Not a lesson in modesty

Bernard Tomic won his first ever ATP World Tour title in Sydney after defeating Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3 in the finals and he’s feeling reeeeal good.

“I feel unstoppable. I feel like I’m playing great tennis and when you know no-one can beat you – not even the number one – you’ve got a good feeling and it’s amazing stepping on court, you’re so confident.”

Number 1? As in Novak Djokovic? Because the last time I checked, Bernie hasn’t won a single match against the Serb. In their most recent Tour meeting in Toronto last August, he managed to win only 5 games. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, kid. 42 ranking spots and 33 titles, including 5 majors, separate him and the World No. 1.

Update: Looks like I missed Bernie beating Nole at the Hopman Cup a few weeks ago. They don’t take stuff so seriously there but, hey, a win is a win. Or something. (Thanks, ccmac!)

And Bernie didn’t stop there. There’s also this gem from his pre-tournament presser in Melbourne.

Q. I’m sure you’ll probably say ‘take it one match at a time’. Third round against Roger Federer, can you beat him?

BERNARD TOMIC: Well, I saw the papers this morning (laughter).

Well, if he gets that far. I mean, like I said, the first round is my goal, to beat this guy. I do struggle against some guys out there. I don’t know how this guy can play. If the possibility comes for me to win that first match, I’ll look for my next round, which is also tough.

I would love to get in that position to play Roger in the third round. He has to get there as well. You don’t know what can happen. Tennis is a funny sport. So we’ll see.

I mean, what he said isn’t technically wrong but a little more respect to one of the greatest tennis players of all time would be nice.

Arrogance aside, it seems like the “up and comers” have decided to arrive this year with Bernie lifting his first big boy trophy and Grigor Dimitrov reaching the finals of Brisbane last week. If this holds up, it’s going to be a very exciting year.

AO 2012: Day 1 Highlights

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.

Image © Mark Dadswell/Getty Images

The most wonderful time of the year

As you all probably already know because I’ve said it so much on Twitter, The BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells is my favorite time of the year. I started going there in 2008 and every year I find something new to love about it. (Awesome job, IW peeps!) This year was extra special. Not only was I able to hang out with the coolest people on earth and Tennis Twitterland (you know them; Tracey, C-Note, donkeygrooming, bellyflopz, Lexi and James), I also got to shoot the tournament for Tennis View Magazine. Me armed with a photo pass and allowed to run around the tournament to take photos from the best possible angles? HOLY CRAPALOOZA.

First order of business when I got there.

Oh, hey, I know you.

I thought it’d be weird/creepy if I just stood there shooting Maria while she practiced for an hour even though I was with the crowd so I moved around the practice courts.

Shirtless boys time. Yes.

Pico is not real life.

Spent most of my first day roaming around the grounds trying to feel my way around and also getting familiar with the pit. And spying on the other photogs because their photos look so much better than mine. Eff. Why. Ugh.

Hey, Rafa, can you hold that pose the..? No? Oh, shit. Why is it so bright and why can’t I use diffusers?

Rafa was a lot of fun to shoot. He has a face for everything. I mean, everything. It’s so awesome! I’m gonna need to find a way to sit him for a portrait and then burst shoot it. 100 different portraits in 5 minutes, guaranteed. Again, so awesome. More Rafa at the Tennis View Facebook.

Wanted to see Bernard Tomic in real life. He was… chatty. But more importantly, I think I saw Max Eisenbud (Masha’s agent) sitting there with Bernie’s team and cheering him on. I’m gonna guess chatty is with IMG? Does this mean I have to like him now?

Ended my first day on a pleasant note. Nole and Pico playing doubles against each other!

Huh… hadn’t realized I shot Pico and Nole so much that day. I’m sure it has nothing to do with their hotness.

More later!

Australian Open 2011: Day 6 wrap

You know what I like most about majors? There’s always a player that breaks through. Where else can they do it, right? It’s fun to get to know a new face a few times a year. At this Australian Open, most of us we’re introduced to Milos Raonic. He’s Canadian, 20 years old, ranked #152 and is in the second week of a major. He came through qualifying then defeated 22nd seed,  Michael Llodra, in the second round and 10th seed, Mikhail Youzhny, in the third to get to where he is now. Bravo, kid!

Alexandr Dolgopolov defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga which means there’s no way I’ll even like him in this lifetime. Jo played a very loose 4th set and it got away from him pretty quick. I was hoping he’d be able to bounce back in the fifth but he ate another breadstick instead. He looked like he had some hip/back issues, of course he would, but wouldn’t admit to that being the cause of the loss in his presser.

John Isner played his first 5-setter since that Wimbledon match but this time it was against a better ball striker, Marin Cilic. John couldn’t capitalize on his break opportunities converting only 1 of 11- he needs to work on that return of serve. He also looked tired out there to start the 5th but I thought that was just his thing. Plus, he played that Wimbledon match! Marin broke him in the last game to take it 9-7.

I’d talk about Samantha Stosur, Petra Kvitova, Rafael Nadal and Bernard Tomic but I only caught the first set of Day 6′s night session. So, head over here and here to read about them.

Before I go, you should know that Agnieszka Radwanska is still in the tournament. She has not dropped a set in the last two rounds. Ninja!

Notable Day 6 results:

Rafael Nadal [1] def Bernard Tomic 6-2, 7-5, 6-3
Marin Cilic [15] def John Isner [20] 4-6, 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-6(2), 9-7
Alexandr Dolgopolov def Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
Milos Raonic def Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4

Petra Kvitova [25] def Samantha Stosur [5] 7-6(5), 6-3
Flavia Pennetta [22] def Shahar Peer [10] 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4
Iveta Benesova def Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova [16] 6-3, 1-6, 7-5
Ekaterina Makarova def Nadia Petrova [13] 6-2, 3-6, 8-6

Complete Day 6 results here.

Image via Getty Images/Mark Kolbe