Australian Open Day 1 review

The Australian Open got underway yesterday and thetennisreview looks at the best and worst of day 1.

Match of the day: Jerzy Janowicz beats Jordan Thompson 1-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1
The faster courts should suit Janowicz well but homeboy Thompson took advantage of the rusty Pole to take a 2 set to love lead. It was certainly a wake up call. After a struggle in the third, Janowicz wrestled control and took the match in five. Match of the day for the excitement Thompson’s lead caused and the improvement in Janowicz’s performance it ignited. The Pole’s big serve and aggressive game are a delight to watch on these courts.

Match of the day (for all the wrong reasons): E. Makarova beats V.Williams 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
For a set and a half it looked possible Venus might make good on her word to win more Majors. But her serve, she made only 55% of first serves in and double-faulted 8 times, was her undoing. After dropping the second set in a mess of faults, she led 3-0 in the third only to lose control of what was once a major weapon in her arsenal. At times it was a pleasure to see her on the run hitting angled groundstrokes for winners and approaching the net for sublime volleys, but at other times it was a case of cover your eyes as her game collapsed and the hard hitting and two time quarter finalist Makarova took her opportunities and survived what was by far the toughest first round draw of the women’s seeds.

Performance of the day: S. Stosur beats K. Zakopalova 6-3, 6-4
Sam’s stage-fright in Melbourne is infamous and a first round defeat would have come as no surprise to anyone. But she held it together on Rod Laver against a dangerous opponent. 6 aces, a 65% first serve percentage, and 19 winners to 18 errors were the stats, and the kind of stats which could see her go far in the draw. The in-form Pironkova awaits in round 2 but if she can get past her and play herself into form, and her game is perfect for these courts, Stosur could find herself in a last 16 against Serena.

Upset of the day. J. Georges beats S. Errani 6-3, 6-2
No one wants to see Georges in the first round of a Major, particularly Errani who went out in the first round last year and is at a disadvantage against big hitting players on these faster courts. Georges used all her experience and skills to knock Errani out of the tournament in some style, hitting 39 winners to 36 errors against Errani who went 6-11 in the same stats. The upset opens up the draw in Serena’s quarter and it would not be a shock were Georges to make her first Major last eight placing.

Up and coming player of the day: B. Bencic beats K. Date-Krumm 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
16 year old Belinda Bencic, 2013’s Junior French Open and Wimbledon champion, put paid to veteran Date-Krumm’s Melbourne hopes. The Swiss ranked 186 is coached by none other than Martina Hingis’s mother Melanie Mollitor and the variety and spirit she displayed in her win certainly evoked the Swiss-Miss’ style. The former number 1 was there to cheer the 16 year old on in a match in which she admittedly did not play her best, she hit 44 unforced errors and was broken 8 times, but still found a way to win, the hallmark of a Champion and a quality that makes her a player to watch.

OMG not again match of the day: L. Kumkhum beats P. Kvitova 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
Do we really need to sit through another awful Kvitova performance again? Seeded 6, the 2011 Wimbledon Champion failed to make her seeded position for the 6th time in her last 10 Majors. While the match was close, Kvitova served 8 double faults and had a -8 winner/errors ratio which hurt her. Kvitova needs to get her game together before 2011 gets further and further away.

Never say die award of the day: T.Robredo beats L.Rosol 6-1, 6-7 (7), 3-6, 7-6 (5), 8-6
2013’s comeback player defeated 2012 Wimbledon’s upset master in a match that swung back and forth and finally went the way of the man with the superior winner-error ratio. Robredo had a +12 (50-38) while Rosol had a -14 (96-82). A match that saw 120 unforced errors is unlikely to get match of the day but the scoreline tells of the drama and sporting spectacle witnessed, the kind that gives Grand Slams a good name.