The real Tennis thread.

[Peyroteo94]

Why would you think that?

Those 3 dominated tennis even when they were 35 years old. In their prime, they were unbeatable.

 

[tobydawq]

Those 3 dominated tennis even when they were 35 years old. In their prime, they were unbeatable.

Have you seen Alcaraz play? Do you think players like Tsonga and Berdych were playing at that level?

And Rune is out. What was he thinking with those two first sets?

 

[Peyroteo94]

Have you seen Alcaraz play? Do you think players like Tsonga and Berdych were playing at that level?

And Rune is out. What was he thinking with those two first sets?

Okay. He is one step below, I rate him in the league of wawrinka or Murray

 

[tobydawq]

Okay. He is one step below, I rate him in the league of wawrinka or Murray

I still think he is better than those, but I guess we will see the next years.

It will be a really intriguing match on Friday.

 

[Red Rick]

Didn't see much of this match, but I have to admit I did not expect Ruud to beat Rune, especially not this easily. I don't know what Rune is doing most of the time tbh.

Have you seen Alcaraz play? Do you think players like Tsonga and Berdych were playing at that level?

Well Tsonga and Berdych weren't the guys he was comparing Alcaraz to.

IMO you just can't really know with the Alcaraz vs prime Big 3 hypothetical. I rate him extremely highly but his performance yesterday specifically gets overrated IMO cause Tsitsipas was so fuckign ***.

 

[tobydawq]

Didn't see much of this match, but I have to admit I did not expect Ruud to beat Rune, especially not this easily. I don't know what Rune is doing most of the time tbh.


Well Tsonga and Berdych weren't the guys he was comparing Alcaraz to.

IMO you just can't really know with the Alcaraz vs prime Big 3 hypothetical. I rate him extremely highly but his performance yesterday specifically gets overrated IMO cause Tsitsipas was so fuckign ***.

Rune just didn't show up for this tournament, honestly. I don't know if he has been sick or just fatigued from all his deep runs lately. He even looks strange with bags under his eyes that would make even Nicki Sørensen envious.

Of course, it's a hypothetical but Alcaraz is a monster. And it may be that Tsitsipas was bad yesterday but that's not the only time we have seen Alcaraz play, is it?

 

[Red Rick]

Rune just didn't show up for this tournament, honestly. I don't know if he has been sick or just fatigued from all his deep runs lately. He even looks strange with bags under his eyes that would make even Nicki Sørensen envious.

Of course, it's a hypothetical but Alcaraz is a monster. And it may be that Tsitsipas was bad yesterday but that's not the only time we have seen Alcaraz play, is it?

It's not. I actually predicted Alcaraz would finish top 3 last year way before everyone else.

But I also don't think that automatically qualifies him as peak Big 3 level, because that standard is simply outrageously high, and I think Alcaraz has his weaknesses that just won't get exploited because Djokovic is years beyond his prime.

 

[tobydawq]

It's not. I actually predicted Alcaraz would finish top 3 last year way before everyone else.

But I also don't think that automatically qualifies him as peak Big 3 level, because that standard is simply outrageously high, and I think Alcaraz has his weaknesses that just won't get exploited because Djokovic is years beyond his prime.

Okay, but then everybody can choose to be nostalgic and say that nobody can ever get to the level of those three, and nobody can be proven wrong because Alcaraz (or others) won't get the chance to play them.

It's a bit like everybody always having Merckx as some unattainable ceiling without realising that if he was a pro cyclist today, he would not have a palmares remotely similar to what he has. Which is how you should look at things (of course while trying to adjust for advances in technology, training, etc.).

But longevity-wise, of course Alcaraz has a long way to go. But peak level wise? I don't think he is far away.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Okay, but then everybody can choose to be nostalgic and say that nobody can ever get to the level of those three, and nobody can be proven wrong because Alcaraz (or others) won't get the chance to play them.

It's a bit like everybody always having Merckx as some unattainable ceiling without realising that if he was a pro cyclist today, he would not have a palmares remotely similar to what he has. Which is how you should look at things (of course while trying to adjust for advances in technology, training, etc.).

But longevity-wise, of course Alcaraz has a long way to go. But peak level wise? I don't think he is far away.

Did you see prime Rafa, prime Roger and prime Djoker? If you saw, Alcaraz is not close to come to their level. Maybe in the future, but people need to realize we will probably never see something like the big 3. And I maintain my opinion, in this era, a guy like Andy Murray would win +10 Grand Slams and definetly think Alcaraz is not even in the same boat as Murray.

 

[Peyroteo94]

It is a shame this semi final is already over. A 20 years old kid can't keep up with an old Djoker. Need to raise his fitness level, If not is no match against Nole (and this is him past his prime).

