Well, have been following a really tight match between Grosjean and Nalbandian..

Seba took the first set 7-5..

And then Nalbandian had to fight off umpteen break points in the first game of the second set, before holding and then going on to break Seba.. then Seba broke back immediately, and then in game 10 forced a series of break points, one of which he took!! :o

So, second set, 6-4 to Seba!!!

So.. will Nalbandian now do one of his famous comebacks... or is a shock on the cards??

Well, Nalby broke Seba in the first game of the third set, only for Seba to break back! :o

Seems like a fascinating struggle.. very tight match..

Nalby breaks Seba once again, only for Seba to break back immediately once again!! :lol:


S'pose it isn't so surprising when both are good returners of serve, and neither are particularly strong servers.. ;)

Still that's 5 breaks of serve in a row now..

It's getting rather late! :yikes:

Anyway, it's 4-4 in the third set with Seba serving.. I think i'll hang on to see how this set pans out before turning in for the evening :)

Anyway.. Seba holds to 30.. Nalby has to hold serve to stay in the match..

0-30 :yikes:

0-40 :yikes: :yikes:

Nalby really is pushing it if he's liking his Houdini routines. :rolleyes:

30-40!! 2 mps saved!! :o

Deuce! And that on a powderpuff second serve!

Nalby holds! 5-5..

Talk about living on the edge.. :blink:

Seba saves a break point to finally hold 6-5..

And Nalby holds to 15, to force a tie break..

Crunch time! (and a bit past my bed time..)

mini break to Seba.. 2-1 to him..

Third set goes to a tie-break.

Grosjean's last match was an epic 5 setter with Rochus whereas Nalby dismissed Lapentti in straights, so if the Argentine can win this, you've got to make him favourite, especially given his natural advantage in coping with the heat.

Nalby wins both of Seba's service points to lead 3-2!

4-2 now..

mini-break from Seba.. back on serve.. nalby 4-3 seba

mini break from Nalby.. leads 5-3

5-4.. Nalby to serve..

6-4..

And . . .

Nalbandian takes the 3rd set on a tie break

I guess that this match might be on for a little while yet! Will sign off.. :)

Nalbandian's been coming into the net on the key points, interestingly, and volleying impressively.

Grosjean doesn't look too tired yet but he must be feeling it after his last match, especially in this heat. He might still be 2 sets to 1 up but I fancy Nalby to pull this off now.

I see Nadal had a good start to his match, breaking Wawrinka in the first game.

Well, Mr Houdini did it.. again!!

Nalbandian rallies in five, again
by Angus Morgan
Saturday, 20 January, 2007

For the sixth time in his career, and second this week, David Nalbandian has come from two sets down to win in five, saving three match points along the way, against No.28 seed Sebastian Grosjean of France on Day Six at Australian Open 2007.

The eighth-seeded Argentine's super 5-7 4-6 7-6(4) 6-4 6-1 effort overshadowed an easy win for Rafael Nadal as the highlight of a rain-interrupted Saturday program with no play at all possible during the afternoon save for matches undercover at Rod Laver Arena and Vodafone Arena.

Nalbandian's match was always a good chance to run to five sets, even after the resourceful Grosjean, in his customary all-white garb with cap turned backwards, had prodded, slapped and scuffed his way to a two-set lead.

There was a blue collar element to Nalbandian's inevitable fightback as the 25-year-old worked hard to claim key points, including three match points in the 12th game, before taking the third set in a tiebreak with a cry of 'Vamos!' and the fourth by breaking Grosjean in the 10th game.

Nalbandian artfully mustered an early break in the final set and nursed his advantage through to the finish against Grosjean to book himself a fourth-round clash with a German - Tommy Haas or Florian Mayer - the winner of that clash still to be decided.

Afterwards a delighted Nalbandian conceded that he benefited from the right breaks at the right time.

"Sometimes I'm lucky and sometimes I play good, but today I was lucky," Nalbandian said.

"When you are three match points down anything can happen - you miss one and he plays a good point, that's it, it's simple."

"I prefer to win two-sets-to-love than to lose two-sets-to-love. It is difficult to come back and not always you can do that."

"I don't know what (my opponents) think at that moment, but I feel that I can play for five sets like today."