UP - Stan Wawrinka and Li Na - It's a funny old game tennis. Going into the tournament as the 8th and 4th seeds respectively and yet few would have bet on either of these two winning, such is the dominance of players like Djokovic, Nadal, Williams and Azarenka. So it was certainly refreshing to see two 'surprise' victors at this years Australian Open, especially Wawrinka who beat Djokovic and Nadal on route to becoming the first man outside the 'Big Four' to win a Slam since DelPo in 2009.
UP - IBF - Groves vs Froch. It's the rematch that everyone wants to see and thankfully the IBF have stepped in to say that a rematch must occur within 90 days due to "inappropriate stoppage" by referee Howard Foster. Foster controversially ended the match with Groves in the ninth round after Groves was well ahead on points. Froch needs it to defend his title and Groves will want revenge after the last bout. Fiery.
UP - David Moyes - Is last week the turning point for Moyes' season? Okay so they may have lost the worst penalty shoot-out in the history of football. But finally Moyes has signed a player which fans can be happy about. Somehow Moyes has managed to secure the signing of Juan Mata. Admittedly not a position they really needed more players after Rooney and Kagawa but an excellent signing nonetheless.
UP - France Handball - Hipster choice of the week. On Sunday France celebrated winning the European Handball Championship with a crushing 41-32 over Denmark to cement their reputation as the greatest handball team in history. It may not be a heavily followed sport over in the UK but there can be little doubt that it is a fast-paced and exciting one that certainly deserves more coverage.
UP - UoN - I delayed this weeks ladder by one day so I could hopefully include the University of Nottingham (my Uni) beating Nottingham Trent in the opening event of this years Varsity; the ice-hockey. At 3-0 down within 8 minutes I was on the verge of publishing what I already had but something told me not to. A stunning 4 goal comeback from Uni led to a 4-3 victory for the second year running. Looks like I made the right choice in waiting.
DOWN - Gareth Bale - The initial media buzz around Gareth Bale has slowly died down despite the Welshman having an excellent season so far. However this week Bale was the victim of a poor tackle in a match against Granada, resulting in a full-blooded boot to the balls. Luckily he has not suffered any lasting damage but is being rested for tonight's Copa Del Rey quarter-final. Click on the image on the right to wince at the tackle.
DOWN - Formula One Cars - Its slowly returning after the Christmas break and this week saw the reveal of the new generation of Formula One cars. And what an ugly bunch most of them are. The new 'anteater' nosecone is simply horrible as it protrudes from the front of the car. Luckily some teams have avoided using them but it looks like they are set to stay for now.
DOWN - Bowls - Now I know bowls can be considered a bit of a dull sport, but the videos that emerged from this weeks Indoor World Championships were a little bit embarrassing to say the least. The first shows the compare attempting to get a rather perplexed crowd clapping along to Happy by Pharrell Williams whilst the second shows 'Barry from Eastenders' singing to the crowd. Very strange.
DOWN - Andy Murray - Whilst Andy Murray did not necessarily play badly on his return from injury, his quarter-final loss to Roger Federer at the Australian Open has left him nearly 10,000 rankings points away from world number one. However, with Wawrinka winning in Melbourne it gets even worse as Murray drops to sixth in the world, his lowest ranking position since 2008.
DOWN - Manchester United Penalties - I briefly mentioned them earlier but they were so bad they need to be spoken about again. The very fact that the penalty shoot-out finished 2-1 to Sunderland after ten penalties shows how truly shocking they all were but Manchester United's were something else. Jones, Welbeck, Januzaj and Rafael all missed with Fletcher the only saving grace.
As the curtain falls on this years Australian Open we have been treated to the first winner since Juan Martin Del Potro's US Open in 2009 who isn't one of the so-called 'Big Four'; Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.
Perhaps more interestingly though, Stanislas Wawrinka's maiden Grand Slam title has well and truly splintered the dominance held between these four over the last five or six years as the updated rankings were released today. His victory moves him up to a career-high ranking of third and he becomes the highest seeded Swiss player, a feat previously held by Roger Federer since 2001. Meanwhile, Federer tumbles to eighth, his lowest ranking in twelve years.
Nadal and Djokovic maintain their place occupying the top two spots but Nadal's runner-up spot has meant a gap of nearly 4,000 points has opened up between the pair. Despite a disappointing second-round defeat, Del Potro moves up to fourth whilst David Ferrer drops two places to fifth.
However, it was a hugely unsuccessful tournament for the British trio of Andy Murray, Laura Robson and Heather Watson. Murray's quarter-final loss to Roger Federer means he falls to sixth, his lowest ranking since 2008. With no Grand Slam's or Masters tournaments until March, it seems unlikely that he will begin climbing again for a number of months.
