AUSTRALIAN OPEN, Melbourne, ATP GRAND SLAM

[britbox]

Clinic by Nadal. Zverev up next. I think we'll see a match.

 

[britbox]

Results from the Australian Open Men's Singles Round 2 matches on Thursday

9-Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Marco Baghdatis (Greece) 6-3 6-1 6-3
8-Dominic Thiem (Austria) beat Jordan Thompson (Australia) 6-2 6-1 6-7(6) 6-4
Benoit Paire (France) beat Fabio Fognini (Italy) 7-6(3) 4-6 6-3 3-6 6-3
Denis Istomin (Uzbekistan) beat 2-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 7-6(8) 5-7 2-6 7-6(5) 6-4
24-Alexander Zverev (Germany) beat Frances Tiafoe (U.S.) 6-2 6-3 6-4
20-Ivo Karlovic (Croatia) beat Andrew Whittington (Australia) 6-4 6-4 6-4
6-Gael Monfils (France) beat Alexandr Dolgopolov (Ukraine) 6-3 6-4 1-6 6-0
11-David Goffin (Belgium) beat Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) 6-4 6-0 6-3
3-Milos Raonic (Canada) beat Gilles Muller (Luxembourg) 6-3 6-4 7-6(4)
21-David Ferrer (Spain) beat Ernesto Escobedo (U.S.) 2-6 6-4 6-4 6-2
15-Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) beat Chung Hyeon (South Korea) 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4
13-Roberto Bautista (Spain) beat Yoshihito Nishioka (Japan) 6-2 6-3 6-3
25-Gilles Simon (France) beat Rogerio Dutra Silva (Brazil) 6-4 6-1 6-1
32-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat Donald Young (U.S.) 7-5 6-3 6-0
30-Pablo Carreno (Spain) beat Kyle Edmund (Britain) 6-2 6-4 6-2
18-Richard Gasquet (France) beat Carlos Berlocq (Argentina) 6-1 6-1 6-1

 

[britbox]

8-Dominic Thiem (Austria) beat Jordan Thompson (Australia) 6-2 6-1 6-7(6) 6-4

 

[britbox]

15-Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) beat Chung Hyeon (South Korea) 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4

 

[britbox]

Denis Istomin (Uzbekistan) beat 2-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 7-6(8) 5-7 2-6 7-6(5) 6-4

 

[britbox]

Order of Play - Friday

 

[britbox]

I really would like to have watched more of that match. Cahill was saying that it looked closer on court than the scoreline. I think Frances is making headway.

Mats Wilander was saying on Eurosport that the Americans regard him as having the biggest potential upside of the young guns.

 

[Cosmo]

Didn't stay up after Djokovic won the 3rd set - apparently I should have!
Wow - condolences to his fans

 

[britbox]

Didn't stay up after Djokovic won the 3rd set - apparently I should have!
Wow - condolences to his fans

I think everyone and their dog thought it was a done deal after the third. I know I did. Draw is wide open. Something tells me that Murray doesn't win this comp.

 

[isabelle]

atrocious loss for Nole, he should fire Pepe Imaz and put his act together, sorry for his fans especially Billie !!!

 

[britbox]

9-Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Marco Baghdatis (Greece) 6-3 6-1 6-3

 

[Carol]

Baghdatis apparently complaining the the ump that he can hear Uncle Toni before he serves.

He was complaying about the surface (like Verdasco did) saying that the balls go crazy all around. Rafa also has said after the match that to play at the day time or night everything works very different and he had to adapt how to play

 

[Carol]

looks like Zverev would beat Nadal if he's on form. Was there to see him play on front row seat today and boy, he hits it hard and clean. The guy can go either direction from either side with ease, is fast and very very fit. can't think of many ways for Nadal to hurt him really.

What about if Nadal is on form?

