A Brief Update

(@inestenis)

After the Isner match and the two incidents (and the headlines those made in the press) things have been very quiet on the David-front for a couple of days. And while so far there's no news about the ITF fine and the appeal I can at least tell you that by now, David is back home and that he has taken up practicing on clay at the Ines Gorrochategui Acedemy in Villa Allende. In this case (the photo is apparently from today) with junior player Federico Nani.
Edit: A very brief clip of that training session you can watch here.

In other words, the preparations for the Davis Cup first-round tie against Germany have begun.

The Water-Throwing Incident, The Auspicious Lack of Other News, David's Knee and an Interview

(EPA)

We all wanted David to make headlines at the Australian Open. But this is not necessarily what we had in mind. After the challenge incident during the match there is now also the "water-throwing incident" that took place afterwards.
And the $8000 fine David got from the ITF, a decision he intends to appeal. But what happened?

After the Isner match and the press conference, David had to undergo a routine doping test. That's as far as the undisputed facts go. Of what followed there are two slightly different versions. One on the Facebook and another one on the Twitter of David's official site (where the news agencies and sites seem to have taken their info from). According to which David's side of it is that either before or at some point during the doping control he was washing his hands when either an "ATP official" (should be ITF) or the "physician in charge" suddenly and inexplicably accused David of having thrown water at or poured water over him. An allegation that he "categorically" and "emphatically" denies, calling the fine "absolutely unfair" and adding that "by imposing this fine the ITF would be committing two acts of injustice, one on court and the other off of it, within one hour". As mentioned above David is ging to appeal the ITF's decision.

Still, with all this drama going on it's easy to overlook what's positive. - The complete lack of any news from the injury/physical problems department, in spite of the long and gruelling match against Isner. According to Fue Buena, for the first time after three years and despite the problems with his knee (which I'll get to in a second), David was able to do a proper pre-season training. Allowing him to begin this new season much better prepared physically than in previous years. And the first signs of it could be seen during the Isner match.

As for David's knee troubles, those have by now been identified as the Osgood-Schlatter syndrome (also according to Fue Buena). An irritation of the patellar tendon that typically afflicts male teenagers but can continue into adulthood. And if you look at the example photo on the Wikipedia entry for it, then that's exactly what David's knee looks like. The good news: It's nothing serious, the condition is manageable.

(Topper)

Last but not least, here's the interview (published at the beginning of this week by La Nacion) I didn't have the opportunity to post yet. It starts with David's answer to the question how and where he spent the holidays:

I was at home during the holidays, I was in Córdoba. We travel too much during the year for me to go somewhere during the off-season. Quiet, at home, I didn't go anywhere. I have everything I need there. I enjoy getting to spend time with my girlfriend, with my friends. I stay at home.

In this particular case, New Year's Day also meant celebrating his 30th birthday. In tennis terms, he's officially an "old man" now...

David: Turning 30 is fine, just another year, nothing special, nothing unusual. I'm looking forward to facing this season. I know these are the last years I have left [on the Tour]. I'll try to make the most out of them and enjoy it.

Q: Is it difficult to enjoy yourself while you're still on the Tour?

David: This kind of career goes by very quickly. It's a maelstrom without any pauses, day after a day you live it to the max. Is this the eleventh year I'm on the Tour? [It's the twelfth.] And then, when you look back at it you see that many years went by and many things happened. Great moments to remember and enjoy.

Q: And you don't really get to realise that?

David: Most of the time, everything happens fast. You don't have time to enjoy it, to stop and think. During those last couple of years you have to be more relaxed. So I want to enjoy myself.

Q: Do you think about getting married and having children?

David: I don't think about that. I'm relaxed, we're doing fine and I still think that the life of a tennis player is very tough. You're never at home, it's complicated. But I still think like a tennis player. The idea of starting a family is there in my head, to finally slow down, calm down a little after this life that is madness. But it's the game we play.

Q: And when you'll leave, are you going to miss this world?

David: It depends, doesn't it. Maybe I'll find things in life to replace them with. Those are different stages. I'm still going to make the most of those last years as a tennis player and then I'll see about the next couple of years. Enjoying other things.

Q: Two more years?