In the women's rankings, first-round losses for Robson and Watson meant neither were able to defend significant ranking points earned the year before. Robson slips ten places from 48th to 58th whilst Watson, who missed a large section of last season through glandular fever, tumbles to 161st, her worst ranking in a number of years.
Elsewhere in the women's draw, Australian Open victor Li Na moves up to third in the rankings, only eleven points away from number two seed Victoria Azarenka. Serena Williams holds onto top spot whilst Maria Sharapova falls to fifth.
The big mover was beaten finalist Dominika Cibulkova, who leaps eleven places to thirteenth. Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard continues her ascendancy, breaking into the top twenty for the first time after reaching the semi-finals in Melbourne. Sloane Stevens falls five places to eighteenth whilst Venus Williams tumbles to 49th.
Li Na stormed to her second Grand Slam title with a straight set victory over Slovakian twentieth seed Dominika Cibulkova to win the Australian Open.
It was a case of third time lucky for Li, who had previously reached the Australian Open final in 2011 and 2013, losing both times. However, today was a different story as she raced to a 7-6(3) 6-0 victory in 97 minutes to add a second Grand Slam to her 2011 French Open title.
Her opponent struggled on the day, perhaps the pressure of her maiden Grand Slam final taking its toll. Regardless, it's been an excellent tournament for Cibulkova, claiming notable scalps over Maria Sharapova and Agnieszka Radwanska.
In the post-match speeches Cibulkova told the crowd, "I don't really know where to start. This has been a fantastic two weeks of my life and I think I'm going to cry."
The victory moved Li into third in the WTA World Rankings, and the crowd-favourite was pleased to win her maiden title in Melbourne. In her post-match speech she said, "Finally I got her [the Australian Open trophy]. The last two times [in 2011 and 2013] was very close."
Li started well, breaking Cibulkova in the first game after a nervous start from both players. However, Li struggled to control the rhythm of her serve, making just two first serves in the first six games, and was broken back to make it 3-3.
Both players continued to test each other's serve, but it remained on course until Li broke at 5-5 to allow her to serve for the set. Yet her serving woes continued and a poor backhand into the net meant Cibulkova broke back to take the first set to a tie-break.
In the tie-break Li opened up a 5-1 lead before an incorrect challenge gave the Slovak a slight chance to come back into it. But experience told as Li served out the set 7-3.
The tie-break victory seemed to kick-start Li who capitalised on a couple of weak second serves from her opponent to break early in the set. A number of backhand winners enabled her to break again for a 4-0 lead.
Whilst receiving for the match Li opened up two Championship points. Cibulkova saved the first but in keeping with the general theme of the match, hit an unforced error to give Li the Melbourne crown.
Andy Murray lost his first set of the Australian Open so far as he laboured to victory against Frenchman Stephane Robert 6-1 6-2 6-7(6) 6-2.
Murray won the opening two sets before the Frenchmen hit back in a third set tie-break. However, Murray replied, sealing his place in the quarter-finals after winning the fourth.
Frustration was evident in Murray's game today as he attempted to get off the court quickly, making a number of errors in the process.
Robert was the lowest ranked player going into the fourth round. Having come into the tournament as a 'lucky loser', he was placed in the draw just 10 minutes before the deadline. With a self-descriptive style of 'casino tennis' Robert put on a show for the Melbourne crowd, firing big winners throughout the match.
Murray acknowledged his opponent afterwards, telling the Guardian, "He is a fun player to watch but not to play against. He made it very tricky for me. He's very unorthodox. You want to close these matches out quickly if you can, but he played very well."
The warning signs were there for Murray early on, saving a break point in the first game after a huge winner from Robert. However the fourth seed took control after this game, sealing the first set 6-1 in just 25 minutes.
He continued to dominate throughout the second set, winning the first four games in a row before Robert finally managed to claw one back. Nevertheless, it was all in vain as Murray claimed the second set 6-2.
Robert refused to go down without a fight, battling toe-to-toe with Murray in the third who lost the intensity held in the opening sets. The Scot broke to serve out the match at 5-3 but was broken back by the dogged Frenchman after missing two match points.
The set entered a tie-break and once again Murray had two points to end the match, both missed as Robert capitalized, winning 8-6 to take the match to a fourth.
Murray pulled himself together in the fourth, regaining his composure to claim it 6-2, making just three unforced errors all set.
In the quarter-finals Murray will face a blockbuster tie against Roger Federer after the Swiss overcame Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in three sets.
