Looking Back
So the Australian Open has been and gone, but like every other Grand Slam tournament, what we saw will echo throughout the tennis year. There’s plenty of things to take away from the tournament, by players, fans and Grand Slam organisers.
One of my only concerns when looking back over the tournament has been the organisation. The organisation has been a worry to players and audiences alike in two different ways: one is the way in which the tournament itself is placed in the tennis calendar. Before the Grand Slam started, Roger Federer (President of the ATP Player Council) called for the tournament to be pushed back a bit to allow players to play in more exhibition tournaments etc before coming to Australia. Players have to make the tough decision as to how many matches they can play before they come the Australian Open; finding a balance between resting themselves and getting back into the swing of things before the first Grand Slam of the year.
The second issue I believe that the tournament needs to address, is the way in which the matches are spread. There were many occasions in which a player had to battle through a tough match whilst t more »
Written by:Psychological Scars
There are so many interesting things to come out of last nights match that I don’t really know where to start. Rather than talk about the match – there are plenty of plenty of places to read about that – I thought I’d talk a little about the mental aspects, both going in to the match, and as they now stand at the end.
All fortnight the focus had been on Federer’s march to fourteen titles. History beckoned and with Federer having such a knowledge of the history of the game, and where he’d like to be remembered as part of that history, he was placing a huge amount of pressure on himself right from the outset.
Then Nadal went and played that 5 hour, 5 set semi, and wisely used his fatigue to play down his chances in the final. Every interview after that match he talked about how it would be tough for him to come back and perform, but he would go out and give it his best shot.
This had the effect of placing Federer in a position where he has absolutely everything to lose. Everyone agrees Nadal should not be able to beat Federer…he’ll be too exhausted, his legs won’t go the distance. You could see in that opening set how tight Federer was, how cautious his shots. He was scared to lose and was timid, rather than focusing soley on what he had to do to win. He was hoping in this first set to get confirmation that Nadal was going to be a step slower than normal. He wasn’t, and Federer should have known better.
Before Federer knew it he had lost the first set, Nadal’s more »
Written by:Rafael Nadal : Champion
The final of the Australian Open – Rodger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal – finished just hours ago, and the tennis world is still revelling in its grandeur. Great finals in the Grand Slams are always expected, (particularly after the Wimbledon final 2008), and today’s Australian Open’s final certainly did its job at keeping the crowds captivated. The end result: once again Rafael Nadal has come out victorious against his greatest opponent. The match was electrifying to watch, but what more do we expect from these two rivals?
This year’s Aussie Open final was played out in five sets of intense tennis, brilliant from both sides. Both Rodger and Rafa were a little nervous at more »
Written by:Rafael Nadal – the Raging Bull from Majorca
The Final is already underway, but there’s still time to have a look at the two titans who have come together today to try and gain the Australian Open title. Who do I put my money on? Rafael Nadal. ‘Of course you would’ I can’t help but say to myself; I am a self-confessed Rafa fan after all. The Spanish player caught my attention in the 2007 Wimbledon final. I found him such a contrast to Federer’s neat, effortless quality. With Nadal, there is a rawness that challenges his opponent to dare get in his way. Whereas Federer hides his power to a certain extent, Nadal wears his on his sleeve; to watch Nadal play increases the blood pressure, and when you hear of blistering backhand getting into some far unreachable corner to win the game, you know it was the world number one in action.
There are a number of elements as to why I enjoy watching Nadal’s game, which I think could also stand him in good stead this afternoon. Besides the raw power and barely contained energy, there are the skill of his strokes. In particular, his back hand. My own love of his double-handed backhand may just be simple ‘backhand envy’ – my own backhand shots go horrifically haywire and are woefully inaccurate. But as anyone who has watched Nadal will know, backhands are his specialit more »
Written by:Double The Excitement
Corny title, I know, but the doubles tournament for this Australian Open has been an exciting one. Both the men’s and women’s finals were an interesting affair; the Bryan twins won their third Australian Open title, their final set a testimony to their talent as they won all of the last six games. With a style and flair so often associated with the Bryan brothers, the duo regained their position as world number one when they qualified for the final this year.
Doubles match are delightfully exhausting to watch, with a fast pace and the power of four players barely contained inside the court. The finals match was no exception. Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles (No. 3 pair) started out well against the Bryan brothers, their serve and accuracy helping them to steamroll the first set in 27 minutes. But the Bryan duo’s dynamic game soon emerged from the rocky start, and took the next two sets to finally triumph.
There was another siblings double pair who were on fire in the final round; Serena and Venus Williams won their eighth Grand Slam doubles title when they beat Daniela Hant more »
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