Women's semi-final- Azarenka V/s Sloane Stephens, Day 11

Yesterday's post very nearly turned into a rant with my unapologetic support of the young, 19 year old Sloane Stephens againt Serena Williams.  Whether she deserved to win is another matter entirely.  What I do know is that I am tired of Serena's tantrums.  She bashed her racket yesterday, took a medical time-out for a back spasm and then lost the third set and match to Sloane Williams. What I can guarantee is that had she not suffered the spasm, there was no way, Stephens would have been able to sneak into the semis of the Australian Open, the first of her career.  Not to say that she didn't keep her cool and averted a case of nerves to hold her serve and break Serena's and ultimately win the match.  Great for her, I am happy that we finally have a new tennis sensation who we can see going from strength to strength in years to come on the circuit.  Before that however Stephens faces an eye opener in form of Azarenka and as we can see the score reflects it.  Azarenka has won the first set 6-1 and both are level at two games each in the second.  While Williams certainly has the game, she lacks in experience. She needs to keep her calm and wits handy to make winning decisions which she has been unable to so far. When she sees her chance, Stephens blows it! She comes rushing in only to make an unforced error and hand her opponent the point. This, I think will be rectified with her spending more time on the circuit.
Right now, my money is on Vika.  Here's to Stephens whom we hope to see in many tournaments as a force to reckon with in the future.
Back to the quarterfinals between Federer and Tsonga.  Honestly, I had not given Federer a chance to survive Tsonga.  I knew it would be a five-setter and that Tsonga would come out the winner. Now on to Murray and Federer, my money is on Federer.  Surprisingly Murray still does not instill that winning confidence in me. Its going to be a Djokovic- Federer Final at the Australian Open 2013 and Djokovic is going to walk home with the crown.  Even as I write this, Vika is up 4-2 in the second set and serving now which she is sure to hold. Ok, back to the the men's Aus Open Finals. Unless Federer springs something that Djokovic's long legs, skiier's slide and his miraculous recovery time between shots fails to return, its Nole all the way!

And a little side bar

By the way, Serena Williams also entertained the crowd by her non-tennnis playing skills. Apparently she can break the racket as well as Marat Safin. Williams hammered her racket on the clay a couple of times.  The poor little misshapen strung out (racket I mean) could very well have predicted how the match would go! 

Andy Murray V/s Jeremy Chardy

In all championships there are always lesser players who elevate the game like a dark sky brightened by a brilliant but stray comet.  For the moment, your attention is diverted to its blaze, forgetting all about the giant planets who do their things.  So it was with Lucas Rosol at the 2012 Wimbledon when he defeated Rafa.  We won't even qualify Rosal as David.  And so it is now with Jeremy Chardy, who was born in France but now resides in Belgium.  I ‘write’ this to ‘play’ safe.  I have read Hercule Poirot and do not want to hurt Monsieur Chardy’s sentiments by calling him either French or Belgian!

Lets not forget, he is the man who brought the Tower of Tandil, Juan Martin Del Potro to his knees- 6-3, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 6-3.

Chardy was prepared to take the most risks, creating 17 break point opportunites and of which he took advantage of 5. However he also had a high count of unforced errors- 64 compared to 35 from Del Potro.

So how does he stand vis-à-vis Murray? My money is on Murray!  

And David defeats Goliath! Stephens wins against Williams in 3 sets!

Serena is serving to level the set at 5 games all.  Stephens wins the first point and pressure in on the server.  Stephens is showing steel and spine.  Rushing to the net and forces Williams to make an error.  Stephens is up 15-30.  Williams is two points away from losing!  Its 15-40. Match point for Sloane Stephens against the great Serena Williams.  Will Sloane do it? YESSSS

Yes World No 29, Sloane Williams DOES IT.  She has defeated Serena Williams 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.  She is seen sending a message from her phone.  Such a smile on her face. She is through to the semi-finals. Lets check out her tweet!

When asked who she texted immediately after the match, Stephens said during the post-match interview, “My mum was texting me during the match, I texted her back.”

“Stephens, you have a poster of Serena in your bedroom…  did you imagine you would do this one day?  “This is co crazy, I think I will put up a poster of myself now.” There were more laughs from the spectators.

“ Yeah you are the new Sloane Stephens not the new Serena Williams, so go out there and treat yourself to something nice”

“I thought I will buy one thing but now I will buy two!

