Running Aussie Open thread

1. Because someone had to start it.

2. And because my second-favorite Russian (Dementieva) comes into the tourney hotter than that sticky stuff they play the tournament on.

Over/under on how many days until we get the obligatory Jelena Jankovic-getting-massaged-on-her-butt-by-a trainer picture?

 

I can post last year's. I saved it

I've got Murray and Serena winning, least in my head.

 

Is Ashley Harkleroad in the women's draw?

As for the men, no way Nadal should be seeded ahead of Federer. Federer is a three-time champion, won the most recent Grand Slam. Both reached the semifinals last year. Nadal has never reached the finals in Australia.

 

I think Ashley's pregnant.

And yes, Nadal should be ahead of Federer. He's the better player or was last season. Hell, you could make a case for Murray deserving to be ahead of Federer, given that he seems to have Fed's number.

 

The players go berserk when a tournament tries to seed based on surface/past performance.

Wimbledon is the only event that can get away with it now. Even the French goes strictly by rankings (which looked really silly with Nadal seeded behind Federer at the French year after year).

 

Federer beat Murray at the US Open final, which was the most recent Grand Slam.

I do think historic performance at an event should count for something at that event. Although, I'm not sure it really matters who is No. 1 and No. 2.

 

And since then, Murray's beaten Federer four straight, to take a 5-2 all-time advantage.

If Murray does it, and I think he's got a better chance than most, I will be bouncing off the walls. 

 

Anybody watching this Lopez-Muller match? Is it live?

 

It's live, FWIW.

 

Longest match (in terms of time) going on. 15-14 Muller in the fifth, No. 27 Lopez serving to keep the match going.

Of course, it's on one of the outside courts, so it looks like a couple guys at a city park. Nice view of the Melbourne skyline, though.

 

Nothing better about attending a session at a pro tennis tournament than these outside courts. Two years ago at Indian Wells, I watched Jankovic destroy some scrub from about 10 feet away and eye level with the court. Then I went over to another court and sat on some bleachers to watch Baghdatis struggle to beat a different scrub in five sets. What a cool experience.

 

Daniela Hantuchova is a first-class hottie and my favorite player on the WTA Tour (with apologies to Ashley Harkleroad). But, damn, watching some of her matches can be like water-torture. About a zillion unforced errors in a two-hour, two-set win over Australian Casey Dellacqua. (13-11 in the first-set tiebreaker.)

For heaven's sake, why does she always have to be so darn tight? Just relax, open up and hit your shots. She's got good strokes, just a major brain cramp at times. Had a GREAT shot to get to the final last year before gagging big-time against Ana Ivanovic. Poor girl.