===============
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
(Melbourne, Australia; outdoor hard (Plexicushion); Grand Slam)
=============== http://www.australianopen.com/
Contents
--------

1. Photos
2. Women's Singles: First-round results
3. Yan v Williams TV-report
4. Women's Singles: Second-round draw
5. Men's Singles: First-round result
6. Men's Singles: Second-round draw

---------
1. Photos
---------

Marion Bartoli:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=bartoli

Yan,Zi:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=yan

Akiko Morigami:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=morigami

Search Getty Images for:
bartoli
yan
morigami
peng
santoro

Many players (including an amazing one of Marion Bartoli at Jan 15,
7:57 am EST):
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/gallery?pg=1&cap=1

--------------------------------------
2. Women's Singes: First-round results
--------------------------------------

+ Akiko Morigami [S] d. Michaëlla Krajícek [DF], 6-2 6-2
+ Hsieh,Su-Wei [Q,S] d. Klára Zakopalová, 2-6 6-4 8-6

Michaëlla Krajícek had a left-wrist injury that meant she couldn't
hit two-handed backhands. I don't think those sunglasses do much for
her looks or her game, either.

- MARION BARTOLI [10,DF,S] lt. Sofia Arvidsson, 7-6 (7/3) 4-6 3-6
- Aiko Nakamura [S] lt. JUSTINE HENIN [1], 2-6 2-6
- Yan,Zi [S] lt. VENUS WILLIAMS [8], 2-6 5-7
- Peng,Shuai [S] lt. Alisa Kleybanova [Q], 5-7 6-4 7-9

Henin: "It was tough at the beginning because the conditions were
quite difficult. It was a little bit windy, and she [Aiko Nakamura]
had a game that wasn't the easiest for me to start the tournament.
She was hitting the ball pretty flat, and that wasn't easy."


Bartoli suffers shock loss [Teletext 495->497]
>>>
Bartoli upset by Swede [Teletext 497]

Wimbledon-finalist Marion Bartoli became the highest women's seed to
fall in the first round, losing to Sofia Arvidsson in three sets in
Melbourne.

Tenth seed Bartoli has struggled since her breakthrough at SW19, and
crashed out 6-7 6-4 6-3 against the Swede.

Dinara Safina, seeded 16th, was beaten 7-6 4-6 6-2 by world No 194
Sabine Lisicki, while Catalina Castańo saw off 2007 quarter-finalist
Lucie Šafárová.
<<<

---------------------------
3. Yan v Williams TV-report
---------------------------

- Yan,Zi [S] lt. VENUS WILLIAMS [8], 2-6 5-7

I saw the beginning and the end of the match on BBCi - around a
serious snafu in their Freeview-coverage. Williams was 6-2 5-2* up,
but made some unbelievable errors before finally closing it out, and
credit to Miss Yan for raising her own game in response.

Yan's prematch interview: "Before, I play Centre Court only doubles,
but this time I play singles, so I'm very exciting, and I hope I play
a good match today."


First set
---------
YAN _* *____ 2
WIL * * *@*@ 6

The match started at 19:48 AEST.

Williams serving 0-0: Serve out wide + forehand winner down the line.
15/0. Service-winner. 30/0. A deep crosscourt backhand induced Yan to
spray her two-handed forehand long. 40/0. Ace down the middle.

John Lloyd mentioned the rumours about Monica Seles's comeback this
year, after saying that Williams's game was particularly effective
against Selesians (he didn't use that word) because of their
restricted reach.

Yan serving 0-1: Williams netted a forehand return. 15/0. Williams
forehand wide. 30/0. Yan forehand just long. 30/15. Yan forehand just
wide. 30/30. A deep shot from Yan forced Williams into error. 40/30.
Serve out wide + deep forehand winner just inside the baseline.

Williams serving 1-1: First serve: Yan blasted a crosscourt forehand
return just wide. 15/0. Double fault (second serve just long). 15/15.
And again. 15/30. Yan's length induced Williams to net a backhand.
15/40 (2 BPs). Williams saved the first with an error-forcing
crosscourt backhand. 30/40. Service-winner down the middle. 40/40.
Service-winner out wide. Ad Williams. Yan netted a forehand return.

Wow - almost first blood to Selesia!

BBCi announced a two-hour gap in their Freeview-coverage, so I set my
alarm for 21:55 AEST; when I checked at 20:25 AEST there was nothing
on BBCi, but when I checked again at 20:42 AEST, they were showing
this match again!


Second set
----------
YAN @*_____*@*__ 5
WIL __*@*@*___*@ 7

Yan serving 2-3: 0/40 (3 BPs). Williams had Yan at her mercy, but
netted a high forehand volley. 15/40. Williams forced Yan to block a
defensive forehand lob long.

Williams serving 4-2: Service-winner. 15/0. Williams netted a
backhand. 15/15. And again. 15/30 Yan netted a forehand return.
30/30. Service-winner. 40/30. Serve out wide + high forehand drive-
volley winner crosscourt.

Yan serving 2-5: Yan netted a tame backhand on the third stroke.
0/15. Williams slapped a forehand return into the net. 15/15. Yan
played a mild spreading rally, inducing Williams to spray a forehand
long. 30/15. Williams netted a forehand. 40/15. Williams sprayed a
forehand very long.

