SHARAPOVA , FEDERER , RAFAEL NADAL ALL HAVE DRAMA FILLED MATCHES @ THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Written by: Global Chick on 21st January 2015

SHARAPOVA , FEDERER , RAFAEL NADAL ALL HAVE DRAMA FILLED MATCHES @ THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN

epa04572346 Roger Federer of Switzerland plays Simone Bolelli of Italy during the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, 21 January 2015. The Australian Open tennis tournament goes from 19 January until 01 February 2015. EPA/JULIAN SMITH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Testing Times on Rod Laver Arena by Global Chick

It is almost as if the tennis heavenly bodies were reading our observations of the stars feeling jittery on their first time out. The drama was to be had in the iconic Rod Laver Arena as first hot favourite Maria Sharapova, then Roger Federer, and then finally Rafael Nadal all took their turn to broil in the Round Two pressure cooker.

Maria Sharapova of Russia celebrates her win against Alexandra Panova of Russia during the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, 21 January 2015. The Australian Open tennis tournament goes from 19 January until 01 February 2015. EPA/JULIAN SMITH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

First Maria Sharapova set hearts a-fluttering as she pulled off another one of her now-legendary three set comebacks. Oh but it had all started so well as she romped through the first set as if she had an appointment to go to, but her first serve had other ideas as it nipped off for a nice cool beer and a nap leaving the way clear for her fellow countrywoman to take advantage and level the match.

Oh, but Panova was not done, as she put up a solid fight in the decider, leaving Sharapova to have to save two match points to keep her campaign intact. Here is where experience counts, and faced with the potential enormity of downing Sharapova, she handed the World No. 2 a break that she would not pass up, closing out for a 6-1 4-6 7-5 win and a rueful acknowledgement that she needed to inject a little more positivity into her game.

“I was down two breaks in the third; the only belief I had was just try to get into the rallies,” Sharapova said.

“She served some really good games out there where I didn’t have much chances. When I did, I thought I could put a little more thought into her mind, get those first serves back. I think that was really important.”

We have to wonder whether Federer croons songs from The Sound of Music to the Federer-kinder – if so, the line “When the bee stings” comes to mind as the men’s World No. 2 came up against an inspired Simone Bolelli, as the Italian took his first set off the Swiss.

It was enough of a blip to hush the crowd even more than the rash of day-glo outfits on show, and as a trainer was called to attend to what looked like a blister on his little finger he admonished a nosy cameraman who scuttled away faster than the bugs on court being swatted by a racquet.

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Simone Bolelli of Italy during their second round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 21 January 2015. The Australian Open tennis tournament goes from 19 January until 01 February 2015. EPA/Filip Singer

Of course Federer suffered a mere blip, leaving the real drama to Nadal.

Of course we know he’s rusty, and let’s face it, those of us who have ever had an appendectomy can only marvel at the superhuman feats Nadal is able to achieve when most of us would still feel we’d been stapled to the bed!

Step forward then qualifier Tim Smyczek. Although he lost the first set, there was something not quite right with Nadal, and that became evident as Smyczek’s confidence grew and Nadal’s seemed to have gone to find the bar where Sharapova’s first serve had ended up.

The crowd witnessed the Spaniard bent double, caning serves into the net, as if his legs were like overcooked spaghetti at times. Take absolutely nothing away from the American – he was playing lights out tennis on one of the world’s biggest stages, and he was doing it well.

He reached the third round of the US Open playing smart tennis, going for his shots and some of his passing shots were just astounding – so much so he almost made his second consecutive Slam third round.

What really stood out was not that Nadal fought back from the brink of a very real despair, but that at 6-5 in the decider when a moron in the crowd yelled out while Nadal was in mid-service, Smyczek conceded he should have the first serve again.

“It clearly bothered him and I thought it was the right thing to do,” the American said. “That was his C or D game and he found a way to win. That’s why he’s one of the best.”

Nadal admitted it almost was a completely different outcome.

Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after beating Tim Smyczek of the USA in their second round match of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 21 January 2015. EPA/JULIAN SMITH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

“In terms of feeling bad on the court, yes. Probably yes,” he said. “I was close to not continue because I felt that I was very dizzy.

“After the third, fourth, and fifth (sets), I tried to play much more aggressive, without running, no running anymore, and try to go for the winners. In terms of physically, at the end of the match I started to feel little bit better.”

He at least is saved the hype that would surround another Slam encounter with Lukas Rossol, who bumped him out of Wimbledon in 2012. But whether he is completely recovered from what seems to be going around (insect stings notwithstanding) remains to be seen.

Sharapova, Federer and Nadal all continue in the third round on Friday.

Topics: Australian Open, global chick, Maria Sharapova, Melbourne, Rafael Nadal, Rod Laver Arena, Roger Federer, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

January 21, 2015 at 5:33 pm

-@MariaSharapova, @rogerfederer, @RafaelNadal ALL HAVE DRAMA FILLED MATCHES @ THE #AustralianOpen- http://t.co/THG7cCcqAx #Federer #AO15

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