2010 Australian Open - Predictions and Scores

[CK]

Starts next Monday, looks a cracking tournament with both sides a lot more wide open than previous years.

Very hard to confidently pick the winner in the women's side. Certainly, Henin and Clijsters have been very impressive in their return to date, although the former has a slight injury concern over her. The Williams sisters always hard to beat in Australia, and some up-and-comers may be ready to peak at the right time. Not sure the Aussies can go beyond the first week, although a kind draw for Jelena Dokic could see her get to the last 16.

While the men's is normally dominated by Federer and Nadal, it looks a little different this year. A group of younger players have had excellent years and could cause the big upset. Robin Soderling is a real player on the rise with some massive scalps in the last 12 months. Andy Roddick is progressing well from injury and while he seems to fall short in at the last hurdle, cannot be underestimated. Del Potro rolled Federer in the US Open final, and this surface should really suit. Case for Lleyton Hewitt to get to week two, but not much further. It looks fairly bleak for Australia on the men's side.

Proverbials on the line...

Mens:

Winner: Roger Federer
Big Chance: Robin Soderling
Absolute bolter: Tomas Berdych (at $201 presently, but his improvement is notable. Can be very hot and cold, but at his best, more than capable of going deep into week 2)


Womens:

Winner: Kim Clijsters
Big Chance: Caroline Wozniacki (the busiest player on the women's tour last year, with 91 matches. Plenty of improvement in her and loves this surface)

Absolute bolter: Ana Ivanovic (would need an absolute heap to go her way and a very kind draw, but showed some real glimpses in Brisbane at times. Currently $41)

[bayman]

murray-williams double

[Tassie Blues]

i predict they will lose 2-3 days due to the heat!

[NFC]

i predict they will lose 2-3 days due to the heat!

Won't happen. 2 covered courts and as for the outside courts they will start play at 11, get one match in, then commence at 7, 8, whatever time when they can start play. I was there a few years ago when one day was constantly above 40 and matches started on outside courts at like 11pm.

[CoverKing]

I reckon the big chance to capture his first Slam is Davydenko. He has won the Masters at the end of 09, just won in Qatar with most of the top 10 present. He is in some sort of form and cant be underestimated.

However hard to go past Federer.

I will predict a Murray and Nadal first week loss for both of them.

With the females, i agree with young Wozniacki giving it a shake. She is extremely talented!
Im not sure how Justine Henin will cope with her first 2 week tourney, after coming off her first tournament in Brisbane (IIRC). So im predicting a a Henin QF exit, a Serena and Clijsters final (if the draw suits).

Davydenko at $10 and Wozniacki at $16 look alrite. Dementieva at $17 is also good value IMO. Proven player who can give the Williams a shake IMO

[NFC]

Wozniacki is terribly overrated. Decent player, decent future, but will struggle to win a Slam at any point of her career let alone now. Average serve, inability to hit winners, Serena/Clijsters/Henin/Sharapova would all easily account for her.

[dodgingandweaving]

I reckon the big chance to capture his first Slam is Davydenko. He has won the Masters at the end of 09, just won in Qatar with most of the top 10 present. He is in some sort of form and cant be underestimated.

However hard to go past Federer.

I will predict a Murray and Nadal first week loss for both of them.

With the females, i agree with young Wozniacki giving it a shake. She is extremely talented!
Im not sure how Justine Henin will cope with her first 2 week tourney, after coming off her first tournament in Brisbane (IIRC). So im predicting a a Henin QF exit, a Serena and Clijsters final (if the draw suits).

Davydenko at $10 and Wozniacki at $16 look alrite. Dementieva at $17 is also good value IMO. Proven player who can give the Williams a shake IMO

Davydenko is a much better player in cooler conditions.

Djokovic & Williams for me.

[CK]

David Nalbandian is out of the Open with an abdominal tear.

