Category Archives: Medibank International

>Simon Defeats Troicki For Sydney Title

Posted on January 16, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

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In four previous meetings Viktor Troicki had never won a set or a match against Gilles Simon. His 7-5, 7-6 defeat to the Frenchman in the Medibank International’s final continued the trend.

In the first set after over 6 minutes Troicki finally broke Simon to lead 2-1 in what looked like a promising start before being immediately broken back easily. Simon looked smooth as he showed his ability to plan points and work Troicki around the court, both at times producing brilliant shots.

Simon threatened to break again to take the set as Troicki struggled to keep emotions under control at 5-4.
With beautiful precision ans the confidence of a Davis Cup win pushing him forward  to 5-5 before he was broken trying to serve for a tiebreak. When Simon took the set, Troicki thumped his racquet against the hard court.

Troicki seemed to recover well, breaking twice for 3-0 lead before Simon ran off with four straight games to get back in the lead. Simon eventually prevailed in the tiebreak.



“It’s always good to win the tournament. I mean, you never know if you’re going to win more after, so I enjoy it every time. It’s nice also for me to win here, to win some different tournaments. It’s a tournament I like to play. In tennis it’s always a matter of confidence. I could see tonight I was playing very nice tennis, but I played some bad games at the beginning of the second set. I wasn’t doing it two years ago. 

I think it will come back with the match and with the victory. So that’s why it’s very good to win here. We were playing very nice tennis from the baseline, and it was a real fight. I’m just happy to win it, because Viktor is playing better and better week after week. That’s very good for me to be feeling now, because I know that he’s playing good and I know that I’m able to defeat him even when he’s playing good. So it’s good for my confidence.” – Gilles Simon

“Right now I feel bit disappointed, but definitely it was a good week. Also a good match tonight. I feel I had a lot of chances that I didn’t use, and obviously Gilles doesn’t suit my game. For the past five matches already I haven’t been able to figure out how to win a set.” – Viktor Troicki

Posted in Gilles Simon, Medibank International, Viktor Troicki

>Li Na Defeats Kim Clijsters For Medibank International Title

Posted on January 14, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

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Li Na, the current world number 8, produced some beautiful tennis this time last year at the Australian Open and she looks set to do the same this year after her 7-6, 6-3 defeat of Kim Clijsters at the Medibank International. The title is Li’s fourth WTA level title.

The win takes Li to a 2-4 position in the head to head with Clijsters.

Li opened with a nervous service game after Kim came out and held confidently and quickly won five games in just 19 minutes.
Impressively when Li held to get onto the scoreboard at 1-5, she then pushed and found some incredible depth and on her increasingly hard shots.

Kim, on the other hand, started hitting more and more errors as she attempted to shake of the rust after a lengthy off season.

Li responded and completely switched the momentum of the match and won five consecutive sets to stay alive in the first set. Li then continued with the momentum and took the second set and the title after just 90 minutes.


“We’ve had some really tough battles in the past. I didn’t played my best tonight, but she did and she deserved to win.” – Kim Clijsters


“I am so lucky to win. I’d like to thank my team. They are definitely the best team for me.” – Li Na

Posted in Kim Clijsters, Medibank International, Na Li

>Del Potro Falls In Sydney

Posted on January 12, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

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Juan Martin del Potro has failed to claim a second win in Sydney, falling against Florian Mayer 6-2, 7-5. Lack of match practice, and match fitness was quite clearly a contributing factor in the match as the Argentine continued to produce the huge serves he is known for.

On a positive note, the former top five player declared himself pain free.


“You could see he’s not 100 per cent. His serve is really strong, but from the baseline he missed a lot.  I think also he was maybe a little bit tired from his long match Monday because when you didn’t play for such a long time and you play your first match over three hours, it’s really tough. But I really played well from the baseline. I knew when I played my game I had a good chance to win today, and I took it.” – Florian Mayer

“Of course I want to play and win a tournament. When you lose, it’s hard. But now it’s different.  I have different sensations. I lost, but I have another tournament in three days.  I’m in good shape.  I have my wrist in good shape. That’s good.


Last year was very bad year for me, and now I’m okay. I am in good shape … I lost, but I’m in the competition again. Everything is tough after long, long time. But if I’m here it’s because I want to play. I want to try again. That’s what I’m thinking every day. I don’t want to feel bad, you know.” – Juan Martin del Potro

Posted in Florian Mayer, Injury, Juan Martin Del Potro, Medibank International

>What Happened Today?

Posted on January 11, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

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 - Sam Stosur has failed to make it past the second round of the Medibank International in Sydney after falling to Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The second set saw both players repeatedly break each other before Svetlana managed to hold long enough to take the second and third sets.

