Tsonga vs Djokovic

These two players have gone through the draw unnoticed really. Djokovic has had a relatively easy draw up to the quarters going thorugh untroubled. Tsonga has had a trickier run through to the quarters. Djokovic has yet to lose a set. Tsonga was pushed to four sets against Tommy Haas who had the chance of taking this five sets after serving for the fourth set. Luckily he failed it wasn't too long before Jo had to wait to play a five set match after he was pushed to 5 by Nicolas Almagro who has broke his left wrist luckily he is right handed and has a one handed backhand.

Tsonga has failed to live up to his run to the final in 2008 losing to Djokovic. However over the winter break he has shown signs that he was working with his game as his backhand and his speed around the court look to have improved substantially. Djokovic has failed to reach a Final in a slam since his win over Tsonga two years ago, his form though since last years US Open has improved greatly.

Tsonga has beaten Djokovic four times out of six althought the most important match went to Djokovic here two years ago in their first meeting. This definetly has the potential to be the best match of the tournament if both show. It will be interesting to see hoiw Tsonga copes after the five set tussle the other day. Another interesting point is on how Djokovic will cope with his first real test of the tournament. For the reason that Tsonga has had harder tests I expect him to come out with another five set victory and to keep his remarkable unbeaten five set record!!!!

Quarter final Line ups

Tuesday
Murray vs Nadal (Night Match)
Roddick vs Cilic (Day Match)

Wednesday
Federer vs Davydenko
Tsonga vs Djokovic

Tuesday
Henin vs Petrova
Zheng vs Kirilenko

Wednesday
S.Williams vs Azarenka
V.Williams vs Li

I thought I would predict the rest of the tounrmanet here just for a bit of fun!
Last 32
Federer vs Montanes Federer vs Baghdatis
Baghdatis vs Hewitt
Verdasco vs Koubek
Davydenko vs Monaco Verdasco vs Davydenko


Djokovic vs Istomin Djokovic vs Youzhny
Youzhny vs Kubot
Tsonga vs Haas
Almagro vs Falla Tsonga vs Almagro

Roddick vs Lopez Roddick vs Gonzalez
Gonzalez vs Korolev
Cilic vs Wawrinka
Del Potro vs Mayer Del Potro vs Wawrinka

Murray vs Serra Murray vs Isner
Isner vs Monfils
Karlovic vs Ljubicic
Kohlschreiber vs Nadal Kohlschreiber vs Ljubicic


QF
Federer vs Verdasco
Tsonga vs Djokovic
Roddick vs Del Potro
Murray vs Kohlschreiber
SF
Federer vs Tsonga
Murray vs Roddick

Final
Roddick vs Federer

Winner
Federer

Youzhny vs Gasquet "battle of the one handed backhands"

This is unquestionably the tie of the round with the battle of the one handed backhands. Both players are two of the most entertaining to watch. This is a battle of two former top 10 players. Both have reached the latter stages of slams. Gasquet reaching the semi finals in Wimbeldon in 07 before losing to Federer. Youzhny in the semi finals of the Us Open in 06 losing to Roddick. After both reached the semi finals of slams both have tumbled down the rankings rather quick both. In 11 slams that Youzhny played afterwords he has only reached one Quarter Final his best performance at the Australian Open were in 07&08 . In the six slams Gasquet has played since he has made the fourth round at the Australian Open and he reached the fourth round Wimbeldon that year also.

Both players seem to be on the up again Youzhny at one point was as low as 70 in the rankings at one point last year, Gasquet largely had a year to forget after the Drugs debacle but when cleared to play again he showed a few signs of the player who was in the top 10 at one point. Gasquet has started off the season much better reaching the Quarters and a Final in his two warm up events. Youzhny has lost his only match this season.

These two players have the capacity to produce a nervey classic or a spectacle. Lets hope both players produc the game that got them to a slam semi and the top 10 and not a match that features both players form for the majority of the last two years. I feel Gasquet is mentally still a tad unsettled when the tight moments come around and I think his nature to be passive in the tight moments will trouble him and I can see Youzhny clinching his first victory of 2010 in four tight sets.

Henry escapes Ban

Striker Thierry Henry has been let away with his cheating in the World Cup Qualifier. You remember that match? Don't you ? Hard to forget being an Irish man isn't. This adds further insult to injury. Fifa promised so much but it seems like all they were doing was to making it look like they were bothered. First of all they (Sepp Blatter had the cheek) of laughing off our claim of a replay and they he contrived a story suggesting we wanted to be a '33rd team' when all Ireland really asked for was for something to be done about this debacle. During the major meeting they, well Blatter decided that there would be no video technology or extra referee.


As if things couldn't be any worse Henry has now being told he can play in the World Cup without ban. This is another case where one has to question the honesty and integrity of football. If there is any justice in the world and sport France won't win the World Cup. This will help the Irish fans who are still bitter (me included!) come to terms with such a disgraceful act.

Day One: Order of Play (Showcourts only)

Day One Order of Play (Irish Time)
Rod Laver Arena
All Midnight Start unless stated
M.Sharapova (14) vs M.Kirilenko
K.Clijsters (15) vs V.Tetreault
A.Murray (5) vs K.Anderson

8 am
R.Nadal (2) vs P.Luczak
J.Dokic vs A.Kleybanova (27)

Hisense Arena
M.Rybarikova vs D.Safina (2)
A.Roddick (7) vs T.De Bakker
M.Russell vs J.M.D. Potro (4)
K.Flipkens vs J.Henin

Margaret Court Arena
Y.Wickmayer vs A.Dulgheru
G.Rufin vs B.Tomic
E.Dementieva vs V.Dusehvina
J.Jankovic vs M.Niculescu

8:30 am
G.Monfils vs M.Ebden

For the rest of Day One Order of Play check the link below out

http://http//www.australianopen.com/en_AU/scores/schedule/schedule6.html

Baghdatis wins fourth title

Former Australian Open Finalist Marcos Baghdatis clinched his fourth title of his career in a straight set victory over Richard Gasquet 6-4 7-6 in the Medibank Internation in Sydney. Baghdatis clinched the first set with one break of serve. However he was forced to battle in the second set trailing 5-2. Gasquet failed to serve out for the set and subsequently Baghdatis went on to clinch the title in a tie breaker. Both will go into the Australian Open as unseeded threats and with the confidence they have they could prove a real threat to the higher ranked players.