Magical Downunder---Australian Open 2007 Melbourne

[Mrs. Fabregas]

bia2209 said:

Found this on the AO website....a slideshow/countdown of the Top Ten Hunks of the AO.

www.australianopen.com/en_AU/interactive/slideshow/slideShow.html?xmlPage=/en_AU/interactive/slideshow/2007-01-15/200701151168820187140.xml

To be honest...if I didn't know better I say the Mulan Ladies had a hand in this.

Bia, I think you're right about that!
But, it's true..........

Marat is

I only don't understand why Dmitry is at rank 7 He should be at 2!

[Patxy]

bia2209 said:

Found this on the AO website....a slideshow/countdown of the Top Ten Hunks of the AO.

www.australianopen.com/en_AU/interactive/slideshow/slideShow.html?xmlPage=/en_AU/interactive/slideshow/2007-01-15/200701151168820187140.xml

To be honest...if I didn't know better I say the Mulan Ladies had a hand in this.

OMG, I kind of must agree with the result, unfortunately...
Now, fess up who of you was the voice for the flash? ;D ;D ;D

[justsafin]

admin said:

Hey, just watched highlights, pre-match and post-match interviews... have one happy observation: he is very positive and is heading for the win ;D ;D ;D Let's keep rocking baby!!!!!!

Screenshots from interviews and a couple of other photos I found ;D ;D ;D

Pre-match






;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Post match Feel the difference

OMG, OMG

marat scared the shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii*** out of me, but he managed to pull thru!!!

That's the spirit! Play your style, the wild style, Marat!!

and thanks for the pics, he looks so cute especially under the sun(?) in the pre-match interview!!!!

DAVAI MARAT!!!!!!!!!

[Joyce]

;D ;D£÷£å£ì£ì¡¡£ä£ï£î£å¡¡£í£á£ò£á£ô

[Annie]

safin1223 said:

;D ;D[£÷£å£ì£ì£ä£ï£î£å¡¡£í£á£ò£á£ô

whatever it says I can't read it

Watched the match finally last night (stayed up till 3 am ). Well my observations more or less sum up to the following:

1. He was nervous as hell. I mean yes we know Marat throwing tantrums and going wild on court but the things he did yesterday were absolutely looney tunes. Screaming was triple the volume of the usual and all the throwing and swearing and net kissing and gesturing...

2. The funniest episode was with the bottle thing, I was laughing so hard I almost fell off my chair. 4th set, really tense, he starts drinking that stuff that is the exact colour of his t-shirt. Then shows the bottle to Sasha and starts gesturing like a mad man. Unfortunately they don't show Sasha and the doc who was with him but from the look on Marat's face u can see that they are not getting what he is trying to tell them. He starts getting really annoyed, gathers air into his lungs and shouts "Yeschooooo est'" (means do we have any more??) LMAO PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D Then he called the ballboy to take the bottle to Sasha and Co.

3. Despite all the nervous mania, despite mistakes, non-existent forehand and a five-set thriller, I would like to say that I am hopeful. If he continues to stay focused on a victory - we can hope for the best ;D ;D ;D

DAVAI MARAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Annie]

[miablack]

It was good as hell to watch that game!!

But I´m better off than most of you....because here where I live I was able to watch the game at two pm!

Back to Marat:

He was good but surely not in the best form (mood whatever).
But still it was a cool game, and Benjamin is a very gifted player.

But thing with Marat is that he keeps you glued to your soddin´chair all the time!!!!!
Even if wins 2 sets you still never know with him.....

Well, he sure as hell keeps me sweating alot!(and I´m not even moving)

[Annie]

Yeah I would have been able to watch it at noon too Mia if I watched it live, but I was at work so had to watch an evening replay till 3 am LOL ;D

[davis]

admin said:

Watched the match finally last night (stayed up till 3 am ). Well my observations more or less sum up to the following:

1. He was nervous as hell. I mean yes we know Marat throwing tantrums and going wild on court but the things he did yesterday were absolutely looney tunes. Screaming was triple the volume of the usual and all the throwing and swearing and net kissing and gesturing...

