Australian Open 2023 [Men] - Grand Slam

[Kieran]

He's 35 and having to compete vs kids! I believe Nole has aches & pains all the time like Rafa, but doesn't use them as a crutch when he does lose a match! I wish both would stop it & just play the game! If hurt, don't play! It's just a way of stealing thunder of the players able to beat them IMO! ;-)

Are you sure he doesn’t use it? Hasn’t he gone off court for days on end to distract opponents?

 

[britbox]

I will accept THIS draw ..Rafa should be happy

You think that is an easy draw? It looks tough to me.

 

[the AntiPusher]

You think that is an easy draw? It looks tough to me.

No Sir BB, this is a rough draw but I think he doesn't have to deal with Novak , Tsitispas, FAA , Medvedev until the latter round will give Rafa a good chance to play himself into form like he did last year. Remember what Kelli said, there gonna be some upsets in the early rounds in Nad's draw. That's why I said I will accept the draw, we have seen far easier draws on paper especially for the number #1 seed but we have also seen WORST. IMO

 

[the AntiPusher]

Okay good news, even if you have to get up at a horrid time, suffer, when the tour leaves Aussie, I have to get up Midnight and 1am in the morning for the rest of the year....

It's such a horrible time especially now I'm on the EST.

 

[TheSicilian]

What would Rafa draw be, if Carlos stayed? The same as Ruud’s, I imagine?

What’s the story on Novaks hamstring injury? You can’t play with one of them, especially the way he plays - and they don’t heal fast…

It makes a huge difference for Rafa. Novax at #4 Rublev at #5 next to each in the same quarter so not too much difference. But a tougher draw for sure with Thiem in round 1... Nick or Rune a round or so earlier in the draw. But for Rafa it's a lot of difference he has one hell of a draw to make the final compared to Ruud his first difficult opponent is SF...

As for the hamstring boy who cried wolf as usual. He is building excuse early for every slam these days, Wimbledon he had the "wrist" problem, RG the "mystery" illness, Us open 21 "multiple" injuries etc.

 

[TheSicilian]

I don't need to see it live! It's why I have DTV streams on a loop! Not sure how much longer I'll watch the tour after Nadovic retire! With so many top women falling by the wayside, I have little to no interest! I'm enthusiastic to see how Holger & Carlos progress though! Players like Khachanov, Hurkacz, Shapovalov, & Kyrgios have so disappointed me after looking so good early on!

The tour will improve massively, the kids are not good enough to beat Nadovic, once they go the field is even, anything can happen. CA looked like he could dominate but his body is already letting him down plus FAA seems to have his number. I think the tour post Goats might not be as popular, but it will be far more interesting.

 

[tented]

Has anyone noticed Pablo Carreno Busta is in Novak’s section? An ominous presence for the Monegasque.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

It makes a huge difference for Rafa. Novax at #4 Rublev at #5 next to each in the same quarter so not too much difference. But a tougher draw for sure with Thiem in round 1... Nick or Rune a round or so earlier in the draw. But for Rafa it's a lot of difference he has one hell of a draw to make the final compared to Ruud his first difficult opponent is SF...

As for the hamstring boy who cried wolf as usual. He is building excuse early for every slam these days, Wimbledon he had the "wrist" problem, RG the "mystery" illness, Us open 21 "multiple" injuries etc.

Remember when he had the 'ab tear' at the AO and won? he claims he had a miracle machine to help the ab tear? LOL! I wish I knew the name of this miracle machine as Rafa has suffered multiple ab tears in his career, as Rafa fans we could all chip in a buy one

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Diego Schwartzman is currently dealing with an abductor issue, so far no news he is withdrawing

 

[the AntiPusher]

Remember when he had the 'ab tear' at the AO and won? he claims he had a miracle machine to help the ab tear? LOL! I wish I knew the name of this miracle machine as Rafa has suffered multiple ab tears in his career, as Rafa fans we could all chip in a buy one

Novak had the secret Bootle at the tournament last week. It's hilarious the cameraman took a still photo of someone from the team handing it to the ball kids.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Novak had the secret Bootle at the tournament last week. It's hilarious the cameraman took a still photo of someone from the team handing it to the ball kids.

