Australian Open 2008

Serbia conquers the Tennis World

Roger Federer has finally lost a match in Melbourne, Rafael Nadal was stopped in semifinal and 22-years-old French Jo-Wilfried Tsonga did his best tournament ever by reaching the great final! Justine Henin is finally beaten - so the both No.1 didn't win - Russian beauty Maria Sharapova is back into top form and the Polish girls were quite successfull comparing to their world ranking. Anyway, if you like numbers, write down that Serbia had three players among eight of them in both semifinals!


By MARKO ANDREJIĆ
from Belgrade, SERBIA


First Grand Slam Tournament this year was held in Melbourne, from January 14 to 27th. Australian Open 2008 brought to all tennis fans excellent, quality and interesting matches, good weather, full stadiums and the best start of season for Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic, the winners. The most important things to notify are that Serbia had three players in both (men and women) semifinals, Roger Federer has finally lost one match in Melbourne, Rafael Nadal was stopped in semifinal and 22-years-old French Jo-Wilfried Tsonga did his best tournament ever by reaching the great final! Talking about women, Justine Henin is finally beaten - so the both No.1 didn't win - Russian beauty Maria Sharapova is back into top form and the Polish girls were quite successfull comparing to their world ranking.

First big surprise happened already in the first round when British Andy Murray, one of the favorites for winning tournament, was defeated by later finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. This 22-years-old French did a really great performance in next two rounds also, against much better ranked players - Spanish Garcia-Lopez and French Richard Gasquet. In quarter final he was better than Russian Mikhail Youzhny who was in good form after match against his country-mate Nikolay Davydenko and very opthimistic after win just a week before Aus Open, against world No.2 Nadal. Tsonga just didn't care about favorites and so he defeated very fast Rafael Nadal in semifinal (6-2, 6-3, 6-2).

In the other half of men's draw Roger Federer had an open road to semifinal, although Serb Janko Tipsarevic made him play five sets in third round and Suiss player was really lucky to win that match by 10-8 in the final set. Marin Cilic from Croatia surprisingly came to 1/8 finals where he lost against James Blake and Leyton Hewitt made his best at the moment reaching 1/8 finals where he lost against Novak Djokovic. Serbian best player Djokovic is in the best form ever as the results can prove: he didn't lose any set untill the final match! Benjamin Becker, Simone Bolelli and Sam Querrey were not his level, Hewitt tried to use advantage of playing in home country but couldn't make it, David Ferrer did it only to 1/4 final and Roger Federer was completely beaten in three sets semifinal. The king is dead, long live the king!

Final match was the great performance. Tsonga won the first set and it seemed like he is strong enough to beat world No.3. But then Djokovic took the match into his hands, both players were holding their services but only one break points were enough in second and third set. In fourth, tie break decided and Novak won it 7-2 and took his first grand slam trophy. If he keeps playing like this, it won't be the last one for sure. And he is only 20.

Justine Henin was the main favorite in women's singles but she couldn't go through to the semifinal, as Maria Sharapova came back into top form, after period of break and injuries. In 1/4 match Sharapova won by spectacular 6-2 and 6-0 leaving Belgian player analyzing what was wrong in her game. Jelena Jankovic (seeded No.3) had problems with injury and condition since she arrived to Melbourne, just after playing Hopman Cup match for the national team of Serbia. She had a great amount of luck in the first round where she was on the edge but won finally in the third set by 12-10 against Austrian Tamira Paszek. Her play was improving but still had health problems. On the other side, Serena Williams was very convincing and nobody expected that she can be stopped before final. Anyway, Jelena Jankovic found some extra strength or it was only motivation, and won quite easily against Serena in the semifinal 6-3, 6-4. But she couldn't repeat it against Maria Sharapova.

The second Serbian girl, Ana Ivanovic had no problems reaching 1/4 final and the big match against another sister Williams - Venus. Hard battle but Ana won it 7-6, 6-4 and proved she is in the world top! Daniela Hantuchova was good on her way to semifinal but surprise were made by Maria Kirilenko who defeated Anna Chakvetadze in third round, and new Polish star Agnieszka Radwanska who won against no.2 seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, in 3rd round also. Radwanska couldn't make more than 1/4 final, so Daniela Hantuchova was playing semifinal against Ana Ivanovic and was beaten 0-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova played one beautiful final match (in all meanings of that word) but it wasn't very long game. Sharapova was better at the moment and won easily for her new trophy.

The season has started and it's a good sign if next tournaments and matches will be like these in Australia. Favorites are well-known but there are some new faces also, so take care when you put your bets on tennis matches.


(Published: 10.02.2008.)

Send your comments