The players had their warm-up tournaments and now it’s time for the first Grand Slam of 2016 – the Australian Open!
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Not many coaches would want to sit courtside and watch their charge battle through a brutal five-hour match but Toni Nadal has no problem reliving his pupil Rafael Nadal’s epic five-set win over Fernando Verdasco in the 2009 Australian Open semi-finals, as long as it spells victory for his nephew.
Verdasco will next face Iisraeli Dudi Sela, ranked 87th in the world.
Andy Murray maintained his ideal record against Australian opponents when he defeated Sam Groth 6-0, 6-4, 6-1 Thursday, his 17th consecutive win against players from Down Under.
After surrendering a 5-2 lead in the fourth set, he dug deep to win the tie-break and take the match the distance.
For the first time at Melbourne Park, electronic advertising boards at Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and Hisense Arena display the name “William Hill” during breaks in play.
Indeed, Fratangelo was bageled in the final set of his qualifying campaign by Evans and got back into the tournament as a lucky loser, but the veteran Frenchman loves a scrap and still has the legs to win this with a bit to spare.
Venus Williams of the United States reacts to a lost point against Johanna Konta of Britain during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016.
“It’s tough, but at the same time, I know I did everything that I can to be ready for it”, Nadal said.
John Isner is back in the third round at Melbourne Park for the fifth time in seven years following a 6-3, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (2) win over Marcel Granollers of Spain. The report said that half of those players were at this year’s Australian Open but did not name names.
“In the fourth set I think I started serving better than in the second and third”. I did not play bad, I kept the pace well.
Stanislas Wawrinka, on the other hand, did not suffer the same fate, winning in a 7-6, 6-3 walkover against Russian Dmitry Tursunov, who succumbed to injury. Let’s keep going. That’s the only thing.
The governing bodies for tennis rejected the claims, but Murray thought the authorities could be doing more to combat the potential for corruption.
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“I just think that it should be tennis that does a better job of explaining – they shouldn’t have to read it in the press, ” he said.
