Australian Open 2018 (15-28 Jan).

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed has Djokovic in his side of the draw but I still think it would only be in the semi-finals, despite him being ranked 14th.

Muzza had to pull out.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Djokovic beats Young 6-1 6-2 6-4.

Nadal won against some pubber 6-1 6-1 6-1 yesterday.

Fed is on against Bedene (no longer of Britain) from 8am.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed takes the first set 6-3. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And won 6-3 6-4 6-4. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed beat Struff 6-4 6-4 7-6 (7-4). Gasquet next for him!

Djokovic beat Monfils in four sets. 4-6 6-3 6-1 6-4.

Also, Goffin is out. :lol: Losing in four to Benneteau. 1-67-6 (7-5) 6-1 7-6 (7-4)

Nadal won in straight sets.

Wawrinka crashed out in straight sets to some pubber. :doh:

Konta dumped out and Muguruza too. :wacko:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Halep beats Davis 6-4 4-6 15-13. :wacko:

Zverev the Younger has been dumped out by Chung 5-7 7-6 (7-3) 2-6 6-3 6-0. A bagel in the last set against the world number 53. :doh:

Kerber v Sugarpova is on next.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kerber takes the first set 6-1. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kerber hammers Sugarpova 6-1 6-3.

Rusedski predicted Sharapova to win. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Berdych beats Del Potro 6-3 6-3 6-2.

Gasquet v Fed is on now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed breaks and leads 3-1 in the first set. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a backhand up the line from Fed. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And again straight after! Three set points.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gasquet double faults on the second of them. Feederer takes the first set 6-2. :scarf:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Set point for Fed!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gasquet goes long and Fed takes the second set 7-5! :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed breaks and leads 2-0 in the third set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer flukes one at the net. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Gasquet gets the break back. :o

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Match point for the Old Man!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a backhand up the line from Gasquet.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Backhand up the line from Fed, a second match point.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer wins 6-2 7-5 6-4! :bow:

Fucsovics next for him.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Edmund leads Seppi 2-1. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal beats Schwartzmann 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-3.

Cilic next for him.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Edmund beats Seppi 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 6-2 6-3!

Kyrgios or Dimitrov next for him.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Edmund beats Seppi 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 6-2 6-3!

Kyrgios or Dimitrov next for him.

I think either will be too much for him but he’s had a great tournament

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Dimitrov was serving for the match but gets broken back, in the fourth set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

On to another tie-break. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three match points for Dimitrov!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two remaining.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a pass on the run!

Dimitrov wins 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 7-6 (7-4)!

Kyrgios. :lol:

He'll be swearing a bit more now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer leads 6-4 7-6 (7-3) and is up a break in the third set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Old Man Fed wins 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 6-2.

Berdych next for him.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Djokovic struggling against Chung

Thiem one of the supposed future stars falls flat again being beaten in five sets by Tennys Sandgren

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Djokovic out in straight sets to Chung

Nadal clear favourite now

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It doesn't really affect Nadal at this point.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

It doesn't really affect Nadal at this point.

It means not having to potentially face Djokovic in the final.

And he will be in the final considering his own barrier to it is Marin Cilic and Grigor Dimitrov

On the other hand I had him down as a certainty for this title even before today. This just cements that. Federer played out of his skin to beat him last year but ultimately especially at 36 he isn’t at the level of a fully fit Nadal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

He has been getting the better of Djokovic recently anyway. Plus hardly a realistic expectation for Djokovic to make the final in his first real tournament for many months.

Dimitrov pushed Nadal to deep in the fifth last year and although he had a lot of troubles throughout the year, I think he has come through that and is far better for it having won the WTF.

Federer beat Nadal four times last year. it's Nadal that hasn't been on the level of a Federer really, at this point it's obvious his age is irrelevant.

Unless Nadal figures a way out to stop Federer hitting through his backhand, on this fast court I don't think he can win. Should they meet.

Granted I did say similar things during the US Open but whether it benefits Nadal or not is too early to say.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Er Edmund is up two sets and a break to one.

Me. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Edmund wins! :haha:

[Master Splinter]

Wow!!!

Edmund always seemed liked a pretty basic player, but he's obviously improved his fitness and the backhand and serve look far better. If he can continually get time on the forehand, it's an absolute bastard of a shot.