Sloane Stephens will now play World no. 1 Victoria Azarenka.  My bets are on Azarenka.  However Stephens will now lose her reservations to go all out.  She has played and overcome Williams. Playing Azarenka should be like a walk in the Park- you may not find the exit but you will enjoy the walk nevertheless! 

Sloane V/s Williams, Day 10

2^nd Set- 3^rd game- Stephens is giving Serena a workout and a perfectly executed lob from Stephens earns her a point as Williams commits an unforced error.  Stephens rushes to the net and executes a neat volley to finish off the point and bag the game.  Stephens now leads 3-2.  I think for most young/ new players on the circuit, that constant jingle of nerves that is like excess baggage.  And it makes the hand heavy and the shoulders frozen while hitting the easiest of forehands or the simplest smash.  At this point, Stephens has loosened a bit, is playing freely and not thinking too much of Serena’s knee slash ankle.  The point is to exploit the weakness. Go for it Stephens! Oh oh, not a good sign for the fans as she hits a backhand into the net and hands Williams the game.  The score is now three games all.

And now we have the first rally of the match, in 4^th game of the third set - 26 shots and Stephens, I guess just needs more experience to play these rallies to win. Aggression + Frustration at deuce from Williams…is a dangerous sign, you can either gain from it as she goes on a full blown rant or forget all about the game, set and match.  My experience tells me that far from derailing Williams, it rattles her opponents while she hammers them into submission.  It could be scary really and Stephens has had her first taste of scary Wills. And so the story goes that Williams breaks Stephens to go up 4-3

The fifth game begins by a good rally and Stephens pockets the point to be up 0-15 but Williams soon levels it.  Williams commits a double fault and the score id now 15-40.  Stephens fritters away one game point by hitting out.  Score is 30-40. Second serve for Serena.  AND Stephens breaks Serena. The Fighting spirit is on and the painted talons are out.  Come on Stephens

Sloane Stephens V/s Serena Williams, Day 10

The world’s a stage (aka for the purposes of this blog also known as the Rod Laver arena) and the everyone’s watching the 18 year old Stephens play her role mode Williams.  The smart and witty Stephens had earlier said that she will try to not be star-struck while playing the giant but it will be a distraction nevertheless.

While some fireworks were expected, the match has gotten off to a slow start with both the players holding their serve for the first three games.  All were love games.  In the fourth game, Stephens was the first to make things happens, going for her shots instead of just returning them and as expected, Williams broke her and won the first set 6-3.

There have been no rallies so far.  Williams seems a little lethargic and it seems is forcing Stephens to play to her pace, which is the mark of a good player but makes for poor viewing.  Its almost like Williams is strolling in Melbourne park (I am sure there is one).  The first set lasted 28 minutes and the it is the 28^th minute now with both players level at 3 games each.  You can see the difference in the quality and maturity of the players in their eyes.  Stephens’ look like a fawn, alert, taking in everything, but not yet hardened with endless travel on the tennis circuit and the emotional yo-yo of wins and losses and of course the extraneous static that will manifest should she play to her potential (that phrase belongs to Paul Annacone, Federer’s co-coach). But all credit to Sloane Stephens for making things happen as I mentioned earlier, she is trying to set up points, rushing to the net and it shows in the 4^th game where is up 0-30 and Williams is serving.  And Sloane Stephens breaks Serena in the 4^th game to be up 5-3.  Oh no, Williams is limping,  Is that a cause for concern? She didn’t even move a muscle to return the Stephens’ shot in the earlier game. Her last serve was tame as well. Let’s see.

For now, Stephens is serving, its 30-30.  Serena hits a high backhand and Stephens has all the time in the world to return which she did, leisurely. Oh oh, Stephens is a bundle of nerves, what should have been a set point is not deuce and she double faults to give Serena the advantage. Come on Stephens, buckle up!  From set point, Stephens commits an unforced error  and gives away the game to Williams. Its now 4-5, with Serena serving.  Serena calls for a 3 minute medical timeout.  Whats that? Serena is leaving the court with her physio and Stephens will have to wait.

Just a little over 6 minutes and Serena is back to serve. A gingerly serve but follows it up with a powerful backhand and wins the point.  Sloane Stephens should make the most of the weakned Williams serve (133 kms/ hr).  I think the nerves are doing the talking here.  4 unforced errors out of which the last two were plump forehands hit wide. Williams holds and its 5 games all.

