Day 9 of the Australian Open

THANK YOU MARIN CILIC!!  I want to thank Marin Cilic for taking out "asshat" Andy Roddick in 5 sets.  The match began with Cilic and Roddick holding serve throughout the whole first set, which led to a tiebreaker that Cilic was lucky enough to win. First set to Cilic 7-6.  After the first set Roddick was showing discomfort in his right shoulder.  In between sets, Roddick had a trainer come out and give his shoulder a rub down and give Andy some pain killers for the problem.  Cilic was able to break fairly early in the 2nd set and was able to hold on to win the set 6-3.  With Roddick in serious discomfort and Cilic up 2-sets-to-none, Roddick continuing on was in question.  You could tell Andy was in some pain when after serves and big forehands he would grimace, and also just by listening to his grunts when hitting strokes.  It wasn't a true grunt it was more of a moan of pain.  To Roddick's credit he did not retire after the second set, and took the court for the start of the third set.  With Roddick's shoulder not at 100%, the American took on a different strategy for the third set.  It wasn't the hard hitting, shot making Andy.  He turned himself into more of a finesse player trying to hit his spots, and not trying to overpower Cilic.  The new style of play and the shoulder injury seemed to play with Cilic's psyche.  Before he knew it, Cilic was down a break and Roddick had won the third set 6-3.  Roddick now riding some momentum, and Cilic possibly losing a little confidence and getting tired from the warm Australia Day sun resulted in another set like the third.  Roddick improving and Cilic's game fading resulted in a 6-2 fourth set in favor of Roddick.  Cilic was now facing a 5th set for the 3rd time in this tournament, and for the second straight match.  Roddick still isn't better, but the pain meds seem to be starting to work.  It looked as if Andy Roddick was going to gut out a victory over the young, inexperienced Croatian.  But it was Cilic who showed his toughness both physically and mentally.  He had the opportunity to fold under the pressure Roddick was placing on him, but chose gut it out and take the match with a gritty 5th set win.  Cilic moves on to his first ever Grand Slam semifinal 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3.

Its too bad that while the Australia Day fireworks went off, that the match going on at Rod Laver Arena was a dud.  The anticipated matchup between Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal wasn't the epic that many had hoped for.  Murray started the match strong and was able to get a break to cement a 6-3 first set victory.  The second set saw Nadal break early, but Murray was able to break-back on Nadal's next service game.  The rest of the set was on-serve with the set ending in a tiebreaker that Andy Murray won.  Down 2 sets to none, Nadal had a trainer come out and look at his knee.  It looks like the knee tendinitis that bothered Rafa for most of the 2009 season was starting to flare up.  This was the beginning of the end for Nadal.  Murray held, broke Nadal, and held serve again to take a commanding 3-0 lead.  Down 2 sets and 0-3 in the third, Rafa said "No Mas" and gave Murray the quarterfinal victory.  With the defending champion now eliminated, it will be a Murray-Cilic semifinal.

The first womens match of the day was a face-off between Justine Henin and #19 seeded Russian Nadia Petrova.  Henin continuing on the track of a comeback, and Petrova who was on a good run of her own. Petrova quietly took out heavyweights in Clijsters and Kuznetsova, and looking good doing so.  This time it was her chance to beat Henin and put the Russian on the map finally.  This match was ugly from the beginning.  Neither player could execute, or find their range. This had to be Henin's worst showing of her comeback thus far, and on the other side you had Petrova talking to herself and getting frustrated.  This was a match of both mental and execution errors.  In the end Henin made less errors and was mentally stronger in her straight set victory. 7-6, 7-5.  By the look of the score one might think, "wow, what a great match", well that couldn't be more farther from the truth.  Henin is lucky she was playing Petrova and not anyone else.  If it had been someone else, the Belgian would probably be booking a flight out of Melbourne right about now.

The second womens quarterfinal was Jie Zheng of China, and Russian, Maria Kirilenko.  Both players being big surprises for making it as far as the quarterfinals.  Neither players were seeded in this tournament, but you would of never guessed that by looking at Jie Zheng.  Zheng the small Chinese girl who looks like a water bug on the court with her quickness out-played her Russian opponent.  Zheng was too quick, and got to every shot Kirilenko hit, and hit it back just as hard with more accuracy.  I came away being impressed with Zheng after watching her dismantle Kirilenko 6-1, 6-3.  The only thing she really needs to work on, and it could become a problem is her serve.  Zheng rarely hits 100 m.p.h. on her serve, and may be a problem facing a veteran like Henin in the next round or a possible finals matchup with a Williams sister, who are known to sit on someones serve.  Zheng just hopes to play like she did against Kirilenko, and Henin to play like she did against Petrova.  If that happens China will have its first Grand Slam finalist.

Day 10 Preview:

The quarterfinals will wrap up, and the semifinal matchups will be set at the end of the day.  All quarterfinal matchups will be played at Rod Laver Arena.

The first match of the day will have another surprise woman from China,#16 seed Na Li against the #5 seeded American, Venus Williams.  Unfortunately for Li, she will not reach the semifinals like her countrywoman Zheng.  Although I do not see Venus just crushing Li.  Venus will have her moments where she struggles, but will find her game in time to defeat Na Li in a tough first match of the day.

Following right after her sister, Serena Williams will take the court against Victoria Azarenka.  These 2 players met last year in the 4th round of the Australian Open.  In the early goings of that match Azarenka was blistering her forehand and was manhandling Serena.  Then a bout of the flu/heat exhaustion/food poisoning took their negative effects on Azarenka leading to Azarenka being forced to retire from the match and giving Serena the first of a couple gifts (also the roof closing bullshit against Kuznetsova) that led to her winning the AO title last year.  I'm hoping this year will be different, but I don't see this match going well for Azarenka.  She will not be forced to retire like last year.  It will be Serena's play that wears down the fragile Belarussian who calls Phoenix, Arizona home now.  Serena will have too much firepower, and win the match in straight sets.

Roger Federer and Nikolay Davydenko will start off the mens quarterfinals today.  Federer who has been breezing by, and not being really tested by his opponents will face Davydenko who is coming off a long 5 set victory over Fernando Verdasco.  Davydenko may be a little wore down for this match, but will use the memory of him defeating Federer the last two times these two met up to fuel him.  Federer will also be fueled by them matches and will look to exact revenge on the Russian.  A well-rested, motivated Federer is a scary thing, and Davydenko will not have the answers today to beat Federer.  Roger will win this match in 4 sets and continue his streak of Grand Slam semifinal appearances.

The night session at Rod Laver Arena will showcase the 2nd mens quarterfinal.  Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will engage in a rematch of the 2008 Australian Open final that Djokovic won in 4 sets.  Djokovic has not had any trouble yet in this years AO.  Tsonga is coming off his first ever 5 set match, in which he edged Nicolas Almagro.  Tsonga will be a little tired, and Djokovic is playing like a champion so far in the past week and a half.  This all equals out to a repeat of 2008, and Djokovic will once again claim victory in 4 sets and earn the right to face Federer in the semifinals.