2019 Australian Open, Melbourne - WTA GRAND SLAM

[britbox]

3 MPs

 

[britbox]

That's it. The Sloane Ranger despatched from the facilities.

 

[tossip]

That's it. The Sloane Ranger despatched from the facilities.

Scone looked bored...

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Damn that's disappointing. Sloane hasn't looked great here but took care of business and looked focused. Started this match well. Her game is still fantastic. Pavlyuchenkova just kept up the pressure though. So instead of Stephens/Kerber we get Pavlyuchenkova/Collins. Good for them. And both will see a huge opportunity to make the semis at least!

Stephens just has not started this year well. 2 early losses before the AO. Can't make the quarters here. Though it's a vast improvement from the first round last year. She'll actually add points.

Not how I wanted either of the night matches to go though. Tough to watch great players not play their best. Really frustrating actually. But that's been the story of Sloane career and the story of most of Fed's last 5 years (he's been 30 plus gives him a bit of a pass).

I want to be happy for and impressed with Tsitsipas and Pavlyuchenkova. But I'm just disappointed. And honestly, they both lucked out in the draw running up against 2 of the more vulnerable top players in the draw. Good for them. That's how it breaks sometimes.

Here's to Halep/Serena being a barn burner of a match. I do want Serena to come through. But I hope Halep can give her a serious fight. Or the other way around if Halep ends up the victor. Both playing well.

 

[AnonymousFan]

I missed the Sloane match, a great opportunity for Collins and her screaming now

 

[kskate2]

Schedule of Play - Day 8: Monday, January 21, 2019

Rod Laver Arena
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Men's Legends Doubles 1st Round
J. McEnroe/ P. McEnroe vs H. Leconte/ T. Woodbridge


Not before 12:00pm AEDT
Women's Singles 4th Round
N. Osaka (4) vs A. Sevastova (13)

Men's Singles 4th Round
A. Zverev (4) vs M. Raonic (16)

Night session - From 7:00pm AEDT
Women's Singles 4th Round
S. Halep (1) vs S. Williams (16)

Men's Singles 4th Round
N. Djokovic (1) vs D. Medvedev (15)

Margaret Court Arena
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Women's Singles 4th Round
M. Keys (17) vs E. Svitolina (6)

Women's Doubles 3rd Round
A. Cornet/ P. Martic vs/ S. Stosur/ S. Zhang

Not before 4:00pm AEDT
Women's Singles 4th Round
G. Muguruza (18) vs Ka. Pliskova (7)

Not before 6:00pm AEDT
Men's Singles 4th Round
P. Carreno Busta (23) vs K. Nishikori (8)

Melbourne Arena
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Mixed Doubles 2nd Round
A. Klepac/ E. Roger-Vasselin vs A. Sharma (WC)/ J. Smith (WC)

Women's Doubles 3rd Round
K. Flipkens (13)/ J. Larsson (13) vs T. Babos (2)/ K. Mladenovic (2)

Women's Doubles 3rd Round
B. Krejcikova (1)/ K. Siniakova (1) vs E. Mertens/ A. Sabalenka

Not before 5:00pm AEDT
Men's Singles 4th Round
B. Coric (11) vs L. Pouille (28)

1573 Arena
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Mixed Doubles 2nd Round
A. Spears (6)/ J. Cabal (6) vs D. Schuurs/ M. Middelkoop

Men's Legends Doubles 1st Round
P. Cash/ M. Woodforde vs M. Bahrami/ M. Philippoussis

Not before 2:00pm AEDT
Men's Doubles 3rd Round
L. Kubot (7)/ H. Zeballos (7) vs B. Ellis (WC)/ A. Popyrin (WC)

Mixed Doubles 2nd Round
M. Martinez Sanchez/ N. Skupski vs J. Moore (WC)/ A. Whittington (WC)

Mixed Doubles 2nd Round
K. Mladenovic/ R. Lindstedt vs B. Mattek-Sands/ J. Murray

Court 3
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Women's Doubles 3rd Round
J. Brady/ A. Riske vs N. Melichar (4)/ K. Peschke (4)

Not before 1:00pm AEDT
Men's Doubles 3rd Round
J. Murray (3)/ B. Soares (3) vs K. Krawietz/ N. Mektic

Men's Doubles 3rd Round
P. Herbert (5)/ N. Mahut (5) vs R. Ram (11)/ J. Salisbury (11)

Men's Doubles 3rd Round
R. Harrison/ S. Querrey vs J. Sock/ J. Withrow

 

[golds girl]

If you had said to me that Collins was going to bagel Kerber to open the match I would have laughed in your face. She's #2 in the world. Semifinalist here last year. Yes. She's a counter puncher and can often have poor matches or poor sets. But... a bagel? Collins won 2 NCAA championships. But that's literally the only thing that shows she can play this well. She hasn't exactly impressed on tour over the last 3 or 4 years. Like, I gave her a chance to win this match. But a bagel is just very surprising.

