The Australian Open draw was revealed on Friday afternoon at Melbourne Park. A brutal top half features Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Roger Federer. Nadal will open against Bernard Tomic.
No. 1 seeds are not immune to ghastly draws; if nothing else, the 2014 Australian Open men’s singles bracket proved as much.
Rafael Nadal headlines a loaded top half of the draw along with Andy Murray, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Roger Federer. As tough as that foursome looks, Nadal will have to focus on potentially taxing roadblocks long before he reaches the point of facing fellow Top 10 players. Up first for the top-ranked Spaniard is current Sydney semifinalist Bernard Tomic, who has reached at least the third round of three straight Aussie Opens and has never lost in the first round.
Nadal could face Gael Monfils during third-round action in what would be a rematch of the Doha title match, which Nadal won in three sets. Lleyton Hewitt has a seemingly nice path through to the second week before he would run into Nadal.
If seeds hold to form in the top half, far from a certainty given the startling lineup of contenders, quarterfinal showdowns would pit Nadal against Del Potro and Murray against Federer. Federer, however, could be in the line for another battle versus Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as early as the last 16. Murray may have to face John Isner at that stage.
Relatively speaking, the bottom half of the bracket is an inaugural Melbourne Challenger. Novak Djokovic’s only potential danger in his entire section–unless Ernests Gulbis is still to be taken seriously–is Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarterfinals. Djokovic and Wawrinka, of course, arguably played the match of the year in the 2013 Australian Open fourth round (won by the Serb 12-10 in the fifth set). In the third quarter, familiar foes David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych are on a collision course for the last eight.
full draw here – http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/draws/ms/index.html
I just saw Rafa’s facebook page and looks like on 1st Jan he has posted a pic of himself with Own Every Court under “Ready to Give it my All in 2014”.
Could this really have been put up by Rafa? If so, I expect Rafa to definitely beat the odds of a loaded draw and bite the AO trophy about 2 weeks later..
Rafa put that message up well before Doha @holdserve19. He means business.
Happy New Year to everyone!
Happy New Year to you too, @littlefoot, and welcome back! Just in time to see our boy battle the evile-doers, lift the Oz Open trophy and complete his second career slam!
Oi, Oi!!!!!!!
Is this true? Hope it is. This is because of Gilles Simon pulling out. Can anyone confirm?
Ben Rothenberg @BenRothenberg 2m
So, Monfils would move away from a potentially awesome R3 match vs Nadal and into a potentially awesome R3 match vs Tsonga. Cool. #AusOpen
I don’t think so, because schedule was already out. Others seem to think this is true, however.
And Rothenberg is usually right.
Happy New Year to everyone too!
littlefoot if you concede the possibility of rigged draws then by Murphy’s law, you have to concede that draws will be rigged. If something can go wrong, it will .
The big sponsors back Federer and have long term, even lifelong contracts with him. Their contracts would lose much of their value if Rafa surpasses the supposed GOAT by doing the double slam and keeping on adding to the slam count.. So there’s a motive and there’s big money.
Can we expect ethical behavior from big business? Fall of Enron, worldcom, the collapse of all markets in 2008 were surely not caused by fairplay and ethics.. Fairplay is the exception. Yet curiously, Pollyanna-like, most people expect a low probability value like fairplay to be the norm.
One might have believed in random draws but for the series of unlikely draws which started happening when Forstmann appeared. We also have the curious case of Forstman. betting on Fed to win RG in 2007. We can draw some conclusions from the fact that Forstmann controlled ATP through IMG..
Having started on rigging, the organizers are now no doubt addicted to feeling like Gods placing players in positions chosen by them, not chance, to favor certain desired outcomes.
There is little doubt that draws are not random. The only doubt could be about the reasons for rigging..
I can see how the unseeded portion is rigged as it is not drawn in public. I am a little puzzled by the seeded part. Guess if David Copperfield can make the Statue of Liberty vanish, in front of millions, rigging the seeded part may not be too challenging.
holdserve19, the seeded part is easy to rigg, too. Ask a magician lol! I have figured out a few methods myself… and no, the players at the ceremony are not in on it. And I happen to think, there have been rigged draws in the past, but I don’t think, the AO draw is necessarily one of them. Tennis only profits from Rafa’s potential GOAT possibilities. And unless Fed is a member of a so far unknown Swiss mafia, I don’t think, he paid off the whole tennis community, lol! And wouldn’t he have given himself a better draw? I have a hunch, he wouldn’t placed himself in Rafa’s half, lol! If this draw pattern continues, I’d start to get concerned, but one VERY odd draw doesnt make a pattern. It just happens once in a while.
holdserve..Though everyone can say whatever they want as all have freedom of speech,Why are you going on and on about rigging and conspiracy? It is pure conjecture right, you do not have any proof right ? You are talking about it since eons.
