Sport Professional Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Australian Open’

Andy Murray eliminated Jurgen Melzer in straight sets 6-3, 6-1, 6-1, Monday at the Australian Open for the second consecutive year.

Finalist in 2010 ended the match with an ace and will play in the quarterfinals Alexandr Dolgopolov, who upset fourth-seeded Robin Soderling.

Robin Soderling

Soderling, a finalist at Roland Garros, was eliminated bowing 1-6, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 in the fourth round against Dolgopolov.

Soderling won the tournament Preparatory Brisbane without losing a single round and had not conceded a set in Melbourne before crossing swords with the 22 year old Ukrainian, who reached the quarterfinals in his first year at this major tournament.

The reverse cross Dolgopolov that led to his first match was a good example of the winners 50 shots he faced to a successful Soderling stunned. The Swede is the player with the highest ranking to be removed from the table for men.

Soderling saved three match points, but his career ended with another unforced error, his 51st of the meeting.

The Swede had 26 years of age lost his service twice a year, but it has been broken nine times Dolgopolov in this game.

“I try to find the weakness of my opponent that he is not comfortable in the game – then if I am likely to hit winners, it’s my game Soderling is one the most powerful on the track, but I was able to read very well service, described Dolgopolov.

“I saw his shots very well, and this has paid off. ”

Dolgopolov told that as a child, his father worked as a trainer with former Ukrainian player Andrei Medvedev, then he would sometimes hit balls with the players when they were training.

“I obviously had some good moments. I can sometimes be annoying for players to play with me. It was a nice way to start a career in tennis. “

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark began its first major tournament as World No. 1 with a 6-3, 6-4 against Argentina’s Gisela Dulko.

He was a first victory this year for the young woman of 20 years. She had lost against Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova in the tournament last week in Sydney and against No. 2 Vera Zvonareva and Belgian Kim Clijsters during exhibition games in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Caroline Wozniacki

Wozniacki did not have to save break points in the first round and successfully converted the only one she has obtained against Dulko.

Argentina, the favorite in two, offered a nice contrast to the Danish in the second set and even tied the game 4-4 in breaking the service of his opponent. Wozniacki however countered on the next game before entering the meeting service.

Venus Williams, No. 5, has passed the first round by virtue of his 6-3, 6-2 to Italy’s Sara Errani.

Justine Henin overcame a slow start to beat India’s Sania Mirza 5-7, 6-3, 6-1. Henin has lost the 2010 final to Serena Williams in Melbourne a couple of weeks after returning to competition, has disposed of a point set in the first set but allowed Mirza to breakage, then win two following games to remove the sleeve.

For his part, Maria Sharapova won her first match at Melbourne Park since she won the title at the Australian Open in 2008, with the Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1, 6-3 on center court.

Sharapova, the former favorite world who missed the Australian Open in 2009 because of a shoulder injury and was eliminated in the first round last year by compatriot Maria Kirilenko, has had trouble with his service and lacked consistency in the second set. After being broken in the first play of the game without registering a single point, Sharapova has won seven consecutive games to take the lead 6-1 1-0.

The Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone has seen hard times before finally defeating Spain’s Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-4.

The sixth-seeded got the chance to service for the match at 5-3 in the third set but was broken. The Italian has quickly replaced and the service broke Parra Santonja in the next game, so to close the books.

In other first-round matches in the women, the No. 20 Kaia Kanepi beat Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 and No. 29 Cibulkova defeated Germany’s Angelique Kerber 6-2 6 -7 (4), 6-4. Evgeniya Rodina of Russia eliminated the Australian Olivia Rogowska – who got a bye for the tournament – 6-3, 6-1.

Due to the absence of the defending champion Serena Williams – the victim of a foot injury – Clijsters is considered the favorite to win the title for the women at Melbourne Park.

“The 2010 edition of the Australian Open has started today. Day 1 at the Melbourne Park started surprisingly, with a rain shower. The hot Australian summer has been replaced by repeated showers, which constantly interrupted the events at the Melbourne Park.

Only the Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena where not bothered by the changing weather, as the retractable roofs where used to offer a continuous play.

In terms of tennis, Day 1 started with a huge upset. Maria Sharapova lost the opening match at the Rod Laver Arena. Maria Kirilenko, another Russian, defeated her in 3 sets. This was the only upset of the day, both in the Women’s and Men’s Singles matches.

Favorites like Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Juan Martin Del Potro and Andy Roddick won their matches to advance to the next round. Del Potro was the only one to drop a set from the favorites pack in his 4 set win over Michael Russel, while Nadal had surprising problems in his first set with Australian, Luckzak.

The Women’s tournament saw its favorites advance too. Kim Clijsters lead the pack, followed by fellow Belgian, Justine Henin. Elena Dementieva, last week’s, Sydney Open Champion and last year’s finalist, Dinara Safina, won all in straight sets and booked their tickets for the second round.

Several matches had to be postponed because of the rain delays. However, AO 2010 seems to be more exciting as ever.

Watch Australian Open live online and enjoy all important matches of this first Grand Slam event of the season.”