Australian Open 2011

kc4444

kc4444

The Australian Open is starting tomorrow. The beginning of the tennis season.
Who do you think will win?

Men's Singles - Roger Federer

Women's Singles - Venus Williams

Last year's women's winner, Serena Williams isn't playing, so her sister will win.

I'll be spending the next two weeks sitting in front of the TV
 
Mmm, there was a Tennis thread somewhere, but no one's posted in it since December...

But yeah, I like your predictions, fuck Nadal. I'll always be rooting for Roddick (dunno if he's playing or not), but he never seems to top cut anymore...
 
Don't care about Men's, expecting Kim Clijsters to win the Women's side though. Can't wait for the start tomorrow/today, the Australian Open is my favorite slam and hopefully we see some nice tennis this year and my darling Maria Kirilenko goes far and possibly matches or exceeds her quarterfinal finish from last year.

This is my predicted draw:

ROUND 1
[1] WOZNIACKI, Caroline DEN
PASZEK, Tamira AUT
HRADECKA, Lucie CZE
[29] CIBULKOVA, Dominika SVK

GROTH, Jarmila AUS
HERCOG, Polona SLO
[Q] QUALIFIER
[15] BARTOLI, Marion FRA

[11] HENIN, Justine BEL
BALTACHA, Elena GBR
MATTEK-SANDS, Bethanie USA
[23] KUZNETSOVA, Svetlana RUS

[32] PIRONKOVA, Tsvetana BUL
NICULESCU, Monica ROU
MARINO, Rebecca CAN
[6] SCHIAVONE, Francesca ITA

[4] WILLIAMS, Venus USA
ZAHLAVOVA, Sandra CZE
[Q] QUALIFIER1
[30] PETKOVIC, Andrea GER

[20] KANEPI, Kaia EST
GOERGES, Julia GER
VESNINA, Elena RUS
[14] SHARAPOVA, Maria RUS

[9] LI, Na CHN
RODINA, Evgeniya RUS
[WC] DOKIC, Jelena AUS
[17] REZAI, Aravane FRA

[28] HANTUCHOVA, Daniela SVK
SPREM, Karolina CRO
HLAVACKOVA, Andrea CZE
[8] AZARENKA, Victoria BLR

[7] JANKOVIC, Jelena SRB
PENG, Shuai CHN
LEPCHENKO, Varvara USA
[27] DULGHERU, Alexandra ROU

[24] KLEYBANOVA, Alisa RUS
HALEP, Simona ROU
[WC] FERGUSON, Sophie AUS
[12] RADWANSKA, Agnieszka POL

[13] PETROVA, Nadia RUS
VINCI, Roberta ITA
[Q] QUALIFIER
[19] IVANOVIC, Ana SRB

[26] MARTINEZ SANCHEZ, Maria Jose ESP
[Q] QUALIFIER
SUAREZ NAVARRO, Carla ESP
[3] CLIJSTERS, Kim BEL

[5] STOSUR, Samantha AUS
DUSHEVINA, Vera RUS
CHAKVETADZE, Anna RUS
[25] KVITOVA, Petra CZE

[22] PENNETTA, Flavia ITA
LARSSON, Johanna SWE
CIRSTEA, Sorana ROU
[10] PEER, Shahar ISR

[16] PAVLYUCHENKOVA, Anastasia RUS
BARROIS, Kristina GER
MEDINA GARRIGUES, Anabel ESP
[18] KIRILENKO, Maria RUS

[31] SAFAROVA, Lucie CZE
ZAKOPALOVA, Klara CZE
JOVANOVSKI, Bojana SRB
[2] ZVONAREVA, Vera RUS

ROUND 2
[1] WOZNIACKI, Caroline DEN
[29] CIBULKOVA, Dominika SVK
GROTH, Jarmila AUS
[15] BARTOLI, Marion FRA

[11] HENIN, Justine BEL
[23] KUZNETSOVA, Svetlana RUS
[32] PIRONKOVA, Tsvetana BUL
[6] SCHIAVONE, Francesca ITA

[4] WILLIAMS, Venus USA
[30] PETKOVIC, Andrea GER
[20] KANEPI, Kaia EST
[14] SHARAPOVA, Maria RUS

[9] LI, Na CHN
[17] REZAI, Aravane FRA
[28] HANTUCHOVA, Daniela SVK
[8] AZARENKA, Victoria BLR

