Tomic Ticks all the Boxes with his Gutsy Win

WORLD No.8 Mardy Fish has already hailed Bernard Tomic a superior talent, but Tomic yesterday showed competitive qualities even he was not sure he possessed.

What yesterday propelled the young Australian into the second round of the Australian Open should carry him much further still. This, unquestionably, was a major step.

For the second time in his career, Tomic recovered from a two-sets-to-love grand slam deficit against a higher-ranked opponent, but in far more testing circumstances on a scalding Rod Laver Arena. He beat 22nd seed Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 in more than four hours. It drew a standing ovation and was greeted, inside the locker room, with approving nods.

''He's a great player. He's going to be a great player. He already is,'' Fish said. ''He's gotten so much better since I played him in the fall. He was a good player then, too. He showed out there that he enjoys playing down here. He enjoys this surface. He enjoys playing during the day in the heat, all the conditions and variables that this tournament has. I mean, he's light years ahead of me now, but especially when I was 19, at that time. Very impressive.''

So that's another box ticked, then. Ability, we knew. So, too, a cagey, unorthodox style that can lure his opponents into error. But few could have been certain that his fighting qualities were a match for his instinctive court craft, world-class backhand and love of the big occasion. Now we know something more. Tick, tick, tick.

''You can learn about yourself, and how in the future you can play,'' said Tomic, who will play American Sam Querrey in tomorrow's second round. ''I think there's a lot of guys that get two sets to love down - especially in a grand slam it's the toughest thing to come back like that - and they throw the towel in. Anything's possible if you keep trying … Showed me what I'm capable of doing.''

Indeed, what used to be Lleyton Hewitt's time - the Aussie warrior routine in the afternoon-fightback slot - is now Tomic's. Baton handed. ''A lot of [Hewitt's] matches, same stories, did the impossible: turned around a match in this situation. I think it's a good thing that I can believe in myself at this age. It can only be better for me in the future … When I'm down, I can lift myself and give it a go always.''

Against Russian Igor Andreev at Wimbledon, when he trailed by two sets and a break, Tomic was able to recharge with an overnight break before resuming for the final two sets. This was tougher, better, more satisfying, and the first time in four years that Tomic earned direct main draw entry was also the fourth consecutive time the wildcard graduate had won his opening round. ''Today wasn't fun, it was torture,'' he quipped later. ''I really don't know how I won, so I'm going to recover. I'm the happiest person alive now.''

Indeed, he could have won the first set, and should have won the second; wounded by two awful forehand misses: one on break point in a lengthy ninth game of the first set, and another when holding a set point at 30-40 in the 12th game of the second. That one, which could have levelled the match, was a sitter, but instead plonked into the net. And by early in the third set, he was twice forced to save potentially decisive break-point chances, fortunate that Verdasco was suffering in the sweltering conditions, he later revealed, and unable to put foot on throat.

Tomic's rally came after what commentator Todd Woodbridge called a ''semi-tank'' early in the third, and what the world No.38 admitted was a display of foxing. ''I eased off and seemed I didn't care, and I think that's what [drew] him in a little bit tonight. He thought he was going to win that third set, and when the right time came, I broke him. After that, he started … not hitting his shots.''

While his pre-match decision to question Verdasco's recent form and divulge his exploit-the-backhand game plan did not backfire, Tomic admitted his request for a day match had not been smart. ''Silly me,'' he smiled, while acknowledging the benefits of a ramped-up fitness campaign with post-match treadmill sessions to prepare for such best-of-five situations. ''Did not know that the heat was going to be like this.''

Yet he cannot help but be conscious of the national investment. Australia is sweating on the success of Wimbledon's youngest quarter-finalist in 25 years and, although not yet the finished product, there are constant additions being made to the preliminary sketch. ''It's not a good feeling, especially when you're losing,'' he said. ''You see the fans just disappearing one by one. It's a tough feeling. Then you start winning and they come back one by one.''

Those who returned would have liked what they saw. Impossible not to. One to remember.

Stosur Shattered by Sydney Loss

Shattered Sam Stosur confessed to an emotional meltdown after her Australian Open preparations suffered another hammer blow with a first-round exit from the Sydney International.

