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- Mar 13, 2009
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The major tennis tournaments have a "keep up with the Joneses" mentality, they each feel they have to get bigger and more luxurious in order to keep up with each other. Not much different than most other professional sports. I am not a big fan of bigger is better.
It's the French Tennis Federation that "pays", I assume that taxes finance a significant part. It would be difficult to know though as the federations are notoriously corrupt and opaque.tobydawq said:
The major tennis tournaments have a "keep up with the Joneses" mentality, they each feel they have to get bigger and more luxurious in order to keep up with each other. Not much different than most other professional sports. I am not a big fan of bigger is better.
- Nov 16, 2013
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Apparently, a work in progress:
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2019/05/french-opening-roland-garros-far-reaching-renovations/81566/
Red Rick said:
Apparently, a work in progress:
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2019/05/french-opening-roland-garros-far-reaching-renovations/81566/
- Feb 20, 2012
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Basically the Australian Open is the favorite Slam of every player cause they work so hard to keep improving it every single year. I'm sure Wimbledon has the sentimental value down, but RG has been lagging behind tremendously as did the USO before Arthur Ashe got the roof.
Also, even if you don't have a roof, at least do night sessions on the stadium courts. Basically every single tournament has them, except for Wimbledon and Roland Garros, and Wimbledon will still close the roof in order to finish matches.
Hardly.frenchfry said:
Basically the Australian Open is the favorite Slam of every player cause they work so hard to keep improving it every single year. I'm sure Wimbledon has the sentimental value down, but RG has been lagging behind tremendously as did the USO before Arthur Ashe got the roof.
Also, even if you don't have a roof, at least do night sessions on the stadium courts. Basically every single tournament has them, except for Wimbledon and Roland Garros, and Wimbledon will still close the roof in order to finish matches.
- Jul 28, 2015
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The old man continues to surprise on the hated clay and another walk in the park for Nadal but i was unable to watch the matches because i though the QF were all yesterday 
I wonder what the adepts are thinking after saying like bots for years that clay was like kryptonite for him.
I wonder what the adepts are thinking after saying like bots for years that clay was like kryptonite for him.
- Feb 20, 2012
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Clay is still Fed's worst surface. He played like 4 dudes who were never in doubt matches, IIRC Mayer was even injured and not certain to play, and Wawrinka is and has always been Federers complete ***, not to mention the entire 'Stanimal is back' thing being totally overblown.
- Nov 16, 2013
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If I knew how to, I would put your profile picture as the response to this.
Even if you are somewhat right, I think you're undervaluing Wawrinka and the fact that Federer actually got through to the semifinals. And through to the quarterfinals without breaking a sweat.
And for half an hour between the middle of the second and third sets, there definitely was doubt as to who would win between Federer and Wawrinka. It was definitely not as one-sided an affair as you say.
But yes, he will lose tomorrow, no doubt.
Red Rick said:
If I knew how to, I would put your profile picture as the response to this.
Even if you are somewhat right, I think you're undervaluing Wawrinka and the fact that Federer actually got through to the semifinals. And through to the quarterfinals without breaking a sweat.
And for half an hour between the middle of the second and third sets, there definitely was doubt as to who would win between Federer and Wawrinka. It was definitely not as one-sided an affair as you say.
But yes, he will lose tomorrow, no doubt.
- Feb 20, 2012
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Yup. Tennis has come such a long way.
Don't get me wrong. Federer is playing about as well as you can expect from a 37 year old playing his first RG in 4 years, but the field is just in absolute shambles right now.
And the hole Stanimal idea is the funniest cause I'm pretty sure he has 0 wins over Nadal or Federer if the latter played well.
Don't get me wrong. Federer is playing about as well as you can expect from a 37 year old playing his first RG in 4 years, but the field is just in absolute shambles right now.
And the hole Stanimal idea is the funniest cause I'm pretty sure he has 0 wins over Nadal or Federer if the latter played well.
- Nov 16, 2013
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He did win an Australian Open final over Nadal (who, admittedly, was quite injured but stood through the match), and has won three slams in total - and those were definitely not gifted to him.
Also, I think that Nadal, Djokovic and Federer are the three best players to ever have played the game, and that is probably the real reason why the new generation seems so underwhelming.
Red Rick said:
He did win an Australian Open final over Nadal (who, admittedly, was quite injured but stood through the match), and has won three slams in total - and those were definitely not gifted to him.
Also, I think that Nadal, Djokovic and Federer are the three best players to ever have played the game, and that is probably the real reason why the new generation seems so underwhelming.
- Feb 20, 2012
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There's just been no frame of reference for non ATG Slam champions anymore. I think Thiem probably comes closest to the old Roland Garros champions who wouldn't win Slams on HC or grass.
