Tsonga Picks Andy Murray To Win The Australian Open

I’d say : 1- nole then fed, muzza having about the same chance. Ferru (I’m sorry daveed) has close to zero chance IMO.

January 23rd, 2013 at 10:02 am

Ferrer could pull off one upset, he’s a very physical player and maybe Novak will finally slow down a notch. He’s done it at slams before.
Two upsets though, no way.

January 23rd, 2013 at 10:06 am

The problem for Andy is that he has not been tested so far in the tournament. He had an easy road to the semi final stage and the other thing to be considered is that he didn’t play night matches. So, there will be some problem in adjusting to the new environment. Against Roger, I would give him 50:50 and if he manages to win that then in all probability he would meet Novak in the finals. Beating Roger and Novak back to back. Well, a very difficult task. But Andy could do it provided he shows the form he had in Olympics and Shanghai.

January 23rd, 2013 at 10:36 am

@michael – agree with you on andy. he hasn’t been tested. his was always the easier section of the draw, made easier by a worn out simon. not surprised that tsonga made roger fight. he’s made it clear he wants to win a slam and he has the weapons…the matches that he plays withe roger tend to be high quality battles. seems highly unlikely for rog to take out both andy and novak. not impossible…if his match with andy is short and not a marathon he has a chance. still don’t believe ferrer can take out novak…maybe i’ll be proven wrong.

on another tangent…congrats to sloane on her win. of course, serena wasn’t 100%, but sloane fought to the end and made it happen in a strange match. was nerve wracking to watch.

January 23rd, 2013 at 11:24 am

http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/8865886/rafael-nadal-absence-felt-australian-open-espn-magazine
Great article especially for Rafa fans.

January 23rd, 2013 at 12:04 pm

Q. Given who you’ve beaten here, who you have to beat to win, can you remember as difficult a run in terms of players?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, no. I’ve played too many Grand Slam matches to remember exactly each draw right now going past me like this in my brain. I don’t remember them all.
But I think I mentioned to someone that I remember when I played Gasquet in the first round at Wimbledon, to play Henman or Soderling I think it was. Henman won in five, and then I played Tim there in the second round.
I don’t know how it went after that. That was a draw with three grass court players on grass which makes it much more difficult.
So obviously this one has been very interesting, as well. Paire plays very flashy and so you don’t know what to expect. Davydenko has great potential.
The two young guys obviously are always very dangerous in the play ups. Now Jo Willie, we know what he can do.
It’s been a tough draw. I made it to the semis, which I’m very pleased with. As you mentioned, it’s not getting any easier from here. I’m excited that I’m in the semis, and that’s what I’m supposed to be, so I’m looking forward to it.

@DA

Q. We’re talking about advantages. Do you think it’s an advantage to have played four in a row at night, whereas Murray has played none?
ROGER FEDERER: No. Because really we had a day off in between. Doesn’t play that different after all. It wasn’t scorching heat and stuff. If every day would have been 35 degrees it would have been a different story, but it wasn’t.
I think we know the reasons why that happens, because of my draw more than not. It’s hard to juggle all these things. I don’t think it’s an advantage, to be quite honestly. I don’t think it’s a big deal.

January 23rd, 2013 at 12:29 pm

@ skeezer

Q. There’s been a lot of talk about the scheduling. Does it concern you that you haven’t played a night match on Laver yet?
ANDY MURRAY: No. The scheduling for me is part and parcel of playing in really any tennis tournament. It’s tough to make the schedule perfect for every single player.
But, like I said, I’ll go out and hit balls on the Hisense tonight under the lights. I’ll do the same again tomorrow, and that’s it. If I was the tournament director or the referee or whoever decides the schedule, I also would have put Federer against Tsonga on as the night match tonight because it’s the best match of the day.
So I have no complaints about the schedule at all, and I didn’t complain about it the other day. I was asked a question about the schedule. I said that sometimes it works in your favor and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes you have to make adjustments. And that’s why tonight, rather than going and watching this match, I’ll go out and hit some balls under the lights to be as best prepared as possible.

————

So it was all made up by the media. Still it allowed you, Steve-o and courtside to make your true feelings known ;)

January 23rd, 2013 at 2:26 pm

DA ” I was asked a question about the schedule.” – It’s interesting how often it turns out that a lot of what the players say, which is then spun into a story by the media, and which is not always but sometimes controversial, is usually preceded/prompted by a journalist’s question. I guess they need their “angles”

January 23rd, 2013 at 2:53 pm

@ Jane – too true. And as it was the Daily Mail that broke the story, I should’ve known better. It has a habit of taking the sensationalist route.

January 23rd, 2013 at 3:07 pm

JMO but i think its different story for Andy now,before in GS when he used to face off against Roger he was the underdog who had never won a GS,this time hes facing a more confident Andy one whos now won a GS,and also one thats actually beaten Roger over the course of 5 sets,so now he knows what it takes,add to that hes the much fresher and more rested one of the two,many would argue hes not be tested TRUE,and Roger has so hes battle hardened,so we will see,should be a great match.

January 23rd, 2013 at 3:39 pm

People in the media are making much of the fact that it’s forty something years since anybody won his first major and then won the next one. But it’s also forty something years since anyone won three successive Australian Open titles.
If Andy beats Roger, as I think he can, just watch the Federer supporters bring up the matter of his lengthy quarter final with Tsonga!

January 23rd, 2013 at 3:44 pm

As for the Novak/Daveed match i would dearly love Ferrer to make his 1st GS final(no disrespect Novak fans),but i think my hopes will be all in vain anyway,as Daveed has no big weapons to hurt him with,still hope he gives it his best shot,and its also a great match,not some Novak beat down.

