1 - Forehand_lob
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2014 Australian Open contest: Insert Funny Subtitle Here
THE RULES
1. Pick quarterfinalists, semifinalists, finalists, and champions for both ATP and WTA draws. You will receive 7.5 points for each correct quarterfinalist, 5 points for each correct semifinalist and finalist, and 20 points for each correct champion. (The "I Have Monogrammed Shorts" rule is in effect; picking Djokovic as champ will only get you 10 points if he wins).
2. SUBSTITUTE PICK: Pick a player from each draw to replace one of your quarterfinalists. If this player makes the quarters, they will take the place of whomever you picked in that section of the draw
3. BIGGEST LOSER: pick the highest seed that will lose in the earliest round from each draw. The player must be a top-16 seed. You get 5 points if your seed is the highest to lose and 2 points if your seed falls in the same round as the highest seed to lose.
BONUS PICKS
1. YOU CAN DO IT SAM: Which round will Sam Stosur make before she loses? Pick the correct choice and you will get 2 bonus points.
2. COME AWWWWNNNN!: Admit it, we all love Rusty. Which round will Lleyton Hewitt make before he loses? Pick the correct choice and you will get two bonus points.
EXTRAS
***Unseeded quarterfinalists are worth an extra half point for every seed they take out en route.
***WTF bonus: if you have a pick that makes it to the quarterfinals that no one else made (not even as a substitute pick), you'll gain an extra 5 points for it. WTFs only valid if we have more than 2 entries.
- funches
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Re: 2014 Australian Open contest: Insert Funny Subtitle Here
ATP
Quarterfinals
del Potro over Nadal
Tsonga over Kohlschreiber (SUB: Murray)
Berdych over Ferrer
Djokovic over Wawrinka
Semifinals
del Potro over Tsonga
Djokovic over Berdych
Final
Djokovic over del Potro 4-6, 7-6, 7-5, 6-2
Hewitt: 4th round
Biggest loser: Nishikori
WTA
Quarterfinals
Serena over Bouchard
Li over Kvitova
Sharapova over Jankovic
Azarenka over Radwanska (SUB: Muguruza)
Semifinals
Serena over Li
Azarenka over Sharapova
Final
Serena over Azarenka 6-2, 7-5
Stosur: first round
Biggest loser: Errani
- Forehand_lob
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Re: 2014 Australian Open contest: Insert Funny Subtitle Here
Oh hey, I should enter my own contest.
Men
QFs
Nadal v. Del Potro
Murray v. Federer
Berdych v. Janowicz
Wawrinka v. Djokovic
SFs
Del Potro v. Federer
Janowicz v. Djokovic
Final
Federer v. Janowicz
Champion
Federer
BL: Ferrer
Hewitt: round 3
Women
QFs
Serena v. Flipkens
Li v. Kerber
Jankovic v. Sharapova
Wozniacki v. Azarenka
SFs
Serena v. Li
Sharapova v. Azarenka
Final
Li v. Sharapova
Champion
Li
BL: Radwanska, A.
Stosur - round 2
I have a feeling my champions would give di a run for her money...
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Thread Starter- funches
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Re: 2014 Australian Open contest: Insert Funny Subtitle Here
I hope your champions win.
I give Li a real shot. Her A game gives her the best chance of anyone to beat Serena.
Federer? Would be shocked beyond imagination.
- Forehand_lob
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Re: 2014 Australian Open contest: Insert Funny Subtitle Here
My thought is that since the court is reportedly playing quicker that Del Potro can beat Nadal and Janowicz can beat Djokovic (especially after a punished 5 set match against Wawrinka in the hot Australian summer). With that, I think Federer has a good chance against Del Potro, and then he'd be against first-timer Janowicz who will not deal all that well with the pressure of his first Grand Slam final. Besides, Federer has historically done very well against big servers, and I think he'd be able to read the too-frequent dropshots of Janowicz.
I'll admit I went with heart over head on these picks though.
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Thread Starter- funches
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Re: 2014 Australian Open contest: Insert Funny Subtitle Here
I'd worry about Federer against Verdasco in the thirrd round. Then really worry about Tsonga in the 4th round. And if Murray reaches the quarters, Fed would have no shot against him.
- funches
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Re: 2014 Australian Open contest: Insert Funny Subtitle Here
Now I really like your Li pick.
Look like we'll have a reprisal of last year's final against Azarenka, a match Li likely would have won if she had not gotten hurt.
- Forehand_lob
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Re: 2014 Australian Open contest: Insert Funny Subtitle Here
I get lucky sometimes. Though I am as surprised as anyone over Federer beating Murray. I know I wrote it down, but it was more "I want him to win" than "I think he will win."
Now I just need to hope that Nadal's hand blisters remain bad!
Out of curiosity, what made you pick Bouchard? That ended up being an excellent pick.
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Thread Starter- Forehand_lob
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Re: 2014 Australian Open contest: Insert Funny Subtitle Here
I have the results!
1st place: Forehand_lob 95 points
2nd place: funches 74.5 points
My Li pick was the big difference, she was the only finalist that either of us got right. Though I did have a Swiss man with a one-handed backhand winning, but it was the other one.
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Thread Starter- funches
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Re: 2014 Australian Open contest: Insert Funny Subtitle Here
Congrats. You would have won against an old Tennis-X full field with the Li pick, which was not a crazy selection. She would have been my No. 2 choice entering the tournament.
Federer played a lot better than I expected until he ran into Rafa, whom he has zero confidence he can beat even under the best of circumstances. Looks like Federer will be back in the top 4 by the end of Wimbledon.
I liked Bouchard when I saw her last summer. With Blake retiring and Baghdatis well outside the top 100 now, I've started paying more attention to women's tennis again after a few years of cursory glances. Bouchard appeared to have the complete package when I saw her last year, and I liked her draw at the Australian Open. That being said, I was nowhere near as impressed with her performance against Ivanovic as the announcers were. That was a sloppy, choke-filled match, with Bouchard going through a few stretches where she could not keep the ball close to the court but Ivanovic outdoing her in that department, particularly after her leg started compromising her already subpar movement.
I wonder how Li will fare from here. She seems to have stablized her game, but I'm not sure flaky people can ever really change and become consistent. If she does, she could challenge Serena for No. 1. If you take away the serve, she's the best ball striker in women's tennis, including Serena.