As we get ready for second round matches of the 2012 Australian Open tonight, let’s take a look at yesterday’s wrap of Round-1 action…and there were surprises.
DAY TWO – 2012 AUSTRALIAN OPEN
I’m guessing the early exit in Sydney was INDEED an omen for Aussie Sam Stosur (who’s never performed that well in Melbourne) – She was knocked out in the first round of 2012’s first major (7-6, 6-3) by Romanian Sorana Cirstea. Cirstea’s been a Vegas staple with other Adidas development players, and was simply too much for the defending U.S. Open Champion. Seeing as Sam was the 6th seed, that certainly shakes-up the draw.
Fellow Aussie Lleyton Hewitt won his match in four sets on Rod Laver Arena over German Cedrik-Marcel Stebe; and as is always the case with Rusty, he has a long-road ahead to return to his winning ways in his home country’s Grand Slam.
Ryan Harrison put up a great fight, and won the first set off of Andy Murray – but Murray came back to win the next three to dispatch the young American.
Congrats to Andy Roddick, as well – who looked strong against a tough opponent, Robin Haase of the The Netherlands. Andy sent Robin packing in straight sets. Ryan Sweeting made it through…but Michael Russell lost in straight sets to Jaun Igancio Chela, while Jesse Levine lost a heart-breaking 5-setter to Spain’s Marcel Granollers. American…oops, I mean Russian…Alex Bogomolov, Jr. won his match on Day Two as well over Daniel Gimeno-Traver in three sets.
There were no other huge surprises on Day Two, but “big ups” to the new generation of American ladies: Sloan Stevens and Jamie Hampton, they’re through…as is Vania King, who took down Kateryna Bondarenko in straight sets. A ‘better luck next year’ to Americans Alison Riske and Madison Keys…
Big names – no worries: Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, Petra Kvitova, Maria Sharapova, David Ferrer, Gael Monfils, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (Chef Billy!), Vera Zvonareva…you get the idea. There’s a lot of tennis left to be played.
Tonight – with Day-3’s coverage, we’re looking at second-round coverage featuring matches with Na Li, Kim Clijsters, Rafa, Querry vs. Tomic (Nice!), Federer on Hisense after Caroline Wozniacki, Isner vs. Nalbandian (ouch!), Mardy Fish – and first round doubles play starts today…
In closing, for tonight – my best wishes to fellow RV-enthusiast Mats Wilander…here’s the story from the Associated Press:
MELBOURNE, Australia — Former champion Mats Wilander has been admitted to a hospital in Melbourne following a fall on the eve of the Australian Open.
The 47-year-old Swede is being treated for a laceration to one of his kidneys, according to a post on the Facebook page for his company, Wilander on Wheels (See? RV Enthusiast!).
The post says the internal bleeding stopped on Monday but Wilander will be “out of commission for a while.”
Wilander, who won three Australian Opens among his seven Grand Slam singles titles, fell at his apartment in Melbourne late Saturday. He was scheduled to host a daily highlight show for television channel Eurosport at this year’s tournament.
Now Mats…I’ll see you on the road. I’m hard to miss in the ’89 Winnebago Warrior!
