Arena Federer/Nadal/Djokovic Era - Essentially Over

How it started, how it's going -- Federer/Rafa edition!

 

Only one male has ever won a grand slam at the age of 37. Nadal would I think get the record for oldest slam winner if he won the 2023 U.S. Open, but not if he wins the 2023 French Open or Wimbledon.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/64146656 - Martina Navratilova diagnosed with throat and breast cancer. Article says that both cancers were caught at an early stage.

 

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/35426252/naomi-osaka-announces-pregnancy-indicates-play-2023

Congrats to Naomi and family!

 

Rafa .

 

Tough way to exit. Maybe he should not have finished the match.

 

the announcers were speculating that he wanted to finish because it was likely his last match in australia. hard not to agree.

 

yes that seems right

 

As we all expected, Andy Murray is the one hanging on

 

Well 6 of the top 10 seeds are still in the men’s draw. Also 6 Americans mostly lined up as 4th round cannon fodder, but there will be at least 1 American in the QF. Djokovic seems keen to win it again lol. Pulled out a straight set win over Dmitrov.

on the women’s side Gauff and Pegula still going strong. Don’t want to jinx it, but odds are good both are in the quarters.

 

That would be great if he could win one. Or more than one.

 

i don't care for him, but it would beat djokovic winning.

 

he was a big baby over the whole Nick Kyrgios thing

 

Pegula and at least 2 American men will be in the quarter finals. Korda will be a top 25 player for the first time.

 

Say what you will about Djokovic, there's a long list, but he's only lost one set coming into the quarters.

I reverse jinxed the Americans. We have the maximum number pissible through and a guarantee of one in the semis.

 

Also I like "pissible." I'm glad it's not a banned word. I will endeavor to use it more often.

 

Sheldon had never been out of the country before this tournament. Now he is in the quarterfinals. Absolutely crazy. If American men's tennis is ever going to make a comeback, this would be the time. Federer retired, Nadal looking he could be done, Joker being older, ditto Murray etc.

 

He's certainly a big contrast to Jessica Pegula who's first grand slam first round win was like in 2015, and she hadn't made it to a quarter final until last year. The long road.

 

Tsitsipas into his fourth Australian semifinal. Djokovic I believe his 10th. None of the other semifinalists are playing remotely near his level.

 

Djokovic rolled over Paul as expected. It was still nice to have an American in the seminfinal. It's been a while. Paul still made nearly a million Australian dollars, probably his biggest payday.