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by TLR
Host Todd
Hello TLR Nuts and tennis fans! The 2009 grand slam
season has begun and Tennis Live Radio will be back
soon. I thank you for your patience and very much look
forward to speaking to you all again. While we wait for
our radio return, I decided to express some of my
Australian Open opinions right here during the next two
weeks. Please excuse any spelling and/or grammatical
errors. We do this on the fly. |
#1 IT'S A DRY HEAT....:
Elena made her first AO Semi as did Verdasco, Serena
battled back again, Kuzy did the opposite....again, but
the topic of the day was the roof. Here are a few
thoughts on the soon to be 2nd most famous roof in
tennis:
a. NOT MOVING: The event
isn't going to be moved, so we need to abandon this
discussion and find ways to improve its current status.
b. WIMBLEDON: I have to
assume the SW19 tournament directors
will determine whether to start play with the roof
closed base on weather forecasts the night before or
early in the AM. I don't know this for a fact which is
why I am assuming. They might have to adopt this theory
in Melbourne. Elena Dementieva commented on this after
her QF win, "I think when it's 40 (104 degrees) and over
you have to close the roof. I'm really surprised,
because when you see the forecast, like it's going to be
41 (106 degrees) today, 43 (109 degrees) tomorrow, the
hottest week in a month, why not to close the roof?" If
you know it is going to be “Africa
Hot†as Mary Carillo says, shut it in advance.
This leads me to my next point.....
c. ROOF REVERSAL: Wasn't
the old roof rule at the AO the following, “if the match
starts with roof open it ends with it open?†As we saw
yesterday, the roof can be closed in between sets, so
why can't we start with it closed and open it if weather
permits?
d. AO & BCS: The
temperature/roof argument at Melbourne Park
is the equivalent to the BCS discussion in
College Football. It’s the topic of HOT debate
during the event/season, but forgotten the other 11
months of the year.
e. BLAME BORG: I Googled
the average temperature in Melbourne for the months of
December and January. There didn't
appear to be too much of a difference, but maybe
Melbourne doesn't experience heat waves in December as
it does in January. If the temp was better in December,
should we
blame Borg for the current situation? |
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#2 NAME CHANGE: When did we start pronunciation
Dinara's name differently. The ESPN crew now says Safin
Ah. Maybe that's the right way to say it, but what the
hell took so long to figure this out? The same was done
with Dementia Va & Sha Rap o Va. They have been on the
tour forever now and we are only now getting set
straight. They got it easy, people still call me by my
brother's name and I answer every time.
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#3 STEFANKI on TLR:
ESPN did a short interview with Larry Stefanki
last night. He has done a great job with Andy Roddick
thus far and it proves once again that the players don't
always make the best coaches. Anyways, while I was
watching Larry discuss Roddick's upcoming match with
Federer, it reminded me Tennis Live Radio's interview
with Larry in August of 2006. The
interview was on the eve of his then new client's
semifinal match vs. Roger Federer at the Canadian
Masters. We discussed Fernando's big forehand and newly
developed slice. Gonzo pushed the match to 3 sets, but
Fed was too mush in the end. It's great to see Andy back
in a slam SF, but I'm not sure he'll win a set from the
3 time AO champ. Federer feels differently. "It's a
tennis match. You never know what is going to happen.
That's why it starts at 0‑0." Sounds a little like
Chris 'Boomer' Berman...."But That's
Why They Play the Game" |
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#4 TONIGHT HERE, TOMORROW THERE: Serena vs.
Elena tonight. Series 4-3 Serena. Williams won first 4
meetings, Dementieva the last 3. Can never count Serna
out Down Under but she might have been on the ropes one
too many times already, so I'll take Elena to tie the
series. If Zvonareva follows with a win, Elena's No. 1.
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#5 SLEEPLESS in SEMIFINALS:
As you know now, I do not own a DVR, so tonight will
once again be sleepless as Roddick and Federer square
off at 3:30am. If you find yourself up as well, be sure
to send in your opinions throughout the match for us
other night owls to review and reply. |
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#6 KUZY WAS CLOSE....AGAIN:
I forgot to comment on Kuzy's blown volley at 30-40
while serving for the match vs Serena. Volley's simply
do not get easier that. Nerves aside, it's impossible to
get any easier than that. I can't imagine how a volley
could be more set on a tee. I'm pretty confident anyone
that reads this post knew that match was over after that
blown volley. Did I mention she blew that volley? |
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