It's a bit of both. And it's probably still better than the Nishikori/Raonic/Dimitrov/Goffin generation.tobydawq said:
There's just been no frame of reference for non ATG Slam champions anymore. I think Thiem probably comes closest to the old Roland Garros champions who wouldn't win Slams on HC or grass.
- Jun 22, 2010
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I agree with you Red Rick. It's a bit of both. We can't, of course, dismiss the accolades of the big three, but the contenders (pretenders) are just not really up to the challenge. Murray and later Wawrinka were able to get the confidence and got on a roll and did well to get three slams each, likewise Cilic (he chokes way too often, IMO) and Del Potro (too many injuries, sadly) for a slam each, but that's it. Nobody since Marat Safin in Australia in 2005 has had a title. That's almost 15 years of only 5 players winning slams, and more specifically, 3 players dominating. The old guard (Fed's peers) were either dealing with too many injuries or were not mentally tough enough. The current crop, just aren't good enough. Federer is almost 38, Nadal just turned 33, Djokovic is 32...they shouldn't be making minced meat out of the field. I just don't think Tsipipas, Zverev, etc are as great as the media wants to believe. IMO, guys like Safin (2 slams, world 1 ranking at 20) Nalbandian, Haas, Coria, Tsonga, Berdych, Gaudio, Philippoussis, Davydenko...are more talented than these youngsters, they had more shotmaking ability, but many of them had injuries and also didn't take things too seriously. The 25 and under crowd these days seems to be taking things seriously, they are facing the old guard that are up to 17 years (Fed vs Tsip) in difference, fresh legs, and still can't beat them. Yes, Tsip beat Fed in Australia, but Fed beat himself there. Now Tsip loses to Wawrinka who is still coming back from an injury layoff and who's played...well...rather mediocre since returning...
- Aug 6, 2010
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Rather unfair for the women, but probably understandable.
It's a time and money thing. The women's match (if they played one of those semi's before the men's) could go three plus hours, which would push the 12:50 start back a long way. Also, I assume that some fans have tickets for the centre court, and then tickets for the outside courts. Might not be worth their while watching only one match if the other three were played on centre court.
There has been a bit of an uproar in Australia about none of Barty's matches being shown (we have the tournament on free to air, but only centre court coverage); so I am guessing it is the same again for her semi-final, which is rather ridiculous.
Red Rick said:
Rather unfair for the women, but probably understandable.
It's a time and money thing. The women's match (if they played one of those semi's before the men's) could go three plus hours, which would push the 12:50 start back a long way. Also, I assume that some fans have tickets for the centre court, and then tickets for the outside courts. Might not be worth their while watching only one match if the other three were played on centre court.
There has been a bit of an uproar in Australia about none of Barty's matches being shown (we have the tournament on free to air, but only centre court coverage); so I am guessing it is the same again for her semi-final, which is rather ridiculous.
- Jul 28, 2015
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Anyway I don't understand why you underestimate so much Wawrinka, maybe he totally lack the continuity at high levels but especially in the slams when he plays fulfilling all his potential is unplayable for everyone, Federer, Nadal and even more Djokovic can testify that very well.
Yeah, is the worst surface for him but that still mean that only an handful of players can beat him (and in the past for years only Nadal was able to prevent him from dominating even here) and the route for a QF in maybe even easier because there aren't big servers that in the right day can beat everyone like on fast surfaces. That is a lot far from the depiction of his adepts that say clay is a terrible mud where he shouldn't go for any reason.Red Rick said:
Anyway I don't understand why you underestimate so much Wawrinka, maybe he totally lack the continuity at high levels but especially in the slams when he plays fulfilling all his potential is unplayable for everyone, Federer, Nadal and even more Djokovic can testify that very well.
- Feb 20, 2012
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Think Wawrinka fulfulling his potential being unplayable is mostly a good matchup with Djokovic, selection bias and Federer and Nadal fans being really really happy he beat Djokovic a few times.
And as for Federer having trouble with big servers. I really do wish he did, but he's still one of the best 1st serve returners in the game and especially his reflex returns are still great.
And as for Federer having trouble with big servers. I really do wish he did, but he's still one of the best 1st serve returners in the game and especially his reflex returns are still great.
- Jun 14, 2010
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Who is happier with their career, Murray or Wawrinka?
Murray won more under every metric. But he was the great hope and "top 4". Whereas Wawrinka has just as many slams. 3 different trophies.
Only lost 1 final, whereas Murray time and time and time again saw himself fall at the final stage, usually against Djokovic.
Less was expected of Wawrinka and in the metric that matters most, he comes in even with someone who had GOAT potential.
Murray won more under every metric. But he was the great hope and "top 4". Whereas Wawrinka has just as many slams. 3 different trophies.
Only lost 1 final, whereas Murray time and time and time again saw himself fall at the final stage, usually against Djokovic.
Less was expected of Wawrinka and in the metric that matters most, he comes in even with someone who had GOAT potential.
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