UP -Ronnie O'Sullivan - Not only did Ronnie O'Sullivan claim his fifth Masters title this week, but he did it in such style. Leading 7-1 after the first session against defending champion Mark Selby, O'Sullivan finished him off, eventually winning 10-4. Brutal from Ronnie who only dropped seven frames throughout the entire tournament. Absolutely no pot luck about it. UP - Australian Open - Where to begin? It's been an eventful week down under. Ridiculous weather ranging from a four day extreme heatwave to freak lightning storms. Seeds have toppled early in Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Juan Martin Del Potro and Caroline Wozniacki. Fedberg is proving to be a dangerous partnership. Oh, and Murray is quietly going about his business. Roll on the second week. UP - Lizzy Yarnold - Yarnold is one of a number of British hopefuls who will soon be departing to Sochi to take part in the Winter Olympics. Normally we are happy to celebrate just getting one medal but this time there is a genuine chance of a number of medals. Yarnold in the Skeleton, Christie in speed-skating, and both curling teams are notable prospects in amongst a whole host of others. UP - Hyde - Hyde fans were celebrating their first victory in 30 matches this week as they claimed a 2-0 victory against Welling United. Their last victory came all the way back in April and such a poor run of results has left them eighteen points adrift of safety. With just seven points and one win all season, it seems extremely unlikely that they will avoid the drop but you never know! Stranger things have happened. UP - Jamaican Bobsleigh Team - This is a story with so much history. After Jamaican qualification to the 1988 Games led to the film Cool Runnings, it looks like Jamaica will be back, qualifying for the first time in 12 years. Courtesy of an issue with the Dutch team not meeting their National qualifying standard, it looks as though the two man team will qualify for Sochi. Then, they just need to raise the money to actually get there. Nothing warms the soul like a Caribbean country competing at the Winter Olympics.. DOWN - Alexis Ruano - I'm still wincing despite reading this story on Friday. Whilst a Messi wondergoal and a Neymar ankle injury stole the headlines, Alexis Ruano certainly came out of that game badly. After what seemed like a routine coming together Ruano was carried off on a stretcher. It was later revealed that the Getafe player suffered 'broken veins' in his testicle leading to it swelling up to an enormous size. I'm squirming just typing this.
DOWN - Jermain Defoe - Jermain Defoe's transfer to MLS side Toronto has been on the cards for months and this week it finally became official. However a combination of an overenthusiastic promotion video and a geographical nightmare has made the transfer a bit of a joke this week. The video [below] is hugely entertaining but it was Defoe stating that he was "happy to be in the USA" which stole the headlines. Who wants to tell Jermain that Toronto is actually in Canada? DOWN - Rory McIlroy - Poor Rory. Just when he thinks he's back in form he's slapped with an unfortunate but required two stroke penalty meaning he ultimately finished just one shot behind. He claimed a moral victory as he literally hit the fewest shots despite not winning. Nevertheless, it was a strong showing from McIlroy who looked to be back to his best. Perhaps his upcoming marriage has given him a new lease of life? DOWN - England Cricket - It just won't stop. The English men's cricketing collapse continued this week as they lost the ODI series 3-0 with two matches still to play. The second match was tight but the other two were feeble efforts and Captain Cook really needs to reassess the situation down under. At least the women are showing us how its done, closing in on an Ashes victory to show the men up. DOWN - Serena Williams - The Queen has been dethroned! Well, technically she wasn't actually the Queen of Melbourne, just the Queen of tennis. Regardless, her loss this morning to Ana Ivanovic was by far the biggest shock of the tournament so far and has blown the women's draw wide open. Azarenka will now be the odds on favourite to claim a consecutive Aussie Open title.
In his first real test of this year's Australian Open, Andy Murray produced his best tennis, beating the twenty-sixth seed Feliciano Lopez 7-6(2) 6-4 6-2.
As the fourth day heatwave finally ended Murray faced his first seeded played in the tournament, overcoming the challenge with ease as he won in just over two hours.
Murray came into the match with a 7-0 winning record against the Spaniard and his victory extended this run. Lopez is a left-handed player and it is notably documented that Murray enjoys playing lefties, attributing to growing up playing with his brother Jamie.
After the match Murray told Sky Sports, "It's been a good start. It was very tricky conditions the first couple of matches with the heat but today was beautiful conditions to play in."
The match did not start well for Murray as he was broken in his opening service game for the second consecutive match. However he broke back instantly as the match started in scrappy fashion.
The errors continued to fly from both rackets as the first set advanced to a tie-break. Murray gained an early mini-break and ground out the first set courtesy of a Lopez error.
The first set galvanized the Scot and he broke instantly at the start of the second. The rest of the set passed by uneventfully as both players held their serve unchallenged, Murray taking it 6-4.