John Lloyd gave Williams 6/10 for her form in this match. "Very up
and down with her concentration."

Williams serving 5-3: Quadruple fault! 0/30. Williams overhit a
forehand just long. 0/40 (3 BPs). A big first serve forced a short
return, but Williams hit an unbelievable backhand long to
complete "an absolute shocker of a game" [John Lloyd]. To me, she
looked nervous!

Yan just has to hang in here, and who knows what might happen?

Yan serving 4-5: Yan on the third stroke hit a backhand just long.
0/15. Williams netted a backhand. 15/15. Yan played a nice spreading
rally with a high forehand volley-winner crosscourt. 30/15. Yan
opened up the court with a wonderful short-angled crosscourt forehand
+ crosscourt backhand winner. 40/15. Yan backhand long. 40/30.
Williams forehand long.

Williams serving 5-5: Williams sprayed a backhand wide off a deep
forehand return from Yan - that's what happens when you're nervous:
you don't move your feet. 0/15. Second serve: Yan netted a cheap
forehand return. 15/15. Double fault (second serve just long - Yan
used up a Hawkeye-challenge to show a tiny gap between ball and
line). 30/15. After a long rally, Yan tried a dropshot; Williams
easily ran it down to hit a forehand winner down the line. 40/15.
Serve + forehand winner.

The commentators praised Yan for raising her game in response to
Williams's wobble.

Yan serving 5-6: Yan mishit a forehand long off a deep, low ball from
Williams. 0/15. Williams came to the net; Yan had a chance to hit a
crosscourt backhand pass, but netted it. 0/30. Williams netted a
forehand return. 15/30. Yan netted a backhand after a longish rally.
15/40 (MP #1). Yan netted a backhand on the third stroke. Williams
won 6-2 7-5 at 21:03 (1h15m).


Excerpts from Williams's on-court interview
-------------------------------------------

VENUS WILLIAMS: A lot of fun out here. I love doing what I do. Happy
to be back.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: Don't those earrings annoy you?

VENUS WILLIAMS: The only thing that annoys me is when I miss. I'm
victimised by Serena and the rest of my sisters - they take my things.


Excerpts from Williams's press-conference
-----------------------------------------

"She really stayed in there, definitely made me play some balls that
I wasn't expecting to come back. Errors happen - that's tennis."

-------------------------------------
4. Women's Singles: Second-round draw
-------------------------------------

* Hsieh,Su-Wei [Q,S] v SYBILLE BAMMER [19]
* Akiko Morigami [S] v MARIA KIRILENKO [27,DF]

------------------------------------
5. Men's Singles: First-round result
------------------------------------

+ Fabrice Santoro [S] d. John Isner, 6-2 6-2 6-4


Spritely Santoro outlasts them all (Reuters)
By Ossian Shine (editing by Pritha Sarkar)
>>>
He is not the tallest, nor the strongest, but he has lasted the
longest.

Frenchman Fabrice Santoro played in his 62nd Grand Slam singles-
tournament at the Australian Open on Tuesday - a record since tennis
turned professional in 1968.

The 35-year-old eclipsed the achievement of Andre Agassi, who
competed in his 61st Slam at the US Open 2006 before retiring.

"When you look at the history of game and see all these champions,
like [Pete] Sampras, Agassi, before like [Jimmy] Connors, who had
huge and long careers. All these past champions, I'm a little bit in
front of them," Santoro told reporters after reaching the second
round.

"Because I have huge respect for them, this record means a lot to me.
I mean, I can't match them in many things, except this one."

Santoro made his Grand Slam début at the French Open in 1989 - when
Tuesday's victim John Isner was four years old.
<<<

Fabrice Santoro's love of tennis pushes him past Agassi's longevity-
mark
By Neil Frankland: AP Sports Writer
>>>
Fabrice Santoro is rarely mentioned in the same breath with players
such as Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors.

At the Australian Open on Tuesday, the French journeyman surpassed
them all - at least in one statistic.

The 35-year-old Santoro broke Andre Agassi's record for most
appearances at Grand Slam events in the Open era when he beat
American John Isner in straight sets on Court 13 to kick off his 62nd
Major, including 38 in a row.

"The thing is when you look at the history of game and see all these
champions, like Sampras, Agassi, before like Connors, who had a huge
and long career, all these past champion, [this is] the only point
I'm a little bit in front of them," Santoro said.

"Because I have a huge respect for them, this record means a lot to
me. I mean, I can't match against them about many things, except this
one."

Santoro attributes much of his longevity to his love of tennis.

"I love the game more than many players, or more than normally," he
said. "I always try to improve my game, to understand what's going on
on the court, to listen to my body, stay healthy, just try to be the
best every day."

Local hope Lleyton Hewitt, contesting his 11th Australian Open, paid
tribute to Santoro's milestone.

"To be able to go out there and do all the hard work to prepare for
Grand Slams isn't easy," he said. "For him to be able to keep doing
it at that age, and probably more so with him with the game that he's
got, because he's not going to blow guys off the court either."

American James Blake was also impressed.

"That's incredible. I have no idea what I'm at, but I know I'm never
going to be at 62. It's impressive, especially the way he plays."
<<<

-----------------------------------
6. Men's Singles: Second-round draw
-----------------------------------

* Fabrice Santoro [S] v ROGER FEDERER [1]

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html