British number one :bow:.

Muzza :rose:.

[Master Splinter]

Dimitrov also fully justifying his world number three position.

Courier trolling Tiger Tim.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Best South African on tour.

Anderson. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal retires hurt in the fifth. :rose:

[selassie]

Wow!!!

Edmund always seemed liked a pretty basic player, but he's obviously improved his fitness and the backhand and serve look far better. If he can continually get time on the forehand, it's an absolute bastard of a shot.

British number one :bow:.

Muzza :rose:.

He's not really British though, he's born in South Africa.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Chung beats Dolph Lundgren or whatever his name is 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-3. :bow:

Halep beat Pliskova 6-3 6-2.

She'll play Kerber next as she beat Keys 6-1 6-2. :lol:

[GP]

Tennys Sandgren

Wait wait wait, his name is Tennys?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

His parents knew.

Also, Old Man Fed beat Berdych 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 6-4. :bow:

Berdych was 2-5 up in the first set. :doh:

[Master Splinter]

Kerber v Halep is ridiculous.

Currently 6-6 in the third set. Both have served for the match and saved match points.

The standard of play, especially in this set, has been vintage Nadal v Djokovic levels of inhuman athleticism.

[Master Splinter]

Halep finally wins 6-3 4-6 9-7!!

Incredible match.

There'll be a new ladies Aussie Open champion and a new Grand Slam winner.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Well done Halep, finally getting it together?

[Master Splinter]

They're both nearly women up to this point. Wozniacki because of her conservative game and Halep because of her mentality in the big moments.

If Halep doesn't get it together now, she surely never will. But a post-Slam mega slump is almost certainly on the cards if you look at all the recent winners in the women's game not named named Sugarpova or Serena.

[Master Splinter]

The tie to decide who Federer will despatch in the final coming up.

[Master Splinter]

Cilic up a break at 4-2.

[Master Splinter]

Cilic takes the first set 6-2.

[Master Splinter]

Into a tie-break in the second set.

[Master Splinter]

Cilic ends up winning 6-2 7-6 (7-4) 6-2.

Cilic far too good for Edmund today. Very solid and his serve was immense.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed wins 6-1 5-2 as Chung retires hurt.

[HCZ]

Fed wins 6-1 5-2 as Chung retires hurt.

Federer really needs to up his first serve percentage, it’s all over the place at the moment

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wozniacki took the first set 7-6 (7-2).

[HCZ]

Wozniacki took the first set 7-6 (7-2).

Honest question, are you remotely interested in women’s tennis.

I get some guys say to me it’s easy on the eyes, even if that’s true it’s not easy on the ears

Plus Wozniacki hasn’t aged well and Halep is well.....

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Yeah.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Halep takes the second set 6-3. :popcorn:

[HCZ]

Yeah.

Fair enough, I can’t say I’m remotely interested in women’s sport full stop. Given men are both quicker and stronger it feels like you’re watching an inferior product (a bit like the BDO being inferior to the PDC but less for financial reasons)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

10 minute break with the heat rule being used.

I think it will be tomorrow too.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

A lot of breaks traded but Halep now breaks to lead 4-3.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wozniacki breaks back. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great point.

Championship point for Wozniacki!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wozniacki wins 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-4 to win the Australian Open and her first slam! :o

[HCZ]

Wozniacki wins 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-4 to win the Australian Open and her first slam! :o

It’s only taken her almost nine years after reaching her first final :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Honing her craft. :bow:

[HCZ]

Now tomorrow we will see if Federer can take his grand slam tally to 20 and match Djokovic’s record of 6 Australian open titles or whether Cilic can match his feat in New York in 2014.

The only time Federer has lost a GS final to an oponent who wasn’t Nadal or Djokovic (Nadal 6 times and Djokovic 3 times) was when he lost to Juan Martin Del Potro in the 2009 US open (and that was more how Federer had let Del Potro get under his skin with a few cynical tactics).

Cilic took Federer to the cleaners the last time they played best of five on hard court .
But different type of hard court surface in Melbourne, and Federer handedly dealt with him in the Masters final

Federer will drop a set and I suspect it will be the first set, but will come back to win in four.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Roof is closed. :lol:

Rusedski says it's only 38 degrees, leave it open!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Players are out on court.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Break point for Federer!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed breaks and leads 1-0 in the first set! :lol:

Cilic smashed it in to the net. :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed with the dropshot return. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three break points for Fed!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer breaks again and leads 3-0 in the first set!

