Running tennis thread 2016 / 2017

I think I like the Australian Open as much or more as any slam. When I'm up here freezing my ass off in Minnesota, I live for when they start talking about invoking the 'heat policy' in Melbourne. Also, I do a pretty good Australian accent.

 

Used to love getting home from work at 1 a.m. and then being able to watch live action for a couple of hours.

Can hardly make it past midnight these days, however. But Jankovic and Kuzy put on a nice 3-hour and 40-minute marathon last night. Almost unheard of for a women's match to go that long.

 

Last night before bed, I was watching Venus against some Chinese girl. The Chinese girl claimed that she had never seen Venus Williams play. Venus Williams, who has played in slams since 199-fucking-7.

It showed, too, in a 6-1, 6-0 (and the one was very casual) that was over in less than an hour. It was fun to watch, though. Normally it's Serena delivering the kind of beatings that make you want to yell "Run bitch! Run for your life!" to her opponent through the TV.

 

The future of U.S. men's tennis is coming, but not this year.

 

I'm digging this split-screen with Murray and Wawrinka. Both are getting battles. Wawrinka is in a second-set tiebreak and Murray is down in the third set at 1-1.

 

Wow! Murray goes down! This is all setting up nicely for one more hurrah for Roger, who just won the second set against Nishikori after losing the first in a tiebreak.

 

BTW, this is 2017, is't it?

 

Roger's rolling now -- wins the third 6-1. 46 winners to Nishikori's 24 for the match so far, and 12 aces.

 

Well, since I'm up...

Nishikori makes a stand and sends it to five. Getting really good now.

 

Roger finishes it off with a powerful love game (featuring his 24th ace and his 83rd winner to 42 for Nishikori) for a 6-3 set win. Is it wrong to call him the favorite now with Djoker and Murray out?

 

And both No. 1 seeds go down in the same night/day (I get so confused by the time difference). Coco Vandeweghe (Kiki's niece) absolutely blasted Kerber 6-2, 6-3. Just saw where it's the first time in the tournament's history both top seeds have been ousted before the quarterfinals, and the first time both defending champions have gone out before the quarters.