Rather than talking of rigging and conspiracy theories, is it not better to focus on the play of everyone in the draw ..Anyways the draw is done, nothing can change it. It is actually taking up too much space on this thread where instead we can actually have a more participative discussion on something that’s more relevant and actual rather than conjecture.
Sanju, I think, it’s ok to talk about it. There have been disturbing patterns in the past. In Germany a mathematician has even published a paper about it. ESPN investigated an early round seeding scam at the US Open, which might have been going on for years some time ago. It’s important to talk about it, like it is important to talk about doping. But not every bizarre draw is necessarily rigged. It just happens once in a while.
Rafa’s not worried, he’s got new shoes!!
https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal/status/422005767391035392/photo/1
Sanju if you don’t like to read my posts just scroll down and go past. You don’t have to tell me what I can post or not post. Now pl scroll past.
littlefoot, I never said Fed is part of a Swiss mafia…I said his backers might be interested. in rigging.
It is no longer possible to ensure Fed wins or to even ensure he reaches the semis, Possibly they lost that hope after last year’s clay season draw fiasco ( Rome and RG) of lopsided draws for Fed. Backers could be simply stacking the odds against Rafa.
Since clay season there have been THREE consecutive slam draws with Andy and Fed in . Rafa’s half.
A chance of a Rafa-Fed match to suit the organizers?
Make life tough for Rafa?
As I told you, I do not KNOW the reasons, it is pure (educated) speculation about the reasons.
But I firmly believe that these series of consecutive low probablity draws cannot be pure chance and this is NOT speculation.. Reasons speculations : yes, Draw Rigging, no.
You are welcome to think I believe in little green men.
holdserve19, I don’t agree with you re: AO ’14 draw, but I think, it’s a subject well worth talking about.
And who knows, little green men might be somewhere! And, come to think of it, that they had the good sense, not to show up here, is positve proof, that there is alien ntelligent life in the universe :)))
Lol littlefoot, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, they say 🙂
“[These are] completely different conditions than what I remembered of this tournament,” Nadal said during his pre-tournament press conference. “Faster conditions that I ever played here in Australia.”
“I really don’t understand very well why they change [the speed] because the last couple of years, the Australian Open had amazing [matches], long ones, good ones for the crowd,” he said. “I don’t know why the people decide to make the conditions that fast. I am not sure for the show [it] is the best thing.”
Nadal, who opens against Bernard Tomic on Tuesday, says he’s acclimating himself to the conditions with every practice session. Nadal says the conditions offer little margin for error and he’ll have to make adjustments to his game. “I think during my career I [have been] able to play well in any condition: fast, slow, different surfaces,” he said. “[The] important thing is try to be ready for the action from the beginning and be fresh mentally — something that I hope I am. I’m going to try to find the feelings, positive feelings. If that happens, I hope to be competitive.”
#RightAgain
#CongratsToMe
#YoureWelcome
Murray saying court exactly the same
Fed saying courts a bit fast but not much
Rafa saying courts much faster
All 3 are top players, whose analysis is correct?
racket bracket private group – http://www.tourneytopia.com/RacquetBracketAussieOpenATP/thegrandstand/Pre-Register.aspx
someone let me know if this works. thanks!
Seemed to work for me.
Ricky,
It worked for me. But I have not made my picks yet. I am going to wait as long as possible. There are some guys who I don’t know at all.
Now I am confused on that site. Do we need to register there? How do we sign in? Do we use our user names and passwords for this site? Initially I was able to get into the draw and start making my picks. Then I stopped because I wanted to wait. Now I am not sure how to get back in.
yeah just register with an email address. You probably just make your picks and then fill in your name and email and make a password.
just click the link again and start over, I guess
Pouille vs Lajovic is a blockbuster
http://www.tennisviewmag.com/tennis-view-magazine/article/2014-australian-open-contributors-picks
All picking Novak and Serena..good for Rafa..no one is expecting him to win
All except one picked Djoker. One writer did pick Rafa. 🙂
Pouilles vs Lajovic! LOL!
Yeah, like who was I going to pick? I have no idea who these guys are! I didn’t end up making any picks. I am just going to watch the first and second round matches and then maybe I can say what I think. Fortunately, I don’t have to write predictions on any site ahead of time! 🙂
Del Potro is the biggest concern for me. Tomic will offer resistance but rafa will be ready. I think rafa has a really good shot at the title…JMDP is the biggest roadblock …
Djoker is ALMOST a lock for the final .. anyway, the first few matches will give us much more to say so waiting !
I do like to wait and see at least the first round and maybe second round matches to get a sense of how the players look.
I also read some discussion on vb about Rafa saying that the court is playing much faster. Someone there pointed out that Rafa didn’t play at the AO last year. So they could have changed the courts last year, but now that Rafa is back the courts seem so fast because he last played there in 2012. That may explain why Murray doesn’t think they are any faster.
I have to agree that Delpo is the big concern in Rafa’s draw. But Rafa will have played four matches when he gets there. We all know that Rafa really gets going in the second week of slams. I am not worried about Tomic. He can be cocky and will probably come out playing like he’s got nothing to lose. But I think Rafa’s got his number.
I still like Rafa’s chances. He seems to thrive on challenges. They bring out the best in him.
For all those who prefer to believe that fairplay is the norm among sports organizers, you are welcome to pollyanna land.. I don’t have to convince anyone. I simply stated my view
I am sick of draws that persistently put Rafa and Andy in the same half. I hope Rafa and Andy will end the year at no. 1 and 2 so next year no one can put them in the same half.
.
As RITB says, our man will defeat the evil doers and emerge victorious biting the trophy.
His facebook New Year post has really cheered me up a lot..
I am sure he is busy evolving a strategy to beat the crafty Tomic. Like Tignor, I think Rafa may lose one set. But I hope he comes out in the kill and seek mode and destroys everybody in straight sets!!!
http://www.tennisnow.com/News/Did-Rafa-Get-Stiffed-by-the-Draw-Gods-in-Australia.aspx
I am really excited!!!.
Hope he runs over Djoko in the final as he ran over Fed and Ferrer who came from the lopsidedly weak half at Rome and RG in 2013!!!
Vamos Champ!!!
PS: who said Organizers cannot afford lopsided draws? The last 4 draws have ALL been lopsided. especially RG, Wimbly and this AO. But Rafa ( RG) and Andy (Wimbly) came through and I am sure Rafa comes through this time reaching the final in scary form!
Yes, good article, thanks @holdserve. My concern about Rafa drawing Tomic in the first round is that Rafa always starts slow in Slams, building up as he goes and this strategy makes sense because (a) he will be feeling out the elements in the early rounds and (b) it leaves him fresh for the expected hard slogs in the later rounds. Drawing a relatively talented youngster early means he may have to expend more energy in the early rounds than he may like. However, it will be a night match for sure, Rafa has played him before so he knows what to do.
I feel much more confident about his knees after seeing that full squat he executed in the kids day picture.
I am not worried about the potential Delpo meeting tbh. By that time Rafa will have warmed up nicely and I expect Delpo will have marinated nicely in the heat to Rafa’s advantage.
Rafa gets to the final he is biting the trophy. I do not see any other outcome.
i agree … rafa has said it multiple times that he is always very nervous in the opening rounds of slams . Historically ,he has not been at his best in opening rounds. I won’t be surprised if Tomic can take a set off him. Rafa will be prepared to get the W
holdserve19, I’ve become more suspicious of the draw, since I read a few articles in German Newspapers, where they hinted, although ironically, at a rigged draw, and connected the whole affair with Boris Becker, and his potential clout with the ITF, who, surprise, surprise choose Novak for World champion. Which apparently angered and surprized Rafa, as he stated in a Spanish interview. I”m in tin foil hat mood now. We in Germany put hardly anything past Becker, who was alledgedly in need of money. I really hope, I’m all wrong about that, but it’s not comforting, that my Sunday newspaper ran another story about crime and betting scandals in international sports, with a suspicious crime in Frankfurt.
Thanks holdserve. The Tennis.com article sums up exactly what I think. Instead of saying it’s tough for Tomic to be drawn against Rafa in the 1st round, some think that it’s Rafa who has to worry about Tomic. As for Delpo, yes, he is not an easy opponent but it’s not like Rafa stands no chance whatsoever against him. I’m sure Delpo is not rubbing his hands in glee at the prospect of playing Rafa.