Sachin is there. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

His groundstrokes are ridiculous. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Wilander thinks this is a good thing for Cilic. :sarcy:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

He's on the board!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic is serving to stay in the first set at 1-5. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Which he does, Federer to serve it out.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two set points for Fed!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer shits on Cilic 6-2 for the first set. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two break points for Cilic!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

One remaining. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed down the line saves the other.

Deuce.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed holds, 1-1.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Another dropshot return., though this one went deep :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Adv. Federer!

This is ideal for Cilic eh Wilander?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Saved with an ace.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Long game but Cilic holds and leads 1-2 in the second set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a point! :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Break point for Fed again!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Crap return from Fed. Deuce.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic holds, 2-3 he leads.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

At no point during the first set did Cilic panic according to Simon Reed.

Wasn't he 4-0 down in 15 minutes? :unsure:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed with the backhand down the line. :cloud9:

Break point.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Second serve ace down the line! :haha:

Deuce.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic holds, Fed serving to stay in the second set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Second serve ace down the line from Fed now. :lol:

30-30.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Set point for Cilic!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic tamely puts it in to the nets.

There are some berks in the crowd shouting out during points and before serves.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed holds on, 5-5!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer serving to force a second set tie-break.

[HCZ]

Fed holds on, 5-5!

Heading into tie break territory

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And it is tie-break time.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed absolutely leathered that backhand. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

3-3 at the changeover.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two set points for Cilic.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

One remaining.

Cilic has it on his serve.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic takes the second set 7-6 (7-5).

1-1.

[HCZ]

Not good

Federer as I said yesterday needs to really up his first serve percentage

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three break points for Fed!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two remaining.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed breaks and leads 4-2 in the third set! :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a pick-up on the half volley from Fed.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nutmeg from Ciic, sadly it goes long. :lol:

Cilic serving to stay in the third set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

SABR fail.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Which he does, Fed to serve it out.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three set points for the Old Man.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer takes the third set 6-3! One set away from 20.

Ideal scenario for Cilic.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Break point for Fed! :rose:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed breaks and leads 1-0 in the fourth set!

Reed. :haha:

Bitter old twat.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Another break point for Fed.

He has this under control I am sure Wilander would say.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Well saved.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic holds but still trails 1-2.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a dropshot.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three break points for Cilic. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic breaks back, 3-3 in the fourth set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Break point for Fed.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic does well with the smash. Deuce.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic holds on, 3-4.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two break points for Cilic.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

One remaining.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic goes for the big backhand but wide it goes. Deuce.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Second serve ace. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Return winner though. Deuce again.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Adv. Cilic.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic breaks and will serve for the fourth set!

[HCZ]

Federer has completely bottled it

[HCZ]

Only one winner of this match now

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic takes the fourth set 6-3.

On to a fifth. :popcorn:

[HCZ]

This is very reminiscent of Federer-Del Potro

Federer bottled it then and he’s doing so now

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Or it's very like the Nadal match last year.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic blows it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Or maybe not. Deuce.

[HCZ]

Or it's very like the Nadal match last year.

Not at all like that

Federer was never in the second or fourth set in 2017

He was a mini break up in the tie break, and had chances to extend his lead 4th set and break again when Cilic levelled

Federer threw the tie break away and the 4th set away

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Adv. Cilic.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Deuce.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed saves another break point.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed holds on with driving through his backhand. 0-1.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Break point Federer!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer breaks and leads 2-0 in the fifth set! :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Brilliant from Cilic getting down to that one.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-3!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-4 now. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Poor from Cilic. 0-30...

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two break points for Federer!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer breaks again and will serve for the Championship!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

30-0...

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three Championship points!!!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

20!!!!!

Federer beats Cilic 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 3-6 6-1 to defend his title, win the Australian Open for the sixth time and win his 20th Slam overall!!!!

Also his 96th title. :bow:

What a man. :bow:

What a choker. :haha:

[HCZ]

Perhaps an over reaction on my part :haha:

But this should never have gone to five sets

[HCZ]

Just looking at the stats Federer had 36% first serve percentage in fourth set

I reiterate. Should never have gone to five sets.