[7] JANKOVIC, Jelena SRB
[27] DULGHERU, Alexandra ROU
[24] KLEYBANOVA, Alisa RUS
[12] RADWANSKA, Agnieszka POL

[13] PETROVA, Nadia RUS
[19] IVANOVIC, Ana SRB
[26] MARTINEZ SANCHEZ, Maria Jose ESP
[3] CLIJSTERS, Kim BEL

[5] STOSUR, Samantha AUS
[25] KVITOVA, Petra CZE
[22] PENNETTA, Flavia ITA
[10] PEER, Shahar ISR

[16] PAVLYUCHENKOVA, Anastasia RUS
[18] KIRILENKO, Maria RUS
[31] SAFAROVA, Lucie CZE
[2] ZVONAREVA, Vera RUS

ROUND 3
[1] WOZNIACKI, Caroline DEN
GROTH, Jarmila AUS
[11] HENIN, Justine BEL
[6] SCHIAVONE, Francesca ITA

[4] WILLIAMS, Venus USA
[14] SHARAPOVA, Maria RUS
[9] LI, Na CHN
[8] AZARENKA, Victoria BLR

[7] JANKOVIC, Jelena SRB
[12] RADWANSKA, Agnieszka POL
[19] IVANOVIC, Ana SRB
[3] CLIJSTERS, Kim BEL

[5] STOSUR, Samantha AUS
[22] PENNETTA, Flavia ITA
[18] KIRILENKO, Maria RUS
[[2] ZVONAREVA, Vera RUS

ROUND 4
[1] WOZNIACKI, Caroline DEN
[11] HENIN, Justine BEL
[14] SHARAPOVA, Maria RUS
[8] AZARENKA, Victoria BLR

[12] RADWANSKA, Agnieszka POL
[3] CLIJSTERS, Kim BEL
[22] PENNETTA, Flavia ITA
[[2] ZVONAREVA, Vera RUS

QUATERFINALS
[11] HENIN, Justine BEL
[8] AZARENKA, Victoria BLR
[3] CLIJSTERS, Kim BEL
[22] PENNETTA, Flavia ITA

SEMIFINALS
[11] HENIN, Justine BEL
[3] CLIJSTERS, Kim BEL

FINALS
[3] CLIJSTERS, Kim BEL
 
Despite the US Open 2010, I think Roger Federer is the best ATP player since Wimbledon 2010 (which he only lost because Djokovic was inspired and played the match of his career - he still needed 5 set to defeat a non-peak Federer mind you). His consistency in every tournament is commendable and even Rafa couldn't keep up. He also managed to win the prestigious year-end championship title.

From the US Open 2010 and onwards, there have been glimpse of 'GOAT-FED' so we can conclude that he has gained the motivation, which can be said to have been absent for a year, to triumph at slams and regain his World No. 1 position back,.

Roger continued his win streak into 2011, where he was triumphant at Doha and won his first title for this year. While it is only of an ATP 250 level, the field is very strong, consisting of many top 10 players such as Nadal, who fell in the quarter-finals.

In short, Federer is the favourite imo.

However, in Federer's half lurks Djokovic who has the game to prevent Federer from winning his second consecutive Australian Open crown. We've already seen Federer's defeat on plexicushion at the hands Djokovic in 2008, and very recently on a very fast hard-court at the US Open. The surface used at the Australian Open is a lot slower than the US Open, which helps Djokovic's defensive baseline game.

I want to see Djokovic win this Australian Open crown; he's due for a slam. However, should Federer fail to win the title, it'll be the first time since 2003 that he has not held a slam title so I'm rooting for Federer too. I don't like Nadal...

And speaking of Roddick (he is participating btw), I hate that guy. He's incredibly obnoxious, rude and elitist. His game is also unappealing, and the only thing keeping him in the top 10 is maybe his serve.

Women's tennis is a lot less predictable, as no one is really that consistent. I think majority of people have Clijsters as the champion this year, but Sydney P600 (which, I might add, has the best field outside slams, YEC and Key Biscayne) has reminded us that while she is in the best form of all participants she can suffer from shock exits (e.g. vs. Petrova at the very same tournament last year in Round 3). She lost to China's Li Na 67 36 after having a 50 lead in the first set, spraying unforced errors all over the place. While I'm a fan of hers, I was honestly disgusted.