By this point Lopez cut a beaten figure as he was broken twice in the third set to find himself 4-1 down. Murray ruthlessly saw out the match playing a couple of stylish winners before a Lopez error gifted him the match.
In the fourth round Murray will play record-breaking Frenchman Stephane Robert. With a three set victory over Martin Klizan, Robert became the first ever 'lucky loser' to advance to the fourth round of a Grand Slam.
Should Murray beat Robert he will face the daunting prospect of a match against either Roger Federer or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter finals.
Ross Hutchins Grand Slam comeback started successfully with a 4-6 6-4 6-0 victory alongside partner Colin Fleming.
Hutchins, playing in his first Grand Slam since the 2012 US Open after battling cancer during the entire 2013 season, and Fleming battled to victory against local favourite Marinko Matosevic and Pole, Michal Przysiezny to progress to the second round.
In December 2012, Hutchins was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphona, spending the first six months of 2013 undergoing chemotherapy before spending the latter half returning to full fitness after being told he was in remission.
In a post-match interview, Hutchins told BBC Sport, "It's an amazing feeling to be back, and especially to get our first win since coming back in 2014".
Fleming was equally joyous to be back with his long-term doubles partner. "When we won I felt a bit emotional myself. I don't know how Ross felt, but just to get that first win under out belt [was great]".
After losses in Auckland and Brisbane in the run-up to the Australian Open both Fleming and Hutchins were keen to return to winning ways. However a nervous start caused them to lose the opening set, a Hutchins loss of serve the only break of the set.
The British contingent squared the match up at a set of piece after breaking at 5-4 in the second set. From then on they controlled the match, dominating the final set 6-0 on another scorching day in Melbourne.
It was a good day all round for the Brits as fellow doubles specialist DOminic Inglot sealed his place in the second round alongside partner Treat Huey. They beat Cololbian pair Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal 4-6 6-4 6-3.
Andy Murray cruised into the Second Round of the Australian Open with a simple 6-1 6-1 6-3 victory over Japanese qualifier Go Soeda.
As temperatures lingered around 42 degrees centigrade Murray was in no mood to hang around, dispatching his opponent in just 87 minutes.
After playing only three matches since the US Open there were question marks over how the Scot would emerge when tested, especially after losses to both Florian Mayer and Lleyton Hewitt during tournament preparation.
However, he showed few signs of rustiness after the back surgery which kept him out of the last few months of 2013, moving freely around the court and serving particularly well, firing 12 aces during the match.
Murray took control of the opening games, breaking Soeda in his second service game to take a 2-1 lead. Soeda struggled to penetrate the Scot's defence making a number of unforced errors in the process as Murray went on to take the first set 6-1.
The second set continued in much the same fashion, the game consisting largely of short baselines rallies with neither player overly keen on excessive movement in the heat. Murray broke early once again to dampen his opponents hopes as Soeda failed to earn a break point of his own throughout the match.
Targeting his opponents significantly weaker backhand, Murray finished the set off quickly, breaking him once again to claim the second set 6-1.
The scorching humidity finally began to take its toll as Murray endured a slight loss of tempo at the start of the third set. Coupled with a determined Soeda, the set remains on serve until 3-3 when the Japanese defence finally crumbled, Murray breaking to take a 4-3 advantage.
At that point Soeda looked a beaten man, dropping his shoulders as he waited for the inevitable. Luckily he did not have to wait long as Murray broke him for the final time to claim the last set 6-3.
Murray is the final British representative in the singles at the Australian Open after the first round exits of both Laura Robson and Heather Watson yesterday.
In the second round he will face another qualifier, this time in the shape of Frenchman Vincent Millot who won a marathon five setter against Wayne Odesnik.
British interest in the women's draw ended as Heather Watson came agonizingly close to causing a first round upset, pushing thirty-first seed Daniela Hantuchova to a third set before losing 7-5 3-6 6-3.
Watson joined compatriot Laura Robson in falling at the first hurdle after Robson lost in straight sets earlier in the day.
After battling through three rounds of qualifying, Watson will be pleased to have tested a seeded player after a difficult season last year suffering from glandular fever. However, having fought toe-to-toe with the Slovakian throughout, she will undoubtedly be disappointed not to progress.
Despite a solid start to the match, Watson found herself a break down at 4-2. However, she was quick to break back, tying the first set up at 4-4. Despite leading 5-4 Watson ended the set with a flurry of nerves, getting broken to eventually lose 7-5.
Watson came out fighting in the second set, refusing to give Hantuchova another break despite her best efforts. Her resilience paid off as she broke the Slovakian to take a 4-2 lead. Both players then broke each other to take it to 5-3. An unlucky Hawk-Eye decision seemed to affect Hantuchova's concentration, as Watson served out the set to take it to a decider.
