Tennis Thread - Grand Slams & The Tour

Discussion in 'General Football & Other Sport' started by I Blame Pozzo, May 28, 2018.

  1. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Nadal looking imperious.
    Konta struggles.
    Edmund plays the cheese snack.
    RF beats the German in WFC colours.
    Tsitsi wins again to play five set king Krajinovic.
    Best match of the tournament so far as Jedinak lookalike Paire beats countryman Herbert in five sets of magical tennis.
     
  2. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Looks like Edmund pulled out injured.

    Top guys in the Mens going strongly but the ladies seems wide open as ever - can Konta do it?
     
  3. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

    Konta suffers with her nerves too much to ever win a Grand Slam. 5-0 with match point, but lets Davis come back to 5-3 and had another break point against her, but eventually won.

    Tennis is that sort of game. It's a total mind f*** to those who are not mentally tough.
     
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  4. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Yes - I think that is a general issue in the ladies games.

    Loads of matches seem to be 6-1,0-6,6-1 types or someone blowing a big lead like the lady playing Osaka did the other day.

    Of course you have no team-mate to bail you out or even a coach telling you want to do from the slide lines (in theory)
     
  5. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Agree. I think tennis is the most mentally difficult sport. Never a place to hide. For some players if they are playing brilliantly and get to 0-40 and then don’t break you can bet they will lose their own serve next game as they can’t get the missed opportunity out of their heads. Especially in the women’s game when they don’t have the luxury of a couple of big first serves to get things back on track.

    The margins at the highest level seem to me to be mental more than shot making talent.
     
  6. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    It’s easier in the men’s game to get to 3-6 even if you aren’t playing well that set. Boom a few serves down and 40-15 without actually playing well. The ladies have it rough. I’ve seen numerous 6-1 sets where it goes to deuce on both serves numerous times.

    Makes the women’s game a better sport in my view.
     
  7. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Interesting Jumbo as I find the ladies game too generic. Apart from Ash Barty and Kasakina,who lost yesterday,there is very little variety. It's very good ball striking but generally 'Hard,harder,hardest,end of point,winner or error'.
    I also find the absence of the conventional volley in the ladies in favour of the drive volley diminishes it. Konta's final point as evidence. She could have taken a high forehand volley but carves an enormous swing. The men use the drive volley as a transitioning shot and then use a traditional volley when past the service line. It gives much more variety and touch in their game.
    Osaka and Halep certainly making heavy weather,although of course Azerenka is a major winner and a fine competitor.
    Konta has another winnable match but I would be amazed if she won the event.
    Edmund's on going knee issue forced him to withdraw.
    Goffin will hope today's umpire selects the correct mark on a big point,unlike last year in Rome. It cost him dearly as he was on his way to victory. A good reason to have Hawkeye on clay,to identify the correct mark.
    Tsitsi plays marathon man Krajinovic and good to see Fabio still involved.
     
  8. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    It's also such a difficult game to play, there is so much room for error. To get a ball back over the net, into the court, and present a challenge to your opponent, conscious of what they will be doing while you are trying to hit the ball, is so much harder than kicking a football or passing a rugger ball. The tension at crucial points must be pretty much unbearable when you're out there on your own, operating at the very highest level, in what can be emotionally draining 4-5 hour games. I found it so frustrating as a teenager to play it well that I packed it in very quickly and took up the much easier squash. Serving was ok at 6ft 2 as it's a mechanical process you can control, but dealing with open play was just so frustrating, so many errors, and that's with no-one watching and no career riding on it.
     
  9. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    I would agree with you Tut apart from the fact that serving gives time for a player to become anxious,usually with the put up or decellerating on the strike.
    I congratulate anyone I coach on selecting THE most difficult game to play well. I think I'm just getting the hang of it now after 45 years!
    Wonderful match between 'Sebastapol' and 'Mrs Mertens'. Sevastova is another who has some guile,although her reluctance to move to the net prolongs many points.
    Casper Ruud showed he will be a top 20 player in a year or two and Goffin looked as if he's returning to his best but lost in 4 to Nadal.
    Stan vGD and Tsitsi v Krajinovic both have to finish today.
    Konta into last 16 to play Vekic,which is possible.
    Martic played beautifully to beat Pliskova who was living proof of the old tennis saying 'Never play touch when you're nervous'.
     
  10. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Salvatore Caruso plays some great tennis against ND,proving that a qualifier almost always makes it to round 3 and that the Italian federation are doing a great job.
    Tsitsi to play Stan.
    Struff,who's having a good season beats Coric to play Novak.
    Siniakova,who clearly attended the same serving clinic as Mr IBB,beats Osaka,or rather Osaka beats Osaka.
    Thiem and cheese snack Cuevas grinding out endless cross court backhand rallies,whilst children grow up and leave home.
     
  11. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    I'd say it's more than possible.
    I think she will almost certainly play her.
     
  12. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Fancy Halep for the ladies ... seems to be the top player in form but who knows !
     
  13. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Halep is a strange one. So many tournaments she looks dynamite but capable of throwing a stinker out of nowhere.
     
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  14. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    No one is infallible.Ask AJ!
    Kenin v Barty will be interesting.
    I'd love Barty to win the tournament but the favourite has to be Halep.
    Stan will probably have too much for Tsitsipas but I'm hoping the stylish young man can progress.
     
  15. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Poor Tsitsi.
    Had chances to break in all the three sets he lost but Stan served well at vital moments.His time will come but the real winner was RF, who will face an exhausted Stan on Tuesday.
    Konta too good for Stan's girlfriend or perhaps former girlfriend,I can't keep up!
     
  16. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    The end of Konta's run though against G.Mugga?

    Remember they had a classic 3 setter in the Aussie Open (I think..)
     
  17. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Unlikely.
    She plays Sloane Stephens who beat GM.
     
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  18. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    He was a Tsitsi bit unlucky.
     
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  19. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    He was devastated in his interview and admitted he cried.
    A great attitude to defeat and he will learn from it.Such fine margins in all elite sport but especially tennis.
    He seems recovered today,judging by his tweets.
    I cannot see past Nadal,unless his knees play up.
    Ladies draw is far more open.Konta is playing with real confidence but SS has won a major before so it will be a real test.
    I'm hoping Ash Barty,the artist of the female game,can do it.
     
  20. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Sofia Kenin is quite difficult to like and Barty wins in three.
    No shocks or drama today.A pity Paire couldn't win.
    Konta v Stephens will be interesting.
    Thiem unhappy regarding the press conference and Serena.
    Who is to blame,RG or Serena?
    Serena has form and if the roles had been reversed you can imagine her fury.
    Very disrespectful to Thiem.
     
  21. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Wow. Konta won again and is thru to the SF !
     
  22. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Very impressive - don't know too much about her potential semi final opponent but on the form she is showing Konta will fancy beaten anyone.
     
  23. tonycotonstache

    tonycotonstache Squad Player

    Jo Konta is on fire. Andy who?
     
  24. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Konta as others have said,was ruthless against Stephens.
    Vondrousova gives a different look,being a leftie,but it's a dream opportunity to reach the final.
    Nadal must have charged KN for the lesson.Poor Kei had two five setters before playing Rafa,not ideal!
    RF wins the battle of the Swiss to face Nadal.
    Thiem v a boy named Karen and Joker v Zverev. You would imagine a ND v Thiem semi final but Khachanov has been on one of his hot streaks and Thiem less than impressive so possibly an upset. Zverev will have to come closer to the baseline if he is to threaten ND and stop eating his necklaces!
    Rooting for Ash Barty in the ladies against Madison Keys,who has arrived without too much fanfare.
    Halep should beat Anisimova but the US have lots of young talent. In the MoCo* Cup last year they fielded a team of 16 year olds and hardly lost a set,let alone a match against GB,who had Katie Boulter playing.
    * Formerly the Maureen Connolly Trophy,started in honour of the former great,as a U21 competition between GB and US.
     
  25. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Khachanov looked really good against Delpo.
     
  26. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    When he gets it together he's very threatening.
    Could beat Thiem.
     
  27. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    Oh.
     
  28. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Konta and the girl she faces are the most in form players I believe?

    Barty has been consistent too ..
     
  29. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Konta served for both sets and lost both. Poor.
     
  30. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Mentally weak. Always has been.
     
  31. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Nadal on the other hand seems unbeatable on clay..
     
  32. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Konta may never have a better chance of getting to a final.
    Not necessarily weak as all four players got nervous today,as well they might.Three had never been in a semi of a major before.
    Konta made tactical errors in shot selection,most notably with drive volleys.
    The horror of the set point when she took an almighty carve at the ball from six inches from the net illustrated this perfectly.
    All she needed,in the words of Laver,were to "give it a nudge".
    On the set point to her opponent she wanted to drive volley again,rather than back up and smash.She let it go and it was in.
    Hopefully Barty will win and coaches will stop this generic ball bashing and teach girls to transition correctly.Playing doubles would help too,as opposed to playing singles in the doubles court.Two different games.
    Come on Ash!
    Nadal schools Fed and ND looking grumpy v Thiem.
    I only said "should"!
     
  33. GoingDown

    GoingDown "The Stability"

    Henwoman.
     
  34. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

  35. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Djokovic's pleads to stop play didn't pay off then .

    Ash Barty will be pleased she choose tennis over cricket!
     

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