Murray Opens Farewell Australian Open Monday; Federer, Nadal, Wozniacki On Court

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-6585281/OLIVER-HOLT-Outsider-Andy-Murray-rebuilt-faith-sport.html

Never a fan of “Daily Mail” – this article caught my attention.

PS: And yes, Wimbledon has stated that they are planning a tribute farewell to Andy, whether he plays there or not.

January 13th, 2019 at 8:54 am

Last reminder about the Racquet Bracket. Just a few more hours left to enter. Link is https://www.tourneytopia.com/RacquetBracketAussieOpenATP/TennisXersAussieOpen2018/default.aspx

January 13th, 2019 at 12:34 pm

Thanks J-Kath. There have been some lovely articles on Andy. You, Margot, and I won’t be the only ones to miss him.

January 13th, 2019 at 12:35 pm

RZ: And there are some nasties too.
Some 70’s/80’s footballer (Alan Brazil) who has a TALKSPORT is quoted on East Anglian Times: “He was playing tennis for God’s sake” – and he’s “blurbing and blurbing”…..plus a whole lot more along the same lines.

As for Wimbledon….they are putting up a statue of Andy…so who cares about the nasty folk.

I have a tinge of sympathy for Roberto Batista tomorrow – I hope he plays to win….Andy has said he will take pain killers – let’s hope we don’t have a Shakespearian farce and he’s fined for taking illegal substanceso

January 13th, 2019 at 1:48 pm

Maybe the optimal thing would be to fight as best as he can and try to gut it out for 3 sets and not have to “medically retire” from his (likely) last pro singles match. I don’t think more than a handful of people give him a shot of getting past RBA.

January 13th, 2019 at 4:28 pm

Chrisford 1: In case I wasn’t clear, when I said : “I hope he plays to win…” I was referring to R. Batista A. – not Andy.

January 13th, 2019 at 5:17 pm

I think RBA will play to win. I think he’s also aware and mature enough to know that the crowd will be against him.

Saw an article with Amelie Mauresmo where she said that Andy had hip pain while she was working with him.

January 13th, 2019 at 5:25 pm

Goodnight RZ – is 11.00pm here….so I’m off.

PS: I think I’ll send Andy a book on crystal healing – helped 2 members of my family over-come pain!! – and for those who scorn it – they only need to think what is it that keeps a watch going!

January 13th, 2019 at 6:01 pm

Hey M!….Ermm i know u ‘re still sad…i just want to wish u the very best of luck 4 Racquet Bracket…but noticed too that we’re also will trying very hard to ‘failed’ u this time…heh heh…

Oh!…but if u manage to win again,i will send u a real goat as a gift…there’s plenty of them playing happily & giddily in front of my house atm(not mine of coz!)…there’s a lot to choose for M!….tall,dark,very hairy including one with a hair looks exactly like stefanos!…Wink twice if u feel happy M!….

Oh!….also wanna wish best of luck to ALL TXers especially u RZ!!….Thank u so much for make it happen for us again RZ!…I swear…u’re an ANGEL RZ!!…

January 13th, 2019 at 7:07 pm

Hey RZ!….can i ask something?I’ve already updated my profile on RB…but why it still showed the old one?AM18?It’s supposed to be AM19…and i put my last name there ‘TributetoAndyLastSlam’…not appear either…Can u fix it RZ??Or is it too late now?

January 13th, 2019 at 7:38 pm

Love Grand Slam first day, watching on TV and opening the live scores with a bunch of matches going on at the same time.

January 13th, 2019 at 8:12 pm

Hi AM! Sorry for the late response, I was offline most of the day. I think what happened is because this year there was the option to use the same site / bracket setting was last year, its default it to your name from last year.

January 14th, 2019 at 12:48 am

Hey RZ!….Ohhh!….Is that so?Oh okay RZ!!…Thank u once again!

January 14th, 2019 at 1:15 am

So the fun begins again at slams

January 14th, 2019 at 2:09 am

AAAAAAH RZ. Please stop bigging me up/referencing me.I REALLY don’t like it. No REALLY! And I haven’t won for months and months, so no point.

AM: Very sad for Andy, but 1) hasn’t come as a surprise, to me anyway and 2) has been out for so long and hasn’t played well for so long either, its lessened the impact.
BTW would rather have a little “friend” for Clarissa TBH, since you’re offering…..;)

January 14th, 2019 at 2:15 am

Ohh!….U wanna friend 4 Clarrissa M?Oh!….That’s easy!….Pick one M!
http://www.pmslweb.com/the-blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/funny-pigeon-cartoon-coo-man-humor.jpg

https://dumielauxepices.net/sites/default/files/drawn-pidgeons-cartoon-561335-1045050.jpg…

There u go M!…Btw….Andy is about to play now…C’mon Andy!!

January 14th, 2019 at 2:50 am

JKath,my heart sinks when I hear people taking stuff like crystal healing seriously. What next? Crop circles on the grass at Wimbledon?

