AO 2015 - Day 7

First topic message reminder :

Order of Play - http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/schedule/schedule12.html

Live Scores - http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/index.html

Day 7 Preview -http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/articles/2016-01-23/day_7_preview_a_collision_course.html


(Hopefully the preview writer(s) will use some version of collide/collision/collusion - at some point tomorrow ).

Update: My front and back yard- Thanks Jonas!

Djokovic wins in five sets in four and a half hours. Must do better V Nishikori though or he'll be going out.

100 UEs... and still wins?! I don't think I've seen that before.

Fine, so he played poorly against a difficult opponent.

Nothing to do with physical conditioning; people talk (wrongly) about Federer never getting injured but Novak has an even better record in that respect. The guy never gets injured and never, ever, gets tired.

Hey Murdoch - that's what I meant when I forecast this tie as "interesting"!

Your man got it done, and he threw a 5-setter in at Wimbledon without cost.

bogbrush wrote:Fine, so he played poorly against a difficult opponent.

Nothing to do with physical conditioning; people talk (wrongly) about Federer never getting injured but Novak has an even better record in that respect. The guy never gets injured and never, ever, gets tired.

I agree that physical conditioning wasn't the issue - I said that earlier on a couple of occasions and if I were a Novak fan I wouldn't worry about the length of this match as he'll recover for the next match. I'd be more concerned by the manner of it.

Ha! A fan screams out "no more drop shots" during the on court interview and Novak tells him he is absolutely right!

So now eyes turn to Berdych who DOES look a bit weary.

Federer playing into Day 8 by the look of it. He'd have preferred faster conditions against steady Goffin but it is what it is.

HM Murdock wrote:Ha! A fan screams out "no more drop shots" during the on court interview and Novak tells him he is absolutely right!

Saw that.

I also loved Novak's reaction when he stopped playing mid-rally to challenge a shot and his reaction was great when ball was shown to be long. Sort of like what were you all worrying about or was it thank **** for that?

Courier: What about Nishikori match?

Djoko: Who ever wins, Uniqlo wins, oh you tasteless peasant

Berdy getting this back with some good aggressive play. I can't believe Agut has taken this so close.

Agut melting same as Simon on last set.

Still only 3:03h play, much shorter then Djoko/SImon.

bogbrush wrote:Hey Murdoch - that's what I meant when I forecast this tie as "interesting"!

Your man got it done, and he threw a 5-setter in at Wimbledon without cost.

Ha! "Interesting" as a euphemism for "excrutiating" - that kind of works!

A match vs Simon in the afternoon heat was always going to be a dogfight and I probably underestimated how difficult Gilles can make things.

There will be no physical cost to today (and I don't think there was a physical problem today either). No problem on that front.

My only 'concern' is that, unlike v Anderson at Wimbledon, I didn't think this was an opponent playing at a crazy level. This was Novak's game completely falling apart.

Probably just a bad day at the office but I think the QF against Nishikori now has a good chance of being "interesting" too...

Jahu wrote:Courier: What about Nishikori match?

Djoko: Who ever wins, Uniqlo wins, oh you tasteless peasant

 

That was funny!

I think the difference may be the cumulative effect. I can't see him getting past Kei without something of a war, Feds capable of taking him to at least 4 and Stan or Andy will both be physically demanding. Obviously, he's still big favourite but 4.5 hours in the legs isn't ideal.

I'd have thought 2012 would have closed that argument. The Murray / Nadal double that year was superhuman.

Born Slippy wrote:I think the difference may be the cumulative effect. I can't see him getting past Kei without something of a war, Feds capable of taking him to at least 4 and Stan or Andy will both be physically demanding. Obviously, he's still big favourite but 4.5 hours in the legs isn't ideal.

He gets 2 days' rest before the final though (assuming he gets past Nishi and Fed, which is far from certain).

The last competitive men's match of the day sees Berdych beat Bautista-Agut in five sets.

HM Murdock wrote:

Born Slippy wrote:I think the difference may be the cumulative effect. I can't see him getting past Kei without something of a war, Feds capable of taking him to at least 4 and Stan or Andy will both be physically demanding. Obviously, he's still big favourite but 4.5 hours in the legs isn't ideal.

He gets 2 days' rest before the final though (assuming he gets past Nishi and Fed, which is far from certain).

Plus did he not come through a near five hour match in a semi V Murray and then two days later beat Nadal in five and a half hours final two days later?

HM Murdock wrote:

Born Slippy wrote:I think the difference may be the cumulative effect. I can't see him getting past Kei without something of a war, Feds capable of taking him to at least 4 and Stan or Andy will both be physically demanding. Obviously, he's still big favourite but 4.5 hours in the legs isn't ideal.

He gets 2 days' rest before the final though (assuming he gets past Nishi and Fed, which is far from certain).