Stephens  serves and hits one more backhand wide of the sidelines. Its 15-15. Stephens rushes to the net and Williams hits a crosscourt forehand that lands out…and Stephens hold her SSSERVE! Yay Stephens way to go!

Serena serving and the score level at deuce, Serena returns a wide backhand and makes an error. Advantage Stephens…………..and Serena commits yet another unforced error, in the net this time and Stephens breaks Serena and wins the second set.

I am taking a break now but will keep you updated!

Berdych V/s Djokovic, day 9

Berdych that tall iceberg is playing Djokovic in his new-style Prussian blue shorts that are shorter than the length popularised by the Americans, his were classic European shorts that stop mid-thigh.
Djokovic has won the first set 6-1 and is down 2-1 in the second, the result of three consecutive unforced errors. Needless to say, Berdych will hold his serve and not squander the hard-earned reward that has come so late in the match.
Djokovic amazes me with his constant innovative shots, his sliding across the court with legs stretched and the ankle slightly bent. It allows him to get to ball without moving those extra steps but oh the risk to his ankle and the strain on his inner thigh and groin! He says this slide come naturally to him and he is not conscious of the strain or injury it could cause him. Novak attributes it to his skiing skills that he picked early at the ski resort that his parents run in Serbia.  He comes from a family of competitive skiers.
So far so good.  Dkokovic's ability to open up the court from his trademark down-the-line forehand has earned him quite a few points. His recovery time between two shots is amazing so when the opponent feels that he has Djokovic cornered, Djokovic is already at the spot where the ball hits next and flummoxes his opponent with a cross-court backhand or a lob. But, but , but...nothing;s going right for Djokovic at the moment.  He is serving at 15-30 and is being led from one end of the court to the other like marionette by Berdych. But we know that Djokovic is 'infamous' for getting out of the deep hole, crawling right back into the match and then 'roaring' to a win!
Keep watching while I keep you updated.

oh my god, Ferrer wins the 5 setter in 4 hrs and 13 mins

I love the way the Spaniards speak English.  In comparison Jim Courrier sounds so pedestrian! more power to non- English speakers then speaking the language!

Are you tired, asks Courier, the idiot. And Ferrer says, "I am perfect".

So a great match, great effort. And i am a relieved person. I must have lost about a kilo or two to the the 10 kilos lost by Nico and Ferrer. 

Now my question is how does Ferrer recover or for that matter any player who has just been through the 5 set grill?  And what is the secret to their renewed energies- mental and muscular? Lance Armstrong anyone?

Tie break, set 4, Almagro V's Ferrer

I don't have the heart to watch this one.  Both the players are pounding the clay in a determined dance...
And Ferrer wins the tie break- 7-4
Who will blink first? Ferrer or Almagro?
Ferrer is known as the 'Little beast', is know to get back every ball, running away on his nimble feet. Wait..there is medical time-out.  I think Almagro has cramps in his things and a medic is attengding him while he rests his face under the towel. Ok time's over and the little matador is on his feet. 5th set, 1st game.  Ferrer scores his first point as Almagro nets a volley. But Almagro holds his serve and bags the game.  Aha, 5 th game of the final set and ALmagro is serving at 15-30.  The two unforced errors costing him to give away two points. Unruffled, Almagro serves in the tight corner and has Ferrer scurrying to hit a backhand.  He opens up the court for the return forehand which is absolutely unplayable.  ALmagro scores.  But makes an unforced error to give level the score at 40-40.  Oops one more back hand finds the net and Ferrer stands at Adv. Oh dear, a loose forehand finds the net again and Ferrer walks away with the first break of the 5th set. 

Still on Day 9

Almagro looks like a matador in tennis shots with his hand moving in an arc and ending over his head. His back arched slightly and neck strained form the effort of backhand shot. The last set sees both the players tied at 4-4 having broken each other once. None are showing the slightest indications of wilting or giving up. Almagro and Ferrer are being driven to the end of their limits (I don't see them though) and .....Almagro breaks Ferrer for the second time to be 5-4 up in the 4th set and he is to serve which he hopefully will hold. This baseline game is really demanding, exhausting.  No delicate volleys or drop shots.  The ball whizzing like a bullet and the feet wearing down the baseline area with some manic running.  Did you know that Djokovic and Nadal ran nearly half a marathon which is 21kms in their 5 hr 53 minutes slug fest at the Australian Open?
Here to there is respite for the players, the rallies are there for sure but they are not the steady, middle of the line sort but crazy left hand corner to an impossible right-hand corner.  My estimate is at least 12 meters for a rally of 8 shots.
That is ......at least a dozen buckets of sweat in the 40 degrees centigrade!

