Federer wins No. 16 squishing the last drop of uncertainty out from the GOAT tube.

If it wasn’t done already, this 16 should cement it once and for all. Sampras may have heaved a huge sigh of relief subconsciously knowing that he didn’t miss the GOAT title by a whisker. He has been trumped overwhelmingly to offer solace and satisfaction in what he achieved without reaching beyond his borders.

This win over an opponent six-year younger, as a father of two kids, also unquestionably cements the fact that no one so far can dethrone Federer – other than Nadal. I mean, this was clearly the brightest of the bunch by far going down in flames in three straight freaking sets – with absolutely zero extenuating circumstances.

Murray was obviously way off the form he displayed against Nadal in the semis lending credibility to the pressure theories his nation and Federer poured on before the Slam final. How else can you explain such lopsided losses on the big stage after posting a winning record everywhere else?

Murray engaged just one leg of the two-legged animal needed to milk Federer’s weaker wing. He failed to capitalize on the open court consistently. Whenever he did he almost always won every one of those points either outright or by gaining control of the rally.

Federer realized Murray’s reluctance and patiently and safely kept plugging his backhand without going overboard thereby virtually eliminating all unforced errors from either side. In the end Murray became so predictable without teeth that it’s wonder Federer didn’t close it lot sooner and with lot more pain.

For Federer this was familiar territory. He was in the midst of one losing streak after another similar to the start of last year’s season when he lost the AO and everything else – only to come back and salvage all that and more by winning two back to back Slams. Win here puts him back in control after doubts started creeping since Basel from last season.

Is that a sign that consciously or subconsciously Federer has moved on from anything not called a Slam? Numbers certainly point to that, don’t you think?

This story line makes tennis and fans miss Nadal even more. The two are just made for each other both on and off the court to push the sport to new heights. Without that worthy foil the march into history somehow lacks the spark and brilliance it deserves.

Nevertheless, this was a massively entertaining Slam with Cilic may be the next closest winner to Federer in real terms while Murray and Nadal are left swinging on the other platform.

Murray interview. From Dee. Thanks.

DEE

Click here.

Andy Murray’s underwear to blame for defeat? From Sol. Thanks.

SOL

Click here.

Video – Federer: Win feels amazing. From Vlad. Thanks.

VLAD

Click here.

Video: Federer: First set crucial. From Monique. Thanks.

MONIQUE

Click here.

Becker and Henman on Australian Open final. From Jenny. Thanks.

JENNY

Click here.

Photos.

For all cheap freaks on ‘live chat’.

You have earned my respect for making that extra effort needed to multitask: Watching the match, reading comments and posting your own comments.

And to make the whole BS interesting, informative and classy is incredible.

Proof? Numbers say that more people worldwide are tuning in to read your BS comments than anything else on this stupid site. Not everybody has the passion to take the pains to ‘give back’ despite that extra step it entails.

Good OK job!!!!

Tomic perhaps to quit Australia. From Jef Costello. Thanks.

JEF COSTELLO

Tomic perhaps to quit Australia…

Dearie, dearie me. What is it with Australian tennis and their unproven talent? First there is Jelena Dokic and her crazy-arsed father who caused all sorts of stirs internationally; with a catalyst for arsing the country that nurtured her “talent”, being a “rigged” AO draw where Jelena had a first round match (way back when), against then #2 Lindsay Davenport. So the family up and leave to Yugoslavia.

Now there is the pretentious brat (Bernie) and his bigger prat of a father (Johnny), threatining to shift their hides from Australia to the land of current tennis opportunty, Croatia. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/john-tomic-threat-to-quit-australia/story-e6frg7mf-1225824884772

I will be curious to see how madly Tennis Australia fight for this not to happen, given their desperation for anyone who can hit the ball “in” more than six times in a single point; and whose name is not Lleyton Hewitt; as the nation is crying out for a single successor to the Alfa Romeo / Ferrarri type body of Hewitt – i.e. always breaking down

If they go, this humble reader wishes them nothing but good riddance… and that road rage incident was a real doozy too. I think Papa T needs to be institutionalised, if not for rage management, definitely for delusion..

Federer vs Murray in the past.

Photos.

Signature wall at the AO. From bluechyll. Thanks.

BLUECHYLL

Just outside the Australian Open accreditation office there is a signature wall.
Here are some of the autographs and messages that the players wrote on it while in Melbourne.

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Christian the Lion. From RafaFan. Thanks.

RAFAFAN

Christian the Lion

I hope that the outcome of the AO final of tomorrow will be as emotional and positive as this video.

