 GMT
First Thought: Wow did the Aussies get screwed with the draws! I did laugh upon seeing that Nadal-Tomic first rounder. Serves Bernie right.
Second Thought: I would be totally shocked if Novak doesn't win. The draw couldn't have worked better to his favor.
Even though it's tough to tell Murray's health, there is close to zero chance he's losing in the first week with that section.
*bumping so those offensive threads aren't the first thing I see* and to say OMG PATRICK RAFTER! Here I was happy for the Monfils/Brown pairing and then this glorious Hewitt/Rafter present falls into the draw.
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Post by roseha on Jan 12, 2014 23:26:47 GMT
According to my listings ESPN2 will be starting its coverage in the US in about 35 minutes!
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Post by falafaclese on Jan 13, 2014 0:04:57 GMT
Yikes. Venus v. Makarova first on Court arena. I don't even get to work my way in before being stressed for Venus.
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Post by harry24 on Jan 13, 2014 2:02:24 GMT
Gee, Laura Robson's already out. Has anyone been following her recently? What the heck gives? Every time I see her she looks as though she's on the verge of breaking through big time.
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Post by roseha on Jan 13, 2014 2:30:43 GMT
I hope Venus makes it through this match. I have to say I really like her dress - it reminds me of an op art 60s minidress.
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Post by mooncreek on Jan 13, 2014 6:32:45 GMT
Robson has had wrist issues last few months. Pulled out of one event, quick loss in other. I fully figured she'd lose like that.
Too bad I didn't even get home in time to see Venus' match.
Berdych's outfit seems like H&M's attempt to emulate Stepanek's clothing line. I don't know why anyone would want that.
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Post by falafaclese on Jan 13, 2014 22:13:27 GMT
Venus looked great and played really well for a set-and-a-half. After that it was touch and go. Luckily i went to bed early last night, so i didn't have to witness all of it. Still bummed, out though.
It's supposed to hit triple digit temps over the rest of the week. It sounds like it will be a nightmare.
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Post by breezybee on Jan 14, 2014 14:17:43 GMT
Well the Australian Open wouldn't be the Australian Open without Lleyton Hewitt playing a five set match. Too bad he lost it.
I can't believe the temperatures they are playing in. I played a few matches last summer when the temperature hovered around the 100 degree mark and it was brutal. Three or four hours in temperatures over that? It seems dangerous to me.
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Post by GrandSlamGuru on Jan 16, 2014 4:25:21 GMT
Thank goodness they finally invoked the extreme heat rule. 111 degrees is dangerously hot for everyone. When young ball kids are fainting you know it's too much.
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Post by mooncreek on Jan 16, 2014 14:32:06 GMT
Side effect of the extreme heat rule: Midnight Madness!
1. Just before midnight, Murray wins a set (and match) in which he was down 5-1 set point and wins the final 23 points.
2. Verdasco loses to Gabashvili. Well, not so unusual for Fer but Frankenstein winning anything is a stunner.
3. Delpo gets forehand-blasted out by Bautista Agut.
4. Gilles Simon win another 5-setter.
5. Nick Kyrgios (likely about to lose at this point) makes a name for himself as Benoit Paire survives Extreme Fanaticism and his own crazy brain. Combine with Kokkinakis' solid showing against Rafa, the Aussies are now "Bernie Who?"
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Post by harry24 on Jan 16, 2014 21:35:47 GMT
Has anyone heard or read why they don't at least provide the players on the outside courts with umbrellas for the changeovers? That just seems inhuman to me to force players in this heat never to be in the shade for hours on end.
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Post by GrandSlamGuru on Jan 17, 2014 2:38:25 GMT
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Post by breezybee on Jan 17, 2014 13:13:14 GMT
Tommy Robredo has just been a beast this past year. Excellent match against Gasquet. Also, Martini Hingis was in his player's box cheering him on. Interesting.
ETA - She's dating Tommy's agent.
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Post by harry24 on Jan 18, 2014 3:13:49 GMT
Just a quick dip in the shallow end: Roger's ass looks amazing in these new shorts.
ETA these awesome quotes from the NYTimes article (titled "It's Not The Heat. It's The Stupidity.") about the gulf between the tournament officials' way of dealing with the heat and the reality:
"This was an actual quotation from Dr. Tim Wood, the tournament’s chief medical officer, to the BBC: 'We’ve evolved on the high plains of Africa chasing antelope for eight hours under these conditions.'
And this was an actual quotation from the Canadian player Frank Dancevic: 'I was dizzy from the middle of the first set, and then I saw Snoopy and I thought, ‘Wow, Snoopy, that’s weird.’ ”
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