The third set continued with both players engaged in grueling baseline rallies in the Melbourne heat. Hantuchova had three break points early on but blew them all as Watson held serve. The Slovakian didn't make the same mistake twice, breaking Watson in the next game and racing to a 4-1 lead.
A fantastic forehand return down the line helped set up a break back point which Watson duly converted to make it 4-3. However, it was not to last as Hantuchova broke back before serving out the match, Watson drilling a backhand into the net on match point.
Watson refused to be too down-heartened by the defeat, telling BBC Sport, Even though I might be dropping in the rankings, I'm not worried about that. I've had a good start to the year, I've improved as a player, and it's been a positive few weeks".
Hantuchova will go on to face the Czech, Karolina Pliskova, who came through her first round match against Pauline Parmentier 6-0 6-1. Elsewhere, British hopes now lie firmly in the hands of Andy Murray who begins his campaign on Tuesday evening against Go Soeda.
Laura Robson's Australian Open campaign lasted less than an hour as she fell to eighteenth seed Kirsten Flipkens 6-3 6-0 becoming the first player to exit the tournament in the process.
An error-prone display from the Brit ensured a hasty demise, lasting just 50 minutes on court as the Belgium dominated. Her preparations for the tournament were hardly ideal, a wrist injury forcing her out of Hobart and Auckland, but an erratic performance will have left her far from pleased with her display.
Robson was careful to avoid talking about her injury after the match, telling the press, "I'd prefer not to talk about my wrist because then it turns into a massive excuse. Practice is a lot different to playing a proper match in Slams".
Australian-born Robson received warm applause but started poorly when she was broken to love in the opening game. Flipkens never allowed her to gather any momentum, making just 4 unforced errors compared to Robsons's 32.
The set continued on serve until 5-3 when Flipkens broke again, gaining the opening set. The Belgium had just two break points in the first set but executed both of them, whilst Robson failed to earn a single break point during the match.
The break at the end of the first set took any fight out of Robson, who struggled to break down a rigid Flipkens. The mistakes kept on coming as she completely fell apart in the second set. Wild volleys and groundstrokes led to an eventual 6-0 loss and an early exit for the British hopeful.
Flipkens will face Australian hopeful Casey Dellacqua, who overcame two time semi-finalist Vera Zvonareva 6-2 6-2 in the second round.
UP - Thomas Hitzlsperger - It shouldn't have to be a story but the fact that it is means that it must be addressed. In today's society Thomas Hitzlsperger must be commended for coming out as homosexual in the sporting environment. It's a tough world to come out in and hopefully it will encourage others to do the same. UP - Broad and Prior - Another serious story this week as Matt Prior and Stuart Broad successfully managed to talk a man out of jumping off a bridge. In particular, Broad applauded Prior for being "pretty inspirational" in the way he successfully managed to talk the man down. It certainly puts all of the sledging that occurred over the last series into perspective after controversy surrounding the withdrawal of Jonathan Trott. UP - Stephen Bunting - Probably the last time darts will feature on the sports ladder for a while as Christmas AKA 'Darts Season' has finished. Nevertheless, a big congratulations to first seed Stephen Bunting for winning his maiden BDO World Darts title at Lakeside. He successfully dispatched a number of top players including Robbie Greene and Alan Norris, the two in-form players of the tournament. Surely only a matter of time before he converts to the richer PDC. UP - Bournemouth Fans - Who says the beauty of the FA Cup is dead? When rain defeated the FA Cup tie between Bournemouth and Burton it was postponed to a later date. However with Burton fans making a pointless 300 mile journey to get there, Bournemouth did not want to see them disappointed. Between the fans they managed to raise nearly £3000 for the return trip. Good on the cherries!
UP - Bayern Munich - Similar to Bournemouth with regards to tickets. The cost of a ticket for a match at the Emirates has been a topic of some controversy for a number of seasons after it has gained an accurate reputation as the most expensive football trip in England. Therefore Bayern Munich decided to subsidise their fans half the price of the ticket for the Champions League clash. This after they last year refunded all fans for League games because it was not competitive enough. Lucky fans 'ey? DOWN - Juan Martin Del Potro - Del Potro won the Sydney International in the run-up to this week's Aussie Open and it seeded fifth with an outside chance at the title. However, a strange story emerged yesterday regarding his lack of rackets. Del Potro announced that he only has two of his preferred Wilson K-Frames left compared to the six-eight rackets his opponents will probably have. Let's hope he doesn't snap a string!