Crystals are just pretty rocks. The working of a watch is a human scientific discovery which is well understood, but your friends who benefit from “crystal healing” are performing self hypnosis. Try applying a crystal to a small baby with a belly ache. DON’T pick him up and cuddle him, because that will be a comforting act that will soothe him. A tiny baby is too young to BELIEVE anything, as an adult does, so he will still be fretful. The same applies to dogs.

To return to the real world. everyone must have seen the news that Caroline Wozniacki has rheumatoid arthritis. Her game is similar to Andy’s, though less complex, and she has simply overworked her body, like Rafa (knees) and Del Potro (wrist).

January 14th, 2019 at 3:18 am

Guid morning All – not watching live – but keeping an eye on Flashscore…..
See Rafa sailed thru (and A-Mira very chirpy)
See Brit. No. 1: K. Edmunds – sank (Margot not very chirpy)
Not sure if RZ is posting? Time difference
Anyone – See Wee Andy holding — but…..not holding my breath – How is he looking in the flesh?

January 14th, 2019 at 3:28 am

Colin: You have the right to your opinion. My hubbie was a geologist – i.e. operated huge equipment re. rocks & properties – and had a geological special crystal rod that defined certain levels of minerals. I have successfully used crystals on a dog; my father’s arthritic neck; my brother-in-law etc. etc. It may not always provide a long-term improvement but it certainly deals with pain. I don’t mind disbelief.

January 14th, 2019 at 3:37 am

Hahahha….Thanks JK!…I’m always chirpy!…But happy too Rafa win today & not spent much time under Melbourne scorching heat…

Bout Andy…he ‘s handsome as ever!…but as expected,RBA outpowered him from physicality,level of tennis…but Andy still display the flashes of his brilliant sometimes…and his serve…oh God!…he struck a 206 & 203km/h a couple of times…but his 1st serves only 37% in the 1st set..and he do look fatigue…but that is understandable coz the lack of matches….

January 14th, 2019 at 3:52 am

Andy breaks, finally.:)
Rooting for him to win at least one set today

January 14th, 2019 at 4:47 am

Has to be hard for Agut as well, to play a retiring legend

January 14th, 2019 at 4:49 am

Watching this match and enjoying it like a final. Have a flight to catch but so glad I watched this 3rd set completely.

Come on, Andy!

January 14th, 2019 at 5:34 am

Van Persie: It may well be a final.

Yes, A-M – meant to say congrats to Rafa – No fuss, no Muss – straight through.

January 14th, 2019 at 5:49 am

Ohohoohoho!!….Yes!!..C’mon Andy!…5 setter it is!…Tho,it is hard to see him struggling like this…But…C’mon!!

JK….Once again,thank u very much 4 the congrats!…

January 14th, 2019 at 6:29 am

I’m a hardcore Djoko fan as some of you know, but man does Murray have the heart of a lion! I think maybe we all kinda forgot just how good Murray really is! Playing basically with one good leg and he still takes Agut to 5 sets! Murray was a real anamoly. He wasn’t quite at the level as the Big 3 but still head a shoulders above the rest.

January 14th, 2019 at 7:27 am

M!….This is what i called ‘half magic!’…Wooohooo!!….I knew it!…

.https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/tennis/andy-murray-hints-at-retirement-uturn-after-losing-australian-open-thriller-in-five-sets-a4038311.html

He listened to DelPo to ‘keep fighting’!….

January 14th, 2019 at 8:15 am

AM
It was already of obvious isn’t? That Andy doesn’t want to retire this way. He knows if healthy, he could still win GS and that’s what I was what I actually anticipated when he was out for treatment; that he would be back with full force. Boy was I wrong.
Anyway, I sincerely hope what he says is the case. He comes back healthy. He is still relatively ‘young’. So, if he gives this whole year to rehabilitation it may actually be possible that he can come back healthy.
In fact, i hope he does give this whole year to treatment. Mentally he should be as strong as a rock for it but I am sure he can do it.

January 14th, 2019 at 8:31 am

Ronn @ 7:27AM
He wasn’t quite at the level as the Big 3 but still head a shoulders above the rest

—–
I think, is up there in the level of tennis. I think the only think that kept him from having an even number of wins against the other three guys was his defensive approach to tennis altogether. Other 3 guys are great defenders but their approach is primarily offensive. Nole and Rafa, who many think win games with defense but that’s only half true, both of them have a clear offensive mentality. Murray wasn’t like that, in the beginning especially. His tennis ‘bringing up’ might have made him less offensive minded. He worked really hard to be aggressive against the top guys as he grew (especially after few GS final losses, and he was a great deal of pressure). I personally believe that’s when Andys injuries started creeping up. You train your whole life with one brand of tennis and suddenly you had to somewhat drastically change the approach. That takes it toll on the body. I remember a match against Nole where he was super aggressive on both forehand and backhand, hitting powerful shots, but after 2 sets he was clearly struggling with pain and cramps. So, to be that aggressive is body balance was disturbed resulting in injury.

January 14th, 2019 at 8:44 am

Ronn: Yes, it is a good job Andy’s got “the heart of a lion” because he’s always had to work harder than most to achieve a body to match — unlike bendy, rubbery Nole; naturally elegant Roger or the bullish fierce power of Rafa. What a decade!

