[Elelaytet]

Carlos should know better than appear in public without headgear.

[LookSe]

Ljubicic looks kind of buff! I always thought he was super skinny. Has he always looked like that, or did he bulk up in the off season?

yeah he has been like that for a while (always?). I remember him when he was a top ten player like 2 centuries ago.

and I can't help to think that this is a second rate (third-fourth?) line up with all the marquee players not participating. I'm not sure what Fed has to do with these guys, I mean no offense.

[Elelaytet]

yeah he has been like that for a while (always?). I remember him when he was a top ten player like 2 centuries ago.

and I can't help to think that this is a second rate (third-fourth?) line up with all the marquee players not participating. I'm not sure what Fed has to do with these guys, I mean no offense.

This'll probably be a good confidence booster for Fed.

Until Gonzo beats him, you know.

[Lvnufcdc]

Stan over Marcos, 6-2, 6-2. Federer-Moya to follow.

[Leczyslaw]

Stan over Marcos, 6-2, 6-2. Federer-Moya to follow.

Does not look good for Marcos so far..

[JakeBarkings]

Fed up 6-2 over Moya.

[Antelpebabe]

Results for Wednesday 14 January 2009

Stanislas Wawrinka (Sui) d Marcos Baghdatis (Cyp) 6/2, 6/2

Roger Federer (Sui) d Carlos Moya (Esp) 6/2, 6/3

Fernando Verdasco (Esp) d Marin Cilic (Cro) 6/2, 7/5

Fernando Gonzalez (Chi) d Ivan Ljubicic (Cro) 6/4, 6/3

[MaickiP]

Fernando Verdasco (Esp) d Marin Cilic (Cro) 6/2, 7/5

This is the only result that really surprises me.

[enurneAcourdy]

This is the only result that really surprises me.

The winner or the scoreline?

[MaickiP]

The winner or the scoreline?

Both. I would have expected Cilic to win.

[enurneAcourdy]

Both. I would have expected Cilic to win.

I don't think either result would have surprised me much. They're both coming off good tournaments. Their rankings are in the same ballpark. I probably would have picked Cilic in 3, honestly though.

[Antelpebabe]

SCHEDULE OF PLAY
THURSDAY 15 JANUARY 2009

FROM 11AM

MARCOS BAGHDATIS (CYP) v IVAN LJUBICIC (CRO)

Followed by

ROGER FEDERER (SUI) v FERNANDO VERDASCO (ESP)

Followed by

CARLOS MOYA (ESP) v MARIN CILIC (CRO)


Yay I will be attending tommorow

[Lvnufcdc]

Yay I will be attending tommorow

Allez! Hope you blog like last year

And who says Roger will retire soon? He is planning to play till 2016!!
Q. You mentioned your plan is to play until the 2012 Olympics.
After everything you have gone through, is that still your
plan?

A. Yes - at least - then we will see how it goes. But I would
like to play for a very long time. I have had a good year
a good stretch over the last few years, and I feel healthy.
I have got a game that doesn't consume too much energy, so
that's a big benefit for me looking ahead. But I am even
more aware today of my schedule than I was in the past, but
I played a lot of matches again last year even though it
wasn't really my best. But definitely before 2012 I would
still like to play Wimbledon. London Olympics is very
intriguing for me, and then after that I would like to play
another four years hopefully. Very interesting interview after todays match (http://www.aamiclassic.com.au/files/...RER14.1.09.doc). He also talks about Helfant, rates Rafa as the favorite for the AO next to himself, says 27 is not really old, says he loves watching Lleyton play and thinks he can come back, and says that maybe it is better that Rafa and Nole are not in Kooyong since it is not beneficial to play them so close to a big event.

[Elelaytet]

So, Fed just beat Verdasco... in a third-set tiebreak!!

[Antelpebabe]

Results for Thursday 15 January 2009
Marcos Baghdatis (Cyp) d Ivan Ljubickc (Cro) 7/6 (7-3), 6/4
Roger Federer (Sui) d Fernando Verdasco (Esp) 6/3, 3/6, 7/6 (7-5)
Marin Cilic (Cro) d Carlos Moya (Esp) 6/3, 7/6 (7-1)






SCHEDULE OF PLAY
FRIDAY 16 JANUARY 2009

FROM 11AM

FERNANDO GONZALEZ (CHI) V STANISLAS WAWRINKA (SUI)

Followed by

MARCOS BAGHDATIS (CYP) V MARIN CILIC CRO)

Followed by

IVAN LJUBICIC (CRO) V CARLOS MOYA (ESP)

[zlopikanikanz]

So, Fed just beat Verdasco... in a third-set tiebreak!!

Ja! I'm not seeing Fed taking this Grand Slam.
do remind me to use him early on in the SP.

[Leczyslaw]

This is the only result that really surprises me.

Why? Cilic did not have to beat top 40 player to win Chennai this year. Verdasco meanwhile crushed Ancic and Mathieu in Brisbane last week. Very expected result imo.

[Leczyslaw]

Ja! I'm not seeing Fed taking this Grand Slam.
do remind me to use him early on in the SP.

Remember that year when he lost to Roddick in this event? Roger has always treated exhibitions as practice.

[QQQQQ-Trek]

Remember that year when he lost to Roddick in this event? Roger has always treated exhibitions as practice.

You know, that's almost what it looked like to me watching him play Verdasco yesterday. I just got the feeling he could have won in 2 sets easily but just wasn't that concerned about it. Not that he didn't get, rightfully, frustrated with himself at times. But I felt he won the tiebreak because he did want to win but wasn't going to go full throttle until he needed to to do it. If that makes any sense at all...

And yet, he still drove me batty watching.

[zlopikanikanz]

Remember that year when he lost to Roddick in this event? Roger has always treated exhibitions as practice.

Roddick and Verdasco are on two different levels.
Anyways, I just don't see it. Maybe I'll change my mind (with much pain) after seeing his first rounds in AO.