===============
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
(Melbourne, Australia; outdoor hard (Plexicushion); Major)
=============== http://www.australianopen.com/
Contents
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1. Photos
2. Women's Singles: Third-round results
3. Third-round review: Šafárová v Bartoli
4. Men's Singles: Third-round result/articles

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1. Photos
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Various players including Marion Bartoli:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/7846259.stm

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2. Women's Singles: Third-round results
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+ MARION BARTOLI [16,DF,S] d. Lucie Šafárová [EF], 3-6 6-2 6-1
- Peng,Shuai [S] lt. SERENA WILLIAMS [2], 1-6 4-6

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3. Third-round review: Bartoli v Šafárová (Friday 23rd January 2009)
-----------------------------------------

+ MARION BARTOLI [16,DF,S] d. Lucie Šafárová [EF], 3-6 6-2 6-1

The match was third on Margaret Court arena, so it would have taken
place in the Australian Open late afternoon, while I was sleeping in
England.

Lucie led 6-3 *2-0, then lost 12 of the last 13 games.


3.1 Statistics
--------------

Lucie dominated the match with winners and unforced errors, compiling
a mildly negative W:UE ratio of 32:36 (16:8 for the first set, and
16:28 for the second and third combined). Marion's W:UE ratio was
16:17 (5:9 + 9:6 + 2:2).

Lucie got 63% of her first serves in, winning 57% of the points when
she did so, and 28% on second serve - those are disappointing winning-
percentages, and her second-serve winning-percentage in particular
dipped alarmingly from set to set: from 45% to 20% to 13%.

The corresponding percentages for Marion were 59%, 67% and 44%.
After winning a disastrous 10% of points on second serve in the first
set, it was in the 60s in the next two, while her percentages of
first serves in and points won troughed at (44%, 55%) for the second
set, and peaked at (80%, 83%) for the third.

While Lucie pipped Marion to the fastest serve (107-106 mph),
Marion's serves were considerably faster than Lucie's on average:
first serve 101-95 mph, second serve 83-80 mph.

Lucie served 10 double faults and just one ace, while Marion served
two of each.

Lucie broke 4 times from 5 BPs, but gave Marion too many BPs on her
own serve: Marion converted 7 of 13. Lucie won the first set by three
breaks to one, but lost the second by three breaks to one, and the
third by three breaks to none. Lucie only had one BP after the first
set: the one she converted in the second.

Lucie won 9 of 17 points at the net (53%), Marion 6 of 9 (67%). After
winning 6 of 8 points at the net in the first set, Lucie won just
2 of 7 in the second set, and just 1 of 2 in the third.

In points, Marion won 80-64 (first set 24-34, second set 32-21,
third set 24-9).


3.2 Articles
------------

Bartoli advances to meet Jankovic
By Bronwen Largier (www.australianopen.com)
>>>
Marion Bartoli is set to make her first fourth-round appearance at
the Australian Open after overpowering Lucie Šafárová in three sets
on Friday.

The Frenchwoman won the match 3-6 6-2 6-1 in an hour and 42 minutes.

Šafárová started the match well, breaking Bartoli's serve in the
first game, and displaying a powerful crosscourt backhand and good
ball-placement.

Bartoli got a break at 3-2, but Šafárová returned the favour in the
next game to lead 4-3. Šafárová broke a third time as Bartoli served
to stay in the set.

Šafárová's good form looked to continue when she broke Bartoli a
fourth time early in the second set, but her game began to fall apart
as her number of unforced errors sky-rocketed and her winners dried
up.

Šafárová's unfortunate habit of double-faulting at crucial points in
the match, combined with the Frenchwoman's consistency, gave Bartoli
the opportunity to take control. After dropping her first service-
game in the second set, Bartoli won the next eight games straight to
take the second set and shoot a 2-0 lead in the third.

The Czech rediscovered the form that won her the first set, winning
her serve at 2-0 in the third without dropping a point, but her
resurgence was brief.

Bartoli ran away with the rest of the set, taking her sixth and
seventh breaks off Šafárová to close out the final set in just 27
minutes.

Bartoli will play Jelena Jankovic in the round of 16, after the
Serbian top seed defeated Ai Sugiyama of Japan 6-4 6-4 on Friday
afternoon.

Quick facts:

* Šafárová served 10 costly double faults to Bartoli's two.

* The Czech had 36 unforced errors, while Bartoli recorded just 17.

* Šafárová had double the number of winners: 32-16.

* Bartoli converted seven of her 13 break-point chances (54%), while
Šafárová was 4 for 5 (80%).
<<<

Lucie out in singles (Janine, www.lucie-safarova.com)
>>>
Lucie lost her singles-match today against Marion Bartoli:
6-3 2-6 1-6. Lucka started really good until 6-3 2-0, but then she
started to do a few more unforced errors, and Marion got stronger.

Comments:
* Sean: "I saw the match. Lucie played incredible to go up 6-3 *2-0,
and then Lucie couldn't get a ball in the court."
<<<

---------------------------------------------
4. Men's Singles: Third-round result/articles
---------------------------------------------

- Fabrice Santoro [S] lt. ANDY RODDICK [7], 3-6 4-6 2-6

Roddick ends Santoro's last dance in Melbourne (Reuters)
>>>
Seventh seed Andy Roddick brought Fabrice Santoro's last Australian
Open appearance to an end with a 6-3 6-4 6-2 victory in the third
round on Friday.

