Australian Open 2012 official TV commercial
Official Australian Open 2012 TV commercial is here and it looks great!
Archive for: australia
Australian Open 2012 to Be Richest Grand Slam Tennis Tournament
Next year’s Australian Open will be the richest tournament in Grand Slam history. It was announced yesterday that the total prizemoney will be $25 million and $2.2 million will go to each singles winner.
Samantha Stosur Official Australian Stamp
Australia Post has decided to honour Samantha Stosur and her 2011 US Open victory with her own stamp.
The souvenir stamp sheet features 10 x 60c Southern Cross stamps with Sam Stosur holding the US Open Cup on the stamp tab.
The souvenir stamp sheet will retail for $15.95. If you would like to purchase this limited edition product, please visit Australia Post online.
The stamp sheet will be on sale from today, 30 September 2011, until stocks last.
Great Britain and Australia win 2011 Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas and Junior Fed Cup
The 2011 Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas and Junior Fed Cup finals are over and Great Britain and Australia are the winners.
JUNIOR DAVIS CUP BY BNP PARIBAS
Final
Great Britain (1) defeated Italy (2) 2-0
Evan Hoyt (GBR) d. Stefano Napolitano (ITA) 64 63
Kyle Edmund (GBR) d. Gianluigi Quinzi (ITA) 63 64
Doubles not played
3rd place play-off
France (6) defeated South Africa 2-0
Quentin Halys (FRA) d. Theo Ferreira (RSA) 63 62
Alexandre Favrot (FRA) d. Wayne Montgomery (RSA) 64 62
Doubles not played
5th place play-off
Australia (3) defeated Japan (4) 2-0
Daniel Guccione (AUS) d. Takashi Saito (JPN) 62 75
Nicholas Kyrgios (AUS) d. Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) 64 64
Doubles not played
7th place play-off
Canada (8) defeated Chile (7) 2-0
Filip Obucina (CAN) d. Sebastian Penaloza (CHI) 63 60
Brayden Schnur (CAN) d. Guillermo Nunez (CHI) 36 61 62
Doubles not played
9th place play-off
Thailand defeated Hong Kong, China 2-0
Chayanon Kaewsuto (THA) d. Chun Hun Wong (HKG) 67(4) 64 75
Pruchya Isaro (THA) d. Pak Long Yeung (HKG) 63 64
Doubles not played
11th place play-off
Tunisia defeated Argentina 2-1
Pedro Cachin (ARG) d. Merouen Ferchichi (TUN) 62 62
Iskander Mansouri (TUN) d. Juan Pablo Paz (ARG) 26 63 64
Merouen Ferchichi/Iskander Mansouri (TUN) d. Francisco Bahamonde/Pedro Cachin (ARG) 75 64
13th place play-off
Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0
Lucas Gomez (MEX) d. Juan Carvajal (ECU) 62 62
Ricardo Medinilla (MEX) d. Jose Chamba (ECU) 61 62
Doubles not played
15th place play-off
Germany defeated Israel (5) 2-0
Adrian Obert (GER) d. Eyal Cohen (ISR) 63 36 64
Hannes Wagner (GER) d. Or Ram-Harel (ISR) 63 61
Doubles not played
JUNIOR FED CUP BY BNP PARIBAS
Final
Australia (1) defeated Canada (2) 2-0
Belinda Woolcock (AUS) d. Carol Zhao (CAN) 61 63
Ashleigh Barty (AUS) d. Francoise Abanda (CAN) 62 63
Doubles not played
3rd place play-off
Czech Republic (5) defeated Italy (3) 2-0
Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) d. Camilla Rosatello (ITA) 61 62
Petra Rohanova (CZE) d. Giulia Pairone (ITA) 61 76(3)
Doubles not played
5th place play-off
Mexico (7) defeated Chinese Taipei 2-0
Alejandra Cisneros (MEX) d. Chu-Chen Chueh (TPE) 62 62
Victoria Rodriguez (MEX) d. Ya-Hsuan Lee (TPE) 62 57 63
Doubles not played
7th place play-off
South Africa defeated Germany 2-0
Ilze Hattingh (RSA) d. Antonia Lottner (GER) 64 62
Lynn Kiro (RSA) d. Sonja Larsen (GER) 61 57 62
Doubles not played
9th place play-off
Brazil (8) defeated Argentina 2-0
Carolina Meligeni Alves (BRA) d. Stephanie Petit (ARG) 64 75
Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) d. Maria Constanza Vega (ARG) 64 63
Doubles not played
11th place play-off
Spain (4) defeated Japan (6) 2-1
Mami Adachi (JPN) d. Miriam Rosell (ESP) 61 64
Sara Sorribes (ESP) d. Ayaka Okuno (JPN) 64 63
Miriam Civera/Miriam Rosell (ESP) d. Ayaka Okuno/Hikari Yamamoto (JPN) 63 26 61
13th place play-off
Romania defeated Great Britain 2-1
Pippa Horn (GBR) d. Nicoleta Catalina Dascalu (ROU) 64 75
Iona Loredana Rosca (ROU) d. Katy Dunne (GBR) 61 46 64
Nicoleta Catalina Dascalu/Iona Loredana Rosca (ROU) d. Katy Dunne/Pippa Horn (GBR) 63 61
15th place play-off
Thailand defeated Bolivia 2-0
Sawanya Vasupongchai (THA) d. Raquel Montalvo (BOL) 63 61
Nahathat Khuntaket (THA) d. Nabila Farah (BOL) 60 63
Doubles not played
Final Standings
Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas
1. Great Britain (1)
2. Italy (2)
3. France (6)
4. South Africa
5. Australia (3)
6. Japan (4)
7. Canada (8)
8. Chile (7)
9. Thailand
10. Hong Kong, China
11. Tunisia
12. Argentina
13. Mexico
14. Ecuador
15. Germany
16. Israel (5)
Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas
1. Australia (1)
2. Canada (2)
3. Czech Republic (5)
4. Italy (3)
5. Mexico (7)
6. Chinese Taipei
7. South Africa
8. Germany
9. Brazil (8)
10. Argentina
11. Spain (4)
12. Japan (6)
13. Romania
14. Great Britain
15. Thailand
16. Bolivia
Roger Federer Signs Some Autographs for Kids
Roger Federer was nice enough to stop and sign some autographs for kids as he gets ready to play the Davis Cup in Sydney.
