Australian Open 2004

[Patrik Sjöberg]

Today was definitely a long day and I got my quota of 5 setters in and I must say I was happy with my choices.

After the party last night I woke up feeling very very ordinary and I have to thank the Aus Open BBQ sausage with onions and other forms of something that looked like food that bought me back to reality and energised me to my normal self.

Yes, I saw the great Karlovic/Gaudio combination win their first round doubles against Mantilla/Lopez Moron. It was very strange seeing those two play and yes Gaudio serving and volleying, no that wouldn't have helped him against Hrbaty yesterday. I mean if Karlovic gets his serves in he doesn't need to do that much, it would be hard playing against him.

I witnessed the battle of Argentina with Calleri and Canas. I was looking forward to this match and it didn't disappoint I wanted Calleri to win, but I wasn't disappointed about Canas winning. Sammy and I knew this one would be going 5 sets, and Calleri was shattered when he was serving for the match at 5-4 in the 4th and played 2 forehands wide. Canas got a sniff and you know he isn't going to go away and Calleri was made to pay for his lack of mental toughness and lack of patience on big points. The match had Gaudio, Chela, Massu and Gonzo watching at different times, hopefully it's a 35 degree day when Henman plays Canas.

Then went to see Corretja and Ancic. It was hard for Sammy as he likes Corretja, but he is patriotic and wanted to Ancic to win just to have one more Cro still in the draw. Ancic was always attacking and the thing I have noticed most about Corretja is that he makes so many more unforced errors than he used to. There was a match point to Ancic and Corretja hits this great forehand pass down the line. Sammy comes up with the great comment where was that shot against Sampras at the US Open. When it got to the 5th Corretja looked strong and was going to come out victorious, Ancic came up with some big shots, but ultimately it was Alex who helped Ancic by giving away three unforced errors in his last service game. It was a good atmosphere, but not the result I was wanting.

However it got better as Costa came through against Arthurs. We both like Costa and there was only about 10 people going for Costa in the match. Arthurs just kept serving canons, but in the last game he threw in 2 doubles and then he went to for the slider out wide, and siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Costa smacked that trademark backhand up the line on match point to pull out the victory. He meets Arazi who was killing Saulnier after losing the first 2 sets then Saulnier retires and he only played just over 90 minutes.

Pavel was solid and didn't make many errors and he will need to do the same against Novak. He leads 3-2 in their head-to head that could be the sleeper match of the 3rd round. Rogi smashed that joke Morrison and there was no need to watch that, and now he needs to smash that little upstart Reid. I mean Sargsian apart from Roddick, he beats the players I like, but when I want to him a match he doesn't. Somehow he was cramping in the 5th which he shouldn't have as he wasn't sweating from the Björkman match.

Nadal was good in parts against Ascione and I think the boys should have come up with some tacitcs for Hewitt. I feel a night match is coming on for these two and hopefully Nadal can tire Hewitt out for the next match, I think he can win a set but probably not the match.

Better go, I have another party to go to and I will try and write some more updates.

[TennisHack]

GeorgeWHitler said:

I am not a huge fan of Enqvist, one of my friends was heckling him when he was training in Stockholm last December, and it was funny when Enqvist recognised the heckler.

Did he do anything when he recognized the heckler?

Escude and Söderling was quite a good match and Escude played very well, but the problem is that Escude isn't known for his consistency and could quite easily lose to that waste of space Ginepri. I remember seeing Ginepri last year playing Rosset and that was one hell of a poor match. Rosset was injured and played absolute crappy tennis and Ginepri wasn't much better, but to his credit he decided to bulk up, but this is a cosmetic change as I still don't rate him very highly.

*quite happy to not be the only one here who isn't impressed by Ginepri in the least*

Speaking of ordinary players it's an absolute joke that " have a little" is in the 3rd round. Davydenko has been on a very poor streak which doesn't say much about the gnome Clement, but losing to Patience come on that is virtually unacceptable.

:lmao:

The match was of a very high standard and Safin knew he had to lift his level of play to beat Jarkko, which he did very well. The old temper was flaming and there to see on show, but his overall form was good. Jarkko played some very good shots, but he really does need to improve his second serve to take that next step. Freddy is a good coach and got Norman to the top, and he will work on that and get him stronger physically. Safin has to continue improving and he will with more match time and I think he should take care of old man Martin.

