PHOTOS
pic: JC and Feli resting
pic: practicing in Rod Laver Arena
pic: JC and Feli warming up
pic: JC hitting the ball
pic: chasing the ball
pic: serve
pic: lunge
pic: releasing frustration
pic: tennis soccer in Kooyong
ARTICLE Grass Isn't Perfect - Yet, say Australians
After the first day's practice on the temporary grass court in Rod Laver Arena, it is the Spanish who seem the happier with the way the court is playing - at least, that is what they are saying.
[...]
The Spanish, meanwhile, had a seemingly more relaxed session in the afternoon, albeit with the roof fully open as the sun was finally showing its face. Juan Carlos Ferrero hit with Felciano Lopez before Carlos Moya and Alex Corretja took to the grass, with a marked increase in conversation and joviality compared with the Australians. There was also less obvious inspection of the court.
"It seems a good court, not too fast, not to slow," was Lopez's verdict.
"It is much slower than Kooyong [where the teams had been practising up to today], but that is normal as this is a new court," he added. "It is still a grass court, and what we expected."
He also hinted that he felt this might change during the week, and that they would have to wait and see what happened with the surface.
As for who might play for the Spanish, Lopez stuck to the line that they have been putting out all week: the singles players are very likely to be Ferrero and Moya, but that it might change. Earlier Fitzgerald had said that he also thought it a long shot that Lopez would come in for a singles rubber, but that he was preparing his own team for any eventuality.
With both squads playing their cards so close to their chest, the tension looks set to build throughout the week.
>> full article
pic: JC and Feli resting
pic: practicing in Rod Laver Arena
pic: JC and Feli warming up
pic: JC hitting the ball
pic: chasing the ball
pic: serve
pic: lunge
pic: releasing frustration
pic: tennis soccer in Kooyong
ARTICLE Grass Isn't Perfect - Yet, say Australians
After the first day's practice on the temporary grass court in Rod Laver Arena, it is the Spanish who seem the happier with the way the court is playing - at least, that is what they are saying.
[...]
The Spanish, meanwhile, had a seemingly more relaxed session in the afternoon, albeit with the roof fully open as the sun was finally showing its face. Juan Carlos Ferrero hit with Felciano Lopez before Carlos Moya and Alex Corretja took to the grass, with a marked increase in conversation and joviality compared with the Australians. There was also less obvious inspection of the court.
"It seems a good court, not too fast, not to slow," was Lopez's verdict.
"It is much slower than Kooyong [where the teams had been practising up to today], but that is normal as this is a new court," he added. "It is still a grass court, and what we expected."
He also hinted that he felt this might change during the week, and that they would have to wait and see what happened with the surface.
As for who might play for the Spanish, Lopez stuck to the line that they have been putting out all week: the singles players are very likely to be Ferrero and Moya, but that it might change. Earlier Fitzgerald had said that he also thought it a long shot that Lopez would come in for a singles rubber, but that he was preparing his own team for any eventuality.
With both squads playing their cards so close to their chest, the tension looks set to build throughout the week.
>> full article
