WTA P/ATP 250 Sydney 1/4-1/12/2013

[Ti-Amie]

SCHEDULE - THURSDAY, 10 JANUARY, 2013

KEN ROSEWALL ARENA start 11:00 am

M Bhupathi (IND) / D Nestor (CAN) vs [4] M Mirnyi (BLR) / H Tecau (ROU) - ATP
[Q] R Harrison (USA) vs J Benneteau (FRA) - ATP

Not Before 2:30 PM
[1] A Radwanska (POL) vs [4] N Li (CHN) - WTA
D Cibulkova (SVK) vs [2] A Kerber (GER) - WTA

Not Before 7:30 PM
B Tomic (AUS) vs J Nieminen (FIN) - ATP
[8] M Granollers (ESP) vs [3] A Seppi (ITA) - ATP

GRANDSTAND start 12:00 PM

Not Before 12:00 PM
D Istomin (UZB) vs K Anderson (RSA) - ATP
[1] S Errani (ITA) / R Vinci (ITA) vs D Jurak (CRO) / K Marosi (HUN) - WTA
N Petrova (RUS) / K Srebotnik (SLO) vs [2] A Hlavackova (CZE) / L Hradecka (CZE) - WTA

[mmmm8]

RESULTS
Men´s Singles - Second Round
[Q] R Harrison (USA) d [1] J Isner (USA) 64 64
[3] A Seppi (ITA) d [WC] J Millman (AUS) 62 36 63
D Istomin (UZB) d [4] F Verdasco (ESP) 63 63
B Tomic (AUS) d [5] F Mayer (GER) 76(4) 62
J Benneteau (FRA) d [6] R Stepanek (CZE) 0-0 40/15 ret. (back)
[8] M Granollers (ESP) d F Fognini (ITA) 62 76(4)
K Anderson (RSA) d F Lopez (ESP) 63 64
J Nieminen (FIN) d [LL]* I Klec (SVK) 63 61

*[LL] I Klec (SVK) replaced [2] G Simon (FRA) - neck

Men´s Doubles - Quarterfinals
[1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) d J Benneteau (FRA) / M Llodra (FRA) 63 62
D Marrero (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) d [2] L Paes (IND) / R Stepanek (CZE) W/O (Stepanek - back)
[3] M Granollers (ESP) / M Lopez (ESP) d J Chardy (FRA) / L Kubot (POL) 36 64 13-11

Men´s Doubles - First Round
M Bhupathi (IND) / D Nestor (CAN) d [WC] M Ebden (AUS) / M Matosevic (AUS) 36 76(2) 10-8

Women´s Singles – Quarterfinals
(1) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. Roberta Vinci (ITA) 64 75
(2) Angelique Kerber (GER) d. (Q) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 63 75
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. (3) Sara Errani (ITA) 62 61
(4) Li Na (CHN) d. (Q) Madison Keys (USA) 46 76(2) 62

Women´s Doubles – Quarterfinals
(1) Errani/Vinci (ITA/ITA) d. Groenefeld/Peschke (GER/CZE) 75 26 18-16
(2) Hlavackova/Hradecka (CZE/CZE) d. Panova/Voskoboeva (RUS/KAZ) 62 64
Petrova/Srebotnik (RUS/SLO) d (4) Huber/Mirza (USA/IND) 62 75

[Justme]

I wasn't sure if the extreme heat in parts of Australia (see the World News Random thread) was having any effect on tennis, and potentially on the Australian Open. It was apparently quite a factor in Sydney yesterday.

http://tennis.si.com/2013/01/08/heat...res-australia/

And Kuznetsova and Wozniacki played almost four hours in the heat yesterday. I'm wondering if there will be any residual effect next week from players who had to battle through the heat this week. (And big kudos to Li Na, who's won eight straight matches, despite having to travel and transition from 40 degree Shenzhen to 90 degree Sydney.)

I'm not sure whether to trust the forecast the Weather Network is giving me for Melbourne. THey're forecasting a high of 35 C Friday, 25 C Saturday and then only 16 C Sunday, with 20 mm of rain. Then very comfortable temperatures for the first few days of play, before spiking above 30 again Thursday/Friday.