 

[mrzz]

Ok, Nadal fans will hate me, but given what both players have been showing the last, say, six months, if Zverev is playing fine he will eat Nadal alive. I saw long stretches of both Nadal matches, both were played at a fairly low pace, with a lot of short balls by all sides. Zverev is playing way faster and harder than that.

Yes, in the past Nadal dealt with a lot of big hitters. But he was faster then, and he himself could hit a faster and deeper ball. It wont be 2013 Nadal that will show up. Can he still win it? Yes, he knows how to win tennis matches, maybe better than anyone else in the game. But he might not have the tools anymore to deal with a big hitter, at least with a good one.

So, if both players put their current best on court, I put my money on a straight sets demolition by Zverev.

 

[Federberg]

Ok, Nadal fans will hate me, but given what both players have been showing the last, say, six months, if Zverev is playing fine he will eat Nadal alive. I saw long stretches of both Nadal matches, both were played at a fairly low pace, with a lot of short balls by all sides. Zverev is playing way faster and harder than that.

Yes, in the past Nadal dealt with a lot of big hitters. But he was faster then, and he himself could hit a faster and deeper ball. It wont be 2013 Nadal that will show up. Can he still win it? Yes, he knows how to win tennis matches, maybe better than anyone else in the game. But he might not have the tools anymore to deal with a big hitter, at least with a good one.

So, if both players put their current best on court, I put my money on a straight sets demolition by Zverev.

Have to agree. Zverev has to be the favourite in this match

 

[teddytennisfan]

"britbox, post: 41145, member: 2"]Denis Istomin (Uzbekistan) beat 2-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 7-6(8) 5-7 2-6 7-6(5) 6-4

==========================

bsed on what i saw -- ISTOMIN really just played better and was more consistent than NOLE. and clearly was very prepared for the battle.

NOLE SEEMED TO BE still having lingering doubts about the state of his game

but that is really nothing unusual even among the best at some point in their careers.


NONETHELESS -- NOLE fought well -- and has nothign to be ashamed about!

congrats to DENNIS -- for what has to be a superb win over one of the legnds of tennis!

 

[Denis]

thanks for the videos @britbox they are working over here!

 

[Denis]

Have to agree. Zverev has to be the favourite in this match

Looking forward to that one, haven't seen zverev play that much. It took him five sets to beat Haase tho, so I'm still putting my money on Nadal.

 

[Carol]

Ok, Nadal fans will hate me, but given what both players have been showing the last, say, six months, if Zverev is playing fine he will eat Nadal alive. I saw long stretches of both Nadal matches, both were played at a fairly low pace, with a lot of short balls by all sides. Zverev is playing way faster and harder than that.

Yes, in the past Nadal dealt with a lot of big hitters. But he was faster then, and he himself could hit a faster and deeper ball. It wont be 2013 Nadal that will show up. Can he still win it? Yes, he knows how to win tennis matches, maybe better than anyone else in the game. But he might not have the tools anymore to deal with a big hitter, at least with a good one.

So, if both players put their current best on court, I put my money on a straight sets demolition by Zverev.

Bah, we use to see and know the Roger's fans wishes and how much they dislike Nadal but they never can change the past as more as it hurts them. The present? we'll see, I think Zverev is a very good player and even that I don't see him playing to "ring the bell" I'm sure it will be a tough match but I see Rafa very motived and if he is on form I have not any doubt he will win
Enjoy!

 

[mrzz]

Bah, we use to see and know the Roger's fans wishes and how much they dislike Nadal but they never can change the past as more as it hurts them. The present? we'll see, I think Zverev is a very good player and even that I don't see him playing to "ring the bell" I'm sure it will be a tough match but I see Rafa very motived and if he is on form I have not any doubt he will win
Enjoy!

Carol, people can judge things objectively, or at least get close to it. For example, I also think that Federer will lose to Berdych. I hope not, I will root for a Federer win, but I think it is unlikely. I could give a long answer, but unfortunately right now it is impossible.

Oh, and thanks for the video. Fantastic match, that AUS Open final. Classic rallies there.