Australian Open early results

Disappointing preformances:

John Isner Looked sluggish and listless in losing to Matt Ebden

Jack Sock.  Is he out of shape?  Lost to Yuichi Sugita

Sloane Stephens.  Why can’t she sustain her intensity?  Won the first set but then lost to Zhang Shuai.

Garbine Muguruza.  Some injury problems?  Had a weak serve and played not to lose, in losing to Su-Wei Hsieh.

Milos Raonic.  Not quite as disappointing as the others, as he is back from a very long injury-related layoff.  Serve and net play great, but movement very sluggish as he lost to Lacko.

Comeback performers.

Novak Djokovic.  Despite the altered service motion, has survived two rounds, including a win over Gael Monfils, who suffered in the heat.

Stan Wawrinka.  Back from knee problems, lost to Tennys Sandgren, ranked 97.

Close calls

Grigor Dimitrov survived an 8-6 in the fifth showdown with Mackenzie McDonald of the US (ranked 178) and then went on to beat Andrey Rublev in a tough 4-setter.  Rublev looks like an outstanding prospect, like Shapovalov.

Wozniaki came from 1-5 down in the third set to defeat Jana Fett, ranked 119.

Power tennis:  If you like to see power tennis on a fast court, watch a replay of the Kyrgios-Tsonga match, won by Kyrgios in 4 sets.

Federer and Nadal cruising.  Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal have been winning easily.  Rafa has had a favorable draw.  He will not face a true challenge until he sees either Dimitrov or Kyrgios, and they must play each other before getting to him.  So things look good for Nadal.  Federer will face Berdych or Fognini, then Thiem or Djokovic.  A Federer-Djokovic match would be very interesting. 

Zverev out.  Sasha Zverev, considered a possible winner, went out to Hyeon Chung, ranked 59, in 5 sets.  Zverev lost the last set 6-0, which suggests effects of hot weather.  Too bad the men don’t get a weather break after 2 sets!