0-15
Streak Ends
Venus Williams (AFP/Getty Images)
Venus Williams’ streak of consecutive major tournament matches without a retirement has ended at 257. Williams was forced to retire from her match with Andrea Petkovic with a pelvic muscle injury she sustained in her previous match.
Venus Williams: “I just obviously couldn’t play. I mean, just couldn’t move. Just too painful.” “The last 48 hours I did as much pain management and recovery that I could. I just hit some balls at 6:00 just kind of standing still. Just kind of warming up standing still and trying to give my best for the match.
You know, a lot times when you play, too, you get this adrenaline that blocks pain. But I just didn’t get enough of that today”.
“It’s super disappointing because this is just not how I envisioned my Australian Open being. I’ve never had to retire from a Grand Slam especially after working so hard to pull out the match the other day. Just hoping for some magic that I could recover. I just wanted to give 100%. I mean when I think of myself and my career I don’t make any excuses ever to myself or anyone. For me, it was just important to give 100%. I think I learn from experiences like this. If I’m not ready to play or if I’m still hurting maybe it’s better to stop. That’s just learning from life. I’ve learned now more or less what my limits are. Just learn from that the next time.”
Petkovic moves on to play Maria Sharapova in the fourth round.
0-30
No Booing Please
We are “preaching to the choir” as it may, but real fans do not boo injured players. Shocked to hear some “fans” at the Happy Slam boo Venus Williams as she retired form her match against Andrea Petkovic.
15-30
Upset of the Day
Notching just her third career win over Justine Henin, Svetlana Kuznetsova moves on to the fourth round with a 6-4, 7-6 (8) win. Kuznetsova had problems closing out the match getting broken twice while serving for the victory but hung on in the tiebreaker. She’ll face Francesca Schiavone.
30-30
Sunshine Gets Revenge
Caroline Wozniacki (Getty Images)
Just a little more than a week ago Caroline Wozniacki was stunned by Dominika Cibulkova in Sydney..Friday it was a different story. It certainly was not classic tennis, but Wozniacki advanced to the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-3 win.
40-30
Slow Start, Big Finish
Andy Roddick (Getty Images)
Robin Haase played with reckless abandon in the first set and fear after that. Andy Roddick took control to take a 2-6, 7-6(2), 6-2, 6-2 win.
Deuce
Stan the Man stuns “Big Shot”
Stanislas Wawrinka ( Paul Crock/AFP/Getty Images)
Stan Wawrinka stopped friend Gael Monfils 7-6, 6-2, 6-3 to reach the round of 16. He’ll meet Andy Roddick. Fellow Swiss Roger Federer moved on as well – a sloppy match in person that looked routine on paper beating Xavier Malisse 6-3, 6-3, 6-1.
Advantage
Dancing with the Stars
Novak Djokovic (Australian Open web site)
Novak Djokovic only had to play one set on Friday as Viktor Troicki was forced to retire with a stomach muscle strain which left him time for some fun on the outer courts.
For the rest of the results: Australian Open Results for Day 6
Game, Set, Match and News Conference of the Day
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, yesterday I got the question by the media, they said that my press conferences were kind of boring. Yeah, that I always gave the same answers.
You know, I find it quite, you know, funny because I always get the same questions. So I’m just going to start. I know what you’re going to ask me already. So I’m just going to start with the answer.
I felt great out there today on the court. You know, I think I played a pretty good match. I am happy I got the revenge since I lost to her in Sydney last week. It was not an easy match. She went out there, she was really on fire.
You know, I’m happy to be through to the next round. I don’t know who I’m playing, so maybe you can ask me that afterwards. But I’m really looking forward to playing my fourth round. It’s the second time in a row that that’s happened.
I mean, what I do need to do to win this tournament, if I feel like I played too defensively today. I actually feel like I had to do that. I had to run a lot of balls down today because, I mean, she was playing really aggressively, trying to hit from the first point.
But I felt like, you know, when I had the chance, I was really focused and tried to step it up, especially with my serve a bit. When she put the second serve in, I tried to take the advantage straightaway.
Uhm, if I deserve to be No. 1. If this was maybe another proof that I belong there. Again, I don’t feel any pressure to be No. 1. I really enjoy myself. I think I’ve had a great year and a great tournament so far. So I’m just happy to be in the next round, and hopefully I can pull a win through.
My racquet feels really good (laughter). I feel like the racquet is really helping me out. I feel like there is no problems. I really, uhm, enjoy playing with it. So I feel like, uhm yeah, I’m just happy to be here. Hopefully this was a little bit different than usual, and now you can maybe, yeah, give me some questions that are a little bit more interesting, a little bit different than what I usually get.
Q. So where did you hear that your press conferences were dull?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I heard that the South American media said to the Danish media that they would like to get to know me better, but I always answer the same questions. So, you know, I just think when I get the questions, I answer what I can answer.
If they ask me about the match, I cannot really say that, you know, I like eating bananas. I try really to do my best here.
http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2011-01-21/201101211295579073894.html