Australian Open 2016

[britbox]

Live Stream for the Draw Ceremony:

 

[britbox]

Serena scheduled top play Camila Giorgi in the first round. Camila is the highest ranked unseeded player, so a tough 1st round match for the defending champion.

Serena scheduled to play Caro (4th round) and Maria in the Quarters.

 

[britbox]

Full Ladies AO draw:

http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/draws/ws/index.html

 

 

[Moxie]

Projected Round of 16:

S. Williams/Sharapova - (Giorgi, Errani, Bencic, Wozniaki, Kuznetzova in here...bad for Sharapova, but pretty good for Serena)

Radwanska/Kvitova - (Bouchard, McHale, Stosur, Stephens, Petkovic, Suarrez Navarro...I'd say this was the trickiest section)

Kerber/Muguruza - (Vandeweghe, Jankovic, C. Garcia...pretty good draw for Muguruza, I think)

V. Williams/Halep - (Mattek-Sands, Lisicki; Halep faces a 4th round v. Ivanovic)

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If Serena is on form, she should get out of her half successfully.  And the bottom half might spit out Muguruza.  Halep just lost to Kuznetzova the other day.  OK, it's early, and I expect upsets.

 

[britbox]

Agreed. Aga's section looks pretty brutal.  Lot of talk that this may be the year Aga breaks her major duck... I can't see it personally. As much as I like her, there always seems to be a power player riding the crest of a wave that gives her too much to handle.  Maybe that will be Petra... although Petra is so unpredictable it's tough to make any sort of prediction.

 

[Moxie]

Day one OOP:  http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/schedule/index.html

Serena v. Giorgi, and Aga v. McHale have my attention.  Many column inches have been spilt on Serena's fitness, knee, etc.  And I like Giorgi's game.   This is where the top women don't benefit from Slams being best of 3.  If Serena starts slow, she could have trouble, without the time to get out of it.

 

[Moxie]

So Serena gets it done, despite a spirited effort by Giorgi.  I think she can take a breath, now.

 

[Moxie]

Sloane Stephens is out in straights.  She continues to disappoint.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Sloane has all the potential in the world to be a top 10 player.To me she has always lacked that champion's mentality the will to win at any cost.Sloane has had some great coaches so far in her career as well.Back to the drawing board for Sloane.

 

[Carol]

If Garbine has ok her foot she is going to be a tough opponent for everyone and if she will be able to reach the finals I don't have any doubt that she could win her first GS

 

[britbox]

Garbine is really on a rapid trajectory - I've got a feeling she may take a major this year, but not sure if it will be here.

 

[MashaFan]

R1 AO Women's Singles R1 - Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs Nao Hibino (JPN) 61, 63

Masha had a good start even if she lost her way a bit in the last 2 games - 6 matches left

 

 

GO Masha!! 

 

 

 

[Moxie]

Here's today's OOP:

http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/schedule/index.html

Doesn't seem to have any barn burners on the women's side today.

 

[Moxie]

Garbine is really on a rapid trajectory – I’ve got a feeling she may take a major this year, but not sure if it will be here.

She's talented, and ambitious.  I hope she's got a Major in her this year.  And I think there's an argument for her path to the final.  She's off to a good start today.

 

[Billie]

Sloane, Sam and Caro are all out in the first round.  Those are big upsets.

 

[Moxie]

Sloane, Sam and Caro are all out in the first round. Those are big upsets.

Agreed.  Stosur never seems to do her best at home.  (Like Mauresmo before her.)  Stephens and Wozniaki are disappointments, once again.  I watched some of both their matches and there are no excuses.  *sigh*

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Carol....loved the way Garbine played her first match today,looks like the foot problem is okay.I am glad she decided to withdraw from Sydney and focus on the AO.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

GBR player Konta d Venus Williams (8th seed) 64 62....one of the best matches I have seen from Konta,Venus upper thigh was heavily strapped,her serve went missing,though credit to Konta she played a aggressive match.Well done!

 

[Moxie]

GBR player Konta d Venus Williams (8th seed) 64 62….one of the best matches I have seen from Konta,Venus upper thigh was heavily strapped,her serve went missing,though credit to Konta she played a aggressive match.Well done!

I only saw enough to see Venus mount the comeback, too little, too late.  I have to suspect she was having one of her bad health days, but taking nothing away from Konta.  Great win for her.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Upset of the day S.Zhang ranked 133 defeated Halep 2nd seed 64 63

 

Has to be the biggest upset of the day at the AO.

 

Well done to Zhang 27 years old from China!!!!! she took the ball early and was too aggressive for Halep,first time into rd 2 of a Grand Slam!