Hook, Line and Sinker

Out there in the land of sports, there are some variations that can be, when at their climax too difficult to put down.

It can be frustration ridden because when you want to sleep, the urge to continue watching overrides the curfew you’ve set in place.

Some of the worst contenders of the Hook, Line and Sinker aware would have been to Tennis, Cycling, The Olympics and yes, Golf.

Who do you think should win the award? Sound off below!

A Match, without the Shriek

The Australian Open 2012 Women’s single final was uneventful to say the least.

The eventual winner and now world number one from next Monday, Victoria Azarenka started off slowly by being broken early by Russian  hotshot Maria Sharapova.

However once Azarenka got her game on, the match was as one sided as it could get and won by the down to earth lass in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0.

The match was boring. There, I said it, what I was expecting was something FAR more exciting, that captivated me rather than made me count to the ad breaks.

I wonder if the men’s final tomorrow between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will be any better? Thoughts?

A n Aussie Open

While most Australian tennis goers would be disappointed by the performances over the past years about the presence- and relative victory of the Australian men and women.

However, we can take salvage in that today Australian Junior and up and comer, Luke 

Saville claimed the Junior Australian Open Title.

This follows up from the 17 (and turning 18) year olds success at the Wimbledon Junior competition.

Saville won in straight sets and hopefully will, if performances and practice consist, that there will be a third player shining bright in the future of Australian tennis. 

From A to Shriek; the Showdown between Sharapova and Azarenka

Claiming the 2012 Australian Open Women’s Title will be decided in a final between Maria 

Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka, both of whom are notably recognisable for their shrieks when hitting the ball.

So it seems that when it comes to these gorgeous ladies, it will be a battle of the “a” sound in their names (both first and last) as well as the shrieks.

Both of the women are exceptional in how they tennis, and it will be a tough final for sure as both of them are on hot streaks (Sharapova as runner up in Wimbledon last year and 

Azarenka taking out the Sydney APIA international in the lead up to the Summer Slam).

Who do you think will claim the Australian Open for 2012? Old Hand at shrieking; Maria Sharapova, or new kid on the decibel block; Victoria Azarenka?

Andy Murray 2.0

The sexy scot is new, improved and ready to land himself a Grand Slam, with the help of his newly appointed Coach Ivan Lendl.

But will he succeed?

In the three weeks since Lendl has led the Murray squad, his game is fiercer, his attitude to the media more confident and warm as well as his ability to change pace becoming electrifying.

Murray was once deemed a boring player, one that did not reflect the current game’s position of big hitters and even bigger egos.

However Lendl has improved this aspect and the boring game is non-existent, well, besides when he decimates the opponents as he did today against Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

The impact already has meant that change of pace happens in a stroke, not at the conclusion of rally. The confidence in Murray’s game has drastically changed, and this is none more so reflected in how he approaches the post match interviews, and other interactions with the media. His newfound ability to joke and have a sense of sincerity to his answers highlights Murray’s confidence in his new and improved game.

The rise of Andy Murray 2.0 might have given him his best chance to attain a Grand Slam despite still at this stage of the 2012 Australian Open, considered a dark horse waiting in the shadows of the three other members from the Fab Four (Nadal, Federer and Djokovic). Combine this dark horse-ness with his game, and thrills should ensue. 

Rolling in the Upsets

The fourth round of the Australian Open on both the men and women’s draws has provided spectators with thrilling upsets, and disappointment for the seeded losers.

In the women’s draw it was 12^th seed Serena Williams that met Ekaterina Makarova on centre court. However the match did not manage to go William’s way, losing in straight sets; 6-2,6-3 despite a feeling of resurgence from the 12^th seed deep into the second set.

The same could not be said in the mens draw when flamboyant Frenchmen Jo Wilfried 

Tsonga made no use of his opportunities against the 24^th seed Kei Nishikori. Despite the match being drawn out to five sets it seemed to all go the Japanese players way.

For a tournament that has had an unusually large number of withdrawals and retirements it is about time that the upsets began to roll, and roll they did.