Live Sim Thread

[SirBloody Idiot]

Drake/Korpinen *3-6 6-2 3-5 Davis/Mustard
Must break Mustard here, because you can't see Davis wilting on current form. Jojo gives the fourth seeds a look at 0-15, but almost shuts the gate as he and Davis move to 40-15 with some great teamwork. Their communication has been much better this set. Korpinen plays a clever lob to bring it back to 40-30, but Davis sets up a 5-3 lead by cracking a backhand volley past the outstretched arm of Drake.

Tension building now on Drake who has to serve to stay in the match.

Drake Korpinen 3-6 6-2 3-6 Davis/Mustard
He starts off well with a serve that Davis can't get back into play, but then allows them an avenue right into the game by stuffing up a backhand and sending it long. 15-15 quickly becomes 15-40 and sets up two championship points for Davis and Mustard! The first one is saved thanks to Korpinen at the net, but the second one sees an unforced error from Martti as he puts a volley straight into the tape and drops on their side to hand Davis and Mustard a second Grand Slam title!

1444: HEATH DAVIS AND JOJO MUSTARD AUSTRALIAN OPEN DOUBLES CHAMPIONS

1446: Big celebrations all round from the West CWLanders who have claimed back-to-back Grand Slam titles and now leap into the No. 2 spot in the world. Disappointing for Drake and Korpinen who fall just short of their first Grand Slam title, but no doubt they'll be back in the future.

1451: Chairman of Tennis Australia congratulates the two teams, and also the crowd who were on their best behaviour despite the disappointment of a large proportion. He says the Australian Open has a great imagine, and he doesn't want that shed by politics. He presents the chair umpire with a small token after his performance.

1452: The runners-up handed the runner-up trophy.

Korpinen on the loss: "Yes it is very disappointing, but we are confident we can come back and do better. Our best tennis was seen in the second set, but we could not carry it on."

Korpinen on the altercation with Davis: "It was in the heat of the moment. No hard feelings."

Drake on what it is like to lose a Grand Slam final: "You know it hurts. But we'll come back stronger and hopefully win Davis Cup match next week!"

Drake on the Davis Cup clash: "Five sets is completely different. I think we have more gas in the tank, and we now know more about these two".

1456: On a tight schedule here, but the champions are awarded their doubles trophy following a tremendous win.

Davis on the second win: "Obviously the last one was great because of where we won it, but every win is just as sweet. I think we're the number two team now, so that's great and makes every Grand Slam from now on easier."

Davis on calling Korpinen a prick: "Year Martti is right, it was in the heat of the moment. I disagreed with the chair umpire's decision, and Martti got involved as he had the right to."

Mustard on Davis Cup: "We're pretty confident going into that. We're 2-0 against these guys, and need to make it 3-0. The home crowd I think will also be a big benefit."

1500: So as the FR CWLanders celebrate a second Grand Slam title, that's where our coverage leaves us with just one match to play in the Season II Australian Open!

Congratulations to Davis and Mustard who are now the No. 2 doubles team in the world.

[Samuel_Vimes]

Go West.

Or something.

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Fantastic! Congrats to my doubles partner! We came through and won a 2nd slam the hard way. With two grand slams to our name, we've got designs on the #1 ranking too.

Personally, a fabulous match too, by the sounds of things.

[Johnners]

Dire

[Mister Wright]

Fantastic! Makes up for losing the 3rd round of the singles. Two Grand Slam doubles titles in a row is a fantastic achievement.

Lovin' the West!

[David]

Very disappoint.

[SirBloody Idiot]

24 April II - Torneo Godó - Z. Varga vs. Maxum

1140: Welcome to semi final day here at the Barcelona Open "BancSabadell" here in Barcelona on the CW Broadcasting Service. Today Jarkko Maxum of East CWLand meets Zoltán Varga before world number two Daniel Páez Blanco faces Miroslav Brdar in the second match of the day. Those live here in Barcelona were lucky enough to see the final of the Seniors Torneo Godó as Esteban López defeated Johan Källgren one and three in an entertaining rematch of the 1997 Roland Garros final.

1145: So, first meeting between Maxum and Varga today so we aren't really sure what to expect. Maxum has drifted outside the top fifty while Varga sneaks inside the top fifteen. He's not dropped a set this week with wins over Brookes, Patrick Pascaul and Villaneuva. Maxum hasn't really destroyed an opponent yet but has had a pretty tough run. He started with a straight sets win over Cortés the wildcard, then he upset Stewart, Vuriak and Genov. He starts as rank outsider again here with sportsbet offering $4.40 for the victory to $1.21 for a Varga win.

1154: Players out on court and about to beging warming up for a 12 o'clock start. Weather is fine after a bit of rain over night, but the court is nice and dry and perfect for tennis. This probably suits Varga a bit more because he likes the faster surfaces and has been dynamite on them this week.

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[SirBloody Idiot]

Varga 1-0* Maxum
Varga wins the toss and elects to serve first, and there's no mind games from Maxum as he stays at his end. Despite an early error on the backhand side, Varga finds himself up 40-15 and holds serve easily as a serve wide in the forehand court is only just returned by Maxum and he comes to the net to put away the volley.