Nine Australian women will start the qualifying rounds tomorrow, looking for a main draw berth:

QLD - Shannon Golds, Ashling Sumner and Monika Weinjert
NSW - Sophie Ferguson, Monique Adamczak
VIC - Marija Mirkovic, Sally Peers and Viktorija Rajicic
WA - Jessica Moore

[CoverKing]

Wozniacki is terribly overrated. Decent player, decent future, but will struggle to win a Slam at any point of her career let alone now. Average serve, inability to hit winners, Serena/Clijsters/Henin/Sharapova would all easily account for her.

Terrible overrated???

Top 10 player. Still a teenager. THink she has some points on the board. Im backing her to do a bit in the grand slams this year (now iv said this, she will be a 1st round casualty ) lol

[NFC]

Wozniacki is terribly overrated. Decent player, decent future, but will struggle to win a Slam at any point of her career let alone now. Average serve, inability to hit winners, Serena/Clijsters/Henin/Sharapova would all easily account for her.

Terrible overrated???

Top 10 player. Still a teenager. THink she has some points on the board. Im backing her to do a bit in the grand slams this year (now iv said this, she will be a 1st round casualty ) lol

So was Vaidisova.

They're different players, but just saying.

[silicone skyline]

Wozniacki is terribly overrated. Decent player, decent future, but will struggle to win a Slam at any point of her career let alone now. Average serve, inability to hit winners, Serena/Clijsters/Henin/Sharapova would all easily account for her.

Terrible overrated???

Top 10 player. Still a teenager. THink she has some points on the board. Im backing her to do a bit in the grand slams this year (now iv said this, she will be a 1st round casualty ) lol

Not terribly overrated at all.

[NFC]

Ohhh we're talking looks department are we?

[CoverKing]

Ohhh we're talking looks department are we?

[CK]

The draw conducted this morning.

Of the big names, Roger Federer plays Igor Andreev in the first round. Possible fourth round encounter with Lleyton Hewitt, who plays a qualifier first up. Nikolay Davydenko looks set to face Carlos Moya in the second round, with both players facing qualifiers in their opening matches. Novak Djokovic has a dream run through to about the fourth round, possibly facing Australia's Marinko Matosevic in the second round. Robin Soderling has drawn an awkward section, with Tsonga, Haas and Almagro all in his sights. Andy Roddick and Tomas Berdych are placed for fourth round matches, while Juan-Martin Del Potro should face James Blake in the second round. Rafael Nadal squares off against Peter Luczak in the first round, possible fourth round against Radek Stepanek.

Of the women, Serena Williams looks ready to breeze into the fourth round, with Sam Stosur the highest seed in her portion in this period (Stosur plays a qualifier first up).
Ana Ivanovic and Vera Zvonareva should meet in the third round. Caroline Wozniacki should be thrilled with her draw; Shahar Peer in the third round is her toughest first week challenge, but Venus Williams lurks in the second week. Elena Dementieva will be nervous with a likely second round match to the unseeded Justine Henin. Jelena Dokic is in her section, with a first round game against 27th seed Alisa Kleybanova. 15th seed Kim Clijsters shouldn't be troubled until the fourth round, where she is likely to face 3rd seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. 2nd seed Dinara Safina, if she gets as far as the fourth round, has Maria Sharapova waiting (in theory).

[CK]

Of the Australians not already mentioned: first round games (without accounting for qualifiers):

Anastasia Rodionova faces Kuznetsova
Jarmila Groth plays a qualifier, then most likely Daniela Hantuchkova.
Alicia Molik meets Julie Coin. If she overcomes her, then 17th seed Francesca Schiavone. In her section also is Casey Dellacqua, whose first round is against Anastasia Yakimova.