Italian tormentor Francesca Schiavone heaped more misery on Stosur, sending Australia’s great hope packing with a 6-2 6-4 defeat in 88 minutes at Sydney Olympic Park.

“You do all the work leading up and you feel okay and then today all of a sudden it’s just like a bombshell hits you,” Stosur said.

“The whole emotional side of things really took over today. It never felt like I was able to be loose and free with the way I wanted to play.”

The painful loss followed Stosur’s second-round departure from the Brisbane International and left the world No.6 low on confidence and alarmingly short of match practice heading into the season’s first grand slam event starting on Monday.

“That’s what makes it so difficult. Melbourne is coming up and I want to start playing well,” the 27-year-old said.

“Being in Australia and playing in Australia, I want to play the best I can play and do it all here this month, right here right now.

“Then when it doesn’t happen, it’s obviously disappointing. It probably makes it more disappointing here than anywhere else.”

Stosur has now failed to venture beyond the second round in Sydney or Brisbane for the past three years and the US Open champion admitted she was finding it increasingly difficult to swallow the annual setbacks.

“I think it’s just the whole expectation I put on myself, too,” she said.

While Schiavone trails 6-4 in their career series, the crafty Italian has a nagging habit of raising her game for the big stage against Stosur.

The world No.11 famously denied Stosur for the first time in five meetings in the 2010 French Open final and then upstaged the Australian in a crucial Fed Cup rubber last February in Hobart.

“I think to play home, when you love something, is tough,” Schiavone said.

“But she has another chance and the bigger chance is Australian Open – the Australian Open will be different. She has big power and big shoulders to do it.”

Indeed, Stosur has bounced back from a first-round demise in Sydney before to make the second week in Melbourne two years ago, when she succumbed to eventual champion Serena Williams in the last 16.

While Schiavone is rated 11th in the world, Stosur was also taking some comfort in the fact she won’t run into a higher-ranked rival until at least the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park.

Schiavone will meet Daniela Hantuchova for a quarter-final spot after the Slovak downed Italian Roberta Vinci 7-5 6-2.

Defending champion Li Na, third seed Victoria Azarenka and eighth seed Marion Bartoli also progressed to the last 16 on Monday.

Belarusian Azarenka faces a tougher second-round clash with former world No.1 Jelena Jankovic.

Bartoli beat Polona Hercog 6-3 6-3 to set up a showdown on Tuesday with Sydney-raised crowd favourite Jelena Dokic.

Dual grand slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova upset sixth-seeded Russian compatriot Vera Zvonareva 6-1 6-2 and Dominika Cibulkova defeated Peng Shuai 6-2 4-6 6-4 to book a meeting with world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki.

Stosur Shattered by Sydney Loss

Everyone Has a Chance in Melbourne, says Ivanovic

Former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic believes the strength of women’s tennis means that anyone in the draw can win the Australian Open. Ivanovic’s preparations for Melbourne Park suffered yesterday, however, with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 loss to Lucie Safarova in the opening round at the Sydney International.

But the out-of-sorts Serb retained belief she would be one of the dozens of players in the hunt to win the Australian Open, starting on Jan. 16. The first round loss for Ivanovic, the former world number one and 2008 French Open champion, followed an early second round loss at Brisbane last week.

Yesterday, she was left to rue missing a regulation smash at 5-5 in the first set tiebreaker, revealing the unforced error played on her mind for the remainder of the match. “The whole first set came down to that one point,” Ivanovic told reporters. “Obviously it happens, it was just a very bad moment for it to happen. It’s a shot I feel very confident at. It’s definitely a little bit disappointing, but it happens and it took me a lot of time to recover.
“It’s tough. I keep replaying that shot in my mind throughout the whole match. I felt like that was the turning point. But still I came out in the second set and I served really well the first couple of games and had some chances. “I feel my game is still there. I have lost but it gives me time to go to Melbourne with plenty of time to tune up a few things.

“I had a good off-season and I just want to try and keep at it. It would be great to have a result straight away but sometimes it’s a process and it takes time.” The four women’s majors had four different winners last year: Kim Clijsters at the Australian Open, Li Na at the French Open, Petra Kvitova at Wimbledon and Sam Stosur at the US Open.

With the Australian Open beginning at Melbourne Park next week, Ivanovic believes the number of good players on tour make it hard to call a winner at Melbourne Park. “When I first started on tour I felt like the first few rounds the seeds would have an easy match,” the Serb said. “Now from the first round you have tough opponents. Everyone is playing well and aggressive and you really have to be tough from the first match on.

“Anyone, basically, can win. That’s exciting for everyone because everyone who is in the draw has the potential to go far.” Elsewhere in Sydney on Sunday, Australia’s Jelena Dokic trounced compatriot Isabella Holland 6-0 6-0 on Ken Rosewall Arena on a day when none of the seeds made an appearance. The big guns will be wheeled out from today.

“We all have days when it doesn’t go right but it’s professional sport, you can’t really be feeling sorry for anyone,” Dokic said of her opponent. Nine of the top ten women in the world are in a high-quality Sydney field. Top seed in the men’s draw is Argentina’s world number 11 Juan Martin del Potro.

Murray wins Brisbane International title - Tennis Brisbane International

Andy Murray is one tournament into a partnership with new coach Ivan Lendl and already it has netted a title.

The No. 4-ranked Murray warmed up for the Australian Open with a commanding 6-1, 6-3 win over third-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov in the Brisbane International final.

The victory provided the ideal start to Murray's partnership with Lendl, and the eight-time Grand Slam winner was courtside for only the second time when the 24-year-old Scot lifted the Roy Emerson Trophy.

"I'd like to thank my team ... Mr. Lendl, he's up there somewhere, hiding," Murray said of his new coach. "It's my first week with this new team and it was good. I really enjoyed it. Hopefully it'll bring more success in the future.

The 24-year-old Murray's next task is the Australian Open, where he has lost the past two finals, to be 0-3 in major finals overall - a statistic he's desperate to improve. That's on top of all the pressure from home to end a drought for British men at the Grand Slam tournaments dating back to 1936.

His confidence high after capturing his 22nd ATP title, Murray will spend the next week in Melbourne preparing for the Australian Open, which starts Jan. 16.

He raced through the first set against Doglopolov in 26 minutes - he didn't lose a point on his serve until the last game, when the Ukrainian twice had breakpoint chances but was unable to convert.

The No. 4-ranked Murray won nine straight games from 1-1 in the first to take the match away from Dolgopolov, who rallied briefly by winning three in a row - including his only service break to get the second set back to 4-3.

But Murray held to regain momentum and then broke Dolgopolov's serve for the fifth time in the match to finish it off in 65 minutes.

Murray started the week slowly, dropping the opening sets of his first two matches and complaining of aches and pains, but didn't lose a service game in the quarterfinal and semifinal as he gradually got his match fitness back up to speed. And he didn't show any sign of the groin strain which prematurely ended his 2011 season.

In recent season, Murray had played the Hopman Cup, the international mixed team competition in Perth, to start the Australian summer, but wanted to change into tournament mode immediately in 2012 and appeared in Brisbane for the first time.

A year on from losing the Australian Open final to Novak Djokovic, Murray thinks he's a better contender for the title.

"I'd hope so, yeah. A year wiser. Had more experience. I've improved a few things in my game," Murray said. "I still played pretty good last year in Australia. I could play great tennis again and lose in the second or third round. Equally, could win the tournament if I play my best.

"If I play well, like I did this week, I give myself a good chance."

The 23-year-old Dolgopolov moved up to a year-end No. 15 ranking in 2011 and was aiming for his second ATP title, but was never in contention in the final.

He has now lost all three matches against Murray, including the Australian Open quarterfinals last year.

Dolgopolov strained his groin in his semifinal win over second-seeded Gilles Simon and wasn't at his peak against Murray.

"I'd like to say sorry for some boring tennis from me today," he told the crowd, "but that's the best I could do.

"I wasn't really fit and feeling good this week, but I made the final, so I'm really happy."

Murray wins Brisbane International title - Tennis Brisbane International

Brisbane International: Andy Murray Books Quarter Final Place With Win Over Gilles Muller

ANDY MURRAY continued to do it the hard way as he reached the last eight of the Brisbane International with a three-set win over Gilles Muller today.

