Match of the Day: Sorana Cristea defeated Samantha Stosur 7-6(2), 6-3
“Probably the whole country hates me now…. Everyone was focusing on her and maybe they forgot about me.” – Cristea after her win over Stosur
Absolutely. Well, I sure did. I looked at the draw and didn’t highlight this as a first round to watch. “Sam’s got a good first round,” I thought. Way to make me feel stupid, Sorana Banana.
Sori was clear on her gameplan against Sam—take cracks at the serve and constantly attack her backhand—and executed it close to perfection. Sam was supposed to counter with her signature forehands and serving variations but instead her forehand collapsed and her serve was easy for Sori to read. Sam never plays well Down Under and that will most probably never change.
Elsewhere
Most top seeds cruised through to the second round except for Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who both needed 4 sets to dispatch their tricky opponents.
Fancy a little therapy session read? Please check out Jarmila Gajdosova’s press conference. You can’t help but feel for her and then develop an urge to slap everyone around her.
Match of the Day: Bernard Tomic defeated Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-2, 7-5
The match started with Fer looking like he was going to routinely beat Bernie, who seemed to be hobbling a set and a half in. For a match so hyped up, it was turning out to be a disappointment. But like everything else Tomic-related, he did something that no one anticipated. He stole that third set then went on to comeback from the dead to win the match. It was all assisted by Fer’s implosion, of course. Bernie so wanted to tap out in the third set but Fer just wouldn’t let him.
Update: Bernie actually pretended to tap out. Amazing.
Q. Was there any time in the match when his body language showed you something that you focused on?
BERNARD TOMIC: Um, yeah, in the third set. He thought I had a feeling he knew I was going to go away. I eased off, as well, I think on purpose. I eased off and seemed I didn’t care, and I think that’s what drawed him a little bit tonight. He thought he was going to win that third set, and when the right time came, I broke him.
You know, after that the third set, you know, he started getting a little bit tight and not hitting his shots.
Q. So you set him up a little bit?
BERNARD TOMIC: In that third set, yeah. I knew if I lifted my game early, he would have lifted as well and he wouldn’t have let go. I pretended a little bit in the first few games in that third set to not be there as mentally, but in a way to still be there.
Elsewhere
Title contenders, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Victoria Azarenka, Li Na and Caroline Wozniacki, notched easy first round wins.
Agnieszka Radwanska survived the always-streaky, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, in 3 sets. New year, same ninja skills.
Just 2 years ago, I thought he was going to breakthrough in Melbourne and win a slam but Nikolay Davydenko seems to be moving further and further away from his good years. He was defeated in 5 sets by Flavio Cipolla, his second straight first round exit at the happy (not) slam.
Remember when I said I was looking forward to the ASB Classic in Auckland the most? Well, they surely didn’t disappoint. They’ve done a great job with some quirky interviews off-court of the ladies who are playing the tournament.
“Jay-Z” has been Zheng Jie’s nickname in the blogger world forever thanks to C-Note. Happy to see that she’s accepted the name and has worked on the swagger to go with it.
There’s also this End of the World video. Who knew Gools is into shooting things? She doesn’t really own a rifle but you just know she’s got our backs in case the zombies do try to take over.
I’m baaaaack! Sorry for the unannounced/unexpected hiatus. A bunch of work came in coupled with the end of season fatigue/laziness. But I did write some tennis things at 10sworld. Most recently, my preseason Top 10 predictions for the ATP and WTA.
Does anyone care? HELLO?!
Anyway, Mom, I am back in blogging business here just in time for the 2012 kickoff. I’m most looking forward to the ASB Classic with Boom Boom and Gools. Give ‘em hell, ladies! (Yes, I know, Brisbane has an outstanding field.)
Back later to talk about the haps on court. For now, I have to set my body clock to Australia time. I hope you all had a great holiday and here’s to all of us having an excellent 2012!
For the second consecutive year, Caroline Wozniacki will end the season as the best tennis player in the WTA tour. She has 6 titles under her belt this season and has the most number of match wins. No, she didn’t win a big one but whatchugondo? I mean, really, what? If you have a solution to the maths then please forward them to TPTB at the WTA. Until then, there’s the ranking system and there’s Caro piling up the Ws every single week.