- Rafael Nadal arrived in Melbourne, posting photos of his trip on Facebook, and attempted to practice at Melbourne park only to be disrupted by rain. The Spaniard seems to have overcome his mystery illness.

- Caroline Wozniacki fell today in what was a difficult day for seeded players at the Medibank International. Wozniacki was troubled by Dominika Cibulkova 6-3, 6-3 just a week after the world number one was defeated by Vera Zvonareva and Kim Clijsters in Singapore and Hong Kong – also in straight sets.

“Definitely it’s a bit tough to go from Hong Kong to Sydney and play really well here. But I felt pretty good out there. Just wasn’t my day. At the start of the new season, you always need to get into the match play. Last year I had the same start — so hopefully slow start, good finish. You need to learn from the losses. I’m confident that for Melbourne I’ll be okay.”

- Vera Zvonareva was defeated by Flavia Pennetta.

Nadal arrives in Melbourne

Highlights: Stosur V Kuznetsova

Posted in Caroline Wozniacki, Kim Clijsters, Medibank International, Rafael Nadal, Sam Stosur, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Vera Zvonareva, What happened today?

>Bernard Tomic Secures AO Wild Card

Posted on January 11, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

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Bernard Tomic has been rewarded for his form in Sydney with a wild card into the Australian Open but has been warned by Tennis Australia that he must put more effort into his career. Todd Woodbridge announced today on channel 7two (normal channel viewing was taken by extensive flood coverage) that the teenager would be given a chance but that both he and his father have been told that Bernard’s competition schedule last year was insufficient and he needs to play more if he wants more chances.

Carsten Ball has also received a wild card.

“These are always difficult decisions. He needed to produce something in Sydney and he has done that with three good wins. His tennis has now earned this wild card. We wanted to see players achieve some results, and Carsten has certainly done that throughout the year.

Bernard is a talent but cannot be rewarded with a wild card on that alone, nor should he ever expect that. He has not had much tennis and he missed the AO playoff, so the pressure was on him to perform, particularly after he did not play well in Brisbane.
 
He had not done enough. He needed to produce something in Sydney and he has done that with three good wins. His tennis has now earned this wild card.” -Todd Woodbridge
 
“In making these decisions, we are also looking at creating a culture that will help us build a strong Davis Cup team. I want to see a real work ethic, attitude and sense of camaraderie that reflects our proud tennis history. That’s always stood out as being a point of difference with the Aussie players.” – Pat Rafter

Posted in Australian Open, Bernard Tomic, Brisbane, Carsten Ball, Medibank International, Pat Rafter, Todd Woodbridge

>Juan Martin Del Potro Gets Off To A Fighting Start

Posted on January 10, 2011 by admin| Leave a comment

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Juan Martin del Potro has showed his fighting spirit is still alive and kicking as he took on Feliciano Lopez in the first round of Sydney’s Medibank International. You have to feel a bit sorry for Feliciano, he always seems to get hard first round opponents and almost gets the better of them but eventually goes home a first round loser, however, he did produce some beautiful serve and volley tennis.

Again today Lopez pushed del Potro all the way in their 3 hour and 20 minute match that saw three tie breaks, the Argentine eventually winning 6-7, 7-6, 7-6. Feliciano had one match point in the second set with a service point to try and close out the match in straight sets but when he didn’t go for the kill del Potro did and produced a cross court forehand winner.

Del Potro needed three set points to take the second set.

Lopez continued to push del Potro in the humidity, having six break point chances which he couldn’t convert. Both men produced some huge serves, particularly considering the improvements to Lopez’s serve – Lopez served 20 and del Potro served 21.

Juan Martin, who has struggled with a wrist injury which required surgery, has gone almost exactly a year without winning a match due to his extensive time out. He will now face Florian Mayer

“I don’t expect this kind of match for the start, but we played a beautiful match, very close. Feliciano is a fantastic player on this kind of surface, and I played good tennis again.  I feel good all on my match, and finally I won a match since one year.

I worked very hard for two months in Argentina. My coaches trust in my conditions and I trust in myself, so I’m ready again to play long matches. I am still lower with my level, I need time. I need work to keep going in this road. It’s a long road to be in the Top 10 again, but I’m ready to try. I need matches and matches, practice, and work. Maybe four, six months I’m ready to play again good tennis.” – Juan Martin del Potro


Watch the highlights and Juan Martin’s post match conference here

Posted in Feliciano Lopez, Florian Mayer, Injury, Juan Martin Del Potro, Medibank International