Davis Cup Press Conference: Australia vs Switzerland
Straight after the US Open everyone moves to their respective Davis Cup ties. Here is the first press conference we found and its for the Davis Cup 2011 World Group Playoff between Australia and Switzerland.
p.s. Federer wasnt there, but he is flying in on Wednesday.
Samantha Stosur: US Open 2011 Womens Singles Champion
Samantha Stosur has become the first Australian lady to win a Grand Slam since Evonne Goolagong in 1980! Congrats Sam! Sam won 6-2 6-3.
Samantha had an amazing game plan against Serena and executed it perfectly. At time Serena looked like she just wasnt able to do anything right and Stosur kept hitting winner after winner.
I was so glad to see that Serena got a point penalty for yelling come-on, when the ball was still on her side of the court. I wonder if this is the start of something to come on the ladies tour with grunting?
Anyways, Stosur played an amazing match and it was great to see her do so well!
Congrats Sam!
James Duckworth is an Australian Player on the Rise in 2011-2012
Very quick interview with James Duckworth who is a young Australian player who will hopefully be rising through the ranks in 2011-2012.
Duckworth finished 2010 at 755 in the world and already this year he has been able to improve that ranking to 330 at present.
Expect big things from James Duckworth in the future!
p.s. Shout out to Ian Prangley who I know from my time at home playing when I was younger!
Lleyton Hewitt Granted US Open 2011 Wildcard, But Did He Deserve It?
Former US Open Champion Lleyton Hewitt has been granted a wildcard into the 2011 US Open main draw. Hewitt is currently ranked 165 in the world and could make the main draw without this wildcard. It is good to see that he is getting a chance, but are they wasting this wildcard when they could be bringing new talent through the ranks?
“I’m really looking forward to New York. It’s 10 years on since I won there and I’ve still got the passion and hunger which is great,” Hewitt said.
Tennis Australia Head of Professional Tennis Todd Woodbridge said Hewitt was fully deserving of a spot in the main draw.
“Lleyton has achieved some of his best results in New York and it is ten years since his victory,” Woodbridge said.
“He’s had a tough run with injuries over the past few months but his fighting spirit is undiminished and we are very pleased to be able to grant him a wildcard into the US Open.”
I believe that Hewitt deserved a chance to play the US Open, but why doesnt he have his ranking inside the top 100, when he hasnt been injury for some time now? Serena Williams didnt take long to get her ranking back up there, but Hewitt hasnt even got close!
John-Patrick Smith: Australian Player To Watch
When I was back home playing big tournaments in Australia there was a young junior who was gaining traction. The guys name was John-Patrick Smith. JP decided to go to university in the USA after high school and not try to make it straight onto the ATP Tour. Now JP is about finish university (with a great collegiate record) and give the ITF and maybe one day the ATP Tour a go!
Last week JP entered the Tulsa Future event and he has to win through qualifying to make the main draw (since he didn’t have any ITF points and no world ranking), which he did. No one gave him a chance to win the tournament, but JP had an amazing tournament won the USA F19 Tulsa tournament for both Singles and Doubles (singles final score was 6-1 6-0).
I can see JP having a great end to 2011 and taking his ITF ranking from 1,200 to around 600 (at least). Expect big things from JP in the coming years!
Luke Saville: Dont Eye No 1 Junior Ranking Focus on Professional Tennis!
It seems like Australian tennis is slowly getting it right, but it still seems they have the eye on the wrong prize. Luke Saville recently won the junior Boy Singles at Wimbledon 2011 and there was an article published this morning on the Tennis Australia website that stating: “Saville eyes No 1 Junior Ranking“. I find this to be the wrong mindset all over again!
