The Tomic Train Rolls on Further - Fuelled by Self-Belief

WHERE Sam Stosur struggles, Bernard Tomic thrives. Stosur, famously, owns a US Open title, while Tomic's best-known possession is a $150,000 orange BMW familiar to the Gold Coast police, but the innate self-belief that Tomic seems to have in abundance is what Stosur sometimes lacks. Here, especially.

As a first-round singles loser, Stosur has been left to compete for the mixed doubles consolation prize, while Tomic last night repeated his third-round singles effort of a year ago to remain in the main game.

The teenager toppled American Sam Querrey 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 at Rod Laver Arena and tomorrow will play flashy Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov.

Is he looking forward to it? ''Absolutely not,'' Tomic admitted candidly. ''I think he doesn't like my game, I don't like his. He is a very good player, and a lot of people struggle with him, but I've got to do smart things when I play him and I think the last few times I played him I didn't do the right thing after winning the first set.''

Against Querrey, Tomic displayed his usual array of spins, paces and placements; the problem is that Dolgopolov plays a similarly quirky, unconventional game, and the 13th seed who last night saved a match point before outlasting German Tobias Kamke 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 3-6, 8-6 was by some margin Tomic's least preferred third-round foe.

Coached by eccentric South Australian Jack Reader, Dolgopolov has won all three of the pair's previous meetings, most recently in Shanghai in October when, in Reader's words, a beaten Tomic ''didn't see any reason to keep trying'' late in the three-set match.

But that was a smaller stage; this is a big one, and size can sometimes matter where Tomic is concerned. Certainly, he is growing all the time - no longer in centimetres but in stature. He has already succeeded Lleyton Hewitt as the national No. 1, and has now equalled his best Australian Open result.

Querrey, ranked 95th but was as high as 23rd just a year ago before losing three months to elbow surgery, had spent just 87 minutes on court in his first-round match against French wild card Kenny de Scheppers, compared with the four hours, 11 minutes Tomic needed to give Fernando Verdasco a two-set start, play dead before a comeback in the third, and then roll on to a famous five-set victory.

But if conditioning was not an issue in the far cooler evening conditions, then at times Querrey's renowned serve proved to be. Blink. That was the first set. Gone in just 24 minutes, Tomic broken in the fifth game and unable to get a look back in on the American's towering serve.

Among a minimal Querrey error count there were seven aces among 14 winners to three in the first nine games.

But Tomic has been a winner for as long as anyone can remember, the fact that he is just 19 notwithstanding, and by the start of the second set he was starting to settle in.

Querrey's first serve percentage began to drop away, and Tomic took advantage of a few more looks at the second, as well as a climbing mistake count, to draw level on his fifth set point. By then, the match was still just an hour old.

Tomic is remarkably tennis-mature for his age, and, already with an impressive record in tie-breaks, he last night improved to 19-7 to take an important two-sets-to-one advantage. Ahead for the first time, he stayed there.

''It was a tough match,'' Tomic said. ''He's a world-class player, and to come back after that first round and recover the right way, I think I did a good job. After that first set, I was thinking, 'Please don't make it another two-sets-to-love [down], I don't want to play five sets.'''

Tomic said he would prefer to meet Dolgopolov at night than in the faster daytime conditions. In the same round 12 months ago, he met top seed Rafael Nadal. ''One year older,' he said. ''It's the same feeling, and same round. [But] no Nadal, so better chance than last year.''

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Hewitt to Meet Roddick in Melbourne

Lleyton Hewitt will play Andy Roddick in a battle of the former world number ones in round two of the Australian Open. Hewitt raised the Melbourne Park crowd's spirits with a four-set win over Cedrik-Marcel Stebe on Tuesday night, showing his renowned fighting qualities to stave off a determined fightback from the German.

Hewitt, now 30 and in need of a wild card to play in the tournament this year, prevailed 7-5 6-4 3-6 7-5 to set up his meeting with Roddick, who had earlier eased past Robin Haase.

The Aussie fans had been left stunned by defeat for their leading women's hope Sam Stosur earlier in the day and at one point it looked as if Hewitt, the 2005 runner-up in Melbourne, might go the same way.

After establishing a two-set lead, Hewitt relinquished control and Stebe stormed back into the contest. He took the third set and then opened a 5-1 lead in the fourth. However, from that point it all went wrong for the 21-year-old as Hewitt, roared on by a packed Rod Laver Arena, reeled off six straight games.

Roddick dismissed Haase in straight sets, winning 6-3 6-4 6-1. The American is a four-time semi-finalist in Melbourne but never a finalist.

Seeded 15 this year, he looked comfortable enough and was pleased with his display, saying: "The serve was real good. I only missed a couple of returns. You know, it felt as clean as it does for a first round in a Slam."

Looking ahead to playing Hewitt, he predicted the match could turn into an epic.

Roddick said: "I think when we play, numbers go out the door as far as the number next to our name as far as ranking (is concerned).

"I don't pay much attention to it when it comes to Lleyton. He knows how to win tennis matches.

"He's a fighter. I have as much respect for him as I do for anybody in the game, how he goes about his business, how he competes, how professional he is.

"I've won the most recent meetings, but I think out of the six that I've won, four or five have gone the distance to the last set. We always have a bit of a war. I probably don't see it being any different."

Earlier, defending champion Novak Djokovic opened his challenge with a commanding 6-2 6-0 6-0 victory over Paolo Lorenzi . The Italian tested Djokovic as best he could, but the world number one was he secured his place in the second round in a comfortable 90 minutes.

There was the odd lapse in concentration, notably in the third game of the opening set when a double fault and a low volley into the net gifted Lorenzi the first break of the match.

However, Djokovic tightened his game to break Lorenzi three times on his way to claiming the first set and won 17 games in a row to seal victory.

A lengthy and powerful duel in the opening game of the second set left the crowd anticipating a baseline battle for dominance, and while Djokovic was stretched, it was never too far as he swept through the set 6-0, winning it with a perfect forehand down the line.

Lorenzi never gave in, but found no answers to Djokovic's commanding arsenal or silky drop shots, powerful baseline play and skilfully placed volleys.

"It's great to be back here in Melbourne where I have the nicest memories of my tennis experience," Djokovic said. "This is the grand slam I've won twice, I always play well here."

Djokovic came into the tournament following a holiday and without an official match under his belt in 2012, but there was little evidence of rustiness.

"I wanted to have that period of preparation to really get ready for the Australian Open," he added. "Physically I think I'm stronger, I'm improving things by small margins. It's something that gives me a lot of confidence."

Andy Murray overcame a stuttering start to reach the second round with a four-set win over Ryan Harrison. The world number four was broken three times as he dropped the opening set on Hisense Arena against the highly-rated teenager.

However, Murray regrouped well to secure a 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-2 victory to keep the flag flying for Britain. And Murray praised Harrison afterwards, saying: "I remember when I was in that position when I was younger and there was no pressure on me. He came out and played some great tennis and I really had to dig in.

"He is one of the up-and-coming guys and I was expecting a tough match and that's what I got. I started to play better towards the end of the match, I had a few nerves at the start."

David Ferrer also cruised through to the second round with a comprehensive 6-1 6-4 6-2 win over Rui Machado. The fifth seed, a veteran of 37 consecutive grand slams and a semi-finalist last year at Melbourne Park, was never troubled by his rival from Portugal.

Ferrer broke Machado seven times in total en route to a straight-sets win.

Ninth seed Janko Tipsarevic was given a fright by Dmitry Tursunov.

The Serb stormed up the rankings in 2011 to finish inside the world's top 10 but it didn't look that way early on.

Tursunov, now 29 and heading towards the end of his career, took the first set and had chances to claim the second only to miss several set points.

Tipsarevic crucially edged the second-set tie-break and went on to record a 5-7 7-6 (14/12) 6-3 6-4 victory.

One of the game's rising stars, Milos Raonic won in straight sets, while Richard Gasquet (17), Kei Nishikori (24) and Alex Bogomolov Jr (32) were among the lower seeds to win.

However, number 29 Radek Stepanek went down in straight sets to Nicolas Mahut.

Melbourne Tourism News: Hewitt to Meet Roddick in Melbourne

Heat Returns to Victoria and the Tennis

Melbourne's hot night will turn into an even hotter day as tennis fans are being warned to expect sweltering heat.

Courtside at the Australian Open is tipped to hit 35 degrees on Tuesday.

The weather bureau is forecasting the high after the city tossed and turned through an overnight low that stayed above 24 degrees.

Ambulance Victoria paramedic team manager Brett Parker urged tennis fans to be sun smart during the day.

"It's easy to become dehydrated on a hot day," he said in a statement.

"If you can, get into the shade, into the cooler areas inside the buildings at the tennis. Have a bit of a break, maybe grab an ice cream of something."

Meanwhile, a total fire ban and severe fire risk warning is in place for the southwest and Wimmera parts of Victoria, with temperatures expected to reach 38 degrees. The rest of Victoria is rated high or very high.

Premier Ted Baillieu says Victorians need to still be alert for bushfire warnings as the high temperatures returned after two weeks of cooler weather.

"The benign weather that we've had over recent weeks should not in any way allow Victorians to be complacent about what lies ahead," Mr Baillieu said on Monday.

"The weather is drying, the weather is warming, we're approaching the peak season in February and now is the time for all Victorians in high-risk areas and those travelling into high-risk areas to think again, to refresh their plans, to practice their plans."

Grassfires are the primary concern for fire crews this year.

Heat Returns to Victoria and the Tennis

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