GLOBAL CHICK CHECKS IN FROM DOWN UNDER , REPORTS ON WAWRINKA AND ANDY MURRAY AND SERENA AND SHARAPOVA MEANWHILE NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S GETTING READY FOR THE FINALS

Written by: Global Chick on 30th January 2015

GLOBAL CHICK CHECKS IN FROM DOWN UNDER , REPORTS ON WAWRINKA AND ANDY MURRAY AND SERENA AND SHARAPOVA MEANWHILE NOVAK DJOKOVIC'S GETTING READY FOR THE FINALS

epa04594106 (FILE) A combo picture of images taken during the Australian Open 2015 shows Maria Sharapova (L) of Russia and Serena Williams (R) of the US during matches at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, in January 2015. Williams and Sharapova will face each other in the women's finals of the year's first Grand Slam, on 31 January. EPA/Made Nagi / Filip Singer |

And then there were four…

It should have been an epic. It really should have been. This Global Chick has said it before – sometimes you see the best fights in the semi-finals. The Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka show was not. It was, instead, a moody exchange of nerves jangling, racquets flinging, and more by luck than anything else, the fighting spirit we yearned for, every bit as much as a blessed lie-in from the early Australian starts dwindled.

Sure the men’s semi-final between World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and defending champion Stan Wawrinka went the distance. Sure there was a-whooping and a-hollering from a crowd who (not unreasonably) wanted their money’s worth. But this was no epic.

Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland serves against Novak Djokovic of Serbia in their semi-finals match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 30 January 2015. The Australian Open tennis tournament runs until 01 February 2015. EPA/Barbara Walton

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball to Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland during their semi final match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 30 January 2015. EPA/JULIAN SMITH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

Instead it was an up and down affair, where levels were raised and fell as often as water levels in a kettle in a café at elevenses.

Meanwhile in a hotel somewhere in Melbourne, Andy Murray will have probably nodded off while waiting to see who he would face again. Let’s face it, if there was needle in the match between Murray and Berdych then this was the haystack to bury it in forever.

But still – Murray will now face Djokovic for a third time in Melbourne and will hope it will be third time lucky, although we will turn our gaze to that affair in due course.

Andy Murray (L) of Britain and his coach Amelie Mauresmo, of France, during a practice session at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 30 January 2015. Murray will play the winner of the Novak Djokovic of Serbia against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland match, in the men’s finals on 01 February. EPA/Barbara Walton

So our thoughts now naturally turn to the Women’s final on Saturday where the question is – can Serena Williams get over a cold that seemed to hamper her training (or perhaps she had a premonition that this five-setter would quite literally be kill or cure). She has such a comfortable dominance over the World No. 2 just having as competitive match as their last Australian Open final would be a bonus. No-one wants to see a one-sided affair no matter who you are rooting for.

Sharapova had her blip in the second round and was masterful the rest of the way through, whereas Serena has maybe given into the odd bout of jitters and pushed by three very exciting rising stars (Elina Svitolina, Garbine Muguruza and Madison Keys) but if you are going to come into form and meet the challengers of those who would topple you from the throne, then that’s the time to do it.

Williams is tantalisingly close to a 19th Slam and unless Sharapova really taps into that fine balance of being aggressive and going for her shots, versus over-reaching, it could be an early night for the hardy Australian Open viewers around the world.

We can only hope that the men’s final elevates itself to be everything a final should be.

Topics: Andy Murray, Australian Open, down under, global chick, Maria Sharapova, Melbourne, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Tennis

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