Tennis Thread - Grand Slams & The Tour

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

  1. hornetgags

    hornetgags McMuff's lovechild

    I've got to admit I'm not the biggest fan of tennis but every once in a while I'll dip into Wimbledon, and my honest opinion is the Djokovic v Agut semi final is one of the most tedious matches I've ever seen.

    I detest baseline rallys as they're so boring and that's all this match is - baseline rally after baseline rally - one was 45 shots. The crowd are out of the

    Oh for the lost art of serve and volley tennis.

    Which is why I want Roger Federer to win, he mixes it up.
     
    Smudger likes this.
  2. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Very much the way tennis is going - big serves and power from the baseline.

    Not a lot of serve and volley..
     
  3. NathWFC

    NathWFC First Team

    Literally no debate any more about who the GOAT of tennis is. The level Federer is at at almost 38 is absolutely insane.
     
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  4. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Outstanding from Federer .

    Nadal dug in at the but Federer was on top form throughout .

    Can he beat Djokovic?

    Will have the support of the crowd .
     
  5. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Does anyone have a spare room for a short while ?
     
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  6. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    The string technology has ended constant serve and volleying,making the return of serve so potent.
    That and the fact that the courts are slower than Roland Garros and the bounce is so much better.
    You may be correct and Rod Laver is far too modest to disagree but remember he lost five years of his career,so 20 major titles possibly,when he turned pro.
    The most dominant player lots of older people would say was Lew Hoad,beat Ashley Cooper ,himself later a winner,6-1 6-2 6-2 at Wimbledon.
    Looked like a Greek god with shots like a thunderbolt from Zeus!
    I'm hoping Halep wins today,that her mobility can withstand Serena's power.
     
  7. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Outstanding from Halep.
    A triumph of footwork over force.
    Faultless on the biggest stage.
    Huge performance.
    Virginia Ruzici has aged better than Nastase!
     
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  8. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Maybe Serena will never get that record .
    2nd year in a row she had been outplayed in the final .

    Fully deserved for Halep - hopefully get the credit she has earnt .
     
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  9. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    I am glad Federer has triumphed again and fingers crossed does so again tomorrow. He is the last of the great grass court players. One of the few who can play every shot in the book and would be so at home in the wooden rackets era. I rarely watch tennis now if ever but even though I don't care much for Nadal he does bring the best out of Federerer and there were some points yesterday which brought back memories of one of the great moments in sporting history the 2008 final.

    Some of his volleys at the net were stupendous. I think it is a big shame we cannot return to wooden rackets. The modern racket allows more power and more injuries to the skeletal frame as a result and it's sweet zone is so much bigger that it is less about timing in certain cases than sheer bludgeoning brute force. There is far less artistry as a result and the opportunity for tactical switches, manoeuvring the opponent with drop shots and volleys and the use of the lob given the size of the behemoths we have now is almost non existent. Long rallies that are not just mere baseline to baseline but involve players having to run to their backhand and forehand or come to the net have disappeared.

    Womens tennis is incredibly boring for instance. Serena is lauded as a great champion. I beg to differ. By number of titles perhaps but her sole asset has been an unremitting power advantage and serve (which is also unfortunately the most dominant stroke in the game and also made me find Sampras incredibly tedious to watch). She is so incredibly limited in her strokes and so awkward at the net and more a product of manufacture like many others ie Konta of unremitting ball hitting than any natural flair.

    So while Djokovic is to be admired in his own way and is an incredibly nice person as well I hope the supreme artist wins tomorrow. Like Messi in football they are head and shoulders above the rest in what they do in their respective fields and they make it look so effortless.

    Daria Snigur won the girls title. Looks like another of the same brand of baseliners. Polina Kudermetova seems she will eclipse her older sister although she bowed out at the quarters.

    IBB is Anton Matusevich of Russian parentage ? The name implies so.
     
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  10. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    Been watching the cycling.

    Did I miss the willowy Virginia?
     
  11. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    I agree to an extent Smudger.

    I would differ in that grass is now NOT grass,but green hard courts. The strings give the brutality,plus the 'end of range' control that Djokovic and Halep amongst others,display.

    Williams has never had the greatest mobility but as you say,tremendous power. The serve is so dominant in any game that she has always been able to set up one or two strike tennis. Her age and injuries now suggest she cannot continue with this. She also has poor technique on her volleys,a residual effect of the number of drive volleys she plays.
    Matsusevich is representing Kent,Mr IBB's county. I keep meaning to ask about him but as he's been living in the pipe in the water closet in the seeds dressing room at The AE this fortnight,I keep forgetting!
    I shall discover all that needs to be known about the blond lad!
     
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  12. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Unless she has taken up cycling, yes.
     
  13. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    I didn’t spot her in the peloton.

    A delight, as always, to listen to David Millar.
     
  14. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    Is she still willowy?

    Or now more oaky?
     
  15. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    She was on Talksport giving Serena the big build up like everyone else....

    Think the Beeb were a bit stunned at the end - Jonny Mac and co.

    The football type excuse of lack of matches came out..
     
  16. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    Sounds like a public school initiation ceremony.

    Character building.
     
  17. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    At least the independently minded Margaret Court retains her place atop the GS winners table.
     
  18. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    If that means religious bigot,then yes!
     
  19. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Yes Smudger he's Russian.
     
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  20. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Contrast to the ladies final in the Men's doubles final .


    4 hours long - 4 tiebreaks.


    Now had to close the roof.
     
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  21. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Both brilliant finals.
    Poor Mahut was tagged at least half a dozen times,once just above the eye.
    Very nasty.
     
  22. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    And in the privates at the end!

    Guess they will be hoping Djokovic and Federer aren't too long with 2 doubles finals to fit in now.
     
  23. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    British now...;) There seems to be a never ending list of players like him with Russian parents who obviously left the collapsing Soviet Union who are emerging across the world playing for different countries. Like the giant Alexei Popyrin who I think is in the top one hundred now and just turned nineteen and represents Australia.

    I did catch half of the mens doubles and it was singularly more entertaining than the womens final. A pity doubles does not get more exposure globally. And credit to the people who stayed and watched to the end of the marathon. It does mean a lot to these players Roger-Vesselin was in tears at the end. A first win for any Colombians in Grand Slams as well it seems.
     
  24. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Federer probably been the better player so far .

    Threw that 1st away so good to see him bouncing back in the 2nd.
     
  25. Hornpete

    Hornpete Squad Player

    The "I could take a point off serena williams debate" is interesting.

    I think I find the incredulity at it and comments like "love to see you try as the ball flies at 1000kph through your skull" more embarrassing than the 8% who feel they could do something.
     
  26. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Djokovic finds himself 2-1 up - probably all over now .
     
  27. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Federer blew that - shame !
     
  28. NathWFC

    NathWFC First Team

    Honestly just **** off Djokovic. Hate the ****.
     
  29. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Don't think he did as Djokovic choked badly a few times,especially at 4-2 up in fifth.
    Exciting but not a great match.
    Djokovic is a great match player,triumphed when only playing at 6/10.
     
  30. NathWFC

    NathWFC First Team

    Federer blew it, simple as. There is little excuse at 40-15 on your own serve with two Championship points. Extremely depressing.
     
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  31. Manatleisure

    Manatleisure Squad Player

    I've been a Novak fan since about 2007. So all I can say is...
    Get in Champ!
     
  32. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    Who would have thought that a Wimbledon Final, decided by a tie break at 13-12 in the 5th set, would be overshadowed by another sporting event on the same day? But it was.
     
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  33. The Recluse

    The Recluse Reservist

    I know!! Who could ever imagine Uganda would beat Scotland at netball. