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The 2016 Australian Open |OT| 18th January - 31st January
- Thread starter LuuKyK
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Kotetsu534
Member
Went to sleep and missed the Halep match and the last sets of the Nadal match because I thought he would be fine. Of course.
Azarenka double bagles Van Uytvanck in well under an hour. It's about sending a message.
Azarenka double bagles Van Uytvanck in well under an hour. It's about sending a message.
One of my dream AO matches would be 2009 semi-final Verdasco vs. 2013 R4 Wawrinka. Only winners for 4 hours !
Hopefully Muguruza has read the message and prepares her answer for the fourth round.
Very happy about Verdasco's win. Nadal's freak results between 2005-2014 have scarred me emotionally for life, so it's good to have some satisfaction for all the abuse I had to suffer as a neutral tennis spectator.
YoshiStrife
Member
Jesus, Halep. Guess it's Azarenka all the way to the final on the bottom half, then. I'd prefer Lisicki or Kerber. Lisicki really hasn't come good since her Wimbledon final, which is a real shame. Be nice to see her get back up there again.
41 names of players ''SUSCEPTIBLE'' of fixing matches in 2011 are out....
Azarenka,Errani,Aga Radwanska,Fabio Fognini,Cibulkova among others....damn,some big names in there...I say BS without proof.
This is going to fuck up AO pretty good regardless of whether the allegations are true or not...
EdibleExplosives
Member
Just heard about Nadal, fucking hell.
41 names of players ''SUSCEPTIBLE'' of fixing matches in 2011 are out....
Azarenka,Errani,Aga Radwanska,Fabio Fognini,Cibulkova among others....damn,some big names in there...I say BS without proof.
Have a link handy? I think a lot of people assumed Fognini would be one of them lol
41 names of players ''SUSCEPTIBLE'' of fixing matches in 2011 are out....
Azarenka,Errani,Aga Radwanska,Fabio Fognini,Cibulkova among others....damn,some big names in there...I say BS without proof.
Where's the link?
Its actually an old list from 2011. I am sure though that these names, or most of them are included in the most recent allegations.
Here is the old link from 2011:
http://www.sportismadeforbetting.com/2011/10/secret-list-of-suspicious-tennis.html
Ah alright, thought it was something new. Thanks.
Kind of weird to see Cibulkova, Radwanska or Azarenka suspected of fixing matches as they all had very strong debuts on the tour and whatever scraps criminal betters would offer them in 2011 surely wouldn't sway them? Sounds like the usual "they're Eastern European so they're criminals (or commies)" that permeates Western media.
Yeah, some of these names don't really make sense. It's a random list on the internet, of mostly italian and ex-USSR players (mafia countries !!!), so I wouldn't give it too much importance. I do think, however, that this Buzzfeed article has started some healthy conversations on the matter, so there's that.
Lone_Prodigy
Member
Was it only a couple years ago when we thought Nadal could match or beat Federer's 17 Grand Slams, even if he only won the French? Djokovic, age, and injuries happened though. Sad to see.
John Dunbar
correct about everything
they will never catch the fog.
Kotetsu534
Member
That list does feel a bit "if they're from eastern Europe or Italy, they're suspicious!" Would love to know what evidence they had against each player, but I doubt it ever comes out.
After reading a lot of comment that Noah Rubin doesn't have much chance of 'making it' due to his height since his 1R win, I made a list of every man 1.80m and under (as listed on Wikipedia) to have made the 2R at this year's Australian Open. There are 15 of them.
David Goffin (1.80m, 5'' 11)
Dennis Kudla (1.80m, 5'' 11)
Omar Jasika (1.80m, 5'' 11)
Dusan Lajovic (1.80, 5'' 11)
Alexandr Dolgopolov (1.80m, 5'' 11)
Pablo Cuevas (1.80m, 5'' 11)
Kei Nishikori (1.78m, 5'' 10)
Lleyton Hewitt (1.78m, 5'' 10)
Noah Rubin (1.78m, 5'' 10)
Marco Trungelliti (1.78m, 5'' 10)
Renzo Olivo (1.78m, 5'' 10)
David Ferrer (1.75m, 5'' 9)
Dudi Sela (1.75m, 5'' 9)
Tim Smyczek (1.75m, 5'' 9)
Damir Dzumhur (1.75m, 5'' 9)
And each of the 23 woman 1.70m and under:
Daria Kasatkina (1.7m, 5'' 7)
Monica Puig (1.7m)
Timea Bacsinszky (1.7m)
Danka Kovinic (1.7m)
Saisai Zheng (1.7m)
Hsieh Su-Wei (1.69m, 5'' 6.5)
Annika Beck (1.69m)
Anastasija Sevastova (1.69m)
Monica Niculescu (1.68m, 5'' 6)
Nicole Gibbs (1.68m)
Laura Siegemund (1.68m)
Daria Gavrilova (1.66m, 5'' 5)
Lara Arruabarrena (1.66m)
Kirsten Flipkens (1.65m)
Barbora Strycova (1.64m)
Vania King (1.64m)
Yulia Putintseva (1.63m, 5'' 4)
Irina Falconi (1.63m)
Madison Brengle (1.63m)
Roberta Vinci (1.63m)
Carla Suarez Navarro (1.62m)
Lauren Davis (1.57m, 5'' 2)
Kurumi Nara (1.55m, 5'' 1)
Definitely seems like it's easier to compete in the women's game than the men's as a shorter player, but still some smaller men are managing to make a good fist of it. Gaston Gaudio remains the last men's singles Slam champion under 6 foot (Stan is listed as 6 foot exactly). Once Lleyton Hewitt retires, there won't be any active on the tour. There are no Slam singles champions under 1.70m active on the women's tour, but Marion Bartoli (1.70m) and Justine Henin (1.67m) both won within the last decade.
