Sports & Fitness Aussie Open tennis anyone?

Have been a keen tennis player most of my life, and always enjoy watching the Aussie Open.

Anyone else getting addicted?

I watched Lleyton Hewitt's first round match the other night and it was a ripper!

He is an amazing ambassador and role model for the game, and I hope he can go all the way to the finals - just to inspire our younger players and keep the excitement in the tournament.

I was very impressed with his opponent - James Duckworth - great strength and composure and was a bit sad that he had to lose that match.

But anyway; go Aussies.

Taking my oldest son to Saturday's matches - his first time at the tennis - he'll love it; great day out.

 

Went on Tuesday with the ground pass. So busy, but lots to do. In the early rounds I like hanging out at the practice courts. Some of these early round matches are fodder...

From 10am to 4pm I saw Nadal, Federer, Kyrgios, S. Williams, Tomic, And Djokovic belting the living day lights out of tennis balls for 45 minute stretches.

Everyone has their own tempo in these 45 minutes sessions; it's pretty clear watching the top 5 practice versus the rest practice.. They even relax differently..

 

Yep, sadly another end of an era that makes me feel older.

From an age to remember, as a little one, it was Newcombe, Cash, Rafter, Philippoussis, and now young Hewitt.

Whilst there were many others, incl women, there the standouts for me, champions of my time regardless of their achievements.

All the best to Layton and his family who like Kyrgios etc now have to deal with the modern times of social media.

I got emotional during his tribute, especially when his kids came out, showed his wife crying, what a big sook I am.

Channel 7 are shocking the way they switched from 73 to 7 during the middle of his speech (in WA anyway)

 

Meh...Lleyton has always rubbed me the wrong way...Glad he is gone.

Even when Ferrer was serving for the match he is still yelling "COME ON" hahaha. I was hoping for one last reverse emu palsy thing he used to do with his hand but it didn't happen.

 

Absolutely loving it. Best time of year for me. Last two years I was able to pretty much watch it day and night due to injury, but now back at work can only manage the night time games from the pool.

I honestly can't imagine a better way to watch it, other than being courtside.

 

Gavrilova last night was AWESOME too.

 

I reckon the Come-On gets an unfair bashing from negative people, personally I love his energy/excitement on court which takes me on the ride with him, yelling the same when he wins an awesome point.

His had his moments (portrayed via intrusive media) at times but he's still been a standout ambassador for Aussie tennis for many years (under pressure from media at 15yrs), tell me someone else the Aussie tenagers now playing Pro have had to look up to, aspire to be.

Like Jason Day, Adam Scott with Golf.
Ricciardo, Lowndes with motor racing.
Fanning, Beachley with Surfing.
etc etc etc

 

I am the vice president of the negative *******s association @keithj is president.

But seriously, he does "COME ON" even when someone double faults...

 

Yes; that's not on.

But what's this growing trend of grunting/screaming with every-single-shot? Seems like every second player does nit now.

I couldn't listen to Ferrer last night - muted the volume; not the same without the commentary; turned it off and watched My Dream Home with the Scott bros.

UPDATE: Another bloody grunter on right now with the women.

Channel surfing time.

 

@Bayview I'd be more than happy to turn off commentary whenever McAvaney is talking.

Comments like the following:

"At two sets down he's going to need to win this set plus the next two to win"
"This is an important game for Federer....if he wins it, he wins the set....."

Last year he actually used the old "well, its a game of two halves" chestnut as well.

The amount of comments Courier has to just shake off and keep going is incredible.

My facebook page in January is normally me commenting on tennis whinging about McAvaney, and whinging about the frequency of My Kitchen Rules advertising haha

 

Yes; Bruce is one of my pet peeves as far as commentators go...hate hearing him do the footy.

I like to listen to sport when the ex-players are commentating; and not these "Professional commentators" such as Bruce, Drew Morphett etc.

John McEnroe, Jim Courier etc - really good.

My favorite footy commentators are actually Dennis Commeti and Brian Taylor.

 

Don't forget the incident with James Blake at the U.S. open in 2001 when a black linesman was accused of giving favorable calls to James Blake...

Apart from his warrior, never say die, patriotic spirit, nothing to be learned by Lleyton Hewitts tennis career.

 

Agree on Hewitt... Comes across ok off the court, but on the court quite a tosser. Much like most of the male Aussie players to be honest! If he were top 10 for many years, maybe he could justify the attitude, but he only ever did ok, never quite made it. Most of the o/s players, many much more skilful players, have a much nicer attitude.

 

That said, the way he demolished Sampras at a U.S. open once was amazing....he was in that pre-fed, Murray, djokovic era and did quite well in it when the top 10 was basically Marat safin, kafelnikov, corretja, occasionally Agassi, Gustavo kuerten, Magnus Norman (wtf?) I think you get the idea..

I've always wondered why his parents are at EVERY match, ***** me to tears.

 

Did OK? He was the youngest ever world number one in the history of tennis, and held it for two years! He is number 10 in the all time list of weeks spent in the number one spot! Only names ahead of him are players such as Federer, Nadal, Agassi, Sampras, Djokovic, Lendl, McEnroe, Borg!
He would of won a lot more grand slams too if it wasn't for a bloke (probably the greatest player of all time) by the name of Roger Federer.

 

Thought old Fed may have been playing a Rocky game with DJ then, give him early high confidence with 2 sets then smash him.
Wasn't meant to be, DJ's too good, but still 23 - 22, lets see how good DJ is at 34yrs old, does against a 6yr + younger opponents.

 

I agree 100 per cent. Hewitt is really dislikeable on the court with his stupid hand gestures.. But now that I am seeing him off the court (in his retirement) I like him and he seems very nice.

 

As you say tables turn. Djokovic was #3 behind Rodger and Rafa for a long time before breaking through... Murray and Wawrinka had to wait their turns... Raonic and Nishikori are challenging.

Djokovic will enjoy it while it lasts... he's a class above right now but it won't last forever.

 

Impressed by Serena Williams yesterday, she was gracious in defeat.