2019 Australian Open, Melbourne - WTA GRAND SLAM

[Moxie]

Sakkari out, Barty through.

 

[Moxie]

that's poor and pathetic umpiring. How frequent was the mom spotted by the camera's ?

Didn't see any of that, but clearly the umpire doesn't have a camera. If the player's box was behind the ump, I'm not sure how they could be blamed for missing it.

 

[Vince Evert]

I would've thought the unpires would have hand -held video devices for their use, these days.

 

[atttomole]

Asinimova is a heck of a player.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Asinimova is a heck of a player.

Anisimova.

 

[Moxie]

What a point! To Sharapova.

 

[AnonymousFan]

Wozniacki breaks to win 2nd set

 

[tenisplayrla08]

So I've been staying up super late (Eastern time zone US) to watch all this tennis. And tonight I just crashed at like 9:30 in the middle of Fed v Fritz and Tsitsipas and all those matches. Woke up 20 minutes ago to find that I've missed the majority of the two best matches on the women's side of the week.

Watched Stephens finish off Martic and Sharapova get the last 3 games of the third set. SO SAD I missed these. Looks like Sharapova is FINALLY playing back close to her best. I mean. Wozniacki was playing well enough to win the second set. But Sharapova was just very solid in the games I did see. And it was just going back to some of their best matches. But Sharapova of course loves Australia with a title here and at least one other final that I can think of (Serena's 2007 drubbing).

I do think Ash Barty is going to be a tough out for her. But I've watched a bit of her other matches and Sharapova just looks really good so far.

So glad Sloane has looked great all week too. Her draw just sort of worked out this time. Saw that from the beginning. Was worried about Bertens after their tussle at the WTA Finals last year but Pavlyuchenkova dealt with her. She's playing some of the best tennis of her career! Which I'm thrilled to see. Always liked her. But she's just never been able to keep it all together and now I gotta pull for Sloane. Hope she can keep it going. She's won both of their matches but the one in Beijing last year was a 3 set battle!!! So Pavlyuchenkova will definitely feel she hang with her and take this match. Sloane will have to have her best. Kerber looms after that. But Kerber still has two matches of her own to win for that to happen. So we'll see. I don't see Kerber losing tonight or to Garcia/Collins. But, ya just never know in today's WTA. We've seen Garcia find her best and run through the end of 2017 looking unstoppable. She's had a nice draw but has looked good so far (though I haven't watched any of her matches.)

And then. My goodness have I been impressed with Anisimova this week. I only watched a bit of one of her first two matches. But she's so solid and has that serve. Of course she's tall. Just has that advantage. I saw the Sabalenka match up and gave her the benefit of the doubt enough to think she could win it, having already won matches she's not supposed to. But I really did not think she could pull it off. Sabalenka has been SO good. And has the height, power and game to withstand someone like Anisimova. But apparently not today. Really wish I had seen that! Worst time to fall asleep apparently. No, I don't think Anisimova will be the first teen to win a slam since Sharapova (?) next week. Kvitova and Bencic certainly both have the goods to beat her to stop her right here in the fourth round. But she's definitely announced herself. Definitely looks to have the goods to play with Barty or Sharapova. Could surprise me and go deep here. Would be super impressive. She and Marta Kostyuk (16 yr old 3rd rounder here last year) could certainly be contenders for slams before their teens end. MAYBE. We'll see. Both still so young.

 

[kskate2]

that's poor and pathetic umpiring. How frequent was the mom spotted by the camera's ?

Definitely once, maybe 2 times.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Well Kvitova taking the air out of this one. I looked away for 5 minutes and came back to the first set done and dusted. Bencic always up and down, has been great of late. But she'll need to find her best to get back into this one. May not be enough today. Kvitova is on it.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Kvitova breaks through. Just too tough this match. Playing so well. Commentators talking about how well she's moving and I have to agree. Some of the best movement I've really ever seen from her. Right up there with her best early last year. Bencic not solid enough so far today. And may just have to chalk this one up to Kvitova being too good today.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Accidentally posted this over in the men's discussion.

So Kvitova comes through. Bencic can't find a break. Kvitova holds to love to win it. WAY too good today. Bencic just not there today. I do think she's back to top form. Though, not her best. Maybe I'm just stuck in the past and I'm overestimating her. But I just think she can get so much better. Still, it's gotta feel good to get back to the third round and playing with the top 10 after all of her past 2 plus years of injuries.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Accidentally posted this in the men's discussion. And Collins has since gone up 4-1 in the second. Currently serving for 5-1. 30-15.

Meanwhile Collins takes the first set off Garcia. I may have said that we've seen Garcia look unstoppable. But of course we've also seen her struggle to beat all sorts of players. Definitely not the dominant force many thought she would be. But Collins will have to finish it off. So we'll see if Garcia can bring it back.

 

[AnonymousFan]

Congrats Danielle Collins, Kerber likely next

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Collins held out. Garcia just not good enough tonight. Didn't watch too much of it. But Danielle with 26 winners. All her doubters are just ... wrong. I mean, I don't see her challenging for the title. And she hadn't won a slam match yet. So the detractors had some reason. But she's made the fourth round now. Up over 100 spots in the last 12 months said the on court interviewer. She'll play the WC Birrell or Kerber.

I haven't watched any of Birrell. So I don't know if she warrants a worry for Kerber. But definitely pulling for Kerber. Maybe Collins can push Kerber. But you just gotta think Kerber is too confident and too steady to lose to her. Ya never know of course. Collins with college championships under her belt. So she's not completely devoid of the champion's mindset. I know we don't ever see any good college players. Especially on the ladies' side. But she looks to have an ok career ahead of her. Still only 25.

 

[britbox]

I saw a bit of Birrell and Vekic. Great win for Birrell but I don't think Angie's going to have too much to worry about.

