Tennis

Nine will be happy that the BBL on Seven is also just as predictable. Scorchers and Sixers dominating there again.

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I think a lot of people here, still after @TV.Cynic spends so much time providing data and analysing, focus on average audience and total people, rather than shares%, reach and key demographics. The latter 3 are all Nine would be looking at and caring about, especially Grand Slam tennis. Similarly, the Olympics. These events are more 50/50 split male/female (crucial for say Married) and that wall-to-wall exposure for their promos, and clients’ ads, morning to overnight, every day, for two straight weeks. Doesn’t matter if it’s 6 million or 200k, an Australian, big name or no name. Long 5 setter or quick straight sets. We should look at the first week of Married vs Idol vs Survivor, especially key demos.

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I agree with Neil Mitchell. My read is that people have not changed their position on novaks deportation, but they have accepted that he did the crime and did the time. So to speak. And people were ready to move on without a grudge, but it’s still a fragile situation.

Disappointing to see that the Serbians and Djokovic do hold a grudge.

Di Minaur’s comments last year were pretty measured and respectful. But even if he did have stronger opinions, he is entitled to them. Djokovic is just bitter and vengeful.

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Continuing the discussion from Nine Network - Programs and Schedules:

Fun fact: these two faced off in the quarter-finals of the 2008 Australian Open in the women’s singles. Radwanska got there after upsetting second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the third round; Hantuchova eventually won this match-up then lost to Ana Ivanovic in the semis.

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I still wish he’d been banned from returning to Australia for refusing to get Covid vaccination :-1:
I’d like to see Stefanos Tsitsipas win ,he seems like a likeable guy, and he has plenty of crowd support from Melbourne’s large Greek community at his matches

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just like Marcos Baghdatis did (albeit from the Cypriots) when he went on that memorable run to the 2006 final, where he gave Roger Federer a run for his money, as well as in 2008 when he kept us all awake during that famous late night five-setter against Lleyton Hewitt.

While we all remember that famous Hewitt-Baghdatis match from 2008, there was a sequel in 2010 which started much earlier and ended rather disappointingly as Baghdatis was forced to retire in the second set due to injury, the match having lasted just 54 minutes.

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Used to be one of my favourite players to watch, she remained on tour for many years after that as well. And in '08 Sharapova got the championship in the last one to be played during day time and Bruce hosted during the afternoon, called by Sandy and Tracy.

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Let’s be honest - no one was going to catch Sharapova that year after the mauling she got from Serena Williams the previous year.

Justine Henin, the number one seed that year (2008), copped a mauling from the Russian who went into that match knowing she wouldn’t have to face Serena in the semis because she had been beaten by Jelena Jankovic (one of Serena’s victims in her run to the 2007 title) in the earlier quarter-final.

The 2008 tournament will forever be remembered for the Serbian breakthrough; in addition to Ana Ivanovic reaching the final (coming from 0-6, 0-2 down in her semi against Daniela Hantuchova en route), Novak Djokovic, of course, won his first Major title beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final.

TA won’t have the balls (pardon the pun) to do anything.

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I’d like to see Tommy Paul knock out the Djoker tonight,probably won’t happen though :slightly_frowning_face:It’s great to see another up and coming young male player coming through,Ben Shelton is another one to watch out for in the future .

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Why are they so often referring to the Australian Open as ‘AO’ in their interviews? I know it’s in their branding but the other slams don’t do this.

Isn’t it also just a nickname, I also refer to it both verbally and in type sometimes, certainly conveniently succinct. Like Aus Open / Oz Open, The Open, Aussie Open / Ozzie Open, The Tennis, etc etc?

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Because they market it as AO.

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That’s true, but it feels strange to hear them interviewing someone and discussing their time at the AO. Like I said it’s their branding but I’d much prefer they used one of the existing nicknames rather than creating a new one.

Weird that they have put the more evenly matched tsitsipas v khachanov semi final during the day and the likely one-sided djokovic v Paul in prime time. I’d be happy to be wrong but I’d say there will be some disappointed spectators tonight.

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From a TV perspective at least, Joker’s straight sets Quarter did between 500k-600k metro the other night (significantly higher than Tsitsipas’ thriller), should be even higher tonight, so right call by TA and for their domestic partner Nine at least. And being a Friday, that should also see some huge shares again tonight, regardless of the contest/result.

But I think it’s more Djokovic prefers and plays better under lights on RLA, likes the moisture in the air and heavier/slower ball. As higher seed and progression, believe they give his camp the choice of timeslot?

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Tsitsipas is the higher seed, he is #3, djokovic is #4. But I’d be disappointed if it works that way anyway.

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