2014 Australian Open

[semsox]

More or less an on-time start. 1-1 in the 1st set.

 

[jon abbey]

First set tiebreak to Nadal, Fed needed that one. 

 

[Apisith]

It's going to be extremely difficult for Roger now.

 

[NWsoxophile]

Nadal is just fearsome.

 

[fletcherpost]

Nadal's blister looks nasty, and has to be painful but he's still beasting it. He's some athlete. 

 

[semsox]

Really disappointing match. I hate Nadal's style so much but he just does not crack

 

[jsinger121]

Domination those last 2 sets.

 

[jon abbey]

Yeah, that was a stomping. Fed didn't even see a break point until he was already down two sets. 

 

[jon abbey]

Nadal has never even lost a set to Wawrinka in 12 matches, 26-0 in sets.

 

[jsinger121]

As well as Wawrinka has been playing I'd be stunned if he stole a set from Rafa.

 

[MentalDisabldLst]

I guess all that time off really did extend the lifespan of Rafa's knees.  Those are still a ticking time bomb, but he may have given himself 3 or 4 more years of elite-level play with that ~1 year off.

 

[jon abbey]

Li Na breaks at 5-5, serving for the first set.
 
This is kind of crazy, could lead to some interesting matchups in the next couple of Grand Slams:

If Nadal wins #AusOpen, your new #ATP rankings: 1 Nadal, 2 Djokovic, 3 Del Potro, 4 Ferrer, 5 Wawrinka, 6 Murray, 7 Berdych, 8 Federer.
 
https://twitter.com/SI_BTBaseline/status/426683987960926208

 

[jon abbey]

Congrats to Li Na for finally breaking through, she lost her serve twice in the first set to give back her break lead, but she went up 5-1 in the tiebreak and never looked back, 6-0 in the second set and her second Grand Slam. 

 

[Apisith]

Pretty cool that she's pretty much reached her peak in her early 30s. I wonder what changed between now and 6 or 7 years ago when she was losing in the earlier rounds at every slam.

 

[BigMike]

Pretty cool that she's pretty much reached her peak in her early 30s. I wonder what changed between now and 6 or 7 years ago when she was losing in the earlier rounds at every slam.

She's been a pretty good player since the start of 2006,  which was when she married her coach. (Wasn't clear, I think she married him and then made him her coach)
 
her career seems to have taken off more after 2008,  which was when she quit the Chinese national sports program

 

[jon abbey]

Wawrinka looks relaxed and impressive very early on, up a break at 3-1.

 

[NWsoxophile]

Stan showing some nads there, coming back from triple break point to win his first set ever against Nadal.

 

[jon abbey]

Wawrinka takes the first set after some nerves trying to serve it out. Down 0-40, missed six first serves in a row, but came back to pull it out. Nadal is having huge problems with Stan's serve, he didn't win a point on his first serve the whole first set.

 

[LogansDad]

Wow, Wawrinka breaks the first game of the 2nd set, dominantly.

 

[jon abbey]

Now Nadal is "hurt", just like Serena always seems to be on the rare occasions she is losing.

 

[LogansDad]

Damn, I wasn't gonna make it through this as it was, and this was shaping up to be a good match.  I need to watch more tennis this year, I think.

 

[NWsoxophile]

Stan ain't having it. Calling bullshit. Man wants his title.

 

[SydneySox]

I liked Stan but now he's bitching so I hope he gets hit by a bus. What a fucking jerk.

 

[NWsoxophile]

Sounds like he's arguing some kind of procedural violation.

 

[jon abbey]

I liked Stan but now he's bitching so I hope he gets hit by a bus. What a fucking jerk.

 
He's right, this is within the rules but very lame. 

 

[SydneySox]

He can be right and not a fucking bitch.

 

[SydneySox]

And now the crowd is totally behind Stan.

 

[NWsoxophile]

Nadal looks busted up now.

 

[SydneySox]

Rafa's gonna quit.

 

[NWsoxophile]

Over.

 

[LogansDad]

This is painful to watch

 

[SydneySox]

The crowd thinks he's putting it on.

Pretending to be hurt when you're losing is not the Australian way ... I think he really is hurt and he's going to hate Australia after this but the crowd, who aren't watching the screens, won't believe him.

 

[NWsoxophile]

I think they believe him after that last game.

 

[jon abbey]

Well, it didn't seem believable initially but definitely more so after that service game. I think he is hoping the painkillers kick in for the third set, that's the only reason he hasn't retired yet.

 

[epraz]

I'm not able to watch, what's wrong?  The hand?

 

[SydneySox]

Back.

 

[NWsoxophile]

I'm not able to watch, what's wrong? The hand?

Back.

 

[NWsoxophile]

What a drag!!

 

[jon abbey]

But to be fair, he was getting his ass kicked from the very start of this match, the back problem seemed to happen a set or so in. 

 

[NWsoxophile]

But to be fair, he was getting his ass kicked from the very start of this match, the back problem seemed to happen a set or so in.

True, but Nadal is fierce and has been playing great. I wouldn't have counted him out even 2 sets down.

 

[jon abbey]

Yep, of course. I'm still not totally counting him out.

 

[LogansDad]

He looked like he considered shaking hands there. 

 

[NWsoxophile]

He's either toast, or this is some masterful sandbagging.

 

[NWsoxophile]

Good for him for gutting this out.

 

[SydneySox]

Alternatively, playing while hurt is right up our alley so they'll love him again.

 

[NWsoxophile]

Meds are kicking in.

 

[LogansDad]

Suddenly Wawrinka looks like crap.

 

[NWsoxophile]

Broken back vs. broken mind.

 

[jon abbey]

Every game Nadal wins at this point is an upset, this set is far from over.

 

[jon abbey]

Wildly different situation, but I'm slightly reminded of that Michael Chang/Lendl French Open final in which Chang was cramping bigtime but still somehow won.