The British number one went a set down for the second day in succession after a woeful final service game, but levelled after a second-set tie-break.

And he rampaged through the final set without dropping a game to complete a 4-6 7-6 (7/4) 6-0 success and set up a quarter-final against Marcos Baghdatis.

Muller comfortably held his opening service game and Murray responded in kind, despite double-faulting on his first game point.

Murray forced the match's first break point in game three but his opponent produced a big serve and went on to hold.

The match remained on serve as far as 3-3 and, though Muller was taken to multiple deuces in his next service game, he prevailed to move 4-3 up.

Murray followed his fifth ace with his second double fault but comfortably pulled level again, but he was left serving to stay in the set after Muller held once more.

And he was broken to love as Muller made the most of his increasingly dominant groundstrokes to close out the set 6-4.

While Murray's 64% first-serve success rate was solid, he had won just two of nine points on his second, exacerbated by those two doubles.

But he responded well to going a set behind, breaking in the first game of the second set courtesy of a superb return on second serve.

He defended the break and then pegged Muller back from 40-15 to deuce, but this time the Luxembourg player held firm.

And he broke back in the fourth game, with the aid of a fortunate cross-court winner off his backhand, and then held for a 3-2 lead.

An ace settled his next service game in his favour as the set score reached 4-3 and Murray was forced to dig deep when trailing 15-40 in the next game, two big serves denying Muller the chance to serve for the match.

It meant the world number four would instead have to serve to stay in it, but he did so to make it 5-5. A love hold for Muller forced him to repeat the feat, but he duly set up a tie-break and claimed an early mini-break.

Muller twice netted before Murray moved 6-2 up with an outlandish backhand winner, and he took his third set point to take the match into a decider.

He raced to a love hold in the opening game and followed it with another early break en route to a 3-0 lead.

A second break and a hold from 0-30 down meant Muller was the one serving to stay in the match - and he was unable to do so, Murray completing a final-set whitewash to seal a quarter-final spot.

Brisbane Accommodation at Metro Hotel Tower Mill

Perth Tourism News: The Hopman Cup is to Stay in Perth

THE official with the job of securing the operational rights of the Hopman Cup for Tennis Australia yesterday guaranteed the tournament's future remained in Perth.

Tennis Australia's commercial director Steve Ayles dismissed fears the national body, which has submitted a detailed proposal to the International Tennis Federation amid a review of the tournament, had any desire to downgrade or delete the event should it win the managerial rights.

He said Tennis Australia would happily accept any contractual requirements that would require the Hopman Cup, which will move from the Burswood Dome to the new Perth Arena next year, to be played in Western Australia under its current format.

"We have no interest in moving the week. We have no interest in moving the location," Ayles said.

"From our perspective it is an event that Perth really supports, really gets behind.

"We only have an interest in growing it, making it bigger and integrating it in with the Western Australian tennis community more than it currently is."

He questioned suggestions the field would be weakened if Tennis Australia, which runs the Brisbane International in the same week, were successful in its bidding.

Ayles said the Hopman Cup's history of hosting future winners of the Australian Open ensured quality players would always consider it an option.

Tournament director and founder Paul McNamee has lured 24 top-ranked players to Perth in its 24-year history.

"First of all, the players choose where they go for their preparation. Some players like the more relaxed nature of the Hopman Cup and some players prefer the more intense tour competition," Ayles said.

"The players will choose the best pathway to give them the best opportunity to win the Australian Open. That is what the Hopman Cup is about. That is what Brisbane is about . . . that is what those events do.

"Just look at the fields this year for both of the events. They have both attracted great fields and there is no reason why we can't grow that."

The Tennis Australia guarantee comes as McNamee yesterday said he feared for the future of the long-running event if the ITF chose to change management.

McNamee transferred ownership rights to the ITF, which is expected to decide on the rights to the tournament at a meeting in March, in 2002 in the belief it would secure its long-term future.

"I've been heavily involved since the beginning. I love the tournament," McNamee he said.

"There always needs to be transition and succession and everything else. That's normal. But I feel like I've earned the right to have a say in that transition."