The king of the kings deserves another AO victory! Last year he already made it to the finals and lost. Then he also made it to the finals of the remaining three GS tournaments. Five finals in a row! So the time has come for another well deserved GS title! Vamos Roger.

Andy Murray v Roger Federer head-to-head. From Claire. Thanks.

CLAIRE

Australian Open 2010: Andy Murray v Roger Federer head-to-head
Andy Murray faces Roger Federer in the final of the Australian Open with the confidence of having a winning record against the Swiss, though Federer has won their last two meetings and the only other time they have met before in a Grand Slam final.

By Vicki Hodges and Steve Wilson
Published: 12:24PM GMT 29 Jan 2010

Fists of fury: Andy Murray will have to beat Roger Federer for the first time in three attempts to claim the Australian Open title Photo: GETTY IMAGES When Andy met Roger:

Bangkok, 2005, hard court: Federer wins 6-3, 7-5

A fresh-faced 18-year-old Murray broke into the world top 100 as he reached his first main tour final. But Federer, at six years his senior, had too much experience to win their first-ever duel.

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Andy Murray into final after stroke of genius Cincinnati Masters, 2006, hard court: Murray wins 7-5, 6-4

Murray squared the head-to-head battle with a second-round win over an exhausted looking Federer two weeks after teaming up with new coach Brad Gilbert.

Dubai, 2008, hard court: Murray wins 6-7, 6-3, 6-4

The clash which will go down as the moment Federer’s irritation with the Scot began. Murray was unseeded for the first round match in the desert while Federer was playing his first event since losing in the semi-finals of the Australian Open to Novak Djokovic.

US Open final, 2008, hard court: Federer wins 6-2, 7-5, 6-2

Appearing in his first grand slam final, Murray was either suffering from nerves or the after effects of an energy-sapping semi-final win over Rafael Nadal which was stretched over two days.

Madrid Masters, 2008, hard court: Murray wins 3-6, 6-3, 7-5

The British No 1 won his second successive ATP Masters title in his first event following defeat at Flushing Meadows courtesy of his victory over Federer in the semi-finals.

Masters Cup, Shanghai 2008, hard court: Murray wins 4-6, 7-6, 7-5

Murray knocks defending champion Federer out of the season-ending tournament in the round robin group stages with gruelling three-set victory in contest that lasted over three hours.

Doha, January 2009, hard court: Murray wins 6-7, 6-2, 6-2

Murray recovered from a back injury in the third set to complete a third successive win over his rival and book a place in the Qatar Open final.

Indian Wells Masters, March 2009, hard court: Murray wins 6-3, 4-6, 6-1

Murray fended off a second set fightback to snare his opponent for a fourth successive time in the semi-finals but went on to lose to Rafael Nadal in the final.

Cincinnati Masters, August 2009, hard court: Federer wins 6-2, 7-6

Federer ends his hoodoo with victory over the newly-crowned world No 2 and defending champion in their semi-final encounter but brushes aside his poor head-to-head record against his rival. “It doesn’t matter to me, I’m past that point.”

ATP Tour Finals, London O2 Arena, November 2009, hard court: Federer wins 3-6 6-3 6-1

Murray gets off to a great start on home soil, breaking Federer twice to take the opening set before Federer raised his game, breaking Murray in game six of the second set before Murray’s erstwhile dependable serve failed him – “I served pants” – in a one sided deciding set.

In their own words…

Federer on Murray:

March 2008: “I don’t think he’s changed his game a whole lot since I played him in the Bangkok final.

“Not that I’m disappointed but I really would have thought he would have changed it in some ways.”

June 2009: “He’s finally proved it [he’s a gifted player], because it took him some time. I was disappointed because I thought that it took him longer than I expected.”

August 2009, after Cincinatti semi-final win: “I stayed aggressive. I was always looking to make the plays and I think in the end I deserved to win, just because I wasn’t scared to go after my shots. And I think I served well.”

November 2009, after victory in London: “He’s one of the best returners in the game and when you’re behind against the top guys it’s not easy. But it’s a huge improvement and gives me confidence.”

Murray on Federer:

Speaking in September 2009 in Cincinatti: “I have beaten him a lot in the past. So if I play him in New York I can definitely win against him – if I play well. So regardless of this week it’s not really going to change my mindset going in against him at the US Open.”

Speaking in Novemeber 2009 ahead of World Tour Finals: “A lot of people said I focused too much on results and winning all the time, but obviously winning against Federer in one of the year’s biggest competitions is one of the best wins of the year for me.

“It’s sometimes nice to beat the big players in epic matches. Unfortunately that takes a little bit out of you sometimes.”

Speaking after the World Tour Finals defeat: “In the first set, at least when I was behind in games, I was coming up with big serves, being able to dictate the points. But after that I served pants.

“You can’t serve at 40 per cent against Roger because you give him so many opportunities to dictate play, but that’s what I did.”

Aussie Open men’s final preview. From Monique. Thanks.

MONIQUE

Click here.

Tennis lookalikes New! From Monique. Thanks.

MONIQUE

Marin Cilic Player Profile. From Jenny. Thanks.

JENNY

roger federer vs tsonga australian open 2010(last 3 games).

Federer reaches his watermark in scary style.

For those still buried under a rock, I wrote about my BS theory a while ago as to what is the minimum both Federer and Nadal are almost guaranteed to achieve irrespective of where they play.

Nadal reached his mark only to revert back to taking a lesson for the millionth time from mother nature. Federer got there too, but with a spark that could move him in a direction slightly different from Nadal’s.

The visible relief Federer’s body language, face etc. so blatantly exuded – after a semifinal match – could have been the product of that invisible mark (reaching the finals) Federer may have come to reconcile with. Sure the thrashing of Tsonga had some thing to do with it too considering Tsonga did after all remove Djokovic, but it was more about getting to where he felt comfortable about in the event.

For Federer not getting to the finals today is a far greater sin than not winning the championship. There are a heap of obvious causes predicating that – both from within and outside.

While Murray and his camp will highlight Tsonga’s similarity to Cilic as far as five setters are concerned, to dampen the message exploding from the scoreline, it will nevertheless form a major part of the blue print Murray will carry on the court this Sunday.

Even though Federer’s inconsistencies of late may prevent Murray’s camp from going completely ballistic,  there is no doubt that if Federer is on his game, Murray or anybody else, has no freaking chance.

For a fan looking for a thrilling final, the only consolation is that Murray comes as close to anyone, in still making it close – which means getting broken just once in each set and not being able to break back. Anybody else, from Nadal to Djokovic to Delpo, don’t even come close on Federer’s day.

While a straight set win in 88 minutes at any Slam is incredible, Federer needs to temper his jubilation with the obvious extenuating circumstances surrounding the event, to keep the whole ball in perspective instead of developing a false sense of security and complacency. Why?

Because the next match will be nowhere close to the usual progression in difficulty a player encounters in a Slam. On paper, Murray still has better numbers having played Nadal in the semis compared to Tsonga for Federer.

However, the ONE reason Federer may enjoy an edge will come from nothing he may have induced himself: The near panic state Murray is in today to get on the Slam board. He will turn 23 in four months which historically is late for anyone aiming to leave a mark on the tour.

Additionally, there is this fear of developing a mental block if the pattern of faltering at Slam finals in particular and Slams in general continues. Murray needs to squish it in the bud NOW to get the monkey off his back so he can return to playing without so much pressure.

You think Federer is aware of it? I have a feeling he is. This may be the first time for Federer to be stepping on the court in a Slam final and not be in a thankless situation. This time a win will truly bloat Federer’s ego among other items and body parts. Conversely, a loss will not produce hurt and injury even close to what similar conditions have in the past.

Bottom line: Murray is under immense pressure from more than one quarter just being in a Slam final. Having Federer across the net – again – only exacerbates the problem exponentially.

Mirka finalfreakingly gets her hair done. Amazing things can happen AFTER you ‘achieve’ and feel relaxed again.

FINALS live chat.

Tip: Open two windows – one for reading comments other for sending your own.

Federer and Murray after six matches.

Player	Aces	Ist serve pct.	Sets lost	Unforced. Errors.	Bk pt pct.	Time on court.	Matches played
Federer	47	63	2	177	46	12:10	6
Murray	56	55	1	141	46	13:03	6

Photos.

Roger Federer Interview After Win Over Tsonga.

Serena taking her place among tennis legends. From ymd. Thanks.

YMD

Celizic: Serena taking her place among tennis legends
She’s flashy and controversial, but Williams’ speed and power is amazing
OPINION
By Mike Celizic
updated 3:39 p.m. ET, Fri., Jan. 29, 2010
On Saturday, Serena Williams goes after her 12th grand slam singles title in Australia against Justine Henin. It’s getting to that stage of Williams’ great career where you don’t want to miss it because we can’t be sure how many more there will be.

You don’t want to watch her just because she’s the best tennis player America has these days, but because she’s one of the best the nation has ever had, a notch below Chris Evert and naturalized citizen Martina Navratilova, but ahead of Billie Jean King, her own sister, Venus Williams, and everyone else.

It’s time to celebrate that greatness and the unique personal style she’s brought to the game, from cat suits to tennis boots to a white, warm-up trench coat. She hasn’t always been the most polite and gracious, but she’s never been dull. And when she’s on her game, few if any have ever combined speed and power as she has.

I’m not sure that American sports fans have ever fully appreciated Serena as much as we should. There’s always been outside issues going on with her and Venus, it seems. Most of them have had to do with their father, Richard Williams, who’s one of those guys who has a knack for ticking people off and a willingness to travel halfway around the world to do it.

But Serena also does a fair job of deflecting fame from herself with her own bad manners on court. She’s playing in Australia on probation for threatening a line judge at last year’s U.S. Open, and she’s had other moments that are not the sort you look forward to telling your grandchildren about.

Beyond that, her career has been cut in half. She exploded on the tour in 1999 when she won the U.S. Open at age 17. For the next four years, she was dominant. But in 2003, she underwent knee surgery. Though she won another Grand Slam two years later, she was ineffective for four years, dropping as low as 140th in the rankings in 2006. It wasn’t until 2007 that she fully regained her ability.

Had she not been injured — she also seemed to lose interest for a time as she concentrated on designing clothing and having a real life outside of tennis — her career would stand out more. Instead, it’s more like two mini-careers than one big one. And she probably would be pushing Evert and Navratilova for second-place on the all-time grand slam list.

She’s 28 now, which is bordering on senescence for a female athlete. Most women are washed up by her age, or at least ready to pack it in. But Serena seems as hungry as ever. If there’s been any erosion of her skills, it’s undetectable by any human sense.

This, too, is remarkable, but no matter how well she’s playing now, you know she can’t have many more good years in her. No one does in her sport at that age.

She’s not yet Brett Favre, ready to retire after the next big match. But she’s close enough to that stage where you have to start circling her grand slam finals and watching. You do because every one is history now. And each is one of a dwindling stockpile of championships she will ever play for.

She’s a force of nature, a once-in-a-generation player who does things differently than everyone else. No one’s ever quite combined raw power with unbelievable speed and quickness as she has.

I can’t think of another word for her. You watch her with your jaw on the floor, and when she’s really on, you wonder how she ever loses a game, let alone a match.

I remember Billie Jean, and I saw Evert, Navratilova and Graf at the height of their powers. I marveled at them all. Evert was the embodiment of silken elegance. Navratilova was relentless strength and aggression. Graf was graceful power personified.

And Serena?

Sheer awesomeness.
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/35138723/ns/sports-tennis/

WTA calls for changes to ‘whereabouts’ rule. From ymd. Thanks.

YMD

WTA calls for changes to ‘whereabouts’ rule
By JOCELYN GECKER, Associated Press Writer
Australia (AP)—The head of the WTA wants changes to certain anti-doping rules, notably the stringent “whereabouts” rule that initially led to a one-year ban for Yanina Wickmayer.

Wickmayer has appealed the ban and was allowed to play at the Australian Open and other tournaments while the appeal is pending in the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the European Commission.

“There are rules in place and professional athletes have to follow the rules. Do the rules need to be changed? Yes, we are advocating for changes as it relates to (the) whereabouts program,” Stacey Allaster, the chairman and CEO of the women’s tennis tour, said Friday.

Wickmayer was banned in November for breaking World Anti-Doping Agency regulations by failing three times to report her whereabouts for drug testing.

She never failed a doping test, and claimed that she was not properly informed of the online reporting requirements for drug-testing that led to her ban. She said that letters notifying her of her breach of the rule were sent to her home in Belgium while she was in Australia.

Wickmayer appealed to a Belgian court and the controversial suspension was lifted last month. But the cutoff for main draw entries at the season’s first Grand Slam had already passed, so she had to go the qualifying route. Wickmayer would have been seeded No. 16 for the Australian Open based on her ranking. She lost in the fourth round to Justine Henin.

“Everyone in the sport has zero tolerance for doping,” Allaster said. “I think the whereabouts program is good. Some of the procedures in the whereabouts program need to be modified for our sport.”

WADA’s “whereabouts” rule requires elite athletes to make themselves available—at times they can specify—for out-of-competition testing on any given day. They must give three months’ notice of where they will be so they can be tested at random.

Three missed tests results in an automatic ban.

