great match so far, go Novak

this third set has probably been one of the best i've ever seen

go rafael

Is Djokavic hurt? Is this new? I just put it on to watch that last game (which was ridiculous).

The USTA really showed Serena Williams who's boss with a $2,000 fine for Saturday's outburst.

She got fined $85,000 for the 2009 incident, which I thought was in some ways more defensible than this one. In both cases, the letter of the law was applied, when perhaps a less harsh ruling could have been chosen, but her behavior in the aftermath of both was just reprehensible.

Apparently, on Saturday, the chair umpire had the option of not awarding the point to Stosur, but just issuing a warning or instructing the players to replay the point. I think either of those options would have been preferable to giving Stosur the point (and with it a break of serve). But some of the things Williams said are just inexcusable.

it was a dick move to yell as stosur was about to hit the ball. i've never seen that happen and i'm not sure why she even did it. i loved her thinking it was the same umpire from 2009. she's an idiot.

It will be fun to hear to ESPN announcers constantly defend her the next few years, too. If it were a foreign player doing this kind of crap, there would be no way they'd keep quiet about their outbursts. Glad Serena ended up losing.

you'd think all the hood rat would be out of her by now.

on the contrary she was acting like a stuck-up entitled bitch

Roddick seems to be a pretty dick also. That being said, I can't help but like him.

I don't think it's a big deal at all. It was a bullshit call. She had to get a few things off her chest, who cares.

Eddie Jordan wrote:I don't think it's a big deal at all. It was a bullshit call. She had to get a few things off her chest, who cares.

And thats a pretty big chest. amiright?

correct.

I think "you are an ugly person on the inside" is an awesome and creative insult for someone to spout in the heat of the moment too

When McEnroe pulled this type of stuff decades ago people loved it. They still love it, it's his calling card.

She's not allowed to have an outburst on a pretty fucking ridiculous call?

26. HINDRANCE
If a player is hindered in playing the point by a deliberate act of the opponent(s), the
player shall win the point.
However, the point shall be replayed if a player is hindered in playing the point by
either an unintentional act of the opponent(s), or something outside the player’s own
control (not including a permanent fixture).

Not sure how it's a bullshit call. Screaming 'come on' before it hits her racket is a deliberate act and if she even had an opportunity to return it, it's a point for Stosur.

Except that rule should be enforced on every single point in tennis.

Technically, the female players grunting on every point is almost as much of a hindrance. Thought they should apply a bit of common sense since Stoser had zero chance of returning the ball. Just thought it was really stupid that Serena got the referees mixed up and thought this one was the one from 2009. She should apologize just for that.

I think there's a pretty big difference between grunting when the ball hits your racket vs. yelling at the exact time your opponent tries to hit. I don't think Stosur had a big chance, but she could have gotten a racket on it and slowly got it over. The rules don't allow for a let so I think she was within her authority to give the point to Stosur. I don't think I would have, but by rule she was allowed to.

JUburton wrote:The rules don't allow for a let so I think she was within her authority to give the point to Stosur. I don't think I would have, but by rule she was allowed to.

John Feinstein may or may not be an expert on tennis' rulebook, but he says the chair umpire did have the authority to issue a warning or play a let rather than give Stosur the point

http://www.feinsteinonthebrink.com/inde ... 6636756278

Stosur wasn't getting the ball back - I think the right thing to do was give Williams a warning, which is a step one toward (step two) losing a point and (step three) being defaulted. I also think Williams could have, maybe should have, been defaulted for verbal abuse of the umpire.

The 2012 Australian Open starts Sunday.

CalvinBall wrote:The 2012 Australian Open starts Sunday.

I'm looking forward to it. I really like having a day's match schedule start at 7 PM ET and still be going on when I get up at 6 AM ET the next morning.

I'll be interested to see how Djokavic and Nadal play in this tournament; I think both of them were physically beaten up after their finals match at the 2011 U.S. Open, which had to be one of the most physical tennis matches of all-time.

There is a controversy brewing at the Australian Open due to anti-gay comments by tennis great (and Australia native) Margaret Court. Hopefully that controversy won't distract from the tournament.