I think he sleeps with that 'secret bottle' lol!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Fun Fact,

Oldest men's player in the AO draw is Stan Wawrinka 37 years old
Youngest player is Shang Juncheng 17 years old

 

[TheSicilian]

Remember when he had the 'ab tear' at the AO and won? he claims he had a miracle machine to help the ab tear? LOL! I wish I knew the name of this miracle machine as Rafa has suffered multiple ab tears in his career, as Rafa fans we could all chip in a buy one

We are still waiting for the documentary on this incredible machine. If Rafa had a machine that cured injury overnight he would be on at least 30 slams, why didn't he buy one

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

We are still waiting for the documentary on this incredible machine. If Rafa had a machine that cured injury overnight he would be on at least 30 slams, why didn't he buy one

The documentary was supposed to be out by now? still no update? as a medical proffessional I never heard or seen such a machine btw, that cures abdominal tears, though I will be very interested to hear and see a machine that can heal abdominal tears?
Maybe Novak had it built to his own personal specification?

 

[TheSicilian]

Novak had the secret Bootle at the tournament last week. It's hilarious the cameraman took a still photo of someone from the team handing it to the ball kids.

Novax magic potion... Btw this is legit, this guy sells some apple vinegar supplement, it's all very secretive due to lack of sponsorship As for the sniff bottle well the name starts with C and ends with E

 

[TheSicilian]

I use that - it tends to be a few points behind the scoreboard, so I watch the scoreboard on my phone. That might be a problem with my internet feed - I live in the country…

It's a known problem been going on for years. Not sure why it happens, sky nowtv is the same, the official now tv streaming device is up to 30 seconds ahead of other devices. Do you watch on Amazon Firestick?

 

[TheSicilian]

Anyone else having to use Discovery Plus to watch the AO?
I subbed for a month via Amazon Prime..
It's via Europsport

The say it's live matches and on demand..

So far so the qualifying has been live only .
No way I'm staying up all night.
There have been quite a few matches I would have watched.

If there's no on demand then it's poor coverage compared to Amazon's blanket replay capability.

Unfortunately they seem to have a 10 year deal!

Reading reviews, last year's Disco+ AO coverage was a complete sh!tshow - you'd hope they learn, in a year..

It's fine once you get the hang of it. Last year day 1 I could only find a couple courts, but after it became easier. You also get some courts with no commentary & no ads which is great. Not sure if you have BT sport? But they have Eurosport 1 + 2 free now as part of the package tv only though. Also sky have the Uso again, Amazon had way better coverage imo.

 

[Kieran]

It's a known problem been going on for years. Not sure why it happens, sky nowtv is the same, the official now tv streaming device is up to 30 seconds ahead of other devices. Do you watch on Amazon Firestick?

I watch on the web, and it’s really irritating. Fun fact, at last years Australian Open final Discovery was a whole game behind the scoreboard and I didn’t want to spoil it for the missus who was gloomy that Medvedev came back into it in the fifth. At 5-all she was screaming miserably at the screen, while I was sneaking glances at the phone: Rafa was serving at 6-5 there. I had to pretend to be sh!tting myself while at the same time heroically internalising ferocious fist pumps when I saw Rafa won the match - at the same time he sat down on Discovery for the change of ends at 6-5…

 

[Moxie]

BTW where is Moxie? she usually organizers the draw challenge, and lets everyone know, maybe work has got in the way

Hi, yes...I've just got back from Atlanta on an all-consuming shoot. Vaguely looked at the draws. I think there's still time for the draw challenge. Do people want a separate thread for it?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Hi, yes...I've just got back from Atlanta on an all-consuming shoot. Vaguely looked at the draws. I think there's still time for the draw challenge. Do people want a separate thread for it?

If you can do it, yes, I know AP was saying yesterday he could not get his picks through on the draw challenge