After reading a lot of comment that Noah Rubin doesn't have much chance of 'making it' due to his height since his 1R win, I made a list of every man 1.80m and under (as listed on Wikipedia) to have made the 2R at this year's Australian Open. There are 15 of them.
David Goffin (1.80m, 5'' 11)
Dennis Kudla (1.80m, 5'' 11)
Omar Jasika (1.80m, 5'' 11)
Dusan Lajovic (1.80, 5'' 11)
Alexandr Dolgopolov (1.80m, 5'' 11)
Pablo Cuevas (1.80m, 5'' 11)
Kei Nishikori (1.78m, 5'' 10)
Lleyton Hewitt (1.78m, 5'' 10)
Noah Rubin (1.78m, 5'' 10)
Marco Trungelliti (1.78m, 5'' 10)
Renzo Olivo (1.78m, 5'' 10)
David Ferrer (1.75m, 5'' 9)
Dudi Sela (1.75m, 5'' 9)
Tim Smyczek (1.75m, 5'' 9)
Damir Dzumhur (1.75m, 5'' 9)
And each of the 23 woman 1.70m and under:
Daria Kasatkina (1.7m, 5'' 7)
Monica Puig (1.7m)
Timea Bacsinszky (1.7m)
Danka Kovinic (1.7m)
Saisai Zheng (1.7m)
Hsieh Su-Wei (1.69m, 5'' 6.5)
Annika Beck (1.69m)
Anastasija Sevastova (1.69m)
Monica Niculescu (1.68m, 5'' 6)
Nicole Gibbs (1.68m)
Laura Siegemund (1.68m)
Daria Gavrilova (1.66m, 5'' 5)
Lara Arruabarrena (1.66m)
Kirsten Flipkens (1.65m)
Barbora Strycova (1.64m)
Vania King (1.64m)
Yulia Putintseva (1.63m, 5'' 4)
Irina Falconi (1.63m)
Madison Brengle (1.63m)
Roberta Vinci (1.63m)
Carla Suarez Navarro (1.62m)
Lauren Davis (1.57m, 5'' 2)
Kurumi Nara (1.55m, 5'' 1)
Definitely seems like it's easier to compete in the women's game than the men's as a shorter player, but still some smaller men are managing to make a good fist of it. Gaston Gaudio remains the last men's singles Slam champion under 6 foot (Stan is listed as 6 foot exactly). Once Lleyton Hewitt retires, there won't be any active on the tour. There are no Slam singles champions under 1.70m active on the women's tour, but Marion Bartoli (1.70m) and Justine Henin (1.67m) both won within the last decade.
Yeah thats the one I saw,didnt realise it was from 2011 though,just a partial list I saw on Twitter with the top part cut off...
perfectchaos007
Member
Looks like today could be washed out in Melbourne. How many roofs do they have now?
So that's why Pennetta retired
Federer's match is 3rd after two women matches. First match starts at 00:00 GMT, lets say 90min for each of the Women matches (unlikely they'll last that long, i know), add the time between matches and warm-ups. I'm going to set the clock for 5 AM GMT and hope i won't lose too much of Federer's match. Maybe the rain will also help.
Federer's match is 3rd after two women matches. First match starts at 00:00 GMT, lets say 90min for each of the Women matches (unlikely they'll last that long, i know), add the time between matches and warm-ups. I'm going to set the clock for 5 AM GMT and hope i won't lose too much of Federer's match. Maybe the rain will also help.
perfectchaos007
Member
After the double bagel Azarenka dabs...poorly
After the double bagel Azarenka dabs...poorly
Damn that Dabo Swinney. Look at what he's wrought!
Rafa=FedKilla
Banned
Simona will probably fire Cahill after this.
perfectchaos007
Member
She's easily the favorite to win the tournament now unless she Clempsons
It amazes me that so many people are calling Azarenka the Aussie Open favorite simply because she won a small lead-in tournament and had a good first round.