The Hopman Cup is to Stay in Perth

No Longer a Work in Progress, Stosur Returns as a Star

Last year, when Sam Stosur began her campaign at the Brisbane International, her second round departure would be a harbinger for a meagre showing over coming weeks. At least she escaped before the rain engulfed centre court.

Defeat in her home town was followed by a third-round exit at the Australian Open in Melbourne. It was a disappointing return following an undisputed breakout season, where she made the final of the French Open and raised the expectations of Australian fans who hadn't hailed a female Grand Slam champion since Evonne Goolagong in 1980.

Even so, her near thing at Roland Garros didn't mean she was the star attraction in her home city's event. Her doubters remained to be convinced and with players of the quality of Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin in the draw, Stosur wasn't to enjoy top billing.

Last night, the reigning US Open champion star strode out onto Pat Rafter Arena like she owned the place, confidently surging past Anastasiya Yakimova 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the second round in Brisbane.

She floated on a surge of emotion from a sold-out crowd that gave the top seed and world number six the most rousing of receptions. Stosur dismantled Yakimova with power and precision in the first set, before overcoming some rust and resistance in the second to advance to the next round, where she will face Czech Iveta Benesova.

If Stosur was nervous – and she said she was – she's one hell of a poker player. In the opening games, she peeled off winner after winner. From that point, with Yakimova clearly outgunned, it was always just a matter of time.

Stosur looked assured, focused and in total control of her game. She played like a woman who has finally found the missing piece to a puzzle she has been trying to complete since she was a teenager.

Brisbane's event has been elevated up the WTA food chain and the women's draw is stronger than ever. The presence of Serena Williams, Ana Ivanovic, Clijsters and Andrea Petkovic has given organisers more than enough marketing ammunition.

Fans crowded into Pat Rafter Arena to see Samantha Stosur play last night. Photo: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

But it is Stosur they came to see. The same tennis fans who were glued to their screens as Stosur soared – and Williams exploded – in New York last year paid up to get their seats to watch the show in the flesh.

“It's always nice to come home, play in front of a home crowd; where I'm from in Brisbane, a full house. If you're going to come out and play another match, why not start it like that?” Stosur said.

I've been looking forward to coming out and getting the year started so I'm happy with the way the first one went.”

Things have changed since Stosur upset Williams to win the US Open and the result has been a huge boost for tournament organisers. A crowd of 12,595, which was a record for any day of any year of the event, was testament to how much Stosur's dramatic victory has rekindled the interest of Australian tennis fans.

“Always when I come home, I get a great reception. Whether I'm in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, it's always a nice experience. Now I get recognised a lot more and more people know who I am and want to come out and watch. It probably shows – a first round, night session, it's pretty much sold out. The atmosphere was great,” Stosur said.

“If that's the impact that a player can have on a home tournament, then that's fantastic. I think, when you've got a player that's doing well, it feeds down.

“There are not many tournaments in the world that you can go to and you have a sold-out first couple of days. It shows how popular tennis is becoming again in Australia. To have a crowd like that first day, it can't get any better.”

Stosur has had little choice to embrace the big picture and her growing celebrity but she remains focused on improving her record in Australia, starting in Brisbane. She has never been past the second round but beat Benesova twice last year, in Rome and Paris.

She looks in immaculate physical shape and has clearly put in a rigorous pre-season to give herself every opportunity to fire. She did that last night, being aggressive from the first ball and continuing her attack even as she fended off five break points in the seventh game of the second set.

“I've done everything I possibly could to get in the best shape I can be. My pre-season went very well. I really felt like I was ready to start. What I learned over the past few years has really made me aware of what I need to get done,” Stosur said.

“Hopefully this will mean I'll stay fitter and stronger and healthier for the whole year.”

Shoulders loosened and homecoming match complete, Stosur is on her way to what she hopes are big things on friendly courts. That could include a semi-final against Williams at this event if the pair keeps winning.

For that rematch, they might have to build an extra stadium.

Quality Brisbane Accommodation available at Metro Hotel Tower Mill

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/no-longer-a-work-in-progress-stosur-returns-as-a-star-20120103-1pitk.html#ixzz1iLgmB82V