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[Bevc]

Venus Williams is out of the Australian Open.

The seven-time grand slam winner pulled out of the ASB Classic in Auckland last week, because of on-going health issues.

She's now been forced out of the year's first major, raising further questions about her future in tennis.

On her website, Williams says she is making progress with her diet and fitness as she battles and auto-immune disease.

She intends to return to the WTA Tour next month.

Spain's Tommy Robredo has also withdrawn from the Australian Open, having pulled out of the Heineken Open with a leg injury.


For some reason at Sky Magazine here in NZ (possibly Australia too) put Venus on the front cover promoting the tennis at the AO - can't understand why?  Ladies tennis is at times and she pulled out of last year's tournie with injury and was a touch and go option for this year.  But hey, what do I know?

[robbie]

Always thought that Venus like her sister lives on another planet.

[blueberryhill]

Goodness,withdrawal's total mounts daily. It's not just our Andy who gets injured. Though, admit it certainly feels like it at times.

[Emma Jean]

When you have won as much as Roger has you can afford to create a schedule that makes the majors your main focus. Tsonga and Berdych are always dangerous players, but Roger has since crushed Tsonga a few times including the US Open and hes taken good care of Berdych. the match against Tsonga Roger was 2 sets up.

Murray has never beaten Roger in a Slam as you rightly say both matches were in finals but no reason to think that a Semi or quarter would be any different, as Roger once said he is essentially an attacking player Murray is defensive, in that kind of match up the attacking player in this case Roger decides who wins the match, not the defensive player which is Murray.

Nadal is always a threat to Roger, but Roger when playing well is capable of beating him handily like he did at the O2, Djokovic is the only real concern but even he showed signs of fatigue towards the end of this season, how he starts 2012 will be very interesting indeed.

But no reason to thinik it won't happen either, right? 

Nadal's game isn't attacking. It's mostly defensive. He moonballs as a tactic and their H2H is 17-9 Nadal. In Grand Slam alone it's 6-2 Nadal.

Andy leads Federer 8-6. Outside GS, it's 8-4. In GS, it's 0-2.

[ak400]

But no reason to thinik it won't happen either, right? 

Nadal's game isn't attacking. It's mostly defensive. He moonballs as a tactic and their H2H is 17-9 Nadal. In Grand Slam alone it's 6-2 Nadal.

Andy leads Federer 8-6. Outside GS, it's 8-4. In GS, it's 0-2.

But no reason to thinik it won't happen either, right? 

Nadal's game isn't attacking. It's mostly defensive. He moonballs as a tactic and their H2H is 17-9 Nadal. In Grand Slam alone it's 6-2 Nadal.

Andy leads Federer 8-6. Outside GS, it's 8-4. In GS, it's 0-2.

But no reason to thinik it won't happen either, right? 

Nadal's game isn't attacking. It's mostly defensive. He moonballs as a tactic and their H2H is 17-9 Nadal. In Grand Slam alone it's 6-2 Nadal.

Andy leads Federer 8-6. Outside GS, it's 8-4. In GS, it's 0-2.

To say Nadal is a moonballer shows lack of knowledge for our sport but I know despite our disagreements that you do know a lot about tennis but that claim is crazy he is one of the best counter punchers in history amd can turn defense to attack in a flash.

Well despite Murrays' results against Roger as you say he trails 0-2 in majors and 0-6 in sets played, lets see if he can actually give Roger a competitive match in a major first before we start saying he's a threat to him in a major because so far he hasnt proved he can compete with Roger in the main events in our sport.

Novak is the slight favourite against everyone else in the draw the match is on Roger's racket.

[scotnadian]

- Who, in the youngsters, will make the most noise? Is it Tomic or Raonic or Harriosn or Young or Nihsikori or Dolgopolove?

I'd say some of those youngsters are already making so much noise, I can't even hear their names correctly...? Or maybe I'm just colour-blind..

[blueberryhill]

When and why did Roger get one of his big toes transplanted on his nose?

No not surgery, too much sun...