[Other Sport] Australian Open (tennis)

[herecomesaregular]

Wimbledon 2021 - retired following first set loss after suffering panic attacks/heart palpitations after having to wait round all day to play her match.

December 2021 - tests positive for Covid and is forced to miss BBC's SPOTY show and therefore give a winner's speech possibly live and in front of hundreds of people on stage.

January 2022 - has blister on main hand so unable to play anywhere near her best tennis.

That's a lot of bad luck at very unfortunate times.

Have you actually watched her play tennis?

She was unlucky to lose today and played well tactically with the injury. I put money on her opponent shortly before the end of the 1st set after the injury but cashed out to get my stake back early 3rd set as I couldn't call it. She showed real guts so to imply what you seem to imply about her mentality, I think you're way off there. She'll go on to be a top 5 player definitely.

 

[Durlston]

Have you actually watched her play tennis?

She was unlucky to lose today and played well tactically with the injury. I put money on her opponent shortly before the end of the 1st set after the injury but cashed out to get my stake back early 3rd set as I couldn't call it. She showed real guts so to imply what you seem to imply about her mentality, I think you're way off there. She'll go on to be a top 5 player definitely.

I'm not implying anything. I have seen her play and she looks the real deal with a strong all-round game. The final of the US Open tennis was a magnificent performance and she'll go on to have a good career. Maybe having Covid affected her in this year's Australian Open? It was hardly ideal preparation.

Anyway, on with the tournament and it has made Simona Halep's odds slashed from 14/1 to 6/1 in her half of the draw. Of course, there is still a heck of a long way to go. That's why I think Grand Slam tennis is so hard.

 

[Seagull27]

Just to add, Leylah Fernandez went out in the first round to a wildcard. Turns out it's tough to achieve consistently as a youngster.

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

Not many tennis fans on NSC perhaps but the Nadal - Mannarino first set tie-break is worth watching if you get chance. Not quite at the Borg - McEnroe level from 1980 but the dog woke me at 4.30 and I was hooked

 

[herecomesaregular]

2am in Australia and Murray is just starting to play a 4th set.

What other sport makes it's athletes play at this ridiculous time?!

 

[patchamalbion]

This is astonishing

How does Murray do it?

 

[herecomesaregular]

Into the 5th!

 

[Simster]

Murray is a proper great of the game. He's been so unlucky that his time was the same time as three of possibly the best 10 male players of all time. Certainly best of the rest though (ahead of Wawrinka, Del Potro etc), and it's because of games like this. 34 years old, hip op done and here he found himself two sets and a break down, and yet he still has the fight to claw his way back into the game. Absolutely astonishing.

 

[nicko31]

Playing in Melbourne, gone 3am

 

[Official Old Man]

How does anyone prepare to play for 5 hours of tennis? Not only that but it's 3:20 in the morning. Crazy.
"Come on Andy"

 

[dangull]

is there a stream anywhere?

 

[Bozza]

They've a little while to go yet...

The latest finish to a match played at the Australian Open, or any grand slam, was in 2008 when Lleyton Hewitt and Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis played a five-set match that finished at 4.33am.​

 

[Bob!]

 

[KZNSeagull]

Murray breaks in the 5th and will serve for the match!

 

[doogie004]

Brilliant effort

 

[KZNSeagull]

The brilliant BRIT wins! Amazing comeback, again.

 

[Hotchilidog]

That is flipping ASTONISHING! ANDY BLOODY MURRAY!!!!!!!

 

[Silverhatch]

Sen f***ing sational

 

[Icy Gull]

Brilliant

 

[zeetha]

What a match, and what a performance from Murray - how on earth has he done that just 2 days after his previous 5 set match?!?! Crazy finishing time as well!