No-alarm wins for Roger and Rafa - no dodgy knees/backs/shoulders etc and no sloppy sets dropped - will do me nicely tonight. Not that I can be awake for either, alas.

Pointless stat of the day: the second round is the only one in which Roger has never been knocked out of a slam. Six times in R1, but never in R2.

Tomic v Querrey looks one of the more competitive matchups, and I'm sticking with my BOTB prediction that Baggy will knock Slumpsville Stan out, though probably after a mini-epic.

Will have to go to bed soon, and since Eurosport have chosen to show Berdych picking on Rochus - 6-1 *1-0 so far - it won't be much of a wrench.

Kohlschreiber doing even better, 6-0 *1-0 up on Riba.

But Fish is *3-5 down in the first to Falla, which I'm fairly sure should not be happening.

Poor Rochus. He tries so hard but it's a bit like watching a gnat playing a grizzly bear.

Nevets wrote:


Yep

Don't know what was wrong with Riba but he has retired after losing the first 10 games.

See you all in the morning.

It's already the morning, Tlim.

Nevets wrote:


Not where Fish is ... he's about to lose the first set

And he does

Danger signs for Fish... set and break down .Bad news for my BOTB if he loses .

Not what most of us were probably expecting , but Falla did give Federer a bit of trouble once at Wimby.. .


Anyway, its nearly bedtime for me ...

Meanwhile Rochus is beginning to hold serve much more comfortably now. Which is a good thing seeing as he isn't making too many inroads into Berdych's!

Nalby involved in another five-set thriller at Melbourne Park. 8-8 in the fifth set and Isner seems to be cramping although he just saved a BP.

Isner saves two BPs to hold for 9-8. Nalby completely blew a fuse when he wasn't able to challenge an Isner serve and the tournament referee even got involved!

Gah, Isner won, you watching Nevets? what happened?

Nevets wrote:


Isner has just won 10-8 - I think Nalby's temper(ament) cost him the match there.

Isner has a much better touch now than when he first came on the circuit, hasn't he?

I was watching two matches at the same time so it might not be too accurate but Isner managed to stave off two BPs to go 9-8 up (Nalby with two BH UEs) and he looked to be on his last legs but Nalby completely lost it when he wasn't able to challenge a serve. Nouni said he was too late to challenge and the tournament ref even got involved. Nalby got distracted and lost serve in a rather inauspicious manner and Isner started moving better in the last game so I kinda think Nalby arguing with the umpire helped as he was able to recover his legs a bit.

Dolgopolov saves a MP to win 8-6 vs. Kamke.

Fed with a walkover, it seems.