Sharapova, is she playing or still injured?, I have to admit I haven't been following tennis much over the last few months.

 

Clearly!:stunned:

 

Anyway, the news is, she's back playing again, but nowhere near her best, unfortunately.

Clearly!:stunned:

 

Anyway, the news is, she's back playing again, but nowhere near her best, unfortunately.

 

I hope she makes a full recovery and gets back on form.

I hope she makes a full recovery and gets back on form.

 

No surprise there!:P

Sharapova <3

Three matches were decided by "injury" today!:stunned:

*Loves to make fun of her*

 

Ahh Justine... WIN THE GAME BITCH.

That Del Potro - Čilić match was pretty nerve wrecking.

The unstoppable, unwanted Nadal force is still alive :(

But Andy Roddick is there, so I'll go for him, he has to beat Nadal :nice:

The unstoppable, unwanted Nadal force is still alive :(

But Andy Roddick is there, so I'll go for him, he has to beat Nadal :nice:

 

It's Murray v Nadal next.;)

Another superb performance from Henin, especially as Wickmayr played extremely well herself.

I also don't think I've ever seen Henin serve better.:cool:

 

Incidentally, Safina has just retired injured!:stunned:

She wouldn't have won the tournament anyway, but even so..........................

Australian Open 2010: Classy Andy Murray destroys giant John Isner to book a place in quarter-finals

 

 

By Mike Dickson

Last updated at 9:16 AM on 24th January 2010

 

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Andy Murray has had to play gutsier matches in his Grand Slam career - think Richard Gasquet at Wimbledon two years ago, or Stanislas Wawrinka in 2009 - but he has probably never played as brilliantly as he did in this Australian Open fourth round.

The 22 year-old Scot gave a masterful display in dismantling giant American John Isner 7-6 6-3 6-2 to make the last eight at Melbourne Park, where he was awaiting the winner of Rafael Nadal's match against another member of the giant brigade, Ivo Karlovic.

If he plays as sharply as he did earlier today then there is little reason to think that he will not be capable of progressing into the semi-finals.

 

Victory: Progress for Murray

 

Murray adopted a strategy of drawing his man into the net and then making sure he had to bend down from his vast height.

 

It was executed to brilliant effect, either through the drop shots or rasping drives directed straight at his feet.

 

At times it was embarrassing how hopeless Isner was at scooping the ball up, and this had such a demoralising effect that it began to sap him in his wider game.

A key was also that Murray managed to get enough balls back off the massive Isner serve and that his own delivery held up under pressure, particularly in an agonisingly tense first set.

'I served really smart and into his body and stayed tough,' said Murray afterwards.

 

'You need to put a lot of first serves in to make sure he doesn't dictate. With the serves I was just trying to get them back. It's been a great start but now it's going to get tougher.

'There are certain things in playing Isner which are like Karlovic, but I think Isner has more variety on his serve.

 

'I focused well, concentrated hard, did everything well, I thought it was a very good performance.'

 

Power point: Andy Murray drills a forehand past John Isner

 

One of the most impressive aspects was his combativeness and poise under pressure: 'I think it's just a maturity thing, you get the experience of knowing when to take certain options and I was pleased with the way I did the things needed today.'

On a fresh morning Murray began at 11am and forced his first break point at 2-2, which was predictably saved by a winner.

 

Towards the end of the first set he looked to be getting discouraged by Isner's booming serves, which were being delivered with awesome consistency, and the British player faced his first crisis at 5-6.

Clearly nervous with Isner taking a swing at the ball, Murray fluffed three groundstrokes and had reason to be pleased that, on the set point forced against him, Isner hit a big forehand marginally wide.

No answer: John Isner

 

Isner had won eight straight matches and eight out of nine tie breaks coming into this match so will have fancied his chances in the breaker, only for Murray to prove mentally the stronger.

The big moment was when Isner delivered a double fault at 3-4, allowing his opponent the leeway to serve it out for 7-4.

 

The crowd were utterly absorbed by this game of cat and mouse, Murray's many drop shots superbly weighted to force the American to stoop low.

Slowly he began to carve open opportunities on the Isner serve, with break points at 2-1 and 3-2 and the dam finally broke at 4-3 when he broke Isner to love.

 

Basically, whenever Murray could get into a tennis match with Isner he usually prevailed.

The American was not quite finished and forced three break points when Murray, slightly tightening up, got into difficulties as he served for the set.

 

Eventually he clinched it with a forehand wide from his opponent, yet another stroke when he tried to cut the margins too much when faced with Murray's brilliant retrieval skills.

The knockout punch was delivered in the fifth game of the third set when Murray played a superb pass and then drilled a backhand winner from at least fifteen feet behind the baseline with the angle seemingly impossible.

Isner was getting so frustrated now that he thrashed his racket into the court, having experienced the kind of fever that many players do when they play Murray and are driven barmy by his varied tactics.

 

Focused: Andy Murray

 

Murray has a 2-7 record against Nadal, and one of their best matches was here three years ago when Murray pushed him close.