They didn't give me my five sets, as I had wished, but good to know it was a good match. Ilhame watched it on TV and gave us a report in the scoring thread. Is Jarkko still tipping his head and netting that first serve? It really seems to be his weakest point, but he's young

[TennisHack]

GeorgeWHitler said:

Then went to see Corretja and Ancic. It was hard for Sammy as he likes Corretja, but he is patriotic and wanted to Ancic to win just to have one more Cro still in the draw. Ancic was always attacking and the thing I have noticed most about Corretja is that he makes so many more unforced errors than he used to. There was a match point to Ancic and Corretja hits this great forehand pass down the line. Sammy comes up with the great comment where was that shot against Sampras at the US Open. When it got to the 5th Corretja looked strong and was going to come out victorious, Ancic came up with some big shots, but ultimately it was Alex who helped Ancic by giving away three unforced errors in his last service game. It was a good atmosphere, but not the result I was wanting.

I had given up on this match, after getting pissed about the Ferrero-Volandri one, then the other 4 matches I cared about on the day all finished. I hope he doesn't keep up this slow-as-snails pace, though I would like him to defend as many of his points as he can.

Arthurs just kept serving canons, but in the last game he threw in 2 doubles and then he went to for the slider out wide, and siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Costa smacked that trademark backhand up the line on match point to pull out the victory. He meets Arazi who was killing Saulnier after losing the first 2 sets then Saulnier retires and he only played just over 90 minutes.

at Costa's big rip on match point. It will be interesting to see him vs Arazi; left-hander #3, I note

Rogi smashed that joke Morrison and there was no need to watch that, and now he needs to smash that little upstart Reid. I mean Sargsian apart from Roddick, he beats the players I like, but when I want to him a match he doesn't. Somehow he was cramping in the 5th which he shouldn't have as he wasn't sweating from the Björkman match.

I thought it was Reid who was cramping and vomiting in the fifth set?! No matter; it really amuses me nonetheless. Reid looked to be taking it home in straights before Sarge made his comeback and, Lapentti-style, slowed everything waaaaaaaaaay down.


Thanks for the reports, they are fabulous

[Patrik Sjöberg]

Thanks Hack, as I said this site will be getting the real version of events not the crap that is dished out elsewhere.

[Patrik Sjöberg]

Today wasn't a great day in my opinion as the only match that I wanted to watch was Grosjean vs Hrbaty, but I had to leave as I had a prior arrangement.

I just found out that Grosjean beat Hrbaty in 4 as Hrbaty had won the 1st and a 4-2 lead in the second and then lost. Grosjean at least beat Robby " I have muscles but no game" Ginepri for the opportunity to get knocked out by Agassi.

I snuck into the centre court for the Safin vs Martin match after it was 1 set all. One of my friends who has a player guest pass got me in and we sat where those corporate wankers who don't give a shit about the game usually sit, and they usually get the best seats.

It was a very gutsy win by Safin, and it was unlike the Corretja v Ancic match, Marat actually won it with outstanding shots and not on Martin's mistakes. The last set was a very good one, as the 4th Martin gave away at 4-0 and had a massage from the physio, which seemed to work very well.

Sjeng killed Melzer, that wasn't unexpected. Enqvist disappointed his large following which he doesn't care about unlike the other Swedes who appreciate all the support they get. It didn't get into Enqvist's head that the backhand up the line option was available.

Ginepri the less said about him the better and Escude well he proved my point about losing to anyone.

Blake knocked off that clown Patience and Rawdick well Dent must have a plane to catch.

Tomorrow will be better matches so go Canas, Pavel. Nalle, Federer, Ancic, Nadal, Costa and Ferrero.

[Vera]

Thanks George. Your report, good information and very entertaining, as usual.

They showed Safin's match a little bit on tv, well, just 20 mins at the end of the marathon, the 20 mins that really counted. I like what I see on Safin's play. It's a great high quality tennis in that 20 mins. I don't know what happened in between as they both slumped a little mid match, but the importance is Safin held up mentally and physically in a 5 setters, that's just very encouraging. He got to beat Blake, who's granted such great luck so far.

[Tennislurker]

Thanks for the reports!

I hope you were lucky enough to get seats for Cañas vs Henman.