Remembering - 2012 Australian Open

2012 Australian Open

The defending singles champions going into the first Grand Slam tournament of  the London Olympic Year were Novak Djokovic, who had defeated Andy Murray in straight sets, and Kim Clijsters who had triumphed over Li Na after surrendering the opening set.

Djokovic entered the Australian Open as top seed, having won the 2011 Wimbledon and US Open titles, both over Rafael Nadal, the Spanish player taking the second seed spot in the draw.

Caroline Wozniacki was women’s top seed, with reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitová second seed.

Day 1 saw Australian teenager Bernard Tomic lose the first two sets on Rod Laver Arena, before fighting back to defeat 22nd seed and 2009 semi finalist Fernando Verdasco in five.

Other seeds to depart on the opening day were men Juan Monaco (25), Ivan Ljubicic (28), Jürgen Melzer (31), and women Flavia Pennetta (19), Lucie Safarova (24) and Yanina Wickmayer (28).

Australians were disappointed when the first round was completed on Day 2, as sixth seed Samantha Stosur, who had a few months earlier conquered Serena Williams in the 2011 US Open final, fell to Romanian Sorana Cîrstea.

Joining Stosur on the sidelines was men’s 29th seed Radek Stepanek.

Francesca Schiavone won Roland Garros in 2010 and was a finalist there in 2011, but the 10th seed exited Melbourne Park in 2012 in the second round, along with several other seeds on Days 3 and 4.

Prominent names included Andy Roddick (15), who was ousted at night by Lleyton Hewitt, who’d been granted entry via a wildcard. Hewitt lost the opening set, but won sets two and three before the American retired.

Melbourne also said farewell in singles in the second round to Peng Shuai (16), Petra Cetkovská (32), Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (15), Dominika Cibulková (17), Roberta Vinci (23), Kaia Kanepi (25) and Nadia Petrova (29).

Male seeds to leave were Mardy Fish (8), Gilles Simon (12), Viktor Troicki (19), Marcel Granollers (26), and Alex Bogomolov Jr. (32).

The top four seeds in both the men’s and women’s draws cruised into the round of sixteen, none dropping a set. Federer had the toughest task, winning his match with Karlović 7-6(6) 7-5 6-3.

Those expected to reach the fourth round but failing, were Janko Tipsarević (9), Alexandr Dolgopolov (13), Gaël Monfils (14), John Isner (16), Vera Zvonareva (7) and Marion Bartoli (9).

The round of sixteen saw the last of the Australians in singles - Tomic never in the contest against Federer, and Hewitt similarly ill equipped to cope with the defending champion, although he did sneak a set off Djokovic.

Clijsters (11) defeated Li Na (5), in a repeat of the 2011 final result. This one also went the distance and again the Belgian lost the opening set.

Unseeded Ekaterina Makarova caused a major upset, sending Serena Williams (12) packing, losing just five games in the destruction.

Kei Nishikori (24) knocked out 2008 finalist and sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in five sets.

Quarter finalists were:

Novak Djokovic (1) (Serbia) v David Ferrer (5) (Spain)

Andy Murray (4) (Great Britain) v Kei Nishikori (24) (Japan)

Juan Martin del Potro (11) (Argentina) v Roger Federer (3) (Switzerland) 

Tomáš Berdych (7) (Czech Republic) v Rafael Nadal (2) (Spain)

Caroline Wozniacki (1) (Denmark) v Kim Clijsters (11) (Belgium) 

Victoria Azarenka (3) (Belarus) v Agnieszka Radwanska (8) (Poland)

Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) v Maria Sharapova (4) (Russia)

Sara Errani (Italy) v Petra Kvitová (2) (Czech Republic)

The unseeded women’s quarter finalists were eliminated by the reigning Wimbledon finalists in straight sets, and accordingly Kvitová would meet Sharapova in one semi final. The top seed was knocked out by the defending champion, while the only quarter final to last the distance was a curious match.

Radwanska played a brilliant tie break 7-0 but Azarenka turned it around immediately to take the next sets 6-0 6-2.

The semi finals were both three setters, and quality clashes - Sharapova gaining some revenge for her Wimbledon loss by defeating Kvitová, and Azarenka preventing Clijsters from repeating her 2011 success.

The final unfortunately didn’t live up to the level of the semis and Victoria Azarenka dominated Maria Sharapova to win her first Grand Slam title 6-3 6-0.

Men’s quarters:

The men’s 2011 finalists set up a return clash, but in a semi final, after Djokovic disposed of Ferrer, and Murray dismissed Nishikori, each in straight sets.

Federer and Nadal ensured that the semis would feature the top four seeds, after they waved goodbye to del Potro and Berdych respectively.

Djokovic was in danger of missing the final when he lost the third set tie break and Murray led two sets to one. However, the top seed rallied and he won the crowd pleaser 7-5 in the fifth.

Federer won the opening set in a tie break, but Nadal switched gears to book a place in the final with a four set victory.

Djokovic v Nadal for the third straight Grand Slam tournament.

I am one of the lucky ones to have had a seat in Rod Laver Arena for the almost six hours of amazing competition between the two best in men’s tennis.

Nadal struck the first blow by taking the opening set 7-5, and we wondered whether Djokovic could come back, considering the five set struggle that he had survived with Murray.

After the Serb captured the next sets 6-4 6-2, it was question marks over Nadal’s capacity to turn around the momentum and win this in five.

The fourth set went to a tie break, Nadal managed to snatch it and the final was going to a fifth set.

Novak Djokovic 7-5, and he won what was one of the greatest matches I’ve witnessed. Certainly one of the best I’ve seen live.

Not because of its length - there have been several as long which have put me to sleep - this was edge of the seat stuff from start to finish, and credit goes to both combatants.

2012 would see Nadal win Roland Garros, Federer win Wimbledon and Murray win the US Open.

Sharapova won Roland Garros and Serena Williams won both Wimbledon and the US Open.