Australian Open Day 8: Monday, Jan 20 - Order of Play

[tented]

Great FH from Vika to save BP.

 

[Moxie]

Vika too much for Sloane today, but I still think she's coming up.

 

[kskate2]

Ebony Smooth has more to learn on how to deal w/ these big matches. This is the 3rd time she's underperformed at the majors (Wimby and USO last year as well).

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just wanted to congratulate Halep on a great win over JJ.
Well Done!!!!!!

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Ugh. Stephens is so frustrating. She can play so much better. To be sure, Azarenka was great. Down right clinical. And I am a fan of hers. But I really wanted Stephens to come through in this one. Which just adds to the disappointment of Serena's loss. In fact, I actually think my disappointment at that is making me more disappointed with Sloane than I should be. I was really looking forward to Serena tying Chrissy and Martina with a win here. Hopefully she can do it at the French though, which could possibly be really special for Serena since it's the one she's won the least. I think, at her age, even though she's playing some of the best tennis of her career, that it really is a stretch to think that Serena can get past Graf (and therefore Court), but I'd love to see her get to 20. So she'll need to either run the table the rest of the year, hang around until she can do something like that. Which, as much fun as she seems to be having, I think she'll at least be around for the next two years, barring (or until she inevitably gets an) injury. By which I mean, this season and next season. After that, we'll see. Anyways, as for Sloane, she needs to keep working and improving. While much of her problem today seemed to be simply missing, and the other major problem was Azarenka's great play, I was thinking the whole match that she simply was not being aggressive enough. She needed to step in more and knock the mess out of the ball. She needed to follow some of her shots in and she would have been able to put them away. She made her life more difficult by having to play some extra shots because she didn't go for it soon enough and because Azarenka's defense is so great.

 

[colleen66]

Congrats to Simona and commies to Jelena. I believe that this is Simona's first quarterfinal at a major. Great job! Nice to see Jelena in the mix once again although she had a poor 3rd set.

 

[colleen66]

Sloane (ebony smooth) played a poorly executed match. She was wayyyyyyy behind the baseline during most of the extended rallies. Vika moved her from side-to-side and dictated most of the points during the match. She had more winners and fewer double faults, yet lost fairly easily. She seemed like a novice out there and not like a player that has made it to quarter-finals or better in other slams. Vika basically gave her a tutorial today on how to play aggressive tennis.

 

[Si Si Simona]

Oh yes! :basiate The NEW Simona showed up in the 3rd set, all juices flowing
Old Simona pre May 2013 played the first two sets.

I will say one more crazy thing!
People needed time to understand the Federer style when he showed up at the top level tennis scene, people still need time to understand how good Simona is ! Call me crazy I do not care.
I see the experts still ignoring her...(Mats Vilander and the rest of the western gang), I give them (and you) time to understand...
Its not about the results, its about understanding Tennis and mentalities. "Simple" as that..

apologies for my bragging style of talk, the arrogance, and the showing off. I cant Halep it this time..

 

[Si Si Simona]

Well done, Halep. :clap She looks so happy. You'd think she just won the title.

The biggest achievement of her career, what do you expect?
QF in a grand slam for the first time in her life :cry
The fact she can be top 5 in the world means nothing. Its about real life, real results.

 

[tented]

Well done, Halep. :clap She looks so happy. You'd think she just won the title.

The biggest achievement of her career, what do you expect?
QF in a grand slam for the first time in her life :cry
The fact she can be top 5 in the world means nothing. Its about real life, real results.

I wasn't criticizing her in any way. I love that she was so happy it looked like she won the title.

 

[Si Si Simona]

Well done, Halep. :clap She looks so happy. You'd think she just won the title.

The biggest achievement of her career, what do you expect?
QF in a grand slam for the first time in her life :cry
The fact she can be top 5 in the world means nothing. Its about real life, real results.

I wasn't criticizing her in any way. I love that she was so happy it looked like she won the title.

I was just being euphoric in my reply I follow her for two years feeling something special about her and at last she made the breakthrough. First time I saw her on TV was in Doha Feb 2012 losing to Vika. Then she made a final in Bruxell after beating.. Cibulkova. She lost to Aga in the final.
Then.. she cried like a baby sitting on her chair after losing to Navarro in Madrid.. and much more.
Long road. Who could predict she will become a top ten in just 7 month?! amazing

 

[special700]

I am so glad Sloane got her azz kicked. I can't stand that girl.

 

[Fiero425]

I wake to see the women's draw has been devastated while the men are really on course for great quaterfinal matches! How the tide had turned! Thirty or more years ago, this would have been totally reversed! "Good job guys!"

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Sharapova

Out!

JJ

Out!

 

[10isfan]

My predictions are Halep, DC, Aga, Vika.

Still disappointed Serena is out. Hoping for a Li vs Vika final

I wish I could have bet money on my picks.