DOWN - Theo Walcott - Bad news for both Arsenal and England this week as it was announced that he is out for the remainder of the season and will miss the World Cup with ligament damage. Walcott will be gutted after already missing a large part of the season through injury. Tottenham fans will no doubt see the funny side though, after he mocked them upon departure from the pitch by holding the two fingers in the air to signify the 2-0 advantage in the game. DOWN - Kevin Pietersen - Despite being the highest England run scorer during the Ashes calamity, Pietersen has certainly been the main 'fall-guy'. His wild shot selection and apparent attitude problems have led many to question whether he deserves to play for England again. Captain Alistair Cook also refused to back Pietersen which would certainly suggest there are problems there and the question remains to be asked whether we will see Pietersen in an England shirt again. DOWN - Mike Jones - I never like to pick on referees as we all know they have a hard job, but it was a very strange decision to disallow Cheick Tiote's goal against Manchester City on Sunday. Ignoring the fact it was a lovely strike, it didn't actually break any rules. Unless, Gouffran getting out of the way of the shot counts as interfering with play, then there really was no reason for it to be disallowed. Hart would never have got there and his view was impeded by four City players. It could have been a very different game. DOWN - Lindsey Vonn - The 2014 Winter Olympic games has suffered a big blow in the loss of one of its more recognisable athletes as Lindsey Vonn announced this week she would not be partaking. A persistent knee injury has meant that Vonn will be unable to compete in Sochi and defend her Downhill gold won in Vancouver four years ago. Maybe a Brit could win it instead! Or maybe not.
Stephen Bunting claimed his maiden BDO World Darts title with a marvelous 7-4 victory over the unseeded Alan Norris.
The match was perfectly poised at 3-3 during the interval but it was 'The Bullet' who emerged after the break, winning the opening three legs before eventually going on to win 7-4.
Despite his dominance of the BDO in recent years, the Lakeside World Championship was one trophy which has always proved elusive. Today though, Stephen proved why he was the top seed with a mature performance throughout both the final, and the Championship.
The match started slowly, both players losing their throw in the opening two sets as they struggled to close out the early legs. Bunting missed four doubles in the 4th set at 2-1 up allowing Norris to eventually level at 2 sets of piece.
As the match progressed both players picked up pace, averaging 100+ over their first nine darts. Nevertheless, neither player could grasp full control of the match, Bunting especially missing three darts to take a 4-2 lead, going into the break at 3-3.
The earlier missed opportunity was obviously playing on Bunting's mind as he missed a further five darts in the 7th set to break Norris. However the pendulum began to swing in his favour, as he broke Norris to take a 5-3 lead, the first two set lead of the match so far.
The situation began to get the better of Alan Norris, who started missing doubles, allowing Bunting to take a 6-3 lead. From that point it was only a matter of time, although Norris clawed one back with a brilliant 140 check-out.
The atmosphere became extremely tense inside the Lakeside Arena as the crowd sensed the end was in sight. The final legs were certainly scrappy, but in the end Bunting prevailed, claiming the final set 3-1 to claim his 7-4 victory over Norris.
Heather Watson battled through her final qualifying match against American Irina Falconi to secure her place in the Australian Open.
Her 6-4 7-6(1) victory ensures her third consecutive Melbourne appearance, where she will face 31st seed Daniela Hantuchova in the opening round.
After slipping to 120 in the world rankings, Watson will be looking to cause an upset in order to defend the ranking points won in last year's event, where she reached the third round.
Victory will come as a relief to the youngster, who suffered from a long bout of glandular fever throughout much of the 2013 season. She told BBC Sport, "It would have been the end of the world if I didn't get through".
Watson successfully defended against her opponents mixed style of play, claiming victory in just over two hours on a cool Melbourne afternoon.
After breaking Falconi in the first set to lead 5-3, Watson had the chance to serve for the set but dropped her serve. However, the Guernsey-born star hit back to claim it 6-4.
After a tense second set, missing two match points at 5-4, Watson was ruthless in the tie-break, winning seven consecutive points to claim the victory.
She said, "It was a very tricky match. She's not your usual WTA player. She slices a lot, she's got good hands, good touch, she's not the overpowering type".
After her first round victory Watson admitted to nerves and those returned today. "I got a bit nervous closing it out but it's last round of qualifying; there's a lot on that match".
She will join fellow Brits Laura Robson and Andy Murray in the main draw, the only one of six British players to come through qualifying.
There will be little rest for Watson who is scheduled to play her opening tie on Monday, appearing first on Court 2.
It’s back! Once again tennis season is upon us but to be honest
it feels like it hasn't really been away. With the ATP Tour Finals at the O2 in
December and then Andy Murray’s Sports Personality of the Year annihilation, tennis
has been floating around our shores all Christmas. Despite 2014 being just a
week old, a number of tournaments have already been completed and with the Australian
Open lurking on the horizon, it’s time to assess what the season has thrown at
us so far and what to expect down in Melbourne.