 

[Red Rick]

Okay, but then everybody can choose to be nostalgic and say that nobody can ever get to the level of those three, and nobody can be proven wrong because Alcaraz (or others) won't get the chance to play them.

It's a bit like everybody always having Merckx as some unattainable ceiling without realising that if he was a pro cyclist today, he would not have a palmares remotely similar to what he has. Which is how you should look at things (of course while trying to adjust for advances in technology, training, etc.).

But longevity-wise, of course Alcaraz has a long way to go. But peak level wise? I don't think he is far away.

Their careers overlap, so I don't think it's quite like Merckx vs say Pogacar.

But yes, in many ways it's an unfalsifiable statement, which makes it stupid to debate cause you can never disprove anything. Tennis has this annoying way of debating where "peak vs peak" is what I've argued again too many times.

In my opinion, Alcaraz has not bee dominant enough and not long enough to consider it the same level of the Big 3. But that doesn't mean it may not happen yet.

Weird match today. Tennis definitey lost on this one. I don't think I've ever felt like a player had to play against history so much as Alcaraz today. Like he was expected to play like the successor of the Big 3 and threaten their records in the distant future. Him getting injured is simply a disappointing result for any real fan.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Switching from Dauphine to the French Open now - I'm not terribly familiar with the ladies because I don't follow tennis that closely, but the final is turning out to be exciting. Think I'll root for Muchova just because I hail from Czechia, but I won't be mad if Swiatek wins.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

A thrilling final set - congrats to Swiatek!

Fine play by Muchova, but Swiatek had just a tiny bit more toward the end.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Totally overslept the last stage of the Dauphine, at least I get to see the French Open men's final from the beginning!

It's hard not to be familiar with Djoko after all these years but I'm rooting for Ruud, don't know much about him but I hope he wins it. At the very least I hope it'll be a good match.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Totally overslept the last stage of the Dauphine, at least I get to see the French Open men's final from the beginning!

It's hard not to be familiar with Djoko after all these years but I'm rooting for Ruud, don't know much about him but I hope he wins it. At the very least I hope it'll be a good match.

It would be a miracle if Ruud pulls this off. I can't see him winning 2 sets

 

[Tricycle Rider]

It would be a miracle if Ruud pulls this off. I can't see him winning 2 sets

A girl can always dream, at least Ruud won the first set.

EDIT: Obviously the scoreboard has me all confused (I'm working on that), the first set hasn't ended yet.

 

[Peyroteo94]

A girl can always dream, at least Ruud won the first set.

EDIT: Obviously the scoreboard has me all confused (I'm working on that), the first set hasn't ended yet.

And after this tie break, I'm pretty sure the game is over

 

[Tricycle Rider]

And after this tie break, I'm pretty sure the game is over

I think you're right. It's very early, but with that fist pump so far Djoko looks to be firmly in the driver's seat.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Set 1 goes to Djoko, do we think this will merely be a quickie 3-set warmup for Djoko? I sure hope Ruud can win at least one set...

 

[SHAD0W93]

Set 1 goes to Djoko, do we think this will merely be a quickie 3-set warmup for Djoko? I sure hope Ruud can win at least one set...

It looks like that’s how it’s going to go now…

 

[Peyroteo94]

Nole is cruising now. One hour to finish this off. Nole is so much better that it is so cringe to even see a final of him with Ruud. I was used to see big duels with Rafa, Roger, Andy or even Stan. Please come back golden era of tennis.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Nole is cruising now. One hour to finish this off. Nole is so much better that it is so cringe to even see a final of him with Ruud. I was used to see big duels with Rafa, Roger, Andy or even Stan. Please come back golden era of tennis.

Kinda wish I hadn't overslept the last stage of the Dauphine now, so far this match has been pitiful. (Poor Ruud is getting his ass handed to him. )

 

[gunara]

Nole is cruising now. One hour to finish this off. Nole is so much better that it is so cringe to even see a final of him with Ruud. I was used to see big duels with Rafa, Roger, Andy or even Stan. Please come back golden era of tennis.

If Alcaraz goes to have linear progression and no other comparable talent emerge quickly enough, Djokovic keeping on for several more years is probably the only short-term hope for 'competition'

 

[Tricycle Rider]

If Alcaraz goes to have linear progression and no other comparable talent emerge quickly enough, Djokovic keeping on for several more years is probably the only short-term hope for 'competition'

I caught some of the Alcaraz match against Djoko, does Alcaraz have chronic issues with cramps or was that an anomaly? (That was a sad sight to see btw., once Alcaraz started cramping up, no way he stood a chance against Djoko then.)

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Time for some grocery shopping and household chores - please Ruud, win one set. Just one set, pretty please! (Or maybe just a couple of nice aces will do, I don't think I'm asking for much.)