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[lashurst]

The Qualies are posted:

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/scores/draws/qs/index.html

[craighateslife]

 

Ready to go!!

http://p.twimg.com/Ai7jQzLCIAA7gqQ.jpg:large

I'm hoping that link works.

 

[Allan]

Its 10.00 am Local (EDT) time and thats 00.00 CET for me and I guess 23.00 in UK.

Dont know if its streamed but it will be posted on the internet 1 hr later.

I seem to remember the draw being streamed in the past few years.

[Mackem]

Thanks for the info, fingers crossed it's a kind draw! Although I'd be confident against most players in the draw it's important Andy doesn't land 2 or 3 tricky players in a row, i think it's always crucial to have at least one or two straightforward matches on the way through to preserve energy a bit. Here's the ones I'd like to avoid -
R1 / R2 Youzhny / Tomic / Kohlschreiber / Ward (I don't think the media circus around this tie would be very helpful to either player)
R3 Isner / Raonic / Wawrinka
R4 Del Potro / Tipsarevic
QF Berdych / Tsonga
SF Djokovic

If Andy avoids most of them I'll be over the moon, here's hoping for one of those jammy draws that Federer usually gets at the slams!!

Yep - pretty much agree.  Might prefer to avoid Haase as well cos he's a very irritating player to be up against.  Hope Ward gets that far but did well today - must have maybe 2 more matches to play.  Yep - Warwinka on way down.

Must be interesting what the top 4 are thinking - they're probably not all because you can only play who you're up against next but if, they all get to the semis, I think:

Andy will prefer Rafa, then Smugfed in final
Rafa will prefer Andy, then Smugfed
Nole will prefer Rafa, then Smugfed
Smugfed will prefer Rafa then Andy

If Nole is on top form, nobody will want to play him but te player Nole will least want to play is Andy.

[scotsgeek28]

I really don't think Fed can win another grand slam.  The guys at the top have learned that when they are on their game Fed can no longer sustain it for 5 sets the way he used to, he starts making lots of forehand errors, and actually seems to suffer something of a crisis of confidence.  His ranking is only inflated because of the late season when the other three were all injured/fatigued.  But for that Andy would be #3 and closing on Nadal.

Nadal has sounded unbelievably downbeat in interviews and all the evidence from late season and this is that the guy is really struggling.  I have no doubt Rafa will turn up and try his best right to the end.  He is the player in the top three I have the most respect for because you know he is genuinely such a nice guy.  I just can't see him winning.  It could be last year all over again where he makes it as far as the QF and his body just fails him.  Andy desperately wants to be on Rafa's side of the draw.

If that happens I am certain Andy will reach the final again. I have no doubts about that.  Last years slam performance was frustrating, mainly because Nadal was immense against him in all three semi-finals, even allowing for the chance he had at Wimby.  But the encouraging thing was he beat everyone else, he seems to have grown into these tournaments more.  All that is missing is the final step.

The only play I fear for Andy a little bit with is Berdych.  I think he is the only one that realistically could beat Andy outside the top three.  So if he can avoid him again all the better.

Nole is the one we need to watch out for, and it hard to assess him because he has played so little this year.  Is his shoulder still a problem? Will he be able to sustain last years immense level?  You know what I actually believe Andy can beat Nole at his absolute best.  I genuinely believe that, as I feel when Andy is really with it he gets into Nole's mind quite a bit.

Going to be a great tournament as always, but I can't see anyone but Andy or Nole winning here.  I'd expect Ferrer and Tsonga to have good tournaments, but winning is beyond them.

On the womens side I think Radwanska (A.), could well do it!

[dex]

I agree with all you said 'scotsgeek28'
As I've said Berdych is Andy's bogie man. Another player outside the top three would be Del Potro who showed signs of getting back to his 2009 level, but I just don't know what happened last night when he was beaten soundly by Baggy. No disrespect to Baggy, I hope he goes on to win the tournament.

[theycanbillme]

I want Andy to be in Novaks half.
It means he'll meet him in the semi final instead of the final so there is much less chance of Andy doing his tournament choking thing although hopefully and probably Lendl will help him there.
I'm going to be daring and say that neither Roger or Rafa are getting to the final this time; both shall be taken care of by the semis at the very latest.
Unless something strange happens, which is not an impossibility with Andy Id say it's an almost certainty that either Novak or Andy shall be playing whoever in the final (& a good chance each other). And if it's Novak he shall win and if it's Andy well I'm feeling positive about his chances at least.