Ready to go 5 sets and some tie breaks?
This will be good.
5 Sets agreed.
I really want to be a full-on Murray fan but I hate that double handed backhand of his 🙁
Mistakes both side
more from Murray I feel - Djoc has the edge atm it seems, that fallover recovery wont have done Murray any good.
That was an amazing point.
Melbourne was full of tennis lovies on Friday
Wilander reckons Djoc looks a bit weary - the recovery drugs haven't worked so well, it seems...
And he doesn't seem to like his shoes...
Down here they think Murray is flagging.
New shoes for Novak soon?
Has Djokovic been to see Michele Ferrari?, his shots are so bloody powerful.
Murray needs to go for the jugular, come on son....
his shots are so bloody powerful.
and his arms are so spindly compared to some other players, but then Fererer is no hunk. Timing and carbon rackets, init?
Liking the tennis-point adverts on Eurosport, added bonus for not listening to Castle...
Down here they think Murray is flagging.
Djoc has had an extra day to recover, but Murray also I think has less hours on court, which was one of Feds problems.
Fed was saying that all of his matches are night matches so he doesn't get to bed till 3 after all his interviews, 'cos he does so many.
I'm worn out just watching this!
Well, well...
Someone's shoes seem to have really upset their wearer!
twice as many unforced errors from Djoc, plus fashion faux-par with those shoes...
And the first new shoes
Boom, boom, great towin that set after the two close service games!!
What is castle talking about - total control in this set? That was v v close until the tie-break.
Keep it up Andy
What's with the yellow theme to just about every player at this year's Australian? And it is TDF yellow too.
Australian yellow - Australia Day falls within the tournament?
It was yesterday could well be
liking Djocs shots where he goes for the lines so often
couple of nice forehands from Murray...
Still can't call it both could lose it rather than winning at this stage
nice feet 🙂
Bleugh
Looked like a prize blister there. Would also avoid lip reading Murray at this point. Advantage Novak?
or novaks feet might be just as bad and Murray got his out as a double bluff
On Eurosport they were saying that pros losing toenails, etc is a normal thing nowadays
Not a tennis fan but could adapt to see Murray lose
😈
This is not going well for Andy Murray.
2nd serve crapness from Murray...
he's out unless he stops them.
Hamstring injury 🙁
Murray still pushing with the pain - respect but hope he doesn't damage it!
hamstring ? didn't see that.
Well, he's en route to becoming Scotland's number one tennis player again.
Hamstring is in the mind.....
1st serve has left the building which is the bigger problem
no way back I think...
Splat
liked watch Nicolas Almagro though against Ferrer, great groudstrokes
notice the practice wall at the back of the court, we'd be better as a nation at tennis is we had some of these - I don't think I have ever seen one in the UK.
They a practice wall at my old club. The problem with practice walls is that you are effectively playing the ball twice as often as you would normally. This means you don't have time to set for yout shots properly and learn bad habits.
but you can groove in very consistent and repetitive groundstrokes, players over here aren't used to long rallies - Murrays mum sent him to spain early on as she knew he would get nowhere staying here
and it means that you learn to set for your shots in half the time surely?
A popular practise regime is to have two people at the net volleying whilst you scuttle around trying to return the ball, learning to react and set for your shot faster.
When I was coached, a few years ago now, the principle was to very much get you to play groundstrokes with good form before everything else. Set feet, low to high, full follow through. Get form right, then work on hitting and moving. Then scramble and volley, which Iguess is where the wall helps. Many, many thousands of balls hit .......
I like Roger, when he was at his peak he seemed to have ages to reach the ball set himself and make a beautiful shape when hitting the ball. Class
Amazing athletes.
On a separate note I was just thinking how tennis like cycling is a sport where a player would benefit from a good doping regime ( micro dose epo,Testosterone, hgh, blood doping etc) loads of sponsors money to pay for it -improved recovery,endurance,strength etc.Im amazed no player has thought of doing it.
Had a practice wall at my old club too back in the 80s. Was great for practicing if you had nobody to hit with and consistently returned the ball unlike my mate Steve who would sky it at all the time.
Both great athletes and the game was lost in Murrays head as Djokovic just ground it out. 3 more chances this year though but US is probably best chance as if Nadal is good and fit he has to be likely to win the French and Wimbledon is pretty open.
I had to practice against a wall in a garage block - but it meant my groundstrokes were better than any other part of my game.
If you look at Nicholas practicing he has ages before his partner returns the ball - he could easily do with half the time, and if he had a ball machine it would be firing them balls at him more often as well.