2. The funniest episode was with the bottle thing, I was laughing so hard I almost fell off my chair. 4th set, really tense, he starts drinking that stuff that is the exact colour of his t-shirt. Then shows the bottle to Sasha and starts gesturing like a mad man. Unfortunately they don't show Sasha and the doc who was with him but from the look on Marat's face u can see that they are not getting what he is trying to tell them. He starts getting really annoyed, gathers air into his lungs and shouts "Yeschooooo est'" (means do we have any more??) LMAO PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D Then he called the ballboy to take the bottle to Sasha and Co.

3. Despite all the nervous mania, despite mistakes, non-existent forehand and a five-set thriller, I would like to say that I am hopeful. If he continues to stay focused on a victory - we can hope for the best ;D ;D ;D

DAVAI MARAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Couldn't agree more, love

I watched the match again last night - with sound this time since I can watch but not listen at work. I've never heard him lament as much before - he was in a constant conversation with himself! Thank goodness it helped in the end

He didn't play his best tennis by far - bad movement, not enough winners... but who cares? He showed determination, he never gave up, he won and he himself knows best what to improve. I agree, most of it seemed to be nerves. I'm optimistic that we'll see a different Marat from Round 2 on.

And the bottle thing - yeah, that was quite a show. I hope Sasha enjoyed his drink after he finally got it, LMAO ;D

As usual, a nerve-wrecking but highly entertaining performance! I want more of it (especially in week two which I can enjoy at home...).

[miablack]

Oh but on another note- he really should let his hair grow out a little.

[Annie]

HEAT WAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Matches suspended and the mess is starting with all the delays

Sharapova survives sun, tenacious opponent

By PAUL ALEXANDER, Associated Press Writer
January 16, 2007

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- A rash of errors and a broiling sun had top-seeded Maria Sharapova drained, ailing and on the ropes.

But the Russian lived up to her reputation for fortitude, overcoming stomach cramps and an opponent who returned like a wall to advance Tuesday to the second round of the Australian Open on a day when organizers had to impose the Extreme Heat Policy.

The heat -- 97 degrees at midday and rising above 100 -- was even worse on the courts, where Sharapova held on to beat France's Camille Pin 6-3, 4-6, 9-7.

"It's inhumanly possible to play three hours in that kind of heat," said Sharapova, seeking her third Grand Slam title and second in a row. "I don't think our bodies were made to do that.

"I was so delusional I couldn't think."

The heat policy, which measures conditions by combining the air and court surface temperatures, was invoked halfway through her match. No new matches were allowed to start on outside courts, and the roofs were closed on the two show courts once the ongoing matches were finished.

Eighth-seeded David Nalbandian grew stronger in the heat as Janko Tipsarevic wilted, but was critical of the decision to keep some matches going while others were delayed. Tipsarevic retired with heat exhaustion in the fifth -- more than 90 minutes after he wasted his chance at serving for the match -- with Nalbandian leading 6-7 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-0, 2-1.

Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, a quarterfinalist or better at four of the last six Australian Opens, led Christophe Rochus 6-2, 4-1 when the Belgian retired because of breathing difficulties.

Playing indoors, second-seeded Rafael Nadal overcame American Robert Kendrick 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-2; women's No. 4 Kim Clijsters, who plans to retire at the end of the year to start a family, downed Vasilisa Bardina 6-0, 6-0 in 44 minutes ; and No. 6 Martina Hingis, a three-time winner here, beat Nathalie Dechy of France 6-0, 6-2.

Fifth-seeded James Blake ousted Spain's Carlos Moya 7-6 (8), 6-2, 6-4, beating the former world No. 1 for the second time since Saturday, when they met in the final of the Sydney International.

Sharapova appeared to have drawn a mismatch against Pin, who has only reached the second round twice in 15 majors. Pin's first serves averaged 30 mph less than the Sharapova's, and Pin was mostly a retriever.