David: I don't know, depends. The most important thing is to have continuity, without injuries. If I don't get injured and I feel good then I'm going to play for as long as possible, without setting a limit, a date.

Q: If the season ended today, what would you want to have achieved the most?

David: To finish it healthy because the rest will take care of itself. With continuity the rest will take care of itself.

Right now, it looks like there's a chance of more continuity this season.
And that's the good news from the Australian Open.

The Challenge Incident

It was a great match, despite the "wrong" ending. But in the end, it won't be remembered for its many great rallies or for how well David played for the most part of it. It'll be remembered for that one incident, that moment at 8-8 in the fifth set when a serve from John Isner was correctly called out (as proved later on video), chair umpire Kader Nouni overruled the call and then refused David a chance to challenge his incorrect overrule on the grounds that the challenge had come too late.

Q.  What do you make of the umpire's decision in that 8All point? 

DAVID NALBANDIAN:  I asked for HawkEye and he make an overrule.  Because the lineman call out.  He overrule it.  Was a lot of noises, so I asked what happened, because the lineman called out. He told me he overruled it. And I say, Okay, I see the mark. I say challenge. Not a big deal. He don't want to do it.

That decision stood and could also not be overturned by supervisor Andreas Egli, although David said that he didn't hear the overrule because of the general level of noise from the crowd.

Q.  And a lot of crowd noise, as well.

DAVID NALBANDIAN:  I mean, what the umpires need, press? Name? Be on the picture tomorrow? Incredible.  

Anyway, I didn't lose for that, but that's was very bad situation. Was amazing.

The complete transcript of David's post-match press conference you can read here.

And Krystle's report of the match you'll find here.

By now, I've uploaded the many photos from the match. You'll find them on the Photo Page.

Australian Open R2 - David loses to Isner

(Mark Radswell/Getty Images)

UpdateII
He was the better player in this match and he won more points in total. But in the end, it was Isner's serve that made the difference. After four hours and 41 minutes (and 43 aces, most of which came in the last two sets), John Isner prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(5), 10-8.

So again, the Australian Open end for David in the second round. What can be taken from this match is that he played some great tennis. And that he was (hopefully) able to finish the match without physical problems.
Next up for David is now the Davis Cup first-round tie against Germany (February 10-12).

That's it from me for the moment. Photos as soon as I've set up my new computer...

(Getty Images; montage by VD)

Update
3.23pm local - David's match is now next up on Margaret Court Arena.

David likes to play late. And David also likes to play against opponents who give him a certain rhythm. On Monday, with his first-round match against Nieminen, he got both. This time, he'll get to play on the same court again but in the afternoon, in the heat. And rhythm surely isn't what he's going to get from his opponent, 16th seed John Isner.

It's the third time they meet and David won both of their previous encounters - though in very different ways. At Cincy 2010, he had a lot of problems with Isner's serve but then profited from the American's early retirement. At Auckland last year, however, David was able to handle the serve and could outplay him during the rallies.
Isner has played two matches this year. One at Sydey last week, where he lost to Bobby Reynolds in the second round (after a bye in the first). And the other one in the first round at Melbourne Park where he beat Australian wildcard Benjamin Mitchell (#222) in straights.

In this match, a lot is going to depend on the serve. On how well David will be able to return and force Isner into longer rallies, but also on David's ability to hold his own serve. Especially in the important moments. He will try to entangle Isner in as many rallies as possible, he'll try to move him around. And during the rallies he'll always have a good chance. Still, a lot will depend on the serve...

Note: Due to computer problems there will be no recording and no report of this match. Also because Krystle, who would otherwise cover for me, is in Melbourne at the moment. She'll watch and probably report this match, so I recommend taking a look at her blog.

AO R1: Half a Good Start

(Highlights by Noubar, thanks.)

The contrast could've hardly been any bigger: Last year, David's first-round match against Lleyton Hewitt took almost five hours. This time, it took little more than just one. David was leading 6-4 and 4-2 in the second set when Jarkko Nieminen had to retire with an abdominal strain. So after a total of only 16 games played, David advanced to the second round where he'll face 16th seed John Isner on Wednesday. It's going to be their third meeting with David having won the previous two.

