10SBALLS GLOBAL CHICK REPORTS FROM BRISBANE TENNIS, VIKA AZARENKA TAKES THE LADIES CHAMPIONSHIPS & ROGER FEDERER DUE TO PLAY MILOS RAONIC IN THE MEN’S FINALS

Written by: Staff on 9th January 2016

Brisbane International Tennis Tournament

Milos Raonic of Canada returns a ball to Australia's Bernard Tomic during their semi-final match on day 7 of the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament in Brisbane, Australia, 09 January 2016. EPA/DAVE HUNT

epa05093542 Milos Raonic of Canada returns a ball to Australia's Bernard Tomic during their semi-final match on day 7 of the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament in Brisbane, Australia, 09 January 2016. EPA/DAVE HUNT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Hello Wednesday, it’s me #BrisbaneTennis – Photo by @brisbanetennis via Instagram.

Let’s see. So far we have successfully dodged Trench Foot with the arrival of some much needed sunshine, and despite the walking wounded walking out of here, we had a cracking final to look forward to, and another one lined up for Sunday.

Oh, but Aussie hopes were dashed as surely as though someone had sucker-punched a kangaroo as Bernard Tomic ended up in the wrong end of a tight tie-break set match.

Playing Milos Raonic in the first of the day’s semi-finals, the crowd were up for it. We really MUST take in the beer tent at some stage, as the occasional raucous rallying cry of ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie’ gave the pet pterodactyl that had seemed to take up residence up in the (Pat) Rafters (arena) a run for its money. Between them and the bird squawking its outrage at… something… Tomic put on a pretty solid show where ever he could.

You had to fancy his chances whenever he was able to get into rallies, but for the most part Raonic’s serving got him out of trouble on the big points. But there was a lot to take from this for Tomic.

He told us: “This is probably the best I’ve been feeling on court physically, and very confident every point I play. I played so well in the past in the Australian Open and managed to always make the fourth, third round. For me, this is a huge opportunity now being seeded with my position. Just have to watch next week during Sydney I can do the right things to get my body ready for the Australian Open.”

Milos Raonic of Canada returns a ball to Australia’s Bernard Tomic during their semi-final match on day 7 of the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament in Brisbane, Australia, 09 January 2016. EPA/DAVE HUNT

Raonic has come in for a bit of stick this week with the extremely fluorescent orange sleeve and trainer combo, but it was certainly working when it needed to.

He said: “It’s sort of confirming to myself and the people close to me that we’re on the right track, doing the right kind of work, and the progress is there. So tomorrow is a great test for me, and one that I’m going to try to make the most of.”

So 12 months on, does Raonic have a better idea of how to handle Federer ?

After a bit of a test against Grigor Dimitrov yesterday, Roger Federer was in no mood to hang about, it seemed, ploughing through Dominic Thiem in the first set. The young Austrian was having a bit of a bad day at the office, although in the second set he seemed to have found a little more rhythm but if anything had been ailing Federer of late, there seemed to be absolutely no sign of it now.

Thiem just could not get it together long enough for a decent run of points, and Federer banged down an ace to book a place in the final.

“Clearly I’m getting used to conditions, like is usually the case after couple matches. You understand the speeds more and you’re more comfortable. Plus I’m definitely also feeling a bit better now.

“I got off to a good start also in the second set. He had a good spell there for a bit, and it was important to get the crucial break and serve it home. I was very pleased with how I played. I think it was the best match of the week so far, or most consistent maybe.”

So tonight would belong to the ladies and after losing their defending champion and previous chief koala-hugger Maria Sharapova and then top seed Simona Halep, who as far as we can tell has NEVER hugged a koala, they have former World No. 1 and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka and highest seed standing Angelique Kerber in the final. We’re not sure about their koala-hugging credentials either – we’ll get back to you on that.

Angelique Kerber of Germany returns the ball during her match against Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain on day 6 of the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament in Brisbane, Australia, 08 January 2016. EPA/DAVE HUNT

In the dabbing (Google it – we had to) corner we have Azarenka who has been the dangerous lurker in the draw for a good couple of years now since she had a torrid time with injuries, and in the efficiently metronomic red corner we have Kerber who loves these kind of Premier tournaments where she can come and mop up nicely where there has been previous seed carnage.

We were in for a treat – long rallies, some superb points and you had to feel a little for Kerber – she started well and then just as quickly lost a loose game and with a player like Azarenka, you stay behind.

So many people wanted this for Kerber – but slowly but surely at the start of the second set her body language started to show. That belief seeped away like a dropped tin of ‘Castlemaine XXXX’ ( beer) on the desert earth. Do they still even serve Castlemaine? Ahhh the beverage of my youth.

Meanwhile back at the set, with Azarenka up 3-0 Kerber started to cut a very forlorn figure. Perhaps she would benefit from one of the many trays of nibbles being brought to the corporate seats below us.

One thing was for sure, if she did not get moving in the second set, this was going to get away from her awfully fast. She salvaged one game, but the night was going to belong to Azarenka as she closed in on a 6-3 6-1 victory and her first title in two years. The fact that she had seemingly adopted a little mini-Vika for the ceremony was a touch bizarre but then this is a world where Azarenka was returning to the winners podium for the first time in two and a half years. Bizarre was just par for the course.

And so we bring down the curtain on Brisbane on Sunday with the final – rematch of last year’s final between Federer and Raonic. And just maybe… the only 4 o’clock I see is the one in the afternoon.

Topics: 10sballs, Angelique Kerber, Brisbane Tennis, global chick, GRIGOR DIMITROV, milos raonic, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka

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