But reigning U.S. Open champion Sharapova was battling herself, committing 24 unforced errors in the first seven games alone.

She frequently sought refuge in the shade at the back of the court between points, sometimes forcing Pin to wait to serve. Her high-pitched grunts lost their force, as did her groundstrokes.

"In the middle of the second set I started getting some pinches in my abdominal muscle," she said. "It didn't happen while I was hitting a stroke and it didn't feel like a cramp, so I kind of played with it."

Sharapova said the thought of retiring never crossed her mind.

"I'm not a quitter," she said. "I'm not just going to stop because of the heat."

The heat policy allows for 10-minute breaks between sets for matches already under way, and Sharapova came out rejuvenated, ripping winners, a spring in her step and her grunts back in full force. She dropped only four points in the first five games of the final set.

Then the heat started exacting its toll again. As Pin ran off five straight games to tie it up, Sharapova's shoulders drooped with each error, and the crowd started cheering lustily for the heavy underdog. Sharapova slumped into her chair during changeovers, barely moving, a large bag of ice draped over her neck. And the cramps were back and getting worse.

"It was hard to think about what you were going to do on court. You were mentally trying to find a way to make the point shorter, to find a way to win," the 19-year-old Russian said. "It was hard for me, it was hard for my opponent."

She held for 6-5, but appeared ready to get sick at any second, once stopping her service motion to grab her left hip and grimace. Sharapova called for the trainer.

Sharapova was barely moving between points, conserving energy. She squandered her third match point as Pin served in the next game.

Then at 7-7, Sharapova seemed to find some inner reserve, running off the last eight points to finish in 2 hours and 51 minutes, then blew kisses to the crowd.

Kendrick gave Nadal trouble for a set with his strong serve and deft volleys. But Nadal's passing shots started finding their marks and had the American lunging and diving all over the court.

Robby Ginepri advanced in five sets over Spain's Nicolas Almagro , seeded 32nd. No. 13 Tomas Berdych beat South Korea's Lee Hyung-taik and No. 31 Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland defeated Kevin Kim.

In women's matches, 13th-seeded Ana Ivanovic downed Vania King and India's Sania Mirza beat Olga Savchuk.

[Annie]

Searing heat upsets Melbourne schedule

By Miles Evans

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Searing heat wreaked havoc with the Australian Open schedule and competitors alike on Tuesday as organizers invoked their extreme heat policy at Melbourne Park.

With the mercury standing just short of 40 degrees Celsius, all unstarted matches were suspended on outside courts for over two hours and organizers were expecting to use floodlights later on as many courts as possible to get back on schedule.

Play was restricted to the two main courts -- Rod Laver Arena and Vodafone Arena -- where action was only possible because of the retractable roofs.

Belgium's Christophe Rochus became the first casualty to the draining weather on Tuesday, withdrawing with breathing problems after 13 games of his first-round match against France's Sebastien Grosjean.

Serb Janko Tipsarevic was two sets and two match points up on Argentine eighth seed David Nalbandian before he visibly wilted in the heat, finally retiring when last year's semi-finalist had opened a 2-1 lead in the fifth.

"I was tired from the first point. It's not tennis any more, it's who is going to last longest in the sun," the world number 64 told reporters.

"I felt really bad and I asked for the doctor at 5-6 in the third, I felt my heart was pounding and then stops, I felt so dizzy."

Organizers kickstart their extreme heat plans when the thermometers pass 35 degrees and when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, a combination of ambient air temperature and humidity, exceeds 28 degrees.

Players are also able to use ice vests when the heat exceeds 26 degrees.

Russian top seed Maria Sharapova was among the players to take advantage of the vests -- ice-filled tubes worn round the neck and chest to fend off the punishing heat -- during her first-round victory over France's Camille Pin.

The contest, which included a 10-minute heat break after the second set, was played with the roof open as rules stipulate it can only be closed between matches.

The roof was retracted when Spanish second seed Rafael Nadal and Robert Kendrick began their match on the showpiece court.