 

[kskate2]

Schedule of Play - Day 6: Saturday, January 19, 2019

Rod Laver Arena
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Women's Singles 3rd Round
S. Zhang vs E. Svitolina (6)

Not before 1:00pm AEDT
Women's Singles 3rd Round
D. Yastremska vs S. Williams (16)

Not before 2:30pm AEDT
Men's Singles 3rd Round
N. Djokovic (1) vs D. Shapovalov (25)

Night session - From 7:00pm AEDT
Men's Singles 3rd Round
A. Zverev (4) vs A. Bolt (WC)

Women's Singles 3rd Round
C. Giorgi (27) vs Ka. Pliskova (7)

Margaret Court Arena
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Women's Singles 3rd Round
N. Osaka (4) vs S. Hsieh (28)

Not before 12:30pm AEDT
Men's Singles 3rd Round
J. Sousa vs K. Nishikori (8)

Women's Singles 3rd Round
E. Mertens (12) vs M. Keys (17)

Night session - From 7:00pm AEDT
Women's Singles 3rd Round
S. Halep (1) vs V. Williams

Men's Singles 3rd Round
L. Pouille (28) vs A. Popyrin (WC)

Melbourne Arena
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Men's Legends Doubles 2nd Round
J. McEnroe/ P. McEnroe vs J. Bjorkman/ T. Johansson

Not before 12:30pm AEDT
Men's Singles 3rd Round
D. Goffin (21) vs D. Medvedev (15)

Men's Singles 3rd Round
P. Herbert vs M. Raonic (16)

Not before 7:00pm AEDT
Women's Singles 3rd Round
T. Bacsinszky vs G. Muguruza (18)

1573 Arena
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Men's Legends Doubles 3rd Round
T. Enqvist/ M. Wilander vs M. Bahrami/ M. Philippoussis

Not before 1:00pm AEDT
Women's Singles 3rd Round
Q. Wang (21) vs A. Sevastova (13)

Men's Singles 3rd Round
F. Fognini (12) vs P. Carreno Busta (23)

Men's Singles 3rd Round
B. Coric (11) vs F. Krajinovic

Court 3
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Men's Doubles 2nd Round
J. Murray (3)/ B. Soares (3) vs L. Bambridge/ J. O'Mara

Women's Doubles 2nd Round
M. Gasparyan/ D. Gavrilova vs R. Atawo (9)/ K. Srebotnik (9)

Women's Doubles 2nd Round
V. Azarenka/ A. Barty vs J. Brady/ A. Riske

Men's Doubles 2nd Round
P. Cuevas/ F. Verdasco vs R. Ram (11)/ J. Salisbury (11)

Court 7
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Women's Doubles 2nd Round
X. Han/ D. Jurak vs T. Babos (2)/ K. Mladenovic (2)

Mixed Doubles 1st Round
D. Schuurs/ M. Middelkoop vs M. Adamczak (WC)/ M. Reid (WC)

Not before 2:00pm AEDT
Men's Doubles 2nd Round
L. Kubot (7)/ H. Zeballos (7) vs J. Chardy/ F. Martin

Mixed Doubles 1st Round
S. Zhang (WC)/ J. Peers (WC) vs T. Babos/ M. Fucsovics

Court 8
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Men's Doubles 2nd Round
M. Daniell/ W. Koolhof vs R. Klaasen (6)/ M. Venus (6)

Mixed Doubles 1st Round
J. Moore (WC)/ A. Whittington (WC) vs M. Ninomiya (7)/ B. McLachlan (7)

Not before 2:00pm AEDT
Men's Doubles 2nd Round
D. Inglot (10)/ F. Skugor (10) vs M. Demoliner/ F. Nielsen

Mixed Doubles 1st Round
S. Stosur (WC)/ L. Paes (WC) vs K. Peschke/ W. Koolhof

Court 13
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Men's Doubles 2nd Round
S. Johnson/ D. Kudla vs R. Albot/ M. Jaziri

Men's Doubles 2nd Round
T. Fritz/ C. Norrie vs J. Sock/ J. Withrow

Women's Doubles 2nd Round
I. Begu (10)/ M. Buzarnescu (10) vs A. Cornet/ P. Martic

Court 15
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Mixed Doubles 1st Round
Z. Yang/ R. Bopanna vs A. Groenefeld (5)/ R. Farah (5)

Women's Doubles 2nd Round
A. Bai (WC)/ Z. Hives (WC) vs N. Hibino/ D. Krawczyk

Mixed Doubles 1st Round
A. Spears (6)/ J. Cabal (6) vs L. Chan/ I. Dodig

Court 19
Day session - From 11:00am AEDT
Women's Doubles 2nd Round
B. Strycova/ M. Vondrousova vs Z. Diyas/ Y. Putintseva

Women's Doubles 2nd Round
A. Sasnovich/ T. Townsend vs E. Hozumi (11). A. Rosolska (11)

Mixed Doubles 1st Round
E. Makarova (8)/ A. Sitak (8) vs A. Klepac/ E. Roger-Vasselin

Mixed Doubles 1st Round
D. Collins/ M. Venus vs H. Chan/ J. Rojer

 

[AnonymousFan]

Wow several really good looking matchups

 

[britbox]

Wow several really good looking matchups

Seen much of Venus this tournament? I'm thinking Halep will probably wear her down but could be worth a watch.

Hoping Garbine takes out Bacsinszky without too much drama.

 

[AnonymousFan]

Seen much of Venus this tournament? I'm thinking Halep will probably wear her down but could be worth a watch.

Hoping Garbine takes out Bacsinszky without too much drama.

Thought Venus looked decent against Cornet and Buzarnescu

Osaka down a set and a break to Hsieh