Australian Open - so far

 Well I didn’t manage to do my daily blog like I had planned, but what a tournament it has been!it has started of really positive and I was super happy as my personal favourites Venus and Serena Williams and Heather Watson all did really well to reach round two. 

Then both Heather Watson and Venus Williams went out in the first round and that was very disappointing to say the least, however I was still enjoying have Serena Williams and Rafa Nadal in the tournament.

Serena had been doing really well and seemed super fit and was serving well and chasing down incredible balls. Then yesterday she had a semi final match with Naomi Osaka and she started of reasonably well. 

Then all of a sudden her serve started to fail to her and then she started making all these unforced errors. It was all rather painful to watch and across the court their stood Naomi Osaka the younger and fitter version of Serena. 

In my heart in knew it would be a big stretch for Serena to win this tournament. As really and truly age is not on her side at 39, she fitness level is different and as I have watched her for over 20 years I know she cannot be at the top forever I don’t want to stop believing that shed can still win Grand Slams. 

Rafael Nadal was two sets up and ended up losing it in five sets! That too was a super shock but I am also confident that Rafa will come back and do better next time.

So  Naomi Osaka will take on American Jennifer Brady in the final and I wish her well. Naomi is working hard and showing all the traits of a champion.

Australian Open 2021 day 1

 So tennis is back! Serena Williams  played her first match in about 4 months and was  energetic and fit! But as we know with Serena it is all about the mind!

 Yes she got first round out of the way very easily but as we know with Serena the further into the slam she goes  for some reason mentally it becomes a problem.

I would love Serena to win her 24tth slam but time is really not on her side.. COVID-19 has really been a disaster for people and sports men and women. Hopefully will be  tournament that Serena wins her 24 title and the pressure will be off. 

Elsewhere Venus got a really excellent win! I honestly think it’s amazing that Venus has the motivation and stamina to keep going at 40! 

I have wanted Venus to retire for years because I didn’t want her to tarnish her legacy however she keeps proving sceptics like me wrong. 

Naomi Osaka got a very good first round win, I am beginning to like her style of play more.I suppose the day Venus and Serena retire she will be on of  minority players carry on the good work of Venus and  Serena. 

Australian Open 2016 - Men's draw

This year winner was fairly predictable to say least! Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray in straight sets. This was a match that Andy got soundly beaten the first set but had opportunities to break in the second and third set and he could not take them. 

This is now Novak's eleventh Grand Slam and it's only a couple years ago he only had five Grand Slams. Now he is only six behind Roger Federer to equal the record! 

There where no real surprises in the men's draw other than Rafal Nadal going out in the first round. I think Rafa can still win a couple more Grand Slams but he has to want to break the record to have any chance of winning more Grand Slams. 

Roger Federer did well but he does not have the energy to win Grand Slams in the best of five sets. However he still doing well enough to make to the semi - finals. 

Australian Open 2016 - Women draw review

Well the Australian Open 2016 is now over and the winner of the women's draw   was Angelique Kerber. She beat Serena Williams in three sets. 

It was unexpected result everyone including me thought that Serena would win this in straight sets! But Angelique Kerber had other ideas and her serve and return of serve is what won her the match. 

Angelique's serve was reasonably impressive and her never give up attitude was incredible! Whereas Serena lacked match fitness and found it difficult to stay in points. 

So I believe that Angelique was the rightful winner and Serena lack of matches plus pressure of breaking Steffi Graf's 22 Grand Slams title is making even harder for Serena to concentrate.

Elsewhere in the Women's draw British/Hungarian player Johanna Konta played well and reached the quarters finals and I am sure she has won some tier one titles then she will have a realistic chance of winning a Grand Slam.

Whereas it was another disappointing Australian Open for Heather Watson an as she went out in the first round again. 

I really think for Heather this her make or break year and even for retain her become British number one is going to be a mammoth task. However maybe possible but is really going to require to have a complete change of mindset. 

Review of the Australian Open from the sofa!

This years Australian Open was interesting to say the least. The adverse weather conditions meant players where playing tennis in forty two degrees heat. 

These weather conditions lasted for almost the first week of the slam and resulted in players getting dehydrated, vomiting or some even passing out. 

The second week started with a shock when the women's favourite for title Serena Williams was beating by Ana Ivanovic. 

Serena's exit of the tournament was closely followed by Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka's exits. This ultimately lead to Li Na beating Dominika Cibulkova in the final. 

The men's draw was much more stable and than the women's. It was only final that had me most surprised when Stanislas Wawrinka beat Rafael Nadal. 

The Aussie fans where particularly vocal in the men's final and had some point sections in the crowd where booing Rafael Nadal for his injury time out. Which I thought was particularly unpleasant and was totally uncalled for. 

Some of the men's matches where played until 01.30 in the morning which I thought was a little strange. 

Overall I was surprised by wins of Li Na and Stanislas Wawrinka which I did not see coming. I guess that is why I love tennis because sometimes it can be unpredictable. 

However I can bet a bottom dollar that the players who under performed at this tournament will have a bigger impact in the remaining Gram Slams. 

Australian Open - Preview

The Australian Open starts tonight and it is the first grand slam of the tennis calendar. 

In the women's draw Serena Williams is the hot favourite to take the title. As was the case last year but Victoria Azarenka ended up winning it. 

This year barring injury I can't imagine Serena not winning this title. Outside of Serena, Victoria Azarenka could still retain her title.  

Elsewhere Heather Watson made it to the main draw after winning three qualifying matches. 

Her first round is against the former top five player Daniela Hantuchova. This will be a tough match for Heather but if she keeps her unforced errors down she will prevail.

Laura Robson faces 18th and Wimbledon semi-finalist Kirsten Flipkens in the first round. 

This will be tough match for Laura especially as she is recovering from a wrist injury. 

 

The men's draw is a little more open than the women. As there is a number of men that can realistically win the title. 

Last years champion Novak Djokovic has the ability to retain his title. US Open champion Rafael Nadal has a big shot at this title but he has a very tough draw. 

Roger Federer probably as an outside chance of winning but personally I think it is an outside shot. 

Lastly the current Wimbledon champion Andy Murray as a chance at this title. However he did spend the latter part of the year injured so I am not sure if he is match fit. 

My prediction is that Serena Williams will win the women's title and Novak Djokovic will win the men's title. 

What are your predictions?