Australian Open 2018

[stotty]

Australian Open 2018

don_budge is experiencing computer failure so I am doing the honours with the Australian Open. He hopes to be with us again soon.

Roger must be favourite. He reportedly doesn't want to be but he is whether he likes it or not. Who else? No one else as far as I can see.

Novak is back on the scene with his new serve. I don't like his new serve and can't see it being as good as his old serve. I prefer the longer swing and find it promotes better rhythm. Novak has never been the biggest server on the tour but over the years his serve became more and more reliable, solid.

Is Rafa injured or not? Is he playing the injury card to lure everyone into lowering their expectations of him? Who knows. You never know with the Nadal clan. It's a closed shop.

I have a feeling Kyrgios might shine. Anyone else have that feeling? Will Zverez finally turn up at a slam...or is he still too spindly to work his way through a major. He's built like a junior and needs to fill out if you ask me.

It's Roger's for the taking....

Here's the draw: https://ausopen.com/sites/default/fi...15_MS_draw.pdf

[stroke]

Kyrgios seems ready for a major break through to me also.

[stotty]

Kyrgios seems ready for a major break through to me also.

Yes, it's time the kid caught fire. He's good enough.

An uneventful first day otherwise in Australia. Sock and Ferrer get knocked out at the first hurdle. Nadal strolls through. Personally I am more looking forward to tomorrow.

[klacr]

Let the tourney begin.
Horrible showing by the Americans thus far. But I'm not surprised.

Kyrgios when motivated seems like he could beat anyone.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stroke]

Kyrgios, with that game and that unprecedented(to me) level of annoying cockiness, is certainly unique. He is the first guy to me with that kind of serve(Tanner/Ivanisevic type level) that also has top tier ground strokes and top tier movement. And very good hands thrown in for good measure.

[don_budge]

The pink Nike outfits are just plain gay. Hideous in a word. Nadal got away with it because of his complexion...pink shorts, wristbands, socks and shoes. Francis Tiafoe looked flaming queer. Dimitrov looked washed out and pasty. Federer had only a pink stripe on his otherwise all white outfit and pink shoes. The war on men manifesting itself in men's professional tennis. I ask my wife all the time now the rhetorical question...where's this going to end. Answer? It's not.

[don_budge]

Regards Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios...he has a great draw should he decide to make the effort. I could see projecting him out to the semifinals if I am reading the draw correctly in my phone. The big question mark about "The Jerk" is of course between the ears. Does he have the patience?

Federer also has a good draw until he potentially runs into Del Potro. Del Potro basically abstained from the flaming pink syndrome which gives him bonus points in my book. You have to man up at some point and draw the line in the sand. You just tell the man "I ain't gonna do it...fuck off."

[don_budge]

Let the tourney begin.
Horrible showing by the Americans thus far. But I'm not surprised.

Kyrgios when motivated seems like he could beat anyone.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

John McEnroe had some very scathing remarks about American tennis and tennis in general for that matter. All tongue in cheek but spot on nevertheless.

[stroke]

John McEnroe had some very scathing remarks about American tennis and tennis in general for that matter. All tongue in cheek but spot on nevertheless.

DId not hear it but spot on. Jack Sock has way too much game to go out in 1st round. Coco Vandeweghe came off particularly badly with her full on bad attitude temper tantrum during her 1st round loss. Props to the umpire though in that match. But she was still outdone by Bernard Tomic's post match interview after his final round qualifiers loss. As someone said, what an arrogant tool.

[don_budge]

The service motion is not the only change Djokovic has made. He is wearing ASIC shoes and Lacoste clothing. Big bucks to switch no doubt.

[don_budge]

DId not hear it but spot on. Jack Sock has way too much game to go out in 1st round. Coco Vandeweghe came off particularly badly with her full on bad attitude temper tantrum during her 1st round loss. Props to the umpire though in that match. But she was still outdone by Bernard Tomic's post match interview after his final round qualifiers loss. As someone said, what an arrogant tool.

On EuroSport Johnny has a gig as the "Self Appointed Commissioner of Tennis". He made a remark about the deep hole American tennis had dug for itself. He claimed to know the way forwards. He had some caustic remarks for Billie Jean King who is apparently on the scene campaigning to change the name of Margaret Court court. More war...on the family.

[klacr]

The service motion is not the only change Djokovic has made. He is wearing ASIC shoes and Lacoste clothing. Big bucks to switch no doubt.

he just announced the ASICS deal before the aussie open. Lacoste he wore last year as well. He went with ASICS as Adidas was not keen on him wearing only their shoes. They want him in whole outfit. But yeah, big money.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[klacr]

John McEnroe had some very scathing remarks about American tennis and tennis in general for that matter. All tongue in cheek but spot on nevertheless.

Good for him. He should. Is it ever truly tongue in cheek with him? There is always some truth.

Kyle LaCroix

[klacr]

Novak, Roger and Tomas all won.
Berdych played a motivated young Aussie who had the best two weeks of his young career in Brisbane and Sydney. Won in four sets. won 12 of the last 13 games. Dare I say he looked like the Berdych of 2010 Wimbledon. He also won the Melbourne Tiebreak tens Exo prior to Aussie Open. Just an exhibition where he beat Kyrgios, Raonic and Nadal. I know it doesn't count in rankings or points, but a win is a win and a confident Berdych is a dangerous Berdych.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Regards Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios...he has a great draw should he decide to make the effort. I could see projecting him out to the semifinals if I am reading the draw correctly in my phone. The big question mark about "The Jerk" is of course between the ears. Does he have the patience?

Kyrgios, with that game and that unprecedented(to me) level of annoying cockiness, is certainly unique. He is the first guy to me with that kind of serve(Tanner/Ivanisevic type level) that also has top tier ground strokes and top tier movement. And very good hands thrown in for good measure.

I think Kyrgios is the real deal if he gets his head right. I know we don't like him much but he has an entertaining quality about him. What I like most about Kyrgios is he is not afraid. He likes a big match and is likely to put on a show when a big match comes his way. He has a self-destructive side to him but it is not as extreme as Jerzy Janowicz's self-destruct button. Talented players who are unpredictable and can implode are sometimes the best players to watch.

I don't like the kid but at the same time I am hoping he won't screw up.