Australian Open 2019 Finals review: Naomi wins a spectacle and Novak serves up a slaughter

Naomi Osaka def Petra Kvitova 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 What a match this was, two likeable players faced each other for the first time for a maiden Australian title and the world number one spot. Not that it needed it, but this was another great advert for the women’s game. Both players are strong servers and […]

Australian Open 2019: Quarter Finals thoughts and Semi Finals predictions

Usually my predictions are poor (certainly my SkyBet form has deserted me) but my QF winner picks were on the whole pretty much on the money. Nadal, Djokovic and Tsitsipas are all safely through against their tired and/or inexperienced opponents. The Serb having things easiest with Nishikori lasting only a couple of one-sided sets before […]

Australian Open 2019: Round 4 review and QF predictions

If the first week was relatively short of surprises and stories, already the second half has begun with some spectacle. We lost the women’s champ at the weekend of course, but Wozniacki’s failure was no shock and her opponent no slouch! Instead Sharapova was just one of many household names, tournament favourites and former champs […]

Australian Open 2019: Round 3 summary and Round 4 picks

We’re getting near the business end of things and – as the second week of what has been an engrossing and finely poised Australian Open so far – the tournament stars are beginning to shine. On the men’s side, we had few surprises this last round, Fognini’s loss to Carreno-Busta and Bautista-Agut’s relative dismissal of […]

Australian Open 2019: Round 2 round-up and Round 3 picks

As Day 5 approaches rapidly, let’s look back at all the goings on in round 2 down under. The mainstays have mainly stayed, but in varying fashions; Serena breezed past the resurgent Bouchard as Simona squeaked by another unfancied future star in three. Roger, Rafa and Novak swept through tough opponents but Zverev and Nishikori […]

Australian Open 2019: Round 1 review and Round 2 picks

Despite precious little shock results and with all main contenders safely through to round 2, it has been a drama-drenched opening two days in Melbourne. As the world continues to confidently (but I fear prematurely) call time on his career, Andy Murray ensured he would exit in trademark battling fashion. DAY 1 saw the former […]

Australian Open 2018: More tears as a relieved Roger escapes Cilic’s devastation.

I had predicted Federer to lose again, just as i had incorrectly done so for the QF with Berdych and the SF with Chung. I had become convinced that – unless he again replicated last year’s unbelievable form – that his age would finally become a factor, and we could be assured that he is […]

Australian Open 2018: Wozniacki outlasts Halep in classic

What a thrilling final that was, a match of high drama and several momentum shifts at crucial junctures. In hot and humid conditions both players had to call for medical timeouts as a gruelling fortnight of graft took its toll. In the end, it was another great advert for the women’s game offering a forever-shifting […]

Australian Open 2018: Federer benefits from poor Chung’s blistering form on Day 12. Plus Finals predictions.

As we near what promises to be two showcase finals this weekend, it was unfortunately via an anticlimactic semi final today. Arguably the star of the tournament (sorry Kyle) Hyeon Chung has already barged his way to the top of everyone’s ‘next big thing’ lists. His elasticity, all-court game and roster of victims here is […]

Australian Open 2018: Halep and Kerber star in showstopper, but it’s the end of the road for Edmund on Day 11.

I’m always amazed by the ignorance shown towards women’s tennis, so many otherwise knowledgeable people dismiss it as inferior to the men’s side. Granted some matches are over before you know it and can be very one sided, but this is true of the men too – you just might not notice it so much […]