The real Tennis thread.

[Red Rick]

So Zverev wins the WTF.

Fed was bad all tournament, Djokovic just had the massive shocker of a performance in the final. Don't really know what's up with that one.

 

[Red Rick]

Now the Australian Open moves to 5th set super tiebreaks at 6-6.

Why are so many great sports events organised by people that seemingly hate the sport

 

[Robert5091]

Re:

Now the Australian Open moves to 5th set super tiebreaks at 6-6.

Why are so many great sports events organised by people that seemingly hate the sport

I think it's called money & TV-time. :sad:

 

[BullsFan22]

I know it's been some time, but Croatia won the last, official Davis Cup. They deserved it more. Cilic has been choking left, right and center for the last couple seasons. Good to see him break through to get his first DC title. He gave it away in the 2016 when he lost a 2-0 lead to Del Potro. I know the French squad was rather mediocre, but you can only beat the people at the other side of the net. Coric will be tough for years to come. Don't know how many, if any, grand slams he could win, but he's capable of being a contender.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Now the Australian Open moves to 5th set super tiebreaks at 6-6.

Why are so many great sports events organised by people that seemingly hate the sport

I think it's called money & TV-time. :sad:

Sports TV in the 21st century

More time for TdF flat stages

Less time for Grand Slam 5th sets.

My sports heart is bleeding.

 

[The Chicken]

Wow, just read right here on CN that Federer "plans to retire in 2019". Must admit I wasn't expecting to find this world exclusive on a cycling website.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-jumbo-add-visma-as-title-sponsor-news-shorts/

 

[SHAD0W93]

It was coming time for him to retire. He and Nadal are the only tennis players I watch play. He is a pretty big name so it isn't to suprising plus he was beat by a mountain biker for the Swiss Award.

 

[Nirvana]

Re:

Wow, just read right here on CN that Federer "plans to retire in 2019". Must admit I wasn't expecting to find this world exclusive on a cycling website.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-jumbo-add-visma-as-title-sponsor-news-shorts/

I think it's a mistake, he'll play for sure at least until Olympics (he needs to fill the void in his palmares) but since he's one that he plays because he likes playing I can see continuing even into his fourties, recently in London he also said that he enjoys tennis even if he doesn't win.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Wow, just read right here on CN that Federer "plans to retire in 2019". Must admit I wasn't expecting to find this world exclusive on a cycling website.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-jumbo-add-visma-as-title-sponsor-news-shorts/

I think it's a mistake, he'll play for sure at least until Olympics (he needs to fill the void in his palmares) but since he's one that he plays because he likes playing I can see continuing even into his fourties, recently in London he also said that he enjoys tennis even if he doesn't win.

Yeah that's just randomly made up.

That said, Fed can retire whenever he wants

But there's no real need to hang around for the 2020 Olympics cause he's his chances then are gonna be about the same as the chance of Contador coming back and winning the Tour in 2020

 

[Red Rick]

It's official.

Australian Open to have a super tiebreak at 6-6 in deciding sets

 

[Red Rick]

Season has finally started.

All the news I hear about Murray's condition is awful. Apparently he's still in pain and according to interviews with his surgeon, that'll never go away. I am not hopeful for a succesful return

 

[movingtarget]

Murray goes out in the second round of the Brisbane Open and seemed a bit emotional when his future was mentioned. Nadal pulled out of the tournament beforehand and once again the Australian Open is looking dodgy for both. Probably be Federer's final Australian Open you would think. The top of the men's draw looks to be changing sooner rather than later with the big four's longevity in doubt at least in being able to stay fit to compete at the top level across the four major titles, three for Federer.

 

[Nirvana]

I think it's early to see a new face in a slam, Federer lately gives his best at the beginning of the season before fading away and Nadal will be at his best for the clay as always for him, even last year he was injured or sidelined everytime on the hard (with the exception of Toronto) but on the clay he won almost everything, he's just too strong.

Anyway i have some doubts about Djokovic level because despite winning a lot in the second half of the season looked way weaker than before and his ability to up the level in semifinals/finals against stronger oppenents seems vanished and instead tends to fade at the end of the tournaments.

Maybe someone could pull a surprise at Wimbledon where it's always a bit more unpredictable on the grass but in that case could be a not so young like Anderson rather than a next gen.

 

[Red Rick]

Murray to retire after Wimbledon. If he makes it that far.

 

[movingtarget]

Andy Murray struggling

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jan/11/tearful-andy-murray-to-retire-after-2019-wimbledon-australian-open

 

[del1962]

Re:

Murray to retire after Wimbledon. If he makes it that far.

From the way he is talking I am not sure he will make the start of the Australian Open, he has seemingly constant pain in his hip.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Always very sad when someone who is at the top of their profession (or was at the top) has to call it a day as their body is giving up. It sounds like he’s not even sure he will reach Wimbledon due to the constant pain with the hip.

 

[Nirvana]

Murray has destroyed his body to grab the number 1 when he felt there was a window of opportunity with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic all sidelined/injured at the same time in the second half of 2016.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Murray has destroyed his body to grab the number 1 when he felt there was a window of opportunity with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic all sidelined/injured at the same time in the second half of 2016.

He's had pain in that hip for years, but it was always managable and it always recovered between matches.

That ended with the RG semi of 2017. That 5 set match with Wawrinka destroyed 2 of the 5 best players of their time.

 

[Nirvana]

Re: Re:

Murray has destroyed his body to grab the number 1 when he felt there was a window of opportunity with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic all sidelined/injured at the same time in the second half of 2016.

He's had pain in that hip for years, but it was always managable and it always recovered between matches.

That ended with the RG semi of 2017. That 5 set match with Wawrinka destroyed 2 of the 5 best players of their time.

Maybe the pain started to become too much after that match but at the beginning of 2017 he was already done, the Roland Garros was the only big tournament in which he did well, before that he lost at 4R at AO, 2R at Indian Wells Master, 3R at Monte Carlo Master, 2R at Rome Master and 3R at Madrid Master. He pushed himself too much beyond his limit in the previous fall and probably his can't support that level like others, already back in 2013 after a great run with Olympic Gold, US Open, AO final and Miami Master he had to stop due to back pain and then after winning Wimbledon he was forced to have a surgery on his back.

Wawrinka is a different case and I think he could return to his level, I've seen a match of him last week and he's already at a decent level with some flashes of an higher one, maybe he could be a dark horse already in the Australian Open with a good draw in the first rounds.

 

[movingtarget]

Player revolt on the way ?

https://au.sports.yahoo.com/novak-djokovic-centre-australian-open-player-revolt-064811103.html

 

[Red Rick]

Murray out in 5. He battled all the way to the end.

I couldn't ask for anything more

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Murray out in 5. He battled all the way to the end.

I couldn't ask for anything more

Nice reaction from the crowd.........

 

[Nirvana]

I've seen Nadal yesterday, not bad considering what was said about his fitness in recent weeks and especially after forfeiting Brisbane but on hard everytime can happen something to him.

 

[Red Rick]

Not much happened yet honestly. Big 3 keep winning easily, and they'll probably all semi. I don't expect any young player to put them in trouble.

Was nice to see Nadal demolish De Minaur. Would be nice if Fed did the same with Tsitsipas cause I have a hard time believing how overrated he gets.

Also, Khachanov, #11 in the world and winner of the last M1000 last year, out in straights vs Bautista Agut, the dude who was pushed to 5 by Murray who was running on approximately 1.2 legs. Latest rumors are that Murray is opting for surgery now, then rehab and who knows if we ever see him back. Bob Bryan, who had the same surgery, seems to think he can do it.