AUS open day 9

Hello



It is almost time people.

Today (or tomorrow) is the start of the heavyweight contests.

First up: Fed vs Del-Po. Expected start time around 04:30

followed by The Nadull vs Big Bird around 08:30

So who's gonna stay up and who's gonna set their alarm(s)?

My children I shall be here, faithfully casting a critical eye over proceedings.



emancipator - tennis historian and intergalactic ambassador for UNICEF

Fed in 3, Nadal in 3.

Early break for Federer to break and leads 2-0 in the first set.

Win or lose, there's nobody plays tennis like this.

Break back from Delpo.

Fed feeling the heat 4:4.

6:4 first set for Fed. Delpo took 3 sets o the row 4:1 to 4:4, then Fed does magic.

Spectacular recovery to take the 1st set and the only gift is on set point.

Fed takes the first.
Can't watch, see keep those comments coming guys!

I think Fed enjoys exchanging groundstrokes with Del Potro too much, his sense of adventure sometimes undoes him. Amazing hitting from Del Potro, how he manages consistency at that pace is something else.

Nice backhand to break.

Fed break up 3:1. Delpo does not seem to have any game. Fed either winners or UE, Delpo just hanging in there.

Their where they were last set. Lets see if Fed can maintain his advantage this time.

Del Potro is playing terribly. Giving out Double faults like he is Santa and making countless UEs. Still not playing any where close to his best.

Nicely done.

He was good in the first set.

2:0 sets. Fed losing it a little but got it at the end.

2nd set. Nearly there.

Indeed. Don't expect Simplistic to give a ny credit here.

Clutch play to hold for the 2nd set. I was watching US open 2009 there.

Except he still has potentially another 2 matches.

Delpos latino spirit smashed to bits. Break up Fed.

Unbelievable return to break.

Del Potro getting his chances but not taking them. Very wasteful and playing average tennis especially on big points. This match was his to lose and he is doing so.

Del Potro seems tired, he wasn't always moving for the ball in that game.

Of course...NOT!

Fed just pressed the GOAT button.

Yes, certainly Del Potro's match fitness post injury still poor. Federer just out lasting him here.

bogbrush wrote:Fed just pressed the GOAT button.

Should save it for his next match.

Keep trying!

break_in_the_fifth wrote:

bogbrush wrote:Fed just pressed the GOAT button.

Should save it for his next match.

Sadly it's quite faulty these days, it can switch off just as quickly now.

Simon Reed off into hyperbole over Fed. The man commentates to the scoreline.

Oh man this is magic.

Feds hitting some amazing shots but Del Potro's been gone for a while.

Fed does it in style. Well done.Delpo needs a few more training sessions.

Just saw the last 3 games and Federer was playing sublimely. Barely missed a shot!

Well played Fed. 57% first serves, maybe he'll need more for his next match.

That would do it for Berdych too.

It probably would but its not Berdych I'm worried about.

Roger Federer is through to the semi-finals of the Australian Open beating Juan Martin Del Potro in straight sets 6-4 6-3 6-2. He now awaits the winner of the Nadal/Berdych match in the semis.

Sure Roger played well but I think they were going OTT on the praise for the performance saying nobody could live with him in that form. Del Potro was broken early in each set allowing Fed to relax in a position of command but Del Potro had chances. He broke Fed towards the end of the first set and threw away a golden chance to break in the second set and well though Del Potro played it lacked the dynamacism that the top players in the world can and will play against Federer.

Just to add I did say earlier that whoever won the first set would win the match and that is how it turned out. Next up for Fed could be Rafael Nadal and that will be a more acid test of his form I feel. If Fed wins that he is obviously in great shape in my opinion and who knows what would happen in the final.

I don't think anyone believes Fed is invincible on the form he showed today. One match at a time and two more potentially. He has the game for whoever his opponents may be so hopefully it will prevail.

Good call CC.

The thing is Fed can lose to Rafa even if his form is good. I think for a while Del Potro proved to be a test and Fed still had to hit good shots to get the points from him.

break_in_the_fifth wrote:The thing is Fed can lose to Rafa even if his form is good. I think for a while Del Potro proved to be a test and Fed still had to hit good shots to get the points from him.

I don't think Nadal can win Federer when at his best...not even on clay. But Nadal is certainly very good at bringing Federer down to more human levels, especially on clay.

Federer needs help from Berdych. Like a torero (bullfighter) he will need the help of the the picador (the knight with the long spear) to cut a few muscles around the neck of the bull.

But Feds had a fairly carefree stroll so far. I don't know about clay but yeah I don't think he can beat Fed at his best either elsewhere. I just think Feds game is a lot more demanding on the mind and he needs to sustain it. If he can hit the level of last years WTF then its a sure thing.

Berdych is probably at his most dangerous at this stage of a slam so maybe it will be a good match.

Well this has all made pleasant reading since I got up! And yet again, my prediction of Federer winning in a 5-setter goes flying out of the window and into a completely different continent.

As people have pointed out, Fed's 1st serve % is something he'll have to improve on. Rafa's 1st serve % was 80% in his last match with Lopez. Although when the 1st serve did go in, Fed was ruthless, winning 89% of those points. 'Tis all looking intriguing for Thursday...

this really is snail pace

Berdy needs to serve well. He usually has a low percentage of 1st serves.

If he can serve at over 60% he has a real chance.