The 36-year-old Frenchman, who was the oldest man in the main draw,
has said that 2009 would be his final year on the ATP Tour.

Roddick had no sentimentality for the wily French player, who was
appearing in his 66th Major tournament, blasting him off court in 98
minutes, slamming down 22 aces in the process. Santoro was loudly
cheered by a small contingent of French fans, and given a special
presentation by tournament-director Craig Tiley after the match on
the secondary show-court on Hisense Arena.

"I have been coming here since 1991, which is a long time," Santoro
said in a televised courtside interview. "This is one of my favourite
places, and I have very special memories of Melbourne Park."

Santoro also lost in the first round of the Men's Doubles.
<<<

Veteran Santoro no match for Roddick (AFP)
>>>
American Andy Roddick powered past outgunned French veteran Fabrice
Santoro 6-3 6-4 6-2 to move into the fourth round of the Australian
Open.

The seventh seeded Roddick was ruthless against 36-year-old Santoro,
closing out the match in 98 minutes.

Roddick was never in any danger, and looked the likely winner from
the moment he broke Santoro's first service-game.

The crafty Santoro was playing his 66th Major - a record for tennis
in the Open Era - and was presented with a bottle of c******** by
tournament-director Craig Tiley after the match to mark the occasion.

He confirmed that it was his last singles-appearance at Melbourne
Park after a remarkable 17-year run stretching back to 1991.

"Today was very special for me, because it was my last match here,"
he said.

Roddick also paid tribute to the Frenchman.

"Saying I respect him is an understatement," Roddick said.

"His longevity is amazing, as is the way he has constantly made
adjustments to his game to keep up with the younger guys."

There was no sentiment on court, however, as Roddick fired down 22
aces and blasted 50 winners past Santoro.

He broke Santoro four times throughout the match while not losing his
serve once.

"I'm playing really well — I'm happy with the way I served and
moved," he said.

"I'm also happy to be through to the fourth round."
<<<

Magician Santoro exits stage left from Melbourne Park (Reuters)
By Greg Stutchbury (editing by Pritha Sarkar)
>>>
The Magician - otherwise known as Fabrice Santoro - took his final
bow, and exited the Melbourne Park stage on Friday when he was
knocked out of the Australian Open by Andy Roddick.

Santoro, who holds the men's professional tennis-record for having
made 66 Major main draws, had already said he would retire at the end
of 2009 before Roddick beat him 6-3 6-4 6-2 in their third-round
clash.

The 36-year-old Santoro, who was the oldest man in the men's draw,
was loudly cheered by a small contingent of French fans, and given a
presentation by tournament-director Craig Tiley after the match.

"It was a great feeling, even though I lost the match," Santoro told
reporters.

"It was a chance for me to finish here at Melbourne Park against him
[Roddick] on a big court, instead of losing first round on an outside
court against another player.

"So it was a good way of leaving the tournament and leaving
Melbourne."

Santoro's best Major performance has been at Melbourne Park, where he
made the quarter-finals in 2006, and he said he would miss the venue.

"Probably five of my best 10 memories in 20 years of my career [are
at Melbourne Park].

"With the Davis Cup final here in 2001, three doubles-finals, and one
quarter-final in 2006. Those five memories will stay forever.

"This year, I lost third round. But at my age, being 36 and going to
the third round, without a good draw because I beat [Juan Carlos]
Ferrero and [Philipp] Kohlschreiber, who are top-class players, it's
a great achievement for me."

While Santoro was bidding farewell to his Australian fans, he said he
found it hard not to get too emotional during the on-court
presentation.

"I have to stay focused. I have ten more months to play," he said.

"I was not expecting the ceremony on the court. It was something very
emotional for me because we are so far from France, one of the
biggest tournaments in the world, and on the other side of the net,
a top-class player.

"Being on the court with a microphone and talking to the crowd,
probably live TV in France, I was not ready for that."

"This city will always have a special place in my heart."
<<<

Santoro takes final bow at Australian Open (AP)
By Dennis Passa: AP Sports Writer
>>>
Fabrice Santoro made his Australian Open swansong on Friday, losing
in the third round to Andy Roddick.

Santoro said he's making his last appearance at the Major, which he
first played in 1991.

The 36-year-old Frenchman made his 18th appearance in Melbourne.
At the end of the match, Tennis Australia presented him with a bottle
of c******** and a certificate for a free dinner.

"This has always been one of my favourite places," said Santoro,
whose 2006 quarter-final appearance was his best.

Roddick congratulated Santoro as the pair walked off the court after
the 6-3 6-4 6-2 victory.

"Respect is an understatement," Roddick said. "The longevity he has
had is an accomplishment in itself."

Santoro was dubbed "The Magician" by Pete Sampras after losing to him
in three sets in 2002. Sampras won a record 14 Major singles-titles.

Santoro, who plays a two-handed forehand and backhand, and is a
master of spin, has never gone past the singles quarter-finals in 66
Major events.
<<<

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://tinyurl.com/andrewbroad-selesians