Many athletes have spoken out against the system since it was imposed at the beginning of last year, saying it violates their right to privacy, and 65 athletes in Belgium started court proceedings against the whereabouts system, citing the European Convention on Human Rights.

The women’s tennis circuit includes 53 tournaments for 10 months of the year.

“During competition, we know where they are, they’re here. They don’t know if they’re going to win a match or not. They don’t know when they’re going to get their practice court. It’s very difficult to keep that system updated,” Allaster said. “If WADA wants to come in, or a national doping association wants to come in and test them, all they have to do is look at the schedule.

“That’s where we’ve been saying, what works for all sports doesn’t work for our sport procedurally when they are in competition. And they are in competition 10 months of the year,” she said.

http://tiny.cc/TpLqc

For rock people just getting out from under that rock. From M. Thanks.

M

Click here.

Tennis Players’ Cartoon Alter Egos. From Monique. Thanks.

MONIQUE

Tennis brings out the best. From Somebody Else. Thanks.

Top 10 Worst-Dressed World Leaders.

Click here.

Federer vs Tsonga.

Cilic in his previous life. From Ricky. Thanks.

RICKY

Look at Cilic in his previous life:
I’ve tried to post that bust of emperor Augustus 2 days ago but it didn’t go through I think so here it is again:

What makes Tsonga a far better candidate than Davydenko to capitalize if Federer falters again?

Serve?

Davydenko had one freaking ace the entire match. All others hit Federer’s sweet spot. Tsonga had 19 against Djokovic.

While there are other obvious differences, the serve appears to be the one that could prove to be a game changer if Federer starts missing anywhere even remotely close to what he did in the first set against Davydenko.

Tsonga has got to be really pumped up for this, far more than Cilic must have been against Murray, for a variety of reasons: He has been here before, the clock is ticking for him (he will be 25 in a few months), is physically stronger AND AND AND has defeated Federer – in straight sets – @ Madrid Masters last year. H2H: 1-1. Score for the one Federer won? 7-6, 1-6, 7-6.

So even though that five setter theme runs concurrent with Cilic there are many reasons for Tsonga to be realistically hopeful. Add Federer’s inconsistencies and can we then say ‘emboldened’?

Cilic takes a set off Murray. Can Tsonga do any better?

Considering Murray hadn’t dropped a set till now and that Cilic was coming off three five setters two of them back to back, this could be more about Cilic than Murray. Duh!!! Taking the first set further underscores the argument.

Can Tsonga, coming in with two back to back five setters himself, match or exceed Cilic? After all, on paper, Federer appears far less of a threat.

Murray has clearly proven to being the best player at the Slam so far. With that stature comes responsibility and pressure to deliver. He will have a worthy competitor in Federer to make it count with that famous ‘two birds with one stone’ cliché.

So far Murray has just been successful with hunting down one bird (H2H against Federer), but to beat Federer at a Slam in a five set setting can most truly send a signal through the tour. Has Federer ever been beaten in a five set match in less than five sets, other than on clay?

That for Federer is like a straight set loss given his history and open admission to being  invincible in five sets.

But this time Federer and Murray will have no excuses of any kind to blame their loss on. Murray has had enough time to get acclimatized to the big stage weather, with US Open the most recent one against the same opponent. Federer has no injuries / illnesses to fall back on. Both come in physically and mentally rested and fit, giving rise to hopes of an epic battle similar to the one here last year or the two Wimbledon ones featuring Roddick and Nadal.

Murray, however, has said enough in the last twelve months to displace Hewitt, Roddick and Djokovic as the next arrogant one – a trait that brings out the best from Federer. Conversely it hurts him the most if he loses to them.

But this time Federer may be facing an opponent who has the arrogance AND the game to upset him – repeatedly. There’s no question that drive to ‘set him straight’ will figure prominently somewhere in the game face make up Federer will bring to the court, but if it occupies more than the legitimate and reasonable space in his psyche, it may begin to work against him given Murray’s recent credentials.

Murray’s strategy is an open secret as is for any player facing Federer: Attack his backhand long enough to open the court for a winner while avoiding the forehand. Easier said than done proven by his 23rd Slam semifinal appearance in succession.

But Murray is one of the few players on the tour who can produce enough pace and angle on his shots to Federer’s backhand to make them count / fluster Federer. Add his retrieving ability and you have Federer’s least favorite player on the court.

But all that can change if Tsonga can produce the match of his life AND Federer loses his right AND left hand before the match.

Nevertheless, a big thank you goes out to all the players for making this Slam one of the best in recent years with a flurry of exciting five setters. Can we have one more – on Sunday?

Photos.