Time for an Aussie Open thread I think, what with the action getting underway in a few minutes time.
I can’t do my normal assessment on the contenders unfortunately as I’ve seen very little of the warm-up events (though Medvedev vs de Minaur was pretty good, albeit it was essentially a clay court match that had got lost and found itself on on a hard court) so feel massively under informed. Still we can at least consider a few obvious headline issues like whether Djokovic’s new service action will function (probably not), whether Muguruza is fully fit (hopefully), Sharapova will get the bird from the crowd (highly likely) and Federer will be unchallenged and serene in defending his title (I’m going for no, out in a shock before the Semis, I’m looking at you, Milos).
On the Brit front, how will leading light Jo Konta do in what is just about her favourite event? Again, I’ll downplay that one – she is due for an unlucky year.
Oh, and then there is the shot clock. That will piss Rafa Nadal off no end. Seems a stupid idea to me, but we will see. As you can tell, I’m coming at it with an open mind...
But for now, here are the nominal R3 draws:
Men's Singles
Rafael Nadal Esp [1] vs Damir Dzumhur BiH [28]
Diego Schwartzman Arg [24] vs John Isner USA [16]
Pablo Carreno Busta Esp [10] vs Gilles Muller Lux [23]
Pablo Cuevas Uru [31] vs Marin Cilic Cro [6]
Grigor Dimitrov Bul [3] vs Andrey Rublev Rus [30]
Nick Kyrgios Aus [17] vs Jo-Wilfred Tsonga Fra [15]
Kevin Anderson RSa [11] vs Lucas Pouille Fra [18]
Phillipp Kohlschreiber Ger [27] vs Jack Sock USA [8]
Dominic Thiem Aut [5] vs Adrian Mannarino Fra [26]
Roberto Bautista Agut Esp [20] vs Stan Wawrinka Sui [9]
Novak Djokovic Srb [14] vs Albert Ramos Vinolas Esp [21]
Mikhail Zverev Ger [32] vs Alexander Zverev Ger [4]
David Goffin Bel [7] vs Fabio Fognini Ita [25]
Tomas Berdych Cze [19] vs Juan Martin del Potro Arg [12]
Sam Querrey USA [13] vs Milos Raonic Can [22]
Richard Gasquet Fra [29] vs Roger Federer Sui [2]
Women's Singles
Simona Halep Rou [1] vs Petra Kvitova Cze [27]
Ashleigh Barty Aus [18] vs Elena Vesnina Rus [16]
Johanna Konta GBr [9] vs Barbora Strycova Cze [20]
Lucie Safarova Cze [29] vs Karolina Pliskova Cze [6]
Garbine Muguruza Esp [3] vs Agnieszka Radwanska Pol [26]
Angelique Kerber Ger [21] vs Anastasija Sevastova Lat [14]
Kristina Mldenovic Fra [11] vs Madison Keys USa [17]
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni Cro [28] vs Caroline Garcia Fra [8]
Venus Williams USA [5] vs Ekaterina Makarova Rus [31]
Daria Gavrilova Aus [23] vs Julia Goerges Ger [12]
Sloane Stephens USA [13] vs Daria Kasatkina Rus [22]
Shuai Peng Chn [25] vs Elena Svitolina Ukr [4]
Jelena Ostapenko Lat [7] vs Anett Kontaveit Est [32]
Dominika Cibulkova Svk [24] vs Coco Vandeweghe USa [10]
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova Rus [15] vs Magdalena Rybarikova Svk [19]
Kiki Bertens Ned [30] vs Caroline Wozniacki Den [2]
I can’t do my normal assessment on the contenders unfortunately as I’ve seen very little of the warm-up events (though Medvedev vs de Minaur was pretty good, albeit it was essentially a clay court match that had got lost and found itself on on a hard court) so feel massively under informed. Still we can at least consider a few obvious headline issues like whether Djokovic’s new service action will function (probably not), whether Muguruza is fully fit (hopefully), Sharapova will get the bird from the crowd (highly likely) and Federer will be unchallenged and serene in defending his title (I’m going for no, out in a shock before the Semis, I’m looking at you, Milos).
On the Brit front, how will leading light Jo Konta do in what is just about her favourite event? Again, I’ll downplay that one – she is due for an unlucky year.
Oh, and then there is the shot clock. That will piss Rafa Nadal off no end. Seems a stupid idea to me, but we will see. As you can tell, I’m coming at it with an open mind...
But for now, here are the nominal R3 draws:
Men's Singles
Rafael Nadal Esp [1] vs Damir Dzumhur BiH [28]
Diego Schwartzman Arg [24] vs John Isner USA [16]
Pablo Carreno Busta Esp [10] vs Gilles Muller Lux [23]
Pablo Cuevas Uru [31] vs Marin Cilic Cro [6]
Grigor Dimitrov Bul [3] vs Andrey Rublev Rus [30]
Nick Kyrgios Aus [17] vs Jo-Wilfred Tsonga Fra [15]
Kevin Anderson RSa [11] vs Lucas Pouille Fra [18]
Phillipp Kohlschreiber Ger [27] vs Jack Sock USA [8]
Dominic Thiem Aut [5] vs Adrian Mannarino Fra [26]
Roberto Bautista Agut Esp [20] vs Stan Wawrinka Sui [9]
Novak Djokovic Srb [14] vs Albert Ramos Vinolas Esp [21]
Mikhail Zverev Ger [32] vs Alexander Zverev Ger [4]
David Goffin Bel [7] vs Fabio Fognini Ita [25]
Tomas Berdych Cze [19] vs Juan Martin del Potro Arg [12]
Sam Querrey USA [13] vs Milos Raonic Can [22]
Richard Gasquet Fra [29] vs Roger Federer Sui [2]
Women's Singles
Simona Halep Rou [1] vs Petra Kvitova Cze [27]
Ashleigh Barty Aus [18] vs Elena Vesnina Rus [16]
Johanna Konta GBr [9] vs Barbora Strycova Cze [20]
Lucie Safarova Cze [29] vs Karolina Pliskova Cze [6]
Garbine Muguruza Esp [3] vs Agnieszka Radwanska Pol [26]
Angelique Kerber Ger [21] vs Anastasija Sevastova Lat [14]
Kristina Mldenovic Fra [11] vs Madison Keys USa [17]
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni Cro [28] vs Caroline Garcia Fra [8]
Venus Williams USA [5] vs Ekaterina Makarova Rus [31]
Daria Gavrilova Aus [23] vs Julia Goerges Ger [12]
Sloane Stephens USA [13] vs Daria Kasatkina Rus [22]
Shuai Peng Chn [25] vs Elena Svitolina Ukr [4]
Jelena Ostapenko Lat [7] vs Anett Kontaveit Est [32]
Dominika Cibulkova Svk [24] vs Coco Vandeweghe USa [10]
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova Rus [15] vs Magdalena Rybarikova Svk [19]
Kiki Bertens Ned [30] vs Caroline Wozniacki Den [2]
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