Often enough, or rather - far too often, going into a match there's a question mark concerning David's fitness. In this case, however, the question was how fit Nieminen would be after having played a lot of tennis last week (from qualies to winning the title at Sydney only yesterday plus also reaching the doubles final). At the beginning of the match he seemed to be handling the situation well and it looked like this would be an interesting match. And it was - but only for one set.

(Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images)

As mentioned before, matches between these two usually involve many long and hard-fought rallies,
with Nieminen's defense forcing David to set up and execute his attacks well - otherwise they might get countered or he might end up getting passed at the net. This happened a couple of times during the first set, with David looking a bit rusty initially and lacking match practice in what was his first match of the season. But he soon found his rhythm and was able to play aggressively and with more depth and great angles, and without making too many unforced errors. At 3-3 David had his first break point and managed to convert it promptly before eventually serving out the first set to love.

At the start of the second set David broke serve
again and now looked to be in control of proceedings. But it turned out to be only the first in a series of altogether five breaks in a row. And while Nieminen was now visibly struggling on serve, due to his injury (he called the trainer after the third game), David also managed to lose his serve twice, after not facing a single break point in the first set. Up 3-2, after saving another break point and with a bit of luck, David finally held serve again. Before at break point for David in the following game, Jarkko Nieminen walked up to the net to shake hands and retire from the match.

All in all a good start, despite those two bad service games in the second set. David seemed to be moving well (I've learned to be careful with writing things like that...) and he played a pretty clean match, with 18 winners, 19 unforced errors and no double faults. What's also important is of course that he didn't have to spend too much energy during those one and a half sets. Still, on Wednesday losing his serve like that will be much more costly...
P.S. Krystle was there at the match. Her report you'll find here.
Edit: And what I almost forgot - the post-Auckland rankings came out today. David has dropped down 23 positions and is now ranked #87.

(John Donegan/AP Photo)

Australian Open R1 - David vs Jarkko Nieminen

(Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images)

UpdateII
It's the result we were hoping for but this is certainly not the way it should've happened: At 6-4, 4-2 for David, Jarkko Nieminen was forced to retire with an abdominal strain after visibly struggling on serve and having called the trainer early on in the second set. A very unfortunate ending for what was a nice match in the first set.
In the second round on Wednesday David will now face 16th seed John Isner.

Edit: Recording and photos available now.
More soon...

(Getty Images; montage by VD)

Update
7.47pm local - David's match is up next on Margaret Court Arena.
6.40pm local - One more (WTA) match to go.
It's all taking a little longer at Margaret Court Arena today so the match will be delayed.

Today the 2012 season finally starts for David. But while for him this is going to be the first official match of the year, for his opponent Jarkko Nieminen it's already number eight - and that's only counting his singles matches. Having begun the season at Brisbane, Nieminen comes to Melbourne, fresh from having won the title at Sydney yesterday. But how fresh, really - that's going to be the question.

Apropos Sydney final - that was where David and Nieminen last met, back in 2009. The latest chapter so far in the long history that these two have together, having known each other since junior days. Out of their altogether eleven matches on the Tour, David won seven (and four out of the last five), including both of the two finals they were in together, Sydney 2009 and Estoril 2002, David's first ATP title.

But even though in recent years, David has done quite well against Nieminen, matches between these two tend to be tight affairs, with lots of long and hard-fought rallies. Watching this clip by Krystle (of the dramatic second-set tiebreak at Sydney 2009) will give you a good idea of what those rallies look like. And though Nieminen may not have a huge weapon and David usually deals with his lefty serve pretty well, the Finn's defense and smart way of placing of the ball, as well as his fighting spirit can mean trouble for David. Apart from that, Nieminen will be confident after having just won a title. But perhaps also a little tired.

Schedule of Play Update

(Reuters)

The schedule of play for Monday is out, with David as part of the line-up for the first day of the Australian Open. But although I was expecting his match against Jarkko Nieminen to take place on one of the show courts, I wasn't necessarily expecting this: David gets to play his first match at Margaret Court Arena (pictured above), the third biggest court at Melbourne Park. In the night session, at 7pm local (8am GMT/3am EST/5am Argentina).
So a show court with coverage for us, a late start (as in playing in the evening) for David, which he will like, and an early start (as in playing on the first day) for Nieminen after Sydney. A nice schedule, indeed.