Day 9, Almagro V/s Ferrer

If it is possible for the heart rate to up to abnormal levels by simply watching the game then well, I am dangerously close to a cardiac arrest as I can get.
Nicolas Almagro and David Ferrer are hitting forehands and backhands like they are in a Nike advert. Hitting as close as possible to the sidelines and freely without a hint of hesitation or inhibitions. Both pummeling, punching, whiplashing and their arms flailing in back and fore motions like rhythmic gymnasts...just that the prop is no 10 gm ribbon but a 300 gm graphite racket.
Ferrer is down 4-6, 4-6, but has taken the last set intrepidly 7-5. His short, heavy set body is not lethargic and is not averse to run all over the court, giving as good as he gets.  Alamgro is no wuss either. His single fisted backhand has such tremendous power and just watching him has given me a frozen shoulder. I have seen him play at Chennai Open last year, he was drenched in sweat and trying to negotiate the intense himidity and the monster serve of Milos Raonic. He lost 4-6, 4-6 to the Canadian.  Now however I am reading a body language that has not an iota of self doubt.  That can be gauged from the total number of points won so far by each player- 92. His gaze steady and steely.  His shoulders at the ready.  You can't see those drooping and there is no self-flagellation either at points lost. This goes for both the players and is a mark of intense readiness- to win, whatever it takes.
At the end whoever wins deserves it.

4th round at the Australian Open and some questions

The Pre-quarter final rounds threw up some interesting observations.No 10. Caroline Wozniacki (and former No. 1) was playing Svetlana Kuznetsova who is ranked No. 75.  I have always loved Kuznetsova's game but I degrees.
I had the following questions:
1. Where are all the Russian ladies?
2. Can a person play the backhand as well or even better than the forehand?
3. Why was Caro ever World No. 1?
4. Why do we frequently see Yo- Yo sets in women's tennis?
The answer are- I don't know, I have never seen it before, I don't know and I really don't know.
Where are the Russian ladies?  Russia and countries that were a part of the defunct Soviet Republic like Belarus, Kazakhstan, Estonia, Latvia, Uzbekistan, produce tennis players like Pakistan churns out fast fearsome fast bowlers.  Of course what's common for these two are like both burn like comets, brilliant in their transience, produce smashing tennis and fade away.  Actually the tennis players don't fade away as much as hover on the edge of brilliance and in top 50. Take the case of Dinara Safina, former world No. 1, temperamental, brilliant player of mediocre player (depending on her mood swings) never won a grand slam and has now retired from the professional tennis.  Anna Kournikova, Vera Zvonareva, Anna Chakvertadze, Daniela Hantuchova, Bondarenko and Svetlana Kuznetsova...which brings us to the present and her 4th round match against Wozniacki and to the second question.
Svetlana's backhand finds the sweet corner spots and the way she hits it like a forehand in the sense that the same smoothness of action, the beautiful footwork and the natural sequence of actions that culminates in the double handed shot are a treat to savour. Opponents better watch out for that one.  She has won two grand slams and has been relegated to no. 80 and now No. 75 in world rankings due to knee injuries.  Hope she continues her run at the Open.  Kuznetsova next meet No. 1 seeded Azarenka.  It will be an interesting match for sure.
Meanwhile Djokovic survived a massive scare at the hands of the Stanislas Wawrinka (the man with the superb single fisted backhand) in a gruelling five hour- five setter. I think it was Wawrika's unforced errors that finally 'gifted' the match to Serbian. It was shattering to watch that ripper of a backhand finding the net. Djokovic exulted by taking his t-shirt off and baring his slender upper body. Another interesting observation- Novak always gives the opponent his dues.  After his match with Stepanek, he gave him a hug instead of hand-shake.  Today, he not only warmly hugged Wawrinka but also patted his cheek and hugged again. I think it makes the opponent feel better.  I admire that in the Nole.
Now on to the QuarterFinals!

