[Andiyan]

Shit. I really thought she could win this.

[Shvedbarilescu]

Originally Posted by kittyking

Remember what happenned last time they played together

...they won the title, easily

Yes. I would like to see Monica find a regular partner for doubles this year. She did great with scratch pairings last year but I think having a regular team would be so much better. I can think of three players I would be really happy to see Monica team with regularly, Yari, Sorana and of course Marina. Any of those three would suit me fine (please not Kleybanova ) and I think Monica could make a great team with all three.

So yeah, I really hope team M/M does well this week and that they continue to work together in the future. The fact they are such good friends is a great bonus too.

Originally Posted by Dorien.

(7) Alona Bondarenko (UKR) d. Monica Niculescu (ROU) 64 26 62

But again in 3 sets so hopefully it means she is playing well

Yeah, I think she is playing really well but she needs to keep it going all the way to the end. So close and yet so far. I'm sure Monica will be winning matches like this comfortably before 2009 is over but it is fustrating. At least there is no doubt Monica is trying her very hardest and that is the main thing.

[kittyking]

Originally Posted by ChrisCHorse

Yes. I would like to see Monica find a regular partner for doubles this year. She did great with scratch pairings last year but I think having a regular team would be so much better. I can think of three players I would be really happy to see Monica team with regularly, Yari, Sorana and of course Marina. Any of those three would suit me fine (please not Kleybanova ) and I think Monica could make a great team with all three.

So yeah, I really hope team M/M does well this week and that they continue to work together in the future. The fact they are such good friends is a great bonus too.

The fact that Marina and Monica grew up on the juniors scene together, playing with each other so many times in so many different level tournaments surely gives them an advantage over other doubles teams. They know each others games inside out, and yes being friends just ads to their advantage.

...well yea it also helps that both are stunning at the net, Marina has a great serve and that Monica can do perfect drop shots from 5 metres behind the baseline

[Dorien.]

Borwell/Nagle (GBR/USA) d. (2) Erakovic/Niculescu (NZL/ROU) 26 62 108

[Shvedbarilescu]

Originally Posted by kittyking

The fact that Marina and Monica grew up on the juniors scene together, playing with each other so many times in so many different level tournaments surely gives them an advantage over other doubles teams. They know each others games inside out, and yes being friends just ads to their advantage.

...well yea it also helps that both are stunning at the net, Marina has a great serve and that Monica can do perfect drop shots from 5 metres behind the baseline

Yeah. I don't get how they lost today though. Should have been a pretty easy match and they totally blew it.

Monica's singles losses this year I can understand, both were tough opponents and Monica was competitive in both matches. But this was very disappointing. They can surely do better.

[Shvedbarilescu]

Originally Posted by Dorien.

Borwell/Nagle (GBR/USA) d. (2) Erakovic/Niculescu (NZL/ROU) 26 62 108

Yeah. Total bummer.

[Dave.]

Very disappointing loss in the doubles. They are better than that. Sarah & Courtney had some good results last year with each other but this should have been a routine win.

Originally Posted by kittyking

...well yea it also helps that both are stunning at the net, Marina has a great serve and that Monica can do perfect drop shots from 5 metres behind the baseline

[Shvedbarilescu]

I was just looking at the Hobart website and I came across this little bit about the match between Monica and Alona.
http://www.hobartinternational.com.a...s-out-schnyder

No.7 seed Alona Bondarenko (UKR) survived a second set scare against Romania’s Monica Niculescu to make it through to the second round.

After starting strongly, the world No.30 lost her concentration in the second set allowing Niculescu back into the game. In the final set Bondarenko regained her composure breaking Niculescu’s serve and taking the match, 6-4 2-6 6-2.

“Yeah it was tough match, her game is really difficult. I’m just happy to win,” Bondarenko said after the match.

“In second set I lost my serve and started to be nervous a little bit … she played better, and then in the final set, I started better (than her).

“She is good player … I think it’s not her best yet,” Bondarenko said.

Very nice words from Alona. It is good to see that the players respect Monica's game even if not all the posters on the tennisforum do. I particular like her words "I think it's not her best yet" which I think means that she believes Monica is still improving and her best tennis is still to come which I think is an opinion all of us in this thread share.

[Keadz]

AUSTRALIAN OPEN: First round
Monica Niculescu vs Qualifier

Hopefully Monica can get her first main draw win of the year. Pretty good opportunity to get to the third round as well. If she gets through her first round she will most likely play Maria Kirilenko who has been really sick of late and got absolutely destroyed in Sydney. If not Maria, then she will play Sara Errani who has been in surprisingly good form.

Nadia Petrova RUS (10)
v
Yaroslava Shvedova KAZ
Sania Mirza IND
v
Marta Domachowska POL

Karin Knapp ITA
v
Monika Wejnert AUS
Galina Voskoboeva KAZ
v
Agnes Szavay HUN (23)

Maria Kirilenko RUS (27)
v
Sara Errani ITA
Monica Niculescu ROU
v
Qualifier

Maria Elena Camerin ITA
v
Edina Gallovits ROU
Magdalena Rybarikova SVK
v
Vera Zvonareva RUS (7)

[Dave.]

Thanks for posting the draw

I just hope she wins the 1R for now. I think Errani will come through for the 2R, which is a winnable match for Monica if she is solid enough herself to live on the baseline and break her up. Errani took a set off Davenport last year and made the semis of Brisbane so she obviously likes the surface. I'd rather Monica play Kirilenko, who she has already beaten in the last year, and as you mentioned Keadz, is not that well.

[Dorien.]

Good luck in the first round Monica

[Andiyan]

Errani in 2R should be tough. But she should win R1, none of the qualifiers are like, shockingly dangerous or sth

[Keadz]

She is playing Katie O'Brien. Pretty good draw.

[Dorien.]

Hopefully she can do it

[Shvedbarilescu]

Yeah, like everyone else I am pretty happy with Monica's 1st round, Katie O'Brien and she should win that. As for the 2nd round well, again like everyone else I would prefer Monica player Kirilenko but I expect it will be Errani and Errani has a game which could be tough for Monica. That said it is still winnable. Overall can't complain. Bring it on.