 

It was the first time he had played a top player at a Grand Slam.

 

This year he looks more equipped to win a Grand Slam than ever, let alone than he was back then.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-1245645/AUSTRALIAN-OPEN-2010-Andy-Murray-makes-short-work-John-Isner-reach-time.html#ixzz0dX4uJwvb

Wanted Gonzalez to beat Roddick but he lost his way after the debatable point which he lost the fourth set with.

 

Should be a good day of matches especially Verdasco vs Davydenko and Federer vs Hewitt.

The unstoppable, unwanted Nadal force is still alive :(

But Andy Roddick is there, so I'll go for him, he has to beat Nadal :nice:

 

Go Nadal beat Murray! :awesome:

TBH, I don't really give a fuck about Murray.

He's dull.

TBH, I don't really give a fuck about Murray.

He's dull.

 

But he's a battling Brit!:cool:

Again, I don't care about him. DULL.

This is funny, cause last year Nadal and Murray were the big shiny stars, and neither of them won, well Nadal Aussie, but after that it became crap.

Then Del Potro, now he's out.

 

They make them big for winning a few matches, IMO, they're nothing. Or maybe they just make me feel so bored and annoyed when they're playing :blank: I don't know.

Go Hewitt!!!!!!!!!!

Hewitt is history.

Hewitt is history.

 

He sure is, as he's never beaten Fed in 14 attempts, and that isn't going to change.;)

Again, I don't care about him. DULL.

This is funny, cause last year Nadal and Murray were the big shiny stars, and neither of them won, well Nadal Aussie, but after that it became crap.

Then Del Potro, now he's out.

 

They make them big for winning a few matches, IMO, they're nothing. Or maybe they just make me feel so bored and annoyed when they're playing :blank: I don't know.

 

Maybe for those other guys you mentioned, but not Nadal! He's been either #2 or #1 for years! Murray and Del Potro had their 5 minutes. :snobby:

 

Go Hewitt!!!!!!!!!!

 

+1

I don't care if he's probably never going to win anything again, still love him :heart:

I'm rooting for Roddick against Nadal but I know it's almost hopeless. Maybe there will be a koala-sex miracle, though.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2010: Hewitt fails to "do it".

 

Brilliant Roger Federer brushes Lleyton Hewitt aside to reach quarter-finals

 

 

By Sportsmail Reporter

Last updated at 11:27 AM on 25th January 2010

 

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Roger Federer will play his recent nemesis Nikolay Davydenko in the quarter-finals at the Australian Open after the Swiss brushed aside local hope Lleyton Hewitt.

Hewitt was no match for the world number one who produced a masterclass performance to win 6-2 6-3 6-4 under the lights at Rod Laver Arena.

It was an ominous warning for his rivals, not the least Davydenko who has beaten the Swiss in their previous two meetings.

 

Simply brilliant: Roger Federer celebrates his win over Lleyton Hewitt

 

The in-form Russian has said this week that he is the player the top seeds are scared of, however there was little trepidation in the manner with which Federer swept to victory against the Australian former world number one.

'I am happy to get through because Lleyton is a great competitor,' said Federer who has now beaten the Australian in each of their previous 15 matches.

'He's a champion, you always go through some tough moments against him. I'm on

an incredible run against him.'

Looking forward to his match with Davydenko, Federer added: 'He played very well the last couple of times we've played.

 

Swiss master: Federer plays a forehand in his fourth round clash with Hewitt

 

'I've always had tough ones against him. He's really picked up his game, he used to have issues on serve but now that's gone.

'I just hope I can get the better of him in five-set play.'

Federer dominated on serve against Hewitt and did not allow one break point against his delivery in the first two sets.

That focused the pressure on Hewitt's serve and he was broken in the sixth game

to go behind 4-2.

 

Frustration: Hewitt didn't have the game to live with Federer

 

Federer then served to love before breaking again to take the first set with a ripped forehand cross-court winner.

The second set followed a similar pattern although Federer got his break earlier, in the fourth game, after a costly double fault from Hewitt had allowed him a break point.

 

The Australian was battling hard but was getting little reason for optimism as Federer passed him at will with some stunning strokeplay.

Hewitt tried a last-ditch recovery in the final set when he broke back to level at 4-4, but Federer's class told again as he immediately recovered the advantage before serving out the match.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-1245878/AUSTRALIAN-OPEN-2010-Brilliant-Roger-Federer-brushes-Lleyton-Hewitt-aside-reach-quarter-finals.html#ixzz0dckMVnVf

^ lol, I love the worshipful use of 'brilliant' throughout that.

^ lol, I love the worshipful use of 'brilliant' throughout that.

 

Well Fed is indeed a "brilliant" tennis player, is he not?:rolleyes:

of course, but the reporting is not exactly objective and unbiased. It's like tuning in to ESPN and having the sportscaster announce "Roger Federer won again today, because he is that awesome!'