January 23rd, 2013 at 3:45 pm

Colin great post much agreed,the sensible Fed fans wont,lets just hope Andy gets there 1st though.

January 23rd, 2013 at 3:48 pm

Alison, since Andy’s triumph at the US Open, him and Federer have already played twice and each won a match pretty easily in straight sets. And that’s been their rivalry for the most part, going back and forth with one sometimes dominating the other for some stretch. So I don’t think the dynamic has changed. The only difference is maybe Murray won’t choke if he’s leading or something. But that doesn’t mean Federer won’t just beat him because he’s better.

January 23rd, 2013 at 3:58 pm

Ben i never said it did,refering to the last sentence of your post,Andy aint beaten Fed in a GS before,but Fed aint beaten Andy as a GS champion is all im saying,im not saying he will either as i dont know,as none of us do as yet,i just recognize that this time it could or that it might be different thats all.

January 23rd, 2013 at 4:08 pm

^WILL OR WONT I MEAN^.

January 23rd, 2013 at 4:28 pm

@colin,

Nah I won’t complain, he is only 31 and has equally recoverable powers as the mid 20’s guys.
Just so we’re clear, if Andy plays a long 5 setter whilst beating Fed, then loses to Nole in the final, we will not hear excuses either, no?

January 23rd, 2013 at 4:36 pm

@Skeezer:

There won’t be any excuses. He won’t beat Fed..

January 23rd, 2013 at 4:38 pm

@DA

Guess we need to clear the air, The report, which came out FIRST, was what I based my remark on. Murray (and/or his camp or just camp but never Murray and his camp or camp Murray but not Murray )SINCE then and AFTER the report denies it. Fair enough. However, there were other sources that thought it was also credible enough to report the same exact thing( eg; tennis.com & tennistalk.com ).

So in calling out the Daily Mail maybe you should broaden your protest.

That behind us, am looking for a quality match from both players, and me hopes whoever wins has plenty of gas left for a nice final with Novak the Magnificent.

January 23rd, 2013 at 5:00 pm

Skeezer,
Nice comeback at 4:36.

January 23rd, 2013 at 5:02 pm

Well Federer has beaten Murray as a Grand Slam champion. In Murray’s “hometown” no less. And it was one of the most comprehensive wins he’s ever posted over Murray. So now he has to do it over 3 sets. It’s still a much bigger ask of Murray than it is of Federer. Instead of 17-0 it’s 17-1. The experience factor is still huge.

January 23rd, 2013 at 5:13 pm

Murray in 4 sets!

January 23rd, 2013 at 6:11 pm

@ skeezer – I’m happy to put the whole tabloid mess behind us.

Here’s hoping for a competitive match – may the best man win. I think that, as per usual, between these two the first set will be crucial – more so for Andy. If he goes down 0-2, I think it’s over.

I hope Ferrer puts in a good show, one that’s worthy of a SF. However, he has a mental thing with the top 4 at slams. Hoping that at least he’ll have a reason to go out with his head held high.

January 23rd, 2013 at 6:36 pm

Steve27- Federer in 4 sets!

January 23rd, 2013 at 6:48 pm

The DA is Racquet from Tennis Talk in case y’all didn’t know. He’s come over to give Margot Deuce and the so-called ‘cunning one’ a hand in defending Murray.

January 23rd, 2013 at 11:56 pm

@ Grisham – umm, no I’m not. Racquet is another poster here. Detective fail.

January 24th, 2013 at 5:23 am

All these players are making hay while the sun shines in the absence of Rafa!! #ComeBackSoonRafa

January 24th, 2013 at 5:27 am

Didn’t watch the match ( thank goodness) but just read a tweet from Neil Harman: “and a Rafa celebration to finish”. Huh. What happened to the shirt ripping norm??

January 24th, 2013 at 5:32 am

DA
You can deny it all you like, however, we know the truth. Where is that Racquet lately? Have you retired him?

January 24th, 2013 at 4:41 pm

@ grisham –

We? You and all your pseudonyms or the voices in your head? What is it with some Tennistalk posters who migrate over here trying to guess who posts over there. First alok and now you.

Personally , I don’t like Tennistalk – too many Fedal flame wars (and obsessive stalkers). But believe what you want to believe.

January 24th, 2013 at 5:58 pm

Hey Dum Azz, How about leaving me out of your many messy arguments. I dont post on TT, but if it helps you to get yourself out of your many arguments with others by bad-mouthing me then be my guest. You’re like the pot salt that is in every greasy dish.

January 24th, 2013 at 6:42 pm

^You’re like the pot salt that is in every greasy dish

alok
ROFLMFAO

January 24th, 2013 at 11:42 pm

All so funny. Even more funny when TT ‘ers come over in quasy disguise. There is always a hint and rue of anti fed. Anything but Fed.

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“Personally , I don’t like Tennistalk – too many Fedal flame wars”. So…you frequent this place? Lol…..

—–

Just watched the ending of Ferrer / Nole. Have to say, just how Nole looks phsyically, he looks fantastic. Clear eyes, great looking shape, total control of his game, he is ready with a full advantage of 2 days off. He has all the advantage and should have no excuses.

January 24th, 2013 at 11:54 pm

@ skeezer – “Even more funny when TT ‘ers come over in quasy disguise”

Tell me about it. They’re doing their best to infect this site with petty squabbles and personal vendettas. Sad really.

“So…you frequent this place?”

They have them several times a day. Tennis-x not nearly as much.

January 25th, 2013 at 12:10 am