Damn that's disappointing. Sloane hasn't looked great here but took care of business and looked focused. Started this match well. Her game is still fantastic. Pavlyuchenkova just kept up the pressure though. So instead of Stephens/Kerber we get Pavlyuchenkova/Collins. Good for them. And both will see a huge opportunity to make the semis at least!

Stephens just has not started this year well. 2 early losses before the AO. Can't make the quarters here. Though it's a vast improvement from the first round last year. She'll actually add points.

Not how I wanted either of the night matches to go though. Tough to watch great players not play their best. Really frustrating actually. But that's been the story of Sloane career and the story of most of Fed's last 5 years (he's been 30 plus gives him a bit of a pass).

I want to be happy for and impressed with Tsitsipas and Pavlyuchenkova. But I'm just disappointed. And honestly, they both lucked out in the draw running up against 2 of the more vulnerable top players in the draw. Good for them. That's how it breaks sometimes.

Here's to Halep/Serena being a barn burner of a match. I do want Serena to come through. But I hope Halep can give her a serious fight. Or the other way around if Halep ends up the victor. Both playing well.

I'm always intrigued by Pavlyu. unexpectedly surfacing in opens and upsetting folks and then disappearing for 6 months. Consistency has never really been her thing I guess.

 

[tented]

Schedule of Play - Day 8: Monday, January 21, 2019

Rod Laver Arena
Not before 12:00pm AEDT
Women's Singles 4th Round
N. Osaka (4) vs A. Sevastova (13)

Night session - From 7:00pm AEDT
Women's Singles 4th Round
S. Halep (1) vs S. Williams (16)

Margaret Court Arena
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Women's Singles 4th Round
M. Keys (17) vs E. Svitolina (6)

Not before 4:00pm AEDT
Women's Singles 4th Round
G. Muguruza (18) vs Ka. Pliskova (7)

First, thanks to @kskate2 for the order of play, with embedded links! Very nice.

My picks for today’s matches:
Osaka d. Sevastova
Williams d. Halep
Keys d. Svitolina (but wouldn’t be surprised if I’m wrong on this one)
Pliskova d. Muguruza

 

[britbox]

Pretty tough picks today. I'd probably go the same, although I'm hoping Garbine beats Pliskova. Karolina usually handles her though and is in better form. All pretty intriguing matches though.

 

[tented]

Pretty tough picks today. I'd probably go the same, although I'm hoping Garbine beats Pliskova. Karolina usually handles her though and is in better form. All pretty intriguing matches though.

I would prefer it if Muguruza won, but I suspect she won’t. Hope I’m wrong.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Seeing we are coming into the business end of a slam,I feel Osaka has to come out stronger and not get behind as she has done in previous matches.I still feel she is the stronger player than Sevestova.

Serena Williams to defeat Halep. Keys should win against Elina if she plays first strike tennis and does not get into long rallies.

Pliskova v Garbine should be tight contest.Pliskova to win.

 

[AnonymousFan]

Keys Svitolina one set all

 

[AnonymousFan]

Davenport is a commentator for this match, interesting!

Deuce #10

 

[tossip]

Its getting interesting up on Laver..

 

[tossip]

Hopefully Mr Osaka didnt go to Haiti again for rituals..

 

[tossip]

I am still convinced Mr Osaka used voodoo at the Open..the negativity was too much

 

[tossip]

The coping of Serena and Vee is sickening..

 

[tossip]

She is acting bratty too

 

[kskate2]

Davenport is a commentator for this match, interesting!

Deuce #10

Why? Lindsay doesn't coach Madison anymore. They split late last year. What's odd is that Renee Stubbs in combo w/ Conchita Martinez is coaching Pliskobot. The other day, Renee was calling Plisko's R3 match on ESPN

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

That break was against the run of play,now 3 all in the 3rd set.If Sevastova can play aggressive tennis she could cause the upset