I use the Bureau of Meteorology website to check the weather usually as I find it's more reliable.

http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/melbourne.shtml

[Martini4me]

[B][COLOR="#0000CD"]
[1] A Radwanska (POL) vs [4] N Li (CHN) - WTA

Two of the second-tier favourites for the Australian Open are off to great starts this year--eight consecutive wins each (okay, one by efor ARad). Shame they had to meet in the semis here.

[Miles]

Two of the second-tier favourites for the Australian Open are off to great starts this year--eight consecutive wins each (okay, one by efor ARad). Shame they had to meet in the semis here.

It's too much tennis. Watch one or both flame out next week.

[Charlie02123]

It's too much tennis. Watch one or both flame out next week.

I'm conflicted. With so many matches and the crazy heat, it definitely seems like a scenario where the SF loser might be better off. However, Radwanska's level barely dips at all even when she's near death, and Li is a rhythm player. When she made the AO final in 2011 it was after winning Sydney. She'll also be a bit less weary of the heat because her first tournament was in a winter climate.

I can still see both players doing well.

[Miles]

Aga was just way too creative today for Li Na Li.

[Scotty]

I can't put my finger on the reason why, but I really don't enjoy watching Kerber. So hooray for Domi taking her out. Domi's skirt was as short as ever, and I imagine she'll fall right into Radwanska's trap in the final (keep the ball in play, toss in a few angles and changes of pace, and watch opponent's UEs pile up).

[Ti-Amie]

SCHEDULE - FRIDAY, 11 JANUARY, 2013

KEN ROSEWALL ARENA start 11:00 am
[4] M Mirnyi (BLR) / H Tecau (ROU) vs D Marrero (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) - ATP

Not Before 1:30 PM
J Benneteau (FRA) vs K Anderson (RSA) - ATP

Not Before 3:00 PM
[3] A Seppi (ITA) vs B Tomic (AUS) - ATP

Not Before 7:30 PM
[1] A Radwanska (POL) vs D Cibulkova (SVK) - WTA
[1] S Errani (ITA) / R Vinci (ITA) vs N Petrova (RUS) / K Srebotnik (SLO) - WTA

GRANDSTAND start TBA

Not before 4.00pm
[1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) vs [3] M Granollers (ESP) / M Lopez (ESP) - ATP

[mmmm8]

I can't put my finger on the reason why, but I really don't enjoy watching Kerber. So hooray for Domi taking her out. Domi's skirt was as short as ever, and I imagine she'll fall right into Radwanska's trap in the final (keep the ball in play, toss in a few angles and changes of pace, and watch opponent's UEs pile up).

I like the logical progression in that sentence

[mmmm8]

RESULTS
Women's Singles – Semifinals
(1) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (4) Li Na (CHN) 63 64
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. (2) Angelique Kerber (GER) 62 46 63

Women's Doubles – Semifinals
(1) Errani/Vinci (ITA/ITA) d. Jurak/Marosi (CRO/HUN) 75 64
Petrova/Srebotnik (RUS/SLO) d. (2) Hlavackova/Hradecka (CZE/CZE) 64 63


Men's Singles - Quarterfinals
[3] A Seppi (ITA) d [8] M Granollers (ESP) 64 75
J Benneteau (FRA) d [Q] R Harrison (USA) 64 62
K Anderson (RSA) d D Istomin (UZB) 64 63
B Tomic (AUS) d J Nieminen (FIN) 67(6) 64 62

Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals
[4] M Mirnyi (BLR) / H Tecau (ROU) d M Bhupathi (IND) / D Nestor (CAN) 63 64

[Charlie02123]

Yikes. A Rad wins 6-0 6-0.

[Ti-Amie]

SCHEDULE - SATURDAY, 12 JANUARY, 2013

KEN ROSEWALL ARENA start 4:30 pm

[1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) vs [4] M Mirnyi (BLR) / H Tecau (ROU)

Not Before 7:30 PM
K Anderson (RSA) vs B Tomic (AUS)

[munchin]

Yikes. A Rad wins 6-0 6-0.

The headline on CNNSI made me do a spit-take: "Radwanska humiliates Cibulkova to win Sydney"

[mmmm8]

I've seen Cibulkova let people steamroll her before (for example a 0 and 3 beating by Kirilenko a couple years back in Montreal), but a 0 and 0 in the final is pretty special.