Aus Open Tennis 2017 - Return Of Old The Guard Pleasantly Surprises Everyone

#AustralianOpen #Tennis #GrandSlam 2017
#Melbourne #Park

This year's Australian Open Tennis championship has been nothing short of awe inspiring display of tennis for the old guard. The legends of "yesterday" as they were labeled, just rose to the occasion and showed why they are legends in the first place!

In the Men's Singles draw, arguably the greatest rivalry after Borg and McEnroe, #RogerFederer and #RafaelNadal stormed into the finals with classic 5 set victories over their higher ranked and younger aged opponents showing their class and stamina alike to play at this level. What a dream final this would be! #Rafa has a big edge over #Roger in Head-to-Head comparison and also Grand Slam meetings so he will feel the upperhand going into the contest. But those wins were way back in 2009-2011. Their latest meeting in 2015 saw Roger turn the tide on Nadal and pull one back (although not in a grand slam event).

We as tennis fans can only hope to see a classic on Sunday (remember some of those epic battles ; the 2007 and 2008 Wimbledon Finals, 2011 Australian Open final to name just a few...) Who are you supporting to win? Federer his 18th or Nadal his 15th? Only time will tell.

In the Women's Singles draw, the #Williams #Sisters have brought back memories of their rivalry down the years yet again. #Serena has always been on top of her game over the last few years but #Venus has been the surprise package this year. And she promises to challenge Serena's supremacy in Women's Tennis. Also, Serena's Grand Slam finals record over the last few tournaments has been surprisingly poor. She has lost 3 finals (surprisingly to low ranked newbies) so she needs to put that behind her. Venus can go all out with nothing to lose. The pressure will be on Serena as she stands on threshold of surpassing #SteffiGraf (22 Grand Slam crowns).

Whatever the outcome, we are going to see two classic matches from the legends of the game.  Lets just savor the moments.

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US Open 2016: Angelique Kerber Wins Womens Crown Becomes World No 1

#USOpen2016 #Tennis
#Women's #Singles #Final

#Angelique #Kerber is the new US Open Champion and is rising up the ladder in women's tennis by the day. Ready to follow #SteffiGraf footsteps? 

In a hard fought three setter, Kerber downed #Pliskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in a grueling game of power and stamina. Both players game their absolute everything but Kerber stole the show. Brilliant tennis all round and this could be a new era in women's tennis with some solid competition brewing up in Kerber for Serena.

Not only did Angelique win the crown, she ensured she will end the year as World No. 1 - another feather in her cap (she won two majors this year - Australian Open and US Open).

Still making waves even after the magnificent #Australian #Open win prior this yr. Serena #Williams seems to be the star on a slide and we are looking at a brand new queen in world tennis. The #German is sensational to be honest. whereas she isn't very comfy on clay, she has made the last 4 at #Wimbledon this year.

(Serena Williams loses in semifinals to Karolina Pliskova)

 

Whats next for Serena? She is simply outstanding but has been missing out on many majors in contemporary times, continually making the semifinals and finals. The American has already received 22 Majors and desires three greater to win an international list 25. 

There's little doubt that a brand new period in women's tennis has began with Kerber reaching the USA Open last and Serena bowing out within the semifinal. and eventually we have considered a metamorphosis in the rankings.

Women's tennis has lacked a true rivalry and that has likely stored the enthusiasts away. However we can also have this race between Kerber and Serena as the new contention that can also reinvent ladies's tennis in all places again. Of course it is a little bit early to say anything but the incontrovertible fact that there is some hope isn't unhealthy, not in any respect.

Men's tennis has dominated the headlines for far too long and what ladies's tennis wants more than the rest is a very good contention. The type that noticed Steffi Graf go toe to toe against #Monica #Seles, The form that gave a new air to the ladies's game. Kerber may be the answer and she can give #Serena greater than a run for her money and that could be the thing that the ladies's game requires.

Well done Angelique .. look forward to your competition with Serena in the coming years. 

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Pliskova Stuns Serena In US Open 2016 Semis

#USOpen2016 #Tennis
#FlushingMeadows #NewYork

Just a day ago, we were gushing about #Serena awesome feat of becoming the first player (both men and women included) to hold maximum match wins (308) in #GrandSlam tournaments. She was looking in ominous form and blazing past her opponents in style. 

