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. 

Bank of West Classic - Stanford - Day three

Day three at The Bank of West Classic and Andrea Petkovic beat Naomi Osaka in straight sets. As Naomi best Samantha Stosur in the first round I was expecting this match to be a little more competive. 

But it was not meant to be, Naomi is only sixteen years old and will hopefully have many more years on the tour to get the big wins. 

Sachia Vickery beat Monica Puig in three sets and this was a big win for Sachia who had to play three tough qualifiers to make it to the main draw. 

Sachia is still only a teenager so is gaining valuable experience with every round. 

The shock of the day was Vavara Lepchenko beating Agnieszka Radwanska in three sets. Before this match Vavara had only recorded one win against Agnieszka in there six meetings.

This was a bad loss for Agnieszka who has had a bad year and I don't think the year will get any better for her unless she changes her game strategy and plays a more attacking game. 

Serena Williams beat Karolina Pliskova in straight sets and this was Serena first match back since Wimbledon and it was a good solid win. 

I hoping that she can retain the title she won last year and this would be excellent preparation for the defence of her US Open title.