Day 2 at the Australian Open saw the beginning of the heat wave that will last through Friday. Not surprisingly, retirements and other heat-related issues were the story of Tuesday. Nonetheless, there was room for a few highlights.
Nothing screamed five-setter quite like Andreas Seppi vs. Lleyton Hewitt and the two veterans delivered, playing into the night session in Rod Laver Arena. Showing his characteristic fight, Hewitt battled his own game to storm back from two sets down and hold a match point with his opponent serving at 4-5 in the fifth. Seppi had been struggling with nerves, but he fired an ace to stay alive and ultimately stole the last three games of the match to stun the Aussie fans.
Night highlights:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdMQ4FHuZr4]
Ultimate warrior status went to Seppi, Hewitt, Daniel Brands, and especially Gilles Simon. The Frenchman had sustained a bad ankle injury at the Kooyong Classic and arrived in Melbourne on crutches. After wide speculation that he either would or already had withdrawn from the Australian Open, all he did was go out and survive Brands 6-7(4), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 16-14 in four hours and 37 minutes, saving seven match points in the process.
Simon won a set and still out there? I thought he was on crutches a few days ago.
— Ataraxis (@Ataraxis00) January 14, 2014
Gilles Simon was on crutches with a sprained ankle three days ago. He's now 5-5 in the fifth vs. Daniel Brands. #ausopen
— SI Tennis (@SI_Tennis) January 14, 2014
Meanwhile out on Court 7 Simon who was on crutches on the weekend just tied it up 13-13 in the fifth!!!!
— Kirstie (@kirstlin) January 14, 2014
Gilles Simon has saved SEVEN match points and is 14-14 in the 5th vs. Brands. 4hr, 22 min. Reminder: On Saturday he was on CRUTCHES.
— SI Tennis (@SI_Tennis) January 14, 2014
On crutches just three days ago with sprained ankle, Gilles Simon wins 16-14 in fifth over Daniel Brands in the match of #AusOpen so far.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 14, 2014
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwgSUM0rqck]
Ryan Harrison got another bad draw at a Grand Slam and went down 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to Gael Monfils. However, the American produced at least one highlight by fending off a forehand-overhead barrage by the Frenchman and finishing off a great point.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WzZbTUCO0o]
Both Andy Murray and Juan Martin Del Potro kicked off their campaigns in fine form, albeit in different fashion. Murray destroyed Go Soeda, so his press conference could focus on more nonsensical things than the actual match. Del Potro got a stern test from up-and-coming American Rhyne Williams but was up to the challenge in four hard-hitting sets.
Murray when asked who would win a doubles match featuring the players-turned-coaches and their charges: “A doubles tournament? I think me and Ivan (Lendl) would win. I don’t know. I mean, it’s a completely hypothetical question. I think me and Ivan would win. I have no idea why and we’re never going to see it, so I’m backing me and Ivan.”
Del Potro-Williams highlights (Spanish):
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UU32FsgKDk]
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