Round 2 

 World No 1 Victoria Azarenka V/s No 94. Elina Daniilidou of Greece. The verdict again was certain as to which way the match would swing. Even as I write, Vika is up by one set and five games to love in the second. Its match practise as usual for the 23 year old Belarussian who has come a long way since she was 18 years old and lost her only match against Elina Daniilidou in three sets! I wonder what it must be like for Elina whose story must be similar to all those who hover lower than 50 in world ranking. She has been at no. 94 for pretty much her entire career and she is 30 years old. It must take a lot of guts and also a thick skin to hang around there for so long. Guts because your talent lies exposed for all to see when you are playing any top 10 player. You are made to chase fluff all around the court and in the end the ball just whizzes by as you make your spirited run and then just give up because you simply wont reach the ball even with the tennis racket attached to a bamboo.
It must take nerves of steel to play again and again knowing that it is an exercise in futility. The top player send winners and you can only smile slash put your hands up in despair and call on the gods above to give you that one face-saving game. Thick skin because well the inadequacies are so glaring so as to be embarrassing. At the end of the day, it’s a job like any other and the result of this occupation is a win or a loss. Result- 6-1, 6-0.
Go team Vika! We want to see you win against Willimas!
The next match I am watching now is the rising Aussie tennis talent and ex- Enfant Terrible (he has promised that he has matured and learnt his lessons) Bernard Tomic V/s the German Daniel Brands. Both held on to their serve in the first set. But Brands is up one set in the tie breaker. Oh wonders, Brands a single fisted back hand which for me is a joy to watch as opposed to the laboured double- handed one. He has an overall solid game and I am thinking a better one that Tomic. He is mixing his shots well and his sliced drop shots are frequently finding Tomic behind the baseline. The Aussie is making more enforced errors that his German opponent. My bet is that Brands will win the second round and go on to meet Federer in the 3th. It will be interesting to watch the Swiss and the German meet at this stage. I feel that Brands has the game to make things a little harder for Federer.
 So lets see which one of them makes it to round three for masterclass lesson from Federer

More first round results...

1st Round match between Victoria Azarenka and Monica Nicolescu. To start with of course I knew what the outcome would be- that Victoria Azarenka would win in straight sets and she did- 6-1, 6-4. Nicolescu looked lost in the first set and made 13 unforced errors as against 6 from Vika. The second set was more equally poised as Azarenka made a string of 17 unforced errors as against 7 from Nicolescu. That forehand of Azarenka’s fired from sharp cross-court angle is like a terrible weapon and Nicolescu countered it with her own brand of topspin forehand which was a revealation of sorts because I have never seen anyone return with such unusual forehand which must be putting a strain on Nicolescu. So I suspect like players have a strategy of attacking a backhand, Azarenka attackec Nicolescu’s forehand with the expected results- in a prolonged rally (maximum 20 shots) Nicolescu’s found the net unerringly! Result- Azarenka wins agains Nicolescu but not without a scare in the second set! Meanshile we find Serena Williams dressed in deep purple matched with orange wrist-bands and an orange hairband toying with Edina Gallovits Hall of Romania. While Gallovits made her mark all over the court, Williams barely moved. A double bagle victory for Williams over Hall- 6-0, 6-0. I am betting on Azarenka matching forehands with Williams in the finals at Melbourne!

Australian Open 2013, Melbourne, 1st round Action

The first of the grand slam tournaments of 2013 and it is sure to follow the the script of the year that went by or a couple of years that went by. Men's tennis has arrived at a stage where the game has steadied around four or five players that make it to the semi-finals- Federer, Djokovic, Murray, Rafa and it is either slash or- Tsonga, Ferrer, Berdych, Del Potro, Tipsarevic is in the next tier. The end of the last season saw Novak Djokovic fend off Roger Federer's claim to the ATP Tour Finals season end Trophy and set the tone for the year that was to come. From the chilly climes of London to the blistering heat of Melbourne. The season never ends in more than one way! The first round at Aus Open serves mostly as a practise game for the the top seeds. There are players like Lleyton Hewitt who give players some grief with their tenacity and ferociousness. Even after all these years (he was the number one seed almost 10 years ago and while Roddick has retired, he is still around,he can give a player like Tipsarevic a run for his first round money. He lost of course but as usual the scores dont tell the whole story. There have been no premature exits so far, all the top seeds- men and women have breezed through- Sam Stosur, Sharapova, Anna Ivanovic (she is always a prime candidate for a shock exit!), Djokovic, Tipsrevic are on to the next round. Murray is playing Robin Haase of Netherlands even as I write and he is up by two sets and two games to love in the third. Another twenty minutes and Murray will be done here. Keep tuned it for more updates from Australian Open in Melbourne!