As luck would have it, with all the limelight on her, she decided to show that she is only mortal. Playing #KarolinaPliskova in the #Semifinals of the women's singles draw should have been a cake walk on any other day to enter the finals of yet another grand slam and history in the making.

Not to be. It was #Pliskova who had other plans. And she went about it precisely, catching #Serena offguard in the first set and wrapping it up 6-2 easily.

Serena picked it up in the second set but Pliskova held on to push the game into a tie-breaker.
Serena tried and tried, but Pliskove held her firm. This was her day. She broke Serena and completed the most famous victory of her career.

She will face #Angelique #Kerber of Germany in the finals on Saturday, 10th Sep 2016.

As for Serena, she will take it as on off day and move on.
Greater heights and laurels await her in coming days ... she is the legend!

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Novak Djokovic Starts His US Open 2016 Campaign In A Shaky Manner

#USOpenTennis2016

Defending Champion and World No.1 @NovakDjokovic started his #USOpen campaign on a shaky note struggling to get past his low ranked opponent in tough sets. Trying to shrug off his @Rio2016 #Olympics disappointment, he will have a point to prove in the year's final grand slam.

#RafaNadal started steadily and will look to build on the #Rio2016 experience to build form and strength for the upcoming 2017 season.

#RogerFederer and #AndyMurray will open their campaigns and hope to sail through the initial rounds.

In the women's draw, #Serena will look to extend her grand slam run to 23 slams and etch her legend further! Dont see too many troubling her unless she wilts under her own pressure.

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Australian Open 2016: Will Novak Achieve GRAND SLAM?

The Australian Open ‪#‎Tennis‬ ‪#‎Grand‬ ‪#‎Slam‬ tournament gets underway n Melbourne, Australia. 

Novak Djokovic vying to complete the GRAND SLAM (all four majors in a row) and dont see anyone stopping him considering his form and class! There is clear daylight between him and the others at the moment. Note that, he had won French, Wimbledon and US Open (bt Federer at the Championships and Flushing meadows) and is looking ominous to go the distance here at the Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park. 

Roger Federer will probably on tour for the last time in his glittering career, trying to add to his 17 Grand Slam titles. Can he add one more? Rafa Nadal is on his way back but loads of injuries and back problems have hampered him for well over an year now. He looks a shadow of his golden prime from 2-3 years ago. Andy Murray looks out of sorts. So, the men's draw seems to petering out into a Djoker vs Fed/Nadal/Murray final.

Serena Williams seems to be hot favorite to win this SLAM in women's draw. While the Russians are always competitive, Serena looks a class apart and will look to go past Steffi Graf's 22 Grand slams.  

In women's doubles, Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis will look to extend their unbelievable run of successes from 2015. Unbeaten since Wimbledon 2015, they are the golden pair to watch out and grab their third straight GRAND SLAM crown. 

In men's doubles, the Bryan Brothers will look to win this slam easily unless there is some big upset or likes of Leander Paes, Daniel Nestor, Andy Ram pull out something sensational.

All in all, looks like an interesting couple of weeks of action at the first grand slam of the year!

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Its SerenaSlam! Watch out CalendarSlam

#Serena #Williams completed #SerenaSlam by winning Wimbledon 2015 yesterday.
This was her 21st Grand Slam crown, just one shy of #Steffi  #Graf's 22, to become holder of the record in #tennis   #open #era. This was also her 8th Grand slam crown after age of 30, another record. Whats next for Serena? The #CalendarSlam is next with US open in a few weeks time! Way to go Serena....


Here's how she completed the #SerenaSlam
US Open 2014 bt. Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3
Aus Open 2015 bt. Maria Sharapova 6-3, 7-6
French Open 2015 bt. Lucie Safarova 6-3, 6-7, 6-2
Wimbledon 2015 bt. Garbine Muguruza 6-4, 6-4

Apart from the French Open final last month where she was really challenged by Lucie Safarova in a three setter, she seems to win these finals pretty easily. Just that champion instinct probably. She ups the game couple of notches in finals of tournaments to down her hapless opponents.