But, I’m still saying “Goodbye Andy”….because despite of how well he played, this was only one match.

January 14th, 2019 at 8:47 am

Rognadfan….Oh God!….Thank u,thank u for your words!….It’s sooo relief to hear the positivity in your post…

Yeah!…I really hope Andy keep on doing any treatment that he think best for him…I think he still have time if he do something about it & comeback again to the tour….Like u said,he still relatively ‘young’ at 31…U watch Berdych play Rognadfan?Oh boy!…He struck the ball as hard like he is still 20’s 0r 30…and he’s 33 going to 34!…And Tsonga and Stan..or Rafa,Monfils…They’re all 32,33 or 34…As for his tennis,he & his team could tweak 1 or 2 things to make it more easier on his hip ..for example shortened the points..make a winner after 3 or 4 hit…maybe approach the net more often to finish the point…s&v is okay too…Also tweak his serve to be more deadly & will get more free points from that….I mean,there’s plenty of tricks to do to minimize the using of his hip…

Now,let see what Andy would do…We’re all can see his desire to keep fighting lighting up vibrantly tonite…That’s enough signal for me Rognadfan!…C’mon Andy!!

January 14th, 2019 at 10:41 am

Hey all, was asleep during the match (unfortunately work doesn’t take a breather when tennis is on) as J-Kath surmised. Sounds like Murray gave us another of his rollercoasters. Wished I was able to watch it. Sounds like he has a tough decision ahead between possibly opting for a surgery that may or may not help and would definitely have him sit out for a while, or going out on his own terms later this year at Wimbledon.

M – I keep bringing you up because by jinxing you I have a better chance to win! :-)

January 14th, 2019 at 11:16 am

I haven’t won for ages, in fact last slam you beat me, but I’ll stop doing it altogether if you like.

January 14th, 2019 at 11:50 am

Margot – of course we don’t want you to stop. But you are the defending champ, so I wouldn’t say “ages.”

January 14th, 2019 at 12:02 pm

Not what you said in the blurb RZ. You went on about me being “the goat.” I don’t like it, it’s bigging me up. Not cricket.

January 14th, 2019 at 1:53 pm

Got it Margot. Won’t do it again.

January 14th, 2019 at 3:22 pm

AM
No I didn’t watch Berdych but I know this guy has an easy power.
Like RZ said, work doesn’t take a breather when tennis is on. When I was student, this fortnight was the best, I could watch tennis all night. Now, AO is only during weekends. Even that’s a challenge sometimes.
Anyway, if that was Andy’s last match, I surely missed a an epic.
Will catch extended highlights for sure though.

January 14th, 2019 at 3:54 pm

Hey Rognadfan…I’m so sorry u can’t enjoy AO as much as u want anymore…but…atm there’s a really good match between Kei & and a rookie who’s ranked 181…and guess what?Kei got schooled by this rookie & just lost the 1st set quite comfortably!…Ohohoho….Let’s see if he can maintain his confidence & self belief 4 the next 2 or 3 hrs….

January 14th, 2019 at 7:57 pm

Testing. Testing…

January 20th, 2019 at 6:04 am

Phew, took me two attempts to get my address right.
Did you guys see that Judy Murray doesn’t like the idea of Andy having that hip joint replacement. The thing is, the metal coating on the hip bone and the socket deteriorates over time, and can eventually lead to osteoarthritis. This would mean Andy couldn’t play with his kids as the grew up, and would have the same painful difficulty getting dressed.

JKath, I’m sure you are sick and tired of the argument about crystal power, but I have found good scientific support for my “opinion”.
A group of 80 believers were tested. They claimed that crystals worn next to the skin imparted sensations of warmth, tingling, or just wellbeing. They didn’t know, but half of them were wearing, not real crystals but fakes, variously described as glass or plastic. Guess what? They experienced the same sensations, proving that the whole thing is mere autosuggestion. I rest my case.

January 20th, 2019 at 6:22 am

Hi Colin:

Good try. But assume you know placenta trials exist throughout medical-related tests…with the mixed results. I don’t want to try to convince you – you are entitled to your opinion – when you have time go thru the question of crystal power examine results on professional geology terms – see what you can pick up in a library – it will at least give you a different prospective.

Or, as you say, you can rest your case – yes, nobody went to the moon and the earth is square – you can fall off the edge.
….Cheers just pulling your leg.

PS: What is happening to Roger today?

January 20th, 2019 at 6:47 am

Here we go. (seems just me. :-( )

Tie break city!

Go For it now Roger. Nothing to lose.

January 20th, 2019 at 6:54 am

Sorry JKath, you’ve lost me there. What has the placenta got to do with crystal power? Is “in vitro” in your mind? Did you perhaps think glass is crystalline? According to what I’ve read, it isn’t.

As for the world being square, Eratosthenes (c276-194 BC)knew it was round, and measured it. His measurement was only 10% out.

I know the moon landing was not faked, because the faking would have involved huge numbers of people, and somebody would have revealed the truth – particularly in America, where many people would do absolutely anything to get their 15 minutes un the limelight.

January 20th, 2019 at 3:40 pm