When I entered the stadium many people were leaving, I couldn't understand why, I then heard one of them say "It's such a bad day for us Russians, we are getting beaten the whole day" so I kinda knew what to expect when I came. Nastya just lost the first set 3-6, she was also down in the second but managed to fight back, it went on to a tie-break, it was really close, Nastya had a lot of setpoints, Megan had one matchpoint at 10-9 on which Nastya hit on the line, Megan was sure it was wide but the umipire had no doubt about it, Nastya then hit an ace 11-10 and then won a point on Megans serve 12-10 it finished.
Megan won the third 6-4, Nastya did have chances but Megan played very solidly, didn't make many errors, served well...
Nartalie Dechy was at the match with her boyfriend and/or coach (I still haven't figured out who he is, but very likely a boyfriend )
I also saw the third set of Coetzer vs Dokic
Jelena didn't play badly but Amanda was better, she was running from corner to corner, getting to every shot, hitting slices all the time (a lot from the forehand), that Jelena had problems with, she was forced to make errrors. And Amanda didn't seem to have any problems with Jelena's serve today...
Safin vs Meligeni
That was a great match. There wasn't any doubt about the winner though, Marat broke Meligeni once and it was enough, he was feeling comfortable and relaxed, maybe too relaxed as he lost his serve in the beginning of the second, he then managed to break back and won the second set on a tie-break. Marat hit a lot of drop shots and after that they almost always had really interesting rallies.
That blonde who was at the Australian Open was watching the match. Fetisov was there too
I went to the stadium with a friend, who has absolutely no idea about tennis, I just taught her the score and showed her some players, well she just loved this match, she couldn't stop talking about it, I think it has something to do with a certain Russian players looks but she insisted that the tennis did it for her. I'm still not sure
Rios vs Neiminen
An even better match, Jarkko won the first set, Marcelo won the second. In the third Neiminen broke and was serving for match at 5-3 but something happened to Marcelo, he hit some great shots, a few fantastic returns and broke back, he then held his serve to make it 5-5, Jarkko did the same without difficulties 6-5. Marcelo was serving it was 0-40 triple matchpoint, he managed to save them and then won the game, called a trainer and then the played continued. In the tie-break Jarkko just too good, I'm sure he would have been VERY upset if he had lost the match.
I saw the first set of Dementieva vs Majoli
Lena was a break up but then lost her serve, probably because of loss of concentration, Iva made it from 4-2 to 4-4, but then Elena easily took two games in a row, she was reading Iva's game very well, knew exactly where to run, hit a few briliant passing shots when you would have thought the rally was already over in Iva's favour, I didn't see the second but I imagine it was pretty similar
Husarova was at her match
Pics from Monday and yesterday still to come
Megan won the third 6-4, Nastya did have chances but Megan played very solidly, didn't make many errors, served well...
Nartalie Dechy was at the match with her boyfriend and/or coach (I still haven't figured out who he is, but very likely a boyfriend )
I also saw the third set of Coetzer vs Dokic
Jelena didn't play badly but Amanda was better, she was running from corner to corner, getting to every shot, hitting slices all the time (a lot from the forehand), that Jelena had problems with, she was forced to make errrors. And Amanda didn't seem to have any problems with Jelena's serve today...
Safin vs Meligeni
That was a great match. There wasn't any doubt about the winner though, Marat broke Meligeni once and it was enough, he was feeling comfortable and relaxed, maybe too relaxed as he lost his serve in the beginning of the second, he then managed to break back and won the second set on a tie-break. Marat hit a lot of drop shots and after that they almost always had really interesting rallies.
That blonde who was at the Australian Open was watching the match. Fetisov was there too
I went to the stadium with a friend, who has absolutely no idea about tennis, I just taught her the score and showed her some players, well she just loved this match, she couldn't stop talking about it, I think it has something to do with a certain Russian players looks but she insisted that the tennis did it for her. I'm still not sure
Rios vs Neiminen
An even better match, Jarkko won the first set, Marcelo won the second. In the third Neiminen broke and was serving for match at 5-3 but something happened to Marcelo, he hit some great shots, a few fantastic returns and broke back, he then held his serve to make it 5-5, Jarkko did the same without difficulties 6-5. Marcelo was serving it was 0-40 triple matchpoint, he managed to save them and then won the game, called a trainer and then the played continued. In the tie-break Jarkko just too good, I'm sure he would have been VERY upset if he had lost the match.
I saw the first set of Dementieva vs Majoli
Lena was a break up but then lost her serve, probably because of loss of concentration, Iva made it from 4-2 to 4-4, but then Elena easily took two games in a row, she was reading Iva's game very well, knew exactly where to run, hit a few briliant passing shots when you would have thought the rally was already over in Iva's favour, I didn't see the second but I imagine it was pretty similar
Husarova was at her match
Pics from Monday and yesterday still to come