* denotes next to serve

Varga *2-0 Maxum
Trouble immediately for Maxum here as he puts a forehand straight into the net to hand Varga two break points in his first return game! Maxum saves the first with an unreturned serve, but Varga is the first to pull the trigger at 30-40 after a long rally as a forehand down the line leaves Maxum in his dust. Immediate break for Varga as Maxum looked very defensive early.

Varga 3-0* Maxum
It is all looking too easy for the Hungarian here as he's getting a lot of good first serves in and isn't being threatened by Maxum. He moves to 40-0 and absolutely murders a backhand cross-court winner to hold serve to love.

From Rob Bowenburg's Twitter: "preparing for qualifying match in rome. keeping an ear out for my boy Jarkko in barcelona @JarkkoMaxum @FeelingNervous." Might be better to focus on your tennis, Rob. This isn't pretty.

Varga *3-1 Maxum
Much better from Maxum as he gets a stroke of luck from a net chord from Varga that balloons up in the air and allows him to put away a backhand winner from half court at 30-30. That could have been a lot worse had it only just dropped. He's taken to deuce, but a couple of good first serves allow him to control the rallies and he holds to get on the board.

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[morgieb]

Whoever the's Westie here gets my support. If both of them come from the East, then Maxum ftw.

[SirBloody Idiot]

Originally Posted by morgieb

Whoever the's Westie here gets my support. If both of them come from the East, then Maxum ftw.

Maxum the only CWLander here, I just felt this was a good match to give the sim treatment to.

Nice spirit, but I'll be damned if you Westies are gonna get the same in return.

[SirBloody Idiot]

Varga 3-2* Maxum
Drama! Varga cruising at 30-0 before Maxum levels at 30-30 courtesy of a couple of errors off the Hungarian racquet. Varga thinks he has a forehand winner to bring up game point, but turns out the mark shows it was a few inches wide to hand Maxum break point. Varga saves it with a gutsy drop shot which Maxum can't get to, but double faults to hand him another break point. This one Maxum is all over as he runs around a second serve and doesn't allow Varga to get the ball into play to get the break back!

Varga *3-3 Maxum
...and just like that he so nearly throws it away. He misses three first serves and Varga has no trouble putting some hurt on the second serves that come his way. He brings up three break points, but Maxum claws his way back to deuce. He's forced to save a fourth break point with a clutch serve down the centre of the court, and he escapes with an unbelievably important hold as Varga sends a forehand long. Big moment!

From Ernest, Garven Island, via text: "Interesting to note that the draw for the Rome Masters has just been completed and Maxum is in with a special exempt. His opponent? Zoltán Varga." That means these two will meet twice in about four days. Amazing.

From Gavink's Twitter: "Maxum looking good when he gets the first serve in. His %age is too low tho." Astute observation - he's serving in the fifties and is not winning enough points on his second serve.

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[HeathDavisSpeed]

Great work as always, mate.

[SirBloody Idiot]

Varga 3-4* Maxum
Oh my, this is a tremendous comeback! Varga has made an absolute meal of two regulation forehands to an open court, but I guess you can put that down to Maxum making him play that extra shot. Two break points for Maxum, but he needs just one as he catches the line with an ambitious forehand to complete a rally he dominates. Great stuff!

Varga *3-5 Maxum
The sixth seed is at a loss here as Maxum is really growing in confidence on serve. I'm certain you can put that down to the hold in the sixth game. He drops the first point, but strings together the last four to hold and go a game away from securing the first set.

From Suresh, in Nixonstown, via text: "This is great stuff from comrade Maxum! Go go go!"

Varga 3-6* Maxum
Massive game here that goes to four deuces with Maxum failing to convert either of his two set points. Varga looks to hold on, but yet another forehand error gives Maxum a look at a third set point. This time he takes a risk by attacking the first serve from Varga which is enough to draw an error from the Hungarian whose misfiring forehand again fails to find the mark to hand Jarkko the first set! Amazing set as Maxum comes from 0-3 down to string six games together as the Hungarian looks lost out there. He's playing very poorly, but you can't take much away from Maxum who has made the most of his luck and has come out of his shell after a slow start.

Originally Posted by HeathDavisSpeed

Great work as always, mate.

Cheers mang!

[SirBloody Idiot]

Varga *3-6 0-1 Maxum
Maxum with the advantage of serving first this set, and he takes full toll of that as he holds to love. You feel if he can get the jump on Varga here he's in a very good position because the Hungarian mentally can't afford to drop many more games.

Varga 3-6 1-1* Maxum
That's better from the sixth seed! Maxum doesn't get a play on his first two serves and an ace gives Varga 40-0. He doesn't land a fourth first serve, but he answers Maxum with a love game of his own as he outworks Maxum with the backhand slice. Quality serving from the Hungarian, there.

Varga *3-6 1-2 Maxum
Bit of a struggle for the East CWLander on serve as he gives Varga his first break point of the set, but he's very good staring down the barrel as he draws back to deuce with a great body serve. He holds with his first game point to keep his nose ahead in this second set.

Varga 3-6 2-2* Maxum
Varga is now looking more comfortable here and is getting his serving rhythm back. He drops just one point in this game from 40-0 up and brings his second set ace count up to three as he goes wide to level the set at 2-2.

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[Samuel_Vimes]

I assume this is 'live' as North Korean TV practise it.

Only shown because the East know their player has already won.