Nadal triumphs in Qatar
The Spanish Armada
The Spanish fleet sets sail to Melbourne in full force. Captain
Rafa will be the man to beat off the back of a simply remarkable comeback year
which saw him win the French Open and the US Open as well as finishing the year
as World Number One. Nadal has already won the Qatar Open this year, beating
Gael Monfils, his Qatar nemesis, in the final. It was not plain sailing for
Rafa though, as he lost a few sets on the way, something rivals will certainly
have picked up on.
Ferrer's looks focused
First mate David Ferrer will also be manning the decks as he
seeks to win his maiden Grand Slam. Quietly conducting his business, Ferrer
ended the year in third place in the World Rankings and will be looking to
continue that form this year. What he lacks in power he more than makes up for
in his hyperactive-childlike attitude, darting around the court and refusing to
give up on any point. Could he shock his captain in Melbourne? Or will he be
made to walk to plank.
Djokovic eyes the prize.
The Serb in the
Shadows
Despite an excellent season, Novak Djokovic will be bitterly
disappointed to have won just one Grand Slam, as well as losing his World
Number One position to Nadal. Whilst the other big names all took part in
tournaments earlier this year, Djokovic decided against it and so we will see
nothing of his form going into Melbourne. Expect the Serb to pounce from the
shadows, and if we get anything close to a repeat of last year’s semi-final
against Nadal then boy are we in for one heck of an entertaining tournament!
The end of an era?
Roger that.
Federer: A man on the decline
For any tennis fan, last year was a despairing sight. Seeing the
great Roger Federer succumb to loss after loss in mediocre fashion stung the
very core of the sporting world. The fact is that, as age catches up with him
faster than an Andy Roddick serve, it will only get worse. There have been
early signs of this already, a loss to fellow veteran Leyton Hewitt in the
Brisbane Open served as an unhealthy reminder that the great Swiss is not as
immortal as he once was. I do not expect Federer to challenge for his
eighteenth Grand Slam but it would not surprise me if it some point this year
we saw a retirement.
Tsonga celebrates in style
French Revolution
With the decline of Federer and question marks over the fitness
of Andy Murray, there is a gap in the semi-final market for some outsiders and
there is no stronger contingent than that of the French. With both Jo-Wilfried
Tsonga and Richard Gasguet in the top ten and Gael Monfils showing imperious
form in reaching the Qatar Open Final, do not be surprised to see the French
flag flying in the latter stages of the competition. Tsonga is the real danger
man after storming to the Hopman Cup title alongside fellow competitor Alize
Cornet and the great showman will no doubt test the top seeds. The main
obstacle will of course be the persistent phone calls from Newcastle United’s
hapless Director of Football, Joe Kinnear as he accidently mistakes them for
footballers and attempts to sign them up during the transfer window.
Knock Knock. Who’s
There?
A confident looking Dimitrov
Long gone are the days when males burst onto the scene in their
late teens. Men’s Tennis has developed into a gruelling sport of never-ending
schedules and marathon matches and that is making it increasingly difficult to
break into the top twenty. So are there any youngsters who might make an
impression?
Grigor Dimitrov is the name head on the tennis grapevine.
Nicknamed ‘Baby Fed’ after his similar playing style to Federer, Grigor is the
youngest player ranked inside the top fifty at just 22 years old. He is yet to
have a Grand Slam run, his furthest being a third round at last year’s French
Open, but after beating Djokovic in last year’s Madrid Masters he certainly has
the game to test the big boys.
Raonic on the stretch
The man most likely to challenge is the big-serving Canadian,
Milos Raonic. He likes the Australian Open, never failing to get to the third
round in his three outings however is yet to beat Djokovic, Nadal, Federer or
Ferrer. He does, however, have two
scalps over Andy Murray and will be looking to press on this year after his
first World Tour Masters Final last year in Montreal.
Big forehand from a big Pole
Many of the young men coming through the ranks are big powerful
individuals and this trend continues with Jerzy Janowicz. A Wimbledon semi-finalist
last year, Janowicz burst onto the scene at the end of 2013 with an unseeded
final at the Paris Masters. At six foot eight, do not be surprised to see
Janowicz in the thick of it in Melbourne.
Brits Down Under
Murray winces in Qatar
This week the England Cricket Team returned from Australia,
battered, bruised and outstandingly beaten.
It wouldn't be any great shock if this feat was replicated at the
Australian Open by the Brits. Murray looks rusty after his back surgery last
year, losing convincingly to Florian Mayer in Qatar and will probably see this
tournament more as a recovery than as a real chance at a title.
