Category Archives: Grand Slams
Gravitational Forces
Australian Open, Quarterfinals (Day Nine) (3) Federer d. (11) del Potro, 6/4 6/3 6/2 As I made my way in to Rod Laver Arena tonight, where Rafael Nadal aimed to become the first Spaniard to defeat Tomas Berdych ten times … Continue reading
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Resistance is Useful
Australian Open, Fourth Round (Day Eight) (1) Djokovic d. Hewitt, 6/1 6/3 4/6 6/3 Channel 7 has hopefully learned its lesson. Whereas yesterday’s promos blithely contended that Tomic would take it to Federer, today’s were more circumspect, not to say … Continue reading
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A Species of Insanity
Australian Open, Fourth Round (Day Seven) (3) Federer d. Tomic, 6/4 6/2 6/2 Channel 7 in Australia tonight asked its viewers whether Bernard Tomic could ‘pull off the upset’ against Roger Federer. Sadly, thanks to the miracle of social media, … Continue reading
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A Question of Experience
Australian Open, Third Round (Day Six) Hewitt d. (23) Raonic, 4/6 6/3 7/6 7/3 There are moments when Jim Courier’s urge to turn a phrase trumps his faltering inspiration, and leads him inexorably into verbiage, if not downright garbiage. “Hello, … Continue reading
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What Price Quality?
Australian Open, Third Round (Day Six) (1) Djokovic d. Mahut, 6/0 6/1 6/1 There was plenty of great tennis on Rod Laver Arena today, but only ever from one end of the court, although that end alternated every two games. … Continue reading
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Slaying the Dragon
Australian Open, Third Round (Day Five) (3) Federer d. Karlovic, 7/6 7/5 6/3 There is a pervasive tendency – entirely inexcusable – for commentators calling Ivo Karlovic’s matches to treat him like a kind of mythical beast the hero must … Continue reading
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Night Thoughts
Australian Open, Second Round (Day Four) (14) Monfils d. Bellucci, 2/6 6/0 6/4 6/2 Like the unending and infinitely kitsch waltzes of Johann Strauss Jr., which inspire Austrians in Vienna but nausea everywhere else, Henri Leconte’s deranged commentary only really … Continue reading
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Don’t Panic
Australian Open, Second Round (Day Four) Of the 128 men who contested the first round at this year’s Australian Open, 96 have already lost. This is the ordinary attrition rate through two rounds of a major tournament, so there’s no … Continue reading
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Skewed Straight Sets
Australian Open, Second Round (Day Three) Presumably everyone who cares to know is already exhausted by the unfolding brouhaha between the world’s finest male tennis players and the sport’s governing bodies. The salient issues include the excessive length of the … Continue reading
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Photon-Drunk
(4) Murray d. Harrison, 4/6 6/3 6/4 6/2 Photon-drunk from the sun’s intimate and ceaseless ministrations, I had either begun to hear voices, or else the suffocating heat had proved sufficient to rewire my brain for telepathy. “I mean, I … Continue reading
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