Her Grand Slam record now reads 21 - 4 (25 finals played, 21 victories, 4 losses) which is phenomenal. Her only final losses include

US Open 2001 lost to Venus Williams 2-6, 4-6
Wimbledon 2004 lost to Maria Sharapova 1-6, 4-6
Wimbledon 2008 lost to Venus Williams 5-7, 4-6
US Open 2011 lost to Samantha Stosur 2-6, 3-6 

Interestingly all her final losses have been straight-set losses as well. Twice to her elder sister Venus and more recently to the unfancied Samantha Stosur in US Open 2011. Since then she has won all US Open titles and the 2015 title will give her the CalendarSlam! You wouldn't bet against her to complete it with that kind of a record.

Overall titles of Serena in Grand Slams
Australian Open - 6
French Open - 3
Wimbledon - 6
US Open - 6

At 33, she has a couple of years definitely to push that record beyond everyone's reach you'd say?

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Two Great Matches One Classic While One Houdini Escape

#Wimbledon 2015

The Championships of 2015 have produced some exciting tennis and results over the last 10 days. Seeds have tumbled, stumbled and mumbled along the way. However, two matches have caught imagination of the crowd and media alike. Both stunners ... one an absolute classic and the other one a lesson in resolute stubbornness!

The Classic
Without doubt, the greatest tennis match at this year's ‪#‎Championships‬ by a distance and we dare say this could go down as an all time classic too! Unfancied Heather Watson pushed top seed and World No.1 Serena Williams to the limit in their Round 3 match at Wimbledon.

After an easy first set to Serena, the match looked dead and buried for Heather. But the second set saw a major turnaround as she started stroking the ball beautifully, chasing every ball down and catching Serena completely off guard. She broke Serena and tied the score at 1 set apiece.

The decider began in favor of Heather again. She raced to a 3-0 lead and Serena for once didn't look like a multiple grand slam champion - tired, frustrated and clueless! But the true champion that she is, she hung on and brought all her experience into play breaking Heather in the next game and the next and tying at 3-3. Momentum shifting towards the champion.

Heather managed to hold her next game and then broke Serena yet again to go 5-4 up! Serving for the match, she needed nerves and temperament to put it past the top player but class of Serena showed as she broke her back and tied things and served beautifully to surge ahead 6-5.

Serving to stay in the match, Heather gave her absolute everything but Serena's overall ability and champion skill broke through her resilience and won an incredible match (Serena admitted this being one of the toughest matches of her career) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 in over 2 hours of breathtaking tennis from the youngster challenging the champ.

Everyone in the crowd was supporting Heather and Serena was feeling that heat throughout. She had words for the chair umpire about crowd behavior distracting her during play.

Nevertheless, Heather will be the talk of tennis for years to come owing to this performance. Well done Heather and she'll definitely come back stronger in other tournaments. Serena marches on to her dream of the calendar grand slam!

The Houdini Escape

If the women produced a gem, the men weren't to be left behind.

Top seed and World No 1, #NovakDjokovic faced super serving #KevinAnderson (South Africa) seeded 13th in a 4th round match. 

Anderson started brilliantly. Much faster, supple and with intent. Although no serves were broken in the first set, Kevin looked stronger and deservedly won the tie breaker to go 1-0 up. Nothing to worry for Novak since he's master of long matches.

The second set began on the same note. Anderson breaking Novak and raced to a lead but Djoker caught up with him at the right time to force another tie-breaker. Once again, it was Anderson who looked better and he went 2-0 up. He was certainly welcoming thoughts of a great upset at Wimbledon. The crowd once again rallying behind the underdog.

But, champions are champions and it showed. Djokovic came out blazing in the third set to demolish Kevin 6-1. This shook up Anderson badly and the Serb No.1 was in his usual backs to wall recovery mode. He demonstrated similar clinical display in the fourth set to tie the match at 2-2.

Kevin was certainly out of it by the time fifth set began. The momentum and ability was with Novak and he kept powering his way through. Kevin hung on though before bad light forced play to stop.

When play resumed the next day, Kevin was hoping a change of momentum but Djokovic had nothing to with it. He powered and won the fifth set 7-5 to clinch a place in the quarterfinals.

Final score

Djokovic bt Anderson 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5

A typical Houdini escape by Djoker!

Wonderful play from Kevin Anderson and he must have been dejected after being 2-0 up in the match. But, the masterclass he received from World No. 1 should stand him in good stead as he moves his way up in the rankings and future tournaments.

2 great games of tennis. 

Tennis, the winner all the way!

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