Carsten Ball cops 9th seed Fernando Verdasco first up
Bernard Tomic plays a qualifier, but most likely 14th seed Marin Cilic next.
Jason Kubler faces 24th seed Ivan Ljubicic

Current odds from the site sponsor:

Mens:
Roger Federer 3.50
Rafael Nadal 5.00
Andy Murray 6.00
Juan Martin Del-Potro 6.00
Novak Djokovic 7.00
Nikolay Davydenko 10.00
Andy Roddick 21.00
Robin Soderling 26.00
Jo-wilfried Tsonga 34.00
Fernando Verdasco 34.00
Marin Cilic 34.00
Lleyton Hewitt 67.00
Fernando Gonzalez 81.00
Gael Monfils 81.00
David Ferrer 126.00
Richard Gasquet 126.00
Tomas Berdych 126.00
Marcos Baghdatis 126.00
Giles Simon 151.00
Tommy Haas 151.00
Ernests Gulbis 151.00
Tommy Robredo 201.00
James Blake 251.00
Radek Stepanek 251.00
Sam Querrey 251.00
Ivo Karlovic 251.00
Ivan Ljubicic 251.00

Womens:

Serena Williams 3.75
Kim Clijsters 4.00
Justine Henin 6.00
Maria Sharapova 10.00
Venus Williams 13.00
Elena Dementieva 15.00
Caroline Wozniacki 18.00
Dinara Safina 21.00
Victoria Azarenka 21.00
Jelena Jankovic 21.00
Svetlana Kuznetsova 26.00
Flavia Pennetta 34.00
Yanina Wickmayer 34.00
Ana Ivanovic 41.00
Samantha Stosur 41.00
Vera Zvonareva 51.00
Agnieska Radwanska 81.00
Nadia Petrova 101.00
Melanie Oudin 101.00
Marion Bartoli 101.00
Dominika Cibulkova 101.00
Na Li 101.00
Jelena Dokic 101.00
Amilie Mauresmo 126.00
Jie Zheng 126.00
Daniela Hantuchova 126.00
Shahar Peer 126.00
Sorana Cirstea 151.00
Andrea Petkovic 151.00
Carla Suarez Navarro 151.00
Aravane Rezai 151.00
Alona Bondarenko 151.00
Alisa Kleybenova 201.00
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 201.00
Kimiko Date Krumm 251.00
Aleksandra Wozniak 251.00
Alicia Molik 251.00

[Sam_goUUUdogs]

Looking forward to the tennis this year, haven't been before but im heading to Melbourne park for the day next saturday, should be good

[NFC]

I could, and have, posted a massive preview but I'll keep it short here.

Federer will win. Doubts always arise after every Slam he fails to win and questions surface as to whether he's past his peak. He has, but that doesn't matter as he's still a fair way ahead of the pack other than Nadal but injuries seem to be slowing him down. Del Potro proved that his talent can he fulfiled when he won the US Open but don't expect a repeat, Cilic could take him down but if he doesn't Roddick will. Murray still too passive to achieve ultimate success and Djokovic, while showing tremendous signs in late 2009, has to prove that the conditions and Federer aren't going to be the end of him.

Federer to beat Roddick.

As for the women, after a long layoff after the US Open Clijsters is obviously still at the top of her game as she just won the title in Brisbane. She's got a decent draw, despite being in a packed section, and her best is good enough to defeat all challengers. Serena Williams has a slight knee concern but it shouldn't stop her from reaching the final. Henin vs Dementieva second round will be a beauty, pity one of these talents had to leave so soon. Sharapova a big threat in the bottom half of the draw, expecting a Sharapova/Clijsters SF. Hopefully one of Azarenka and Lisicki can have strong tournaments, but both can have off days.

Clijsters to beat S.Williams.

I'll be attending from Monday-Sunday.

[CK]

Rain this morning at Melbourne Park, possibility of some delays on outside courts.

[Thiele]

Maria Sharapova is out

[Dirko]

Maria Sharapova is out

Indeed she is, beaten by fellow Russian Kirilenko

M.Sharapova 6 6 4
M.Kirilenko 7 3 6