A dejected Robson
At least Murray will make it to Melbourne. Poor Laura Robson
looks set to miss out on the Aussie Open after suffering from a wrist injury in
a match against Wickmayer in the first round of this week’s Hobart
International as well as in the ASB Classic the week before. Laura will be
bitterly disappointed as, being born in Australia, it is also her home Grand
Slam so we hope she will make it to the first round next week..
Evans ready for the main draw
Aside from Andy and Laura, no other Brits made it straight into
the draw so will have to rely on the qualification to get in. With both James
Ward and Dan Cox crashing out in the first round, hopes will rest solely on the
shoulders of Dan Evans to accompany Murray in the main draw after Evans won his
first round match last night. There is slightly higher hopes in the Women’s
qualifying, with the three ladies, Heather Watson, Johanna Konta and Tara Moore
all playing their opening matches tonight. With both Konta and Watson seeded,
it would be disappointing if neither of them make it into the main draw. That
said, should they manage to get in, hopes will not be high as the Brits face a tough
tournament down in Oz.
The Queen winning in Brisbane
Queen Serena
Long live the Queen, and last year Serena cemented her royal
ascension to the top of the women’s game with two Grand Slam titles as well as
nine other tournament victories, making it her most successful year ever by
some distance. Finishing the game as World number one by some considerable
distance she then went on to win in Brisbane earlier this year, continuing her
twenty-two game unbeaten run. Can anyone usurp the crown from the Queen of tennis,
or is Serena set to continue her reign?
Her Disloyal Servants
Anguished Azarenka
Well if the Queen is to be challenged then it’s likely to come
from only a select few individuals, notably Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova.
Williams and Azarenka clashed on four occasions last year,
holding two victories each. Serena holds the early advantage this year after
defeating Victoria in last week’s Brisbane final but Azarenka is the defending
champion in Melbourne and will be looking to reclaim her title. Williams, on
the other hand, will desperately want to win back the title she has won on five
previous occasions.
Screaming Sharapova
Maria Sharapova is the other looking to get her hands on the
crown but must be sick of the sight of Serena. Sharapova has not managed to beat
her since 2004 so will be looking to put that right on the tenth anniversary of
her last victory. Re-emerging after an injury that kept her out of last year’s
US Open, the Russian will be eager to prove she still has what it takes to
fight at the top of the Women’s game.
American Sweethearts
Whilst Serena dominates the women’s game, there are a number of
other young Americans coming through the ranks looking to step into her shoes,
or more likely, her trainers.
Stephens in action
The biggest name of the three is Sloane Stephens. Stephens has
been testing the World’s best for a number of years but it was in Melbourne
last year that she demonstrated her true ability, beating Serena and advancing
to the semi-final before eventually being denied a place in the final by
Victoria Azarenka. The only concern will be that she withdrew from the Hopman
Cup with a wrist injury and it is not yet known how badly this will affect her
going into the Aussie Open.
18-year-old Keys enjoying her tennis
Madison Keys is the youngest of the American youngsters at just
18 years old and one of the hottest prospects in tennis. Reaching two third
rounds in Grand Slams last year, Keys made her impact, ending the year at
number 37 in the world. A disappointing performance in Brisbane last week will
not stop the fearless youngster as she aims to push herself into the top twenty
in the World alongside compatriot Stephens.
Determination from Hampton
The ‘big sister’ of the three is Jamie Hampton who, like
Stevens, is a doubt for Melbourne after withdrawing against the Queen’s sister,
Venus in the ASB Classic in New Zealand. Should she recover in time, Hampton
will undoubtedly be a menace in Melbourne. The most experienced of the three,
she had a steady season last year, reaching the third round in Melbourne. With
these three on the scene, as well as Serena, do not be surprised to see Uncle
Sam littering the fourth round and onwards.
And Finally...
An interesting revelation came from the Hopman Cup this week as it emerged this week that
6 foot 10 American John Isner turned down a career in basketball to pursue his
tennis career after not realising how tall he would eventually become. Let me just reinforce 6
ft 10 and American. Hardly a surprise that Isner was a talented basketball player as well as tennis player but as a fan of tennis over basketball I am certainly grateful that the American was a late bloomer. Especially as I was lucky enough to be at Wimbledon during this incredible encounter.
UP - Stan Wawrinka and Li Na - It's a funny old game tennis. Going into the tournament as the 8th and 4th seeds respectively and yet few would have bet on either of these two winning, such is the dominance of players like Djokovic, Nadal, Williams and Azarenka. So it was certainly refreshing to see two 'surprise' victors at this years Australian Open, especially Wawrinka who beat Djokovic and Nadal on route to becoming the first man outside the 'Big Four' to win a Slam since DelPo in 2009.