I wonder why Ricky doesn’t think Stan is a road block in Djoker’s path, even though Djoker has struggled to beat him in the last 2 h/c slam they played last year.
he’s a roadblock, but not one with a realistic chance of winning. Delpo far more dangerous to Rafa than Stan is to Novak. Stan played out of his mind and still didn’t win. Djokovic restored order by destroying him at WTFs.
Yes, Delpo will be dangerous to Rafa’s prospects, just like Tomic, Monfils and each and everyone else Rafa will play! This, according to Rafa himself, and this is why he beats all of them. He takes no one for granted. So, you can bet Rafa agrees Delpo is dangerous and that is why he (Rafa), will beat him!
Good old Serbernator is so invincible he waited 3 years to win his 2nd slam and still only has 6 at the age of 26. One year older beatable Rafa has 13 slams, won his first slam at 19 and has won at least one slam for 9 consecutive years.
Ricky, what has indoor, best of 3 WTF got to do with the AO?
nothing. But it has a LOT to do with the Djoker-Wawa “rivalry.”
Difference is simple.
Wawa is 2-15 vs Nole (0-3 in majors) and hasn’t beaten him since 2006!!!
Rafa is 8-4 vs Delpo but just 4-4 on hard courts.
Wawa is not a threat to Nole.
SHBH, while pretty, don’t cut it in tennis anymore.
there you go
Full tournament picks – https://tenngrand.com/2014/01/12/2014-australian-open-picks-nadal-vs-djokovic-in-rematch-of-2012/
Day 1 picks – https://tenngrand.com/2014/01/12/australian-open-day-1-picks-including-dodig-vs-karlovic-and-gulbis-vs-monaco/
Some of us just prefer to have our own thoughts and opinions. I am not living in Pollyanna land. There may well have been rigged draws at times. No one knows for sure. I made my points and stand by what I said right to the ground.
It’s too bad that different opinions are not welcomed and embraced. Oh yes, no one is a threat to Rafa in his draw! Even Delpo can be dismissed with a wave of the hand! Yet there is all this hand wringing over fast courts, bad draws and all this plotting to make it difficult for Rafa.
It’s funny, because I thought that Rafa could play on fast hard courts! Silly me! I thought that Rafa had proved himself at the USO, Montreal and Cincy. The USO and Cincy have traditionally been fast hard courts.
I am not the one complaining and whining about conspiracies to stop Rafa. Why? Because I don’t think there is any way to stop Rafa! So who is the dedicated, loyal Rafa fan? All I do is give respect to Rafa’s opponents. Just the way he does.
I am not going to go along to get along. I am going to be a Rafa fan in my own way. There is no right or wrong way to be a Rafa fan. It’s just that some don’t like when everyone doesn’t echo their thoughts and walk in lock step. But I am not worrying and freaking out over the fast hard courts. While there is all this whining about the draw and everything else, Rafa is busy practicing and adjusting to the courts. So he is working to do what he has to do to win. He’s not complaining and wringing his hands and saying – oh poor me!
That’s why he is a great champion.
Go get ’em Rafa!
Djokovic handed boxes of chocolate to the media in his presser. Buying popularity again. Or trying to.
^^Why not? He knows there are nincompoops out there who can be bought….
didn’t he do that AFTER the tournament last time?
Ricky January 12, 2014 at 2:37pm;
Yes, he did. He also did after match-win dance and comedy routines during the North American HC swing until Rafa put a stop to it………by beating him, on court.
Thank goodness he won’t win Oz 2014, otherwise he would adopt a koala……….
haha…come on guys..the man is just distributing chocolates !
if Nadal did this, you guys would praise him as the second coming of Jesus.
#DoubleStandard
#FeedTheHungry
hahahaha…. ! lol… yeah, its pretty much on us how we view such an ‘act’….djoker is a fun guy so we can expect such stuff from him
still laughing at #FeedTheHungry
vamosrafa,
Thank you. 🙂
Just like ripping the shirt and yelling Gorilla like, handing out chocolates maybe a cultural thing.
The media is already behind Djoker. It is just the fans who need to be bought.
Other than Serbs and Fed fans who see him as their champion, he has few other fans. Some Muzza fans may have Djoker as second fave because Andy has been generally in Rafa’s half and losing to Rafa so that of course makes them harbor not so kind feelings toward Rafa.
Djokovic has a huge number of fans (formerly known as Federer fans).