She's yet to prove she can play and win five or six matches in a row against stiff competition, let alone seven. Plus, she's yet to prove she can still beat her toughest opponents (Serena, Sharapova and Muguruza, at this point).
Don't take that to mean I think she can't or won't win the tournament, by the way. I think she *could.* That said, I also won't be surprised if she's upended at some point between now and the end of the women's final.
(Also, don't take it to mean I don't want Azarenka to win the whole thing. Although she's not my favorite female pro, I like her a lot and I want her to return to the sport's highest ranks. I also want someone, anyone to keep Serena from winning the tournament so we don't have to put up with another year of "will she win the calendar year Grand Slam???")
Quickly threw together some graphs regarding height:
https://plot.ly/~Milchmann/3.embed
https://plot.ly/~Milchmann/2.embed
Nothing surprising, but if there is a minimum height for success on the men's tour, it would be 1.78m or 1.75m.
perfectchaos007
Member
Serena looked pretty dominate but next she plays a young Russian teen who beat Venus a couple weeks ago.
Before the turn of the 21st century there were some shorter players that saw success. Michael Chang was 5'8" and he won the French Open. I think that converts to 1.72m. new technology with more powerful rackets demands taller players. 6'1" to 6'3" is optimal.
Before the turn of the 21st century there were some shorter players that saw success. Michael Chang was 5'8" and he won the French Open. I think that converts to 1.72m. new technology with more powerful rackets demands taller players. 6'1" to 6'3" is optimal.
Kotetsu534
Member
If Kasatkina plays like she did there, she'll probably get blasted, but she's a fighter who has rose to the occasion so far in her career, and Konjuh was playing the kind of awkward tennis (so many double faults and UEs, but also good length when in) that's difficult to retain rhythm against, so I think she'll play better. Hope so, but whatever happens she's had a good week - 2nd Slam, 2nd 3R appearance, not shabby at all.
Kotetsu534
Member
Nice graphs. Here's a well known article where it's argued the ideal height for male players is ~1.85m. This one takes a look at the increase over time. Tip my hat to Kei for making it as far as he has at his height, but I wonder if shorter players that get really close to the top have to ask too much of their bodies (e.g. Hewitt), similar to how really tall players often develop back trouble.
Interesting to see Hyeon Chung so high on both return and serve games won. Obviously he's not played a lot of matches yet and he may not have been scouted much yet, but if he can keep those numbers up he's going to do some damage.
Lion Heart
Banned
I got a chance to use the XT Speed Pro.
First thing you notice, is that it is definitely stiffer than your average racquet. My first few shots were tremendous, I was feeling it, but fatigue and rust kicked in and I got worse over the course of the match. Because its stiff, the "feel" of the racquet is not all there, its not as natural as the one I've been using for 12+ years, reasonably.
My serve was much much more effective than my current racquet, I think the 18x20 string pattern mixed with the stiffness gave me good control and good power to serve, very happy there.
Base line play is the main aspect of my game so after only an hour I can't say how effective it is. I need more time to develop an opinion on it. Like at this point I'm still better with my 15 year old, $60 racquet. On the aggressive, I hit well, great control, power wasn't that great but it was solid overall. I struggled on returns the most, often missing the sweet spot which results in quite the erratic feel. Its also relatively heavy which negatively affected my defensive returns as my timing was slightly off. Got to get used to that.
I came away feeling like I want to demo a few others before committing to this racquet, but if my return window had expired, I wouldn't be too bummed.
First thing you notice, is that it is definitely stiffer than your average racquet. My first few shots were tremendous, I was feeling it, but fatigue and rust kicked in and I got worse over the course of the match. Because its stiff, the "feel" of the racquet is not all there, its not as natural as the one I've been using for 12+ years, reasonably.
My serve was much much more effective than my current racquet, I think the 18x20 string pattern mixed with the stiffness gave me good control and good power to serve, very happy there.
Base line play is the main aspect of my game so after only an hour I can't say how effective it is. I need more time to develop an opinion on it. Like at this point I'm still better with my 15 year old, $60 racquet. On the aggressive, I hit well, great control, power wasn't that great but it was solid overall. I struggled on returns the most, often missing the sweet spot which results in quite the erratic feel. Its also relatively heavy which negatively affected my defensive returns as my timing was slightly off. Got to get used to that.
I came away feeling like I want to demo a few others before committing to this racquet, but if my return window had expired, I wouldn't be too bummed.
Yeah, it was terrible.
Good Job Bob
Member
Don't know if that is real, and I doubt it is the same list the BBC et all have considering it is 5 years old.
Listened to the BBC radio show today and they said the slam winner on the list was a doubles champions.
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