[emma]

Marat goes last on Vodafone Arena tomorrow ;D

Complete OOP :

www.australianopen.com/en_AU/scores/schedule/schedule7.html

[davis]

DAY 3 – ORDER OF PLAY

Rod Laver Arena Start Time 11:00 AM
Monique Adamczak (AUS) vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)[3]
Roger Federer (SUI)[1] vs. Jonas Bjorkman (SWE)
Marc Gicquel (FRA) vs. Andy Roddick (USA)[6]
Start Time 7:30 PM
Olga Poutchkova (RUS) vs. Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)[2]
Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)[11] vs. Gael Monfils (FRA)

Vodafone Arena Start Time 11:00 AM
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) vs. Novak Djokovic (SRB)[14]
Nadia Petrova (RUS)[5] vs. Gisela Dulko (ARG)
Anne Kremer (LUX) vs. Serena Williams (USA)
Marat Safin (RUS)[26] vs. Dudi Sela (ISR) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

MCA Start Time 11:00 AM
Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) vs. Jelena Jankovic (SRB)[11]
Wayne Arthurs (AUS) vs. Zack Fleishman (USA)
Amer Delic (USA) vs. Richard Gasquet (FRA)[18]
Not Before 7:30 PM
Jurgen Melzer (AUT) vs. Tommy Robredo (ESP)[7]

Show Court 2 Start Time 11:00 AM
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)[24] vs. Danai Udomchoke (THA)
Elena Dementieva (RUS)[7] ;D vs. Martina Muller (GER)
Mario Ancic (CRO)[9] vs. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP)
Milagros Sequera (VEN) vs. Nicole Vaidisova (CZE)[10]

Show Court 3 Start Time 11:00 AM
Madison Brengle (USA) vs. Patty Schnyder (SUI)[8]
Thomas Johansson (SWE) vs. David Ferrer (ESP)[16]
Vincent Spadea (USA) vs. Dominik Hrbaty (SVK)[22]
Bob Bryan (USA)[1]/Mike Bryan (USA)[1] vs. Andrew Coelho (AUS)/Alun Jones (AUS)

Court 6 Start Time 11:00 AM
Dinara Safina (RUS)[9] ;D vs. Ekaterina Bychkova (RUS)
Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) vs. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)[25] ;D
Anastasiya Yakimova (BLR) vs. Ai Sugiyama (JPN)[23]
Sam Querrey (USA) vs. Florent Serra (FRA)

Court 7 Start Time 11:00 AM
Alize Cornet (FRA) vs. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK)[15]
Radek Stepanek (CZE)[20] vs. Lukas Dlouhy (CZE)
Zuzana Ondraskova (CZE) vs. Tatiana Golovin (FRA)[20]
Katarina Srebotnik (SLO)[21] vs. Iveta Benesova (CZE)

Court 8 Start Time 11:00 AM
Andreja Klepac (SLO) vs. Shuai Peng (CHN)
Alexander Peya (AUT)/Bjorn Phau (GER) vs. Paul Hanley (AUS)[4]/Kevin Ullyett (ZIM)[4]
Kaia Kanepi (EST)/Anna Smashnova (ISR) vs. Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER)[7]/Meghann Shaughnessy (USA)[7]
Luis Horna (PER)/Nicolas Lapentti (ECU) vs. Michal Mertinak (SVK)/Petr Pala (CZE)
Yuliana Fedak (UKR)/Tatiana Perebiynis (UKR) vs. Yung-Jan Chan (TPE)/Chia-Jung Chuang (TPE)

Court 10 Start Time 11:00 AM
Ashley Harkleroad (USA) vs. Meng Yuan (CHN)
Maria Elena Camerin (ITA) vs. Elena Vesnina (RUS)
Alberto Martin (ESP)/Potito Starace (ITA) vs. Paul Goldstein (USA)/Jim Thomas (USA)
Andrei Pavel (ROM)/Alexander Waske (GER) vs. Nicolas Almagro (ESP)/Fernando Verdasco (ESP)