However

I think I will change what I said about bottling. To lose your serve twice in a row, and then face break point twice on the third but then to hold and then win five out of the next six games.

Roger :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Where's the funny Kia guy?

We have some fat Aussie bloke this time.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Jane Hardlicker?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

:trophy:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer ends up crying. :bow:

[HCZ]

Federer ends up crying. :bow:

I’d be crying if I turned what should have been routine straight sets victory into a five setter

Dude where’s my serve

[McNamara That Ghost...]

He got it back in the fifth set, again.

[HCZ]

I’m just messing. Most players Federers age are retired apart from exhibition matches

I know Jimmy Connors hung around for ages but certainly wasn’t achieving what Fed was

But more than that has hung around and actually improved the key area in his game which was letting him down, his backhand. It was that, that won him the AO against Nadal last year. That was the mother of achievements

[HCZ]

He is for me far and away the no1 sportsman of the 21st century

[Globalgunner]

Best decision he made was to skip the tour and just show up for the big matches. It will probably see him winning things till he is almost 40.

Still love Connors though....he was a mans man, an animal who just wanted to devour his prey. How come he is hardly seen these days. I hope he is healthy?

Federer is the Brock Lesnar of the ATP. No insult intended. He is just incredible.

[Xhaka Can’t]

He is for me far and away the no1 sportsman of the 21st century

I’m trying to think of any sportsman that surpasses him in my lifetime.

I can’t.

[HCZ]

Yep Last year was pretty amazing for him, winning Miami and Indian Wells as well as AO and Wimbledon

As you say, I think skipping a lot of the events (and most notably Roland Garros) is a smart move on his part

He was the favourite in New York as well but I always thought that was a tournament too far for him. He struggled against Tiafoe (one for the future) and Yuhzny.

I don’t know enough about WWE to even get the Brock Lesnar comparison

[Globalgunner]

Yep Last year was pretty amazing for him, winning Miami and Indian Wells as well as AO and Wimbledon

As you say, I think skipping a lot of the events (and most notably Roland Garros) is a smart move on his part

He was the favourite in New York as well but I always thought that was a tournament too far for him. He struggled against Tiafoe (one for the future) and Yuhzny.

I don’t know enough about WWE to even get the Brock Lesnar comparison

The only meaningful comparison is that Lesnar only shows up for about 20 events a year not the weekly grind that all the other wrestlers have to endure. I hear it is in his contract. Lesnar is no legend....except perhaps in his own mind.

[HCZ]

I assumed the whole sport was a sham anyway. It’s like the Undertaker never losing at Wrestlemania or whatever it is despite the fact he’s probably older than my dad (who is 67).

Again I’m not talking with any kind of authority here.

[Globalgunner]

Wrestling is pure theatre. As real as the Big Bang theory.

[HCZ]

Wrestling is pure theatre. As real as the Big Bang theory.

One of my brothers guilty pleasures, so anything I know about it are from him or having to watch the review show of a weekend

It was never my thing, but it was amusing at times and I did love the fact that it never took itself too seriously.

Did you see the show where Vince McMahon beats on verbally and physically a guy dressed as Stan Kroenke. It was to do with Kroenke being a dick over hosting rights for the WWE when it appeared in Denver (or wanted to).

Big deal was made out of the fact that Kroenkes actual first name is Enos

[Globalgunner]

One of my brothers guilty pleasures, so anything I know about it are from him or having to watch the review show of a weekend

It was never my thing, but it was amusing at times and I did love the fact that it never took itself too seriously.

Did you see the show where Vince McMahon beats on verbally and physically a guy dressed as Stan Kroenke. It was to do with Kroenke being a dick over hosting rights for the WWE when it appeared in Denver (or wanted to).

Big deal was made out of the fact that Kroenkes actual first name is Enos

You can see how real it is that Donald Trump once came on and beat McMahon up on his own show, " Battle of the Billionaires". Trump won bigly. McMahon`s wife, Linda is also currently a member of Trumps White house cabinet....or some big shot adviser

[Ralpheroo72]

I’m trying to think of any sportsman that surpasses him in my lifetime.

I can’t.

What about Rocky Marciano?

[The Wengerbabies]

Federer :bow: