The real Tennis thread.

[movingtarget]

Barty beat Maria Screamer..........oh happy days......

 

[Red Rick]

Tsitsipas beats Federer, who goes 0/12 on bps. 7-6 6-7 7-5 7-6.

Pretty crazy that the 20 year old can only win because the 37 year old wasts every chance.

 

[Nirvana]

Federer was really bad today, he had what I call "the old man day", but I've seen a great Nadal.

Anyway the real news is that after losing he said to French press he'll play the RG after three years confirming a return to the clay already rumored in December when was reported a possible presence in Barcelona and Rome.
I wonder what changes of schedule he'll have, I've already seen he swapped Rotterdam with Dubai in February, probably he'll skip Miami and Stuttgart. I find strange if he won't go to Madrid that is the faster clay tournament in Europe given the altitude and usually dry air that increase the speed.

 

[Red Rick]

I guess he thinks that a little more consistent match play will help his chances for Wimbledon.

His entire baseline game and return game is in shambles. The last few years that he played clay his return stats were already lower than on HC, which is a very rare thing, so the adaptation he made to stay relevant as he gets slower translates terribly to clay.

Federer is super serve dependent nowadays. His hold game is still great, but he just can't break serve when his forehand is misfiring.

I don't expect Federer to do well on clay, especially as he's entering some of the tougher tournaments. He'll barely gain points there, and frankly I would be very surprised if he qualifies for the WTF this year.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

I guess he thinks that a little more consistent match play will help his chances for Wimbledon.

His entire baseline game and return game is in shambles. The last few years that he played clay his return stats were already lower than on HC, which is a very rare thing, so the adaptation he made to stay relevant as he gets slower translates terribly to clay.

Federer is super serve dependent nowadays. His hold game is still great, but he just can't break serve when his forehand is misfiring.

I don't expect Federer to do well on clay, especially as he's entering some of the tougher tournaments. He'll barely gain points there, and frankly I would be very surprised if he qualifies for the WTF this year.

Old bones and clay are not a good mix especially when he gets into some long matches. I doubt he makes it to the semis. Still better off with the lighter prep I think with the grass court matches before Wimbledon. It's worked for him so far and extended his career.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

I guess he thinks that a little more consistent match play will help his chances for Wimbledon.

His entire baseline game and return game is in shambles. The last few years that he played clay his return stats were already lower than on HC, which is a very rare thing, so the adaptation he made to stay relevant as he gets slower translates terribly to clay.

Federer is super serve dependent nowadays. His hold game is still great, but he just can't break serve when his forehand is misfiring.

I don't expect Federer to do well on clay, especially as he's entering some of the tougher tournaments. He'll barely gain points there, and frankly I would be very surprised if he qualifies for the WTF this year.

Old bones and clay are not a good mix especially when he gets into some long matches. I doubt he makes it to the semis. Still better off with the lighter prep I think with the grass court matches before Wimbledon. It's worked for him so far and extended his career.

I'd be surprised if he made the 4th round at RG to be honest.

Zverev with another catastrophical performance at a Grand Slam. I'm not sure that meme will ever die.

 

[the delgados]

For some silly reason I have a nationalistic bias, but I cant help but see Milos Raonic has stepped up his game. He no longer back pedals to the edge of the court just to hit a forehand. His back hand is weak, but he at least has learned not to let opponents back him into a corner to create an open court. I think Milos has a real chance to finally win a major.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

I guess he thinks that a little more consistent match play will help his chances for Wimbledon.

His entire baseline game and return game is in shambles. The last few years that he played clay his return stats were already lower than on HC, which is a very rare thing, so the adaptation he made to stay relevant as he gets slower translates terribly to clay.

Federer is super serve dependent nowadays. His hold game is still great, but he just can't break serve when his forehand is misfiring.

I don't expect Federer to do well on clay, especially as he's entering some of the tougher tournaments. He'll barely gain points there, and frankly I would be very surprised if he qualifies for the WTF this year.

Old bones and clay are not a good mix especially when he gets into some long matches. I doubt he makes it to the semis. Still better off with the lighter prep I think with the grass court matches before Wimbledon. It's worked for him so far and extended his career.

I'd be surprised if he made the 4th round at RG to be honest.

Zverev with another catastrophical performance at a Grand Slam. I'm not sure that meme will ever die.

The racquet smashing was impressive...........

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

I guess he thinks that a little more consistent match play will help his chances for Wimbledon.

His entire baseline game and return game is in shambles. The last few years that he played clay his return stats were already lower than on HC, which is a very rare thing, so the adaptation he made to stay relevant as he gets slower translates terribly to clay.

Federer is super serve dependent nowadays. His hold game is still great, but he just can't break serve when his forehand is misfiring.

I don't expect Federer to do well on clay, especially as he's entering some of the tougher tournaments. He'll barely gain points there, and frankly I would be very surprised if he qualifies for the WTF this year.

Old bones and clay are not a good mix especially when he gets into some long matches. I doubt he makes it to the semis. Still better off with the lighter prep I think with the grass court matches before Wimbledon. It's worked for him so far and extended his career.

I'd be surprised if he made the 4th round at RG to be honest.

Zverev with another catastrophical performance at a Grand Slam. I'm not sure that meme will ever die.

The racquet smashing was impressive...........

I'm sorry, but if there's one thing I'm a bigger elitist at than at route design, it's racket breaking.

Zverev always makes the same damn mistakes, like just hitting the ground, rather than throwing the racket. Also, you can't even do a half decent break while seated.

Zverev just tries to make up for not being able to break it in one go with looking whiny.

Here's an example of how it's supposed to go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQPLB2JM16k

 

[kingjr]

I remember Youzhny using his own head to try and break his racket. Maybe Zverev should give that a go.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

I remember Youzhny using his own head to try and break his racket. Maybe Zverev should give that a go.

I don't think that's a great idea

Meanwhile, countless pundits calling Tsitsipas beating Federer a 'changing of the guard'

I'm fully expecting a Djokovic/Nadal final, with 'changing of the guard' actually meaning 'damn Fed got old'.

Djokovic didn't really convince me today. Nadal is the favorite for me for the Aussie Open. That would have Fed fans shitting their pants

 

[movingtarget]

Controversial Call

https://au.sports.yahoo.com/tennis-star-throws-extraordinary-tantrum-controversial-loss-195232196.html

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Controversial Call

https://au.sports.yahoo.com/tennis-star-throws-extraordinary-tantrum-controversial-loss-195232196.html

From the rules I've seen, it shouldn't happen, but it's a stupidass loophole in the rule.

It was a terrible call, and we've seen a few of them.

Nishikori had the point won 100%, and yet due to the call one of them has to get screwed.

Great fight from Nishikori though. True warrior. And as a reward he gets what is probably a demolition job at the hands of Djokovic.

Tsitsipas wins yet another tight 4 setter, his 5th in a row. He really doesn't impress me that much, his hold game is solid, but he doesn't break nearly enough to win easier and preserve energy and all that.

Nadal through very easy again. Hasn't been broken since the first round and should normally completely destroy Tsitsipas. Tsitsipas is Nadal's dream opponent. Weak single hander, which Rafa can pick apart for hours and hours, and if Tsitsipas starts camping in his backhand corner a little too much, then Rafa has the forehand down the line which is his most important shot and which has been firing all tournament.

 

[movingtarget]

Kvitova ends Barty's best Open result ever. Nishikori has to be a tired man. Nadal and Djokovic seem to have it in hand at the moment.

 

[Red Rick]

Serena out, but what a drama again, but this time it's more unfortunate events than her fault.

Did not expect Pouille to pull through. Played great match and if he's on he's really an exciting player.

Nishikori injured again. Makes me sad. It brings the worst out in many tennis fans and the guy gets so much more *** than he deserves. It really pisses me off.

 

[BullsFan22]

Pliškova deserves a slam. She's been there or thereabouts for a number of years now. She was briefly no 1 in 2017, and she's in the running for it again after Halep's loss, but I think more importantly it's winning a slam.

Yeah, Nishikori having to pull out is sad, but he's played very tough matches in every round and his history with injuries, this was always going to be on the cards. I also think the win in the previous round against Carreno Busta was under dubious circumstances. I don't mean he didn't deserve it, he played well and toughed it out, but the umpire was rubbish and he very likely stole a win from Carreno Busta. I wasn't shocked that the Spaniard reacted to the way he did. When you lose a very physical and mental match like that in the way that he did, you have to have sympathy. I probably would have reacted similarly.

I can't really see Pouille challenge Djokovic and Nadal is on a mission as well. We are heading for a Djokovic Nadal final. Honestly it's been quite boring to see the same few players challenge for the tournament titles for the past decade!

 

[Red Rick]

It's honestly so sad to see young players nowadays. Tsitsipas, the new, superhyped young talent is playing the old champion who's coming back from injury and it looks to be a complete never in doubt match.

Tsitsipas actually said that his 4 goals this year included winning an ATP1000 but to semifinal a Slam. Like they want to beat the best in the world but are okay if it doesn't happen at the biggest stage. Add to that that it's just unfunny how far after their prime the Big 3 are.

Imagine this in 2011/2012. Big 4 at their peak. Guys like Tsitsipas wouldn't be top 20 in those days.

 

[sir fly]

Re:

It's honestly so sad to see young players nowadays. Tsitsipas, the new, superhyped young talent is playing the old champion who's coming back from injury and it looks to be a complete never in doubt match.

Tsitsipas actually said that his 4 goals this year included winning an ATP1000 but to semifinal a Slam. Like they want to beat the best in the world but are okay if it doesn't happen at the biggest stage. Add to that that it's just unfunny how far after their prime the Big 3 are.

Imagine this in 2011/2012. Big 4 at their peak. Guys like Tsitsipas wouldn't be top 20 in those days.

It's not an easy task to comprehend the fact it's you who's the next big thing.
Especially with the generations grown up in environment flexible enough to create their own little worlds with things that give them meaning.
I wouldn't like to be annoying or bore you, but look at the snooker and the 'Class of 92'... Ronnie sure is the one in millions, but Higgins and Williams aren't that much more talented or better trained than the other generations, yet they're still winning the majors and everything else they take aim to.
Lots of things play part in achievement, but self-perception is what scales the bar.

 

[Red Rick]

I'm hardly the only one thinking this. There's a lot of things that changed the landscape, and frankly the sport is desperate for fresh blood. It's lucky the Slam race still adds excitement even though we've seen the same players clash a million times.

The bar was raised to unprecedented heights, and now it's slowly coming down. The big 4 raised the bar, and they made each other better, more so than others. Tennis got a lot more emphasis on physicality, and many young players breaking through are physically very gifted but somehow they came on tour with pretty obvious technical flaws in their games that are very hard to fix. The last one is an observation that's very hard to explain if you assume that methods for training and developing young players have gotten better.

 

[BullsFan22]

Re:

It's honestly so sad to see young players nowadays. Tsitsipas, the new, superhyped young talent is playing the old champion who's coming back from injury and it looks to be a complete never in doubt match.

Tsitsipas actually said that his 4 goals this year included winning an ATP1000 but to semifinal a Slam. Like they want to beat the best in the world but are okay if it doesn't happen at the biggest stage. Add to that that it's just unfunny how far after their prime the Big 3 are.

Imagine this in 2011/2012. Big 4 at their peak. Guys like Tsitsipas wouldn't be top 20 in those days.

I remember watching Agassi and Sampras going at it in the 2002 US Open final. I remember thinking wow, these old guys have been around for a while, where are the young guns, where is the change of generations? And though Sampras retired literally right after that match and Agassi, certainly after his last GS title in the 2003 Australian, just 4 months after the USO, wasn't the same guy that could retrieve and hit groundstrokes, I look back and think that they weren't that old at 31 (Sampras) and 32 Agassi. Djokovic is almost 32 and Nadal is almost 33, and they are most likely to make it to the final. Federer will be 38 this year, but I think he can still go far in GS's, and if he serves really well and gets a good draw, he could win another one. I understand that athletes of today train better and probably take care of their bodies a bit better with nutrition and having big support teams around them to guide them, but this should still be a young mans game!

It definitely is sad to see the youngsters not living up, at least not yet. I get that they don't have the talent that someone like Federer has or even Nadal and Djokovic have, but they should be physically more fresh and have the desire. Maybe someone like Kyrgios who could care less a lot of the time is not a good example, but I think a lot of the younger, under 25 players do have the drive, but maybe not the mental toughness? At the same time, they are a bit pompous and I don't like the douchy attitude, so maybe it's not a bad think some of them aren't living up to expectations, haha!

 

[BullsFan22]

Re:

I'm hardly the only one thinking this. There's a lot of things that changed the landscape, and frankly the sport is desperate for fresh blood. It's lucky the Slam race still adds excitement even though we've seen the same players clash a million times.

The bar was raised to unprecedented heights, and now it's slowly coming down. The big 4 raised the bar, and they made each other better, more so than others. Tennis got a lot more emphasis on physicality, and many young players breaking through are physically very gifted but somehow they came on tour with pretty obvious technical flaws in their games that are very hard to fix. The last one is an observation that's very hard to explain if you assume that methods for training and developing young players have gotten better.

Sorry, was still writing the comment, didn't know you had another post! I see that some of the things you wrote are more or less the same as I did. I wouldn't have written what I did if I saw your comment, or I simply would have agreed!

 

[movingtarget]

Tennis seems to be quick to anoint the next big thing but invariably such players fall by the wayside or are very inconsistent. Someone like Kyrgios is a prime example. He doesn't seem to have the mental or physical capacity to keep improving.

 

[Red Rick]

Rafa d. Tsitsipas 6-2 6-4 6-0

So much for the hype.

 

[Red Rick]

Djokovic d. Pouille 6-0 6-2 6-2

This final better be good.

 

[The Hitch]

Re:

Djokovic d. Pouille 6-0 6-2 6-2

This final better be good.

I see Djoko Nadal went 5 hours at WImbledon already.

So maybe we can see a repeat of arguably the greatest match of all time, 7 years ago here.

The BBC will always make sure 2008 wimbledon is seen as the greatest match ever, because that was their event, but I think those without those party ties may see the Djoko Nadal thing, the piece de resistance of a rivalry that surely now ranks above Djoko Federer and Nadal Federer, as the best match in history.