Court 11 Start Time 11:00 AM
Tamira Paszek (AUT) vs. Severine Bremond (FRA)
Stephanie Foretz (FRA)/Klaudia Jans (POL) vs. Shengnan Sun (CHN)/Tiantian Sun (CHN)
Julia Schruff (GER) vs. Eva Birnerova (CZE)
Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP)/Sergio Roitman (ARG) vs. Leonardo Azzaro (ITA)/Filippo Volandri (ITA)
Vania King (USA)/Jelena Kostanic Tosic (CRO) vs. Marta Domachowska (POL)/Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)

Court 13 Start Time 11:00 AM
Elena Bovina (RUS) vs. Na Li (CHN)[19]
Mardy Fish (USA) vs. Nicolas Mahut (FRA)
Elena Bovina (RUS)/Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) vs. Corina Morariu (USA)[9]/Rennae Stubbs (AUS)[9]
Daniella Dominikovic (AUS)/Sophie Ferguson (AUS) vs. Jarmila Gajdosova (SVK)/Bryanne Stewart (AUS)

Court 14 Start Time 11:00 AM
Youlia Fedossova (FRA) vs. Catalina Castano (COL)
Marion Bartoli (FRA)[18] vs. Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
Olivier Rochus (BEL)/Kristof Vliegen (BEL) vs. Martin Garcia (ARG)/Sebastian Prieto (ARG)
Trudi Musgrave (AUS)/Christina Wheeler (AUS) vs. Na Li (CHN)/Shuai Peng (CHN)
Frank Dancevic (CAN)/Xavier Malisse (BEL) vs. Simon Aspelin (SWE)[11]/Chris Haggard (RSA)[11]

Court 15 Start Time 11:00 AM
Emilie Loit (FRA) vs. Aravane Rezai (FRA)
Gabriela Navratilova (CZE)/Hana Sromova (CZE) vs. Sofia Arvidsson (SWE)/Vladimira Uhlirova (CZE)
Emilie Loit (FRA)/Nicole Pratt (AUS) vs. Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP)[4]/Paola Suarez (ARG)[4]
Robert Kendrick (USA)/Bobby Reynolds (USA) vs. Fabrice Santoro (FRA)[6]/Nenad Zimonjic (SRB)[6]

Court 18 Start Time 11:00 AM
Ahsha Rolle (USA) vs. Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP)
Maria Kirilenko (RUS)[26] vs. Julia Vakulenko (UKR)
Janette Husarova (SVK)[15]/Jelena Jankovic (SRB)[15] vs. Martina Hingis (SUI)/Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) ;D ;D
Simon Greul (GER)/Florian Mayer (GER) vs. Wesley Moodie (RSA)[13]/Todd Perry (AUS)[13]
James Auckland (GBR)/Stephen Huss (AUS) vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)/Stefan Koubek (AUT)

Court 19 Start Time 11:00 AM
Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER)[17] vs. Sandra Zahlavova (CZE)
Nathan Healey (AUS)/Robert Smeets (AUS) vs. Kevin Kim (USA)/Hyung-Taik Lee (KOR)
Francesca Schiavone (ITA)[14] vs. Lucie Safarova (CZE)
Lisa Raymond (USA)[1]/Samantha Stosur (AUS)[1] vs. Natalie Grandin (RSA)/Camille Pin (FRA)
Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE)/Ting (sr) Li (CHN) vs. Eleni Daniilidou (GRE)[16]/Jasmin Woehr (GER)[16]

Court 21 Start Time 11:00 AM
Vera Zvonareva (RUS)[22] vs. Tzipora Obziler (ISR)
Cara Black (ZIM)[3]/Liezel Huber (RSA)[3] vs. Andreea Ehritt-Vanc (ROM)/Anastassia Rodionova (RUS)
Shahar Peer (ISR)[16] vs. Meilen Tu (USA)
Arnaud Clement (FRA)[16]/Michael Llodra (FRA)[16] vs. Lukasz Kubot (POL)/Oliver Marach (AUT)

[Mrs. Fabregas]

It's going to be an early start tomorrow ;D