Yeah that's the main advantage at Oz. I guess really if it is going to hurt it will be in the SF versus Fed.

And to be honest Nishikori plays a more attacking game than Simon so he is more likely to get his unforced errors in before Djokovic (if Novak is still out of nick that is).

Fed is not going to beat Nivak on stamina!!

I agree, if Nish is healthy (and that's a question sadly asked before every match now) he might pressurise Novak.

No, he won't beat him on stamina but a slight sluggishness in Novak wouldn't harm his chances.

Yesterday Tomic said that Federer is nowhere near Novak's level.

Today, Novak's level falls through the floor.

It is a law of the universe that Bernie must be wrong about everything.

What time will Fed start?

Nice time for an MTO in this ladies match.

After ladies.

Ah yeah. So hopefully Gabrilova can keep it quick then.

And the magic strapping has made her move quicker and hit harder!

Jesus's miracles cannot compare.

She should throw in underarm serves.

Suarez-Navarro must want to see Federer on soon too.

Federer to win 6-4 6-3 6-2. We saw from the Davis Cup that Goffin doesn't have the weapons to beat the big guns.

Clearly going 12-10 in the 3rd this one.

HM Murdock wrote:Yesterday Tomic said that Federer is nowhere near Novak's level.

Today, Novak's level falls through the floor.

It is a law of the universe that Bernie must be wrong about everything.

Tennis is going to become more a psychological war again. There is no space for sympathy nowadays. The end of AO promises quite good a psychological fight. The BIG 4 is going to play mental tricks now and then and I feel that is a reason why today's Novak focus was just off. He really  played out of his sorts  and his mindset was somewhere in Australian desert.

The best players have best coaches and they know how to disrupt an opponent's mental concentration. We know even players' girlfriends or wifes as Mirka and Kim had their words on court. There are big stakes on court since QF and players need to be mentally super stronger.

I couldn't believe how ordinary Bencic was in her match with Sharapova by the way. I don't watch much WTA but she seemed to be a grinder without any foot speed. Surely that's not the future of the WTA?

If Federer doesn't win this in straight sets I'll eat Federer's sweat-doused hair band.

I really dislike Mats Wilander. He's an awful commentator. Manages to annoy me every time within about 5 minutes.

Born Slippy wrote:I really dislike Mats Wilander. He's an awful commentator. Manages to annoy me every time within about 5 minutes.

Talks rubbish and commentates to the score. Awful.

Haddie nuff I am standing ready with the sick bucket.

Nice first set - 22 minutes and two breaks.

Cannot believe Djoko went five sets with Simon. Saw the first and Djoko looked bad enough but still won it. Both were just pushing the ball.

Likely his bad match out of his system, and can refocus.

Couldn't agree more summerblues, wrt Djoko.

In many ways, if you're going to throw in a horror-show of a match, it's the perfect stage of the tourney to do it.

I am convinced he will re-group and get himself well set-up for the second week, when we will see him back to something approaching his best.

Who's this old guy playing Goffin ... ? Looks ready for retirement to me.

I'll be interested to see the scheduling for Tuesday.

For a slam that brands itself as the Asia Pacific slam, one would think that a Japanese player versus the world #1 (and reigning champion) would be the evening session.

Or will it be Federer = evening session?

I think Djoko would much rather play Nishi in the evening.

HM Murdock wrote:I'll be interested to see the scheduling for Tuesday.

For a slam that brands itself as the Asia Pacific slam, one would think that a Japanese player versus the world #1 (and reigning champion) would be the evening session.

Or will it be Federer = evening session?

I think Djoko would much rather play Nishi in the evening.

Considering Roger will probably finish around midnight (local time) tonight then I'd say its a fair bet he will play in the evening session on Tuesday to allow as near as two days recovery time.

Leaning towards Kei beating Novak if he doesn't get injured/hurt before or during the QF. He has the look in his eye and Novak may finally be showing signs of wear n tear

Put some money on it JM.

But not a lot.

Definitely not a lot

lags72 wrote:I am convinced he will re-group and get himself well set-up for the second week, when we will see him back to something approaching his best.

I feel a bit less confident than that.

Djoko has been pushed very close on a number of occasions down the years, but usually to an inspired opponent i.e. Stan, JMDP, Anderson.

There are much fewer occasions where the problem was his own terrible form. On the few occasions where that happened (there were a couple of matches at RG that spring to mind), he has not gone on to the title.

As things stand, a path to the title of Nishikori, Federer and Murray (#7, #3, #2) is looking pretty tough.

lags72 wrote:Put some money on it JM.

But not a lot.

Definitely not a lot

But I am afraid halfpennies are no longer legal tender.

Federer is sweating.

Why ?

He never sweats.

Is he ill ?

The timing of the match will matter, but not as much as Berdych / Federer. Federer wants that in the sun.

This has been very smooth so far. Commentators saying courts playing a little faster this year, and that is my impression too.