This Australian Open is one of the most open slams in a while with Serena, the three time defending champion and 5 time title holder out. Other big names are questionable for the title. Venus is just coming out of injury and is very rusty, evident from the Hong Kong exhibition earlier this month. Henin hasn't played since her injury at Wimbledon, outside the exhibition Hopman Cup. Sharapova is still in a slump since her shoulder injury.

Here's to hoping that Sharapova becomes incredibly inspired and regains her mentality she had from the start of her career to 2008. I'm dying to see some successful runs from her.

I think Henin will win this year's Australian Open. Her backhand hasn't looked as good as it did during the Hopman Cup in a while. With everyone slumping, asides Clijsters, I think with her game she has a very good chance at taking the title.

I don't include Wozniacki as a favourite because while she is incredibly consistent, she simply doesn't have the game to win a slam. Any power-hitter on a good day will blast her off the court and in this generation there are a lot of them.

Zvonareva is a mental headcase and I think she'll lose to rising teen Bojana Jovanovski in the second round. Jovanovski has had a very good run at Sydney, falling to Li Na out of exhaustion (7 matches in 7 days is a lot).
 
I'm so pumped for Aus Open :D

Mens: Nadal or Soderling, and maybe Djokovic. (GO HEWITT)

Womans: Definetly not Venus, she never does well in Aus Open. Probably Clijsters, but I hope Henin wins.

Oh and Medibank Internatial Finals were fun to watch with Clijsters mad and that ignorant dick head lose to Simon.
 
junior said:
Despite the US Open 2010, I think Roger Federer is the best ATP player since Wimbledon 2010 (which he only lost because Djokovic was inspired and played the match of his career - he still needed 5 set to defeat a non-peak Federer mind you). His consistency in every tournament is commendable and even Rafa couldn't keep up. He also managed to win the prestigious year-end championship title.

From the US Open 2010 and onwards, there have been glimpse of 'GOAT-FED' so we can conclude that he has gained the motivation, which can be said to have been absent for a year, to triumph at slams and regain his World No. 1 position back,.

Roger continued his win streak into 2011, where he was triumphant at Doha and won his first title for this year. While it is only of an ATP 250 level, the field is very strong, consisting of many top 10 players such as Nadal, who fell in the quarter-finals.

In short, Federer is the favourite imo.
Click to expand...

I agree with you 100%. Roger slumped during last year and there were talks that he was done and would no longer win any slams, but if you watched him play he was still very good during his slump and an exceptionally dangerous player. After the USO he seemed to get his motivation back making 3 straight finals and winning 2 while barely dropping any sets to some of the best players in the game. I had the pleasure of watching him at the ATP World Championships and he was exceptional, he lost only 1 set the entire tournament (to Nadal in the finals). And he just blasted through Doha winning the tournament without dropping a set. Roger is the favorite for the Australian Open, hes motivated and definitely on top of his game at the moment.

However, in Federer's half lurks Djokovic who has the game to prevent Federer from winning his second consecutive Australian Open crown. We've already seen Federer's defeat on plexicushion at the hands Djokovic in 2008, and very recently on a very fast hard-court at the US Open. The surface used at the Australian Open is a lot slower than the US Open, which helps Djokovic's defensive baseline game.

I want to see Djokovic win this Australian Open crown; he's due for a slam. However, should Federer fail to win the title, it'll be the first time since 2003 that he has not held a slam title so I'm rooting for Federer too. I don't like Nadal...

And speaking of Roddick (he is participating btw), I hate that guy. He's incredibly obnoxious, rude and elitist. His game is also unappealing, and the only thing keeping him in the top 10 is maybe his serve.
Click to expand...

While I agree with you Djokovic is a threat to Roger, I just have issues with thinking Roger can lose at the moment, but if anyone will give him trouble I think Nadal or Djokovic will be the ones. I'm probably rooting for Roger since he is one of my favorite players and I want to see him continue to rack up records and slams. I really don't have many favorite men players so I've got really no ideas of people I want to go far and do well.

Women's tennis is a lot less predictable, as no one is really that consistent. I think majority of people have Clijsters as the champion this year, but Sydney P600 (which, I might add, has the best field outside slams, YEC and Key Biscayne) has reminded us that while she is in the best form of all participants she can suffer from shock exits (e.g. vs. Petrova at the very same tournament last year in Round 3). She lost to China's Li Na 67 36 after having a 50 lead in the first set, spraying unforced errors all over the place. While I'm a fan of hers, I was honestly disgusted.
Click to expand...

I'm not really sure what got into Kim during that final, but she is still Kim Clijsters and with no Serena around there really isn't any other player that can take her down if she remains focused and on top of her game. I am definitely looking forward to a possible finals showdown with Justine Henin who is probably the second most dangerous player in the draw.

This Australian Open is one of the most open slams in a while with Serena, the three time defending champion and 5 time title holder out. Other big names are questionable for the title. Venus is just coming out of injury and is very rusty, evident from the Hong Kong exhibition earlier this month. Henin hasn't played since her injury at Wimbledon, outside the exhibition Hopman Cup. Sharapova is still in a slump since her shoulder injury.

Here's to hoping that Sharapova becomes incredibly inspired and regains her mentality she had from the start of her career to 2008. I'm dying to see some successful runs from her.

I think Henin will win this year's Australian Open. Her backhand hasn't looked as good as it did during the Hopman Cup in a while. With everyone slumping, asides Clijsters, I think with her game she has a very good chance at taking the title.

I don't include Wozniacki as a favourite because while she is incredibly consistent, she simply doesn't have the game to win a slam. Any power-hitter on a good day will blast her off the court and in this generation there are a lot of them.

Zvonareva is a mental headcase and I think she'll lose to rising teen Bojana Jovanovski in the second round. Jovanovski has had a very good run at Sydney, falling to Li Na out of exhaustion (7 matches in 7 days is a lot).
Click to expand...

I pretty much agree with all your points you make here, despite Kim and Justine existing the field is still very open and any number of players can make deep runs. Cibulkova vs Wozniacki in Round 3 is a match I'm very much looking forward to. Domi spanked Woz the other week and its very possible she can do it again and I think that would be a big surprise for many people watching. While Woz is a super consistent player, I think she lacks that killer instinct to win a slam in the near future, she will probably make a number of deep runs, but until certain players retire I think she will remain slamless.

Jovanovski is a nice pick to go deep, but I'm not entirely sold on her. She did do well in Sydney but she is still very young and unproven. If she does indeed beat Bepa in the second round I will buy into her a bit, but until then she will remain a dark horse.

There are some interesting potential matchups like Clijsters v Henin in the finals, Venus v Sharapova in round 3, but one matchup really catches my eye, not because of quality of play but because of the story lines behind it. The round 1 matchup of Safina and Clijsters, if i recall correctly should Safina lose this (which I think many are predicting) it will drop her out of the top 100 marking the fastest and biggest drop for a former number 1 player. Her runs since capturing number 1 and her drop are pretty spectacular, filled with bad luck and just really poor play, you have to feel for her and hope that maybe she can regain confidence and her play someday, but who knows if that will ever happen.
 
connoisseur said:
Federer lost to Djokovic :(
Click to expand...

What the hell happened in that game? I was down in Melbourne watching his last game and he was in great form. He could only have lost a few limbs or something to drop that quickly, but they all seemed present. But yeah, sad face. I still like Federer more than Nadal or Djokovic. Weird final though. Bet no one saw that coming :)
 
At the moment Ferrer is up 1 set on Murray. Regardless of who wins this match I think Djokovic will win in the final, he looked pretty impressive against Federer last night.
 
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khz said:
At the moment Ferrer is up 1 set on Murray. Regardless of who wins this match I think Djokovic will win in the final, he looked pretty impressive against Federer last night.
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I think Djokovic is a plug. I am pretty sure that there need to be rules against how many times a player can bounce the ball before serving, at one point in the finals I counted 21.
 
That's the one thing I hate about Djokovic, the time he takes to bounce the friggin' ball makes me wanna kick him in the face.

I'm sad Roddick STILL hasn't won a major since '03, but I'm fine with Djokovic. I actually would've been really happy if Dolgopolov at least advanced to the finals, he's awesome.
 
I almost wonder if he doesnt do it SOLELY to annoy his opponents, and if that is the case, I'd really like him to grow up. Tennis is supposed to be a more...sophisticated, country club sport, for lack of better terminology, (except for mackenroe).

Had this chat with Synre the other day actually when we were both ranting about how much WE HATE Djokovic
 
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