Its great to be the number 1 junior in the world, but as Saville stated in the press conference embedded in the article, he only wants to focus on his ITF ranking. Tennis Australia really need to get some focus on pushing these young players into the top 100 adult players in the world and not letting them focus on their junior careers, because at the end of the day adult tennis is everything!
Saville keep on playing great tennis and working on your game. Focus on bringing home those ITF points and pushing up the rankings. We dont want to see yet another top junior tennis player fall by the way side when trying to make it to the professional ranks.
Matthew Ebden Interview About His Success at Newport Hall of Fame Championships
Matthew Ebden had an amazing tournament at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport. Matthew made the quarterfinals of the singles event and won the doubles with American Ryan Harrison.
Here is a recent interview with him at the Newport event.
Matthew Ebden’s Run at Newport Ends in the Semis
Matthew Ebden has had an amazing run at the Hall of Fame Championships at Newport. Ebden finally lost in the semifinals to Olivier Rochus 7-6 6-3. This is an amazing result for Ebden who is currently ranked number 157th in the world.
There seem to be a lot of signs at the moment that Australian Mens tennis is on the rise (very slowly).
Australia Lead Davis Cup Tie Against China: Hewitt and Guccione Win the Doubles
Lleyton Hewitt and Chris Guccione have been able to push Australia ahead in their Davis Cup tie against China. The pair defeated Maoxin Gong and Zhe Li 6-4 6-4 6-4.
Australia now lead the tie 2-1.
Friday’s Results:
Bernard Tomic d Zhang Ze 6-3 5-7 6-4 6-4.
Di Wu d Marinko Matosevic 4-6 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-4
Lleyton Hewitt To Not Play Singles Match in Australian Davis Cup Tie with China
In a bit of a shock, Lleyton Hewitt has been left out of Australia’s Davis Cup tie with China. Hewitt has been saved for the doubles match while Bernard Tomic and Marinko Matosevic will play the single rubbers.
Tomic (71) and Matosevic (141) are still heavy favourites against the Chinese players Wu (404) and Zhang Ze (382).
Hewitt and Chris Guccione will contest the doubles rubber against Mao-Xin Gong and and Li Zhe.
Matthew Ebden Makes it to the Quarterfinals of Hall of Fame Tennis Championships
Matthew Ebden has recorded a great victory by beating Ryan Sweeting (4) at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. Ebden is only the world number 157 and he defeated Sweeting 6-4 6-2 on grass.
Ebden then went on to defeat Matthias Bachinger in three tough sets and now finds himself in the Quarterfinals of an ATP Tour event.
Luke Saville Video Interview after Winning Junior Wimbledon 2011
Wimbledon Boys’ Champion Luke Saville talks through his finals match victory over the British hero Liam Brody.
Luke Saville Comes Back to Defeat Liam Brody in Wimbledon 2011 Boys Singles Final
In the boys singles final it was a great three set match between Luke Saville of Australia and Liam Brody of the UK. Brody got off to a great start and seemed to be a lot less nervous than his opponent. Brody also secured and early break in the second set and it looked like he wasnt going to be challenged on the way to the title. However, Saville came back with some big hitting to secure the second set and then power his was to victory in the third set.
It has been a very strong Wimbledon for the young Australian male players. It will be very interesting to see if they can continue this great promise for years to come in the senior ranks.
Congrats to Luke Saville the Junior Boys Singles Wimbledon Champion.
Bernard Tomic and Wimbledon 2011
Last week you might have noticed that there were limited posts about Wimbledon 2011, this was because I was on holidays (I know what a stupid time to have a holiday). Anyways, I noticed that Bernard Tomic has been the surprise packet of Wimbledon 2011 so far.
I remember about 6 years ago when I was back home in Australia, I used to help coach Tomic when he was only 11. Tomic was a leading junior with great talent (however, his father was a nightmare!) and he started receiving coaching at the academy where I played and coached. Great things were expecting from Tomic for many years and now he is showing the world what he can do.
Tomorrow at Wimbledon Tomic will take on Xavier Malisse in the round of 16 at Wimbledon, after he defeated Robin Soderling (5) in the previous round. Im hoping he can keep this amazing run alive.
Its brilliant to see a young Australian player getting some good results. Australia has been lacking heavily in the Mens game for many years now. Tennis Australia needs to wake up and help more juniors make it to the next level.
Australia Off to Great Hopman Cup Start, But Bored of the Team
Australia has got off to a great start at the 2011 Hopman Cup. On day 1 Australia defeated Belgium by 2-1.
Ladies Singles: Justine Henin (BEL) def. Alicia Molik (AUS) = 6-4 6-4
Mens Singles: Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) def. Ruben Bemelmans = 6-4 6-3
Mixed Doubles: Molik/Hewitt (AUS) def. Henin/Bemelmans = 1-6 6-3 7-6 (10/8)
It was great see Australia win their first match of the 2011 Hopman Cup. However, Im getting a little bit tired of seeing the same players year after year after year. Is this because Australian tennis isnt producing quality youngsters or is it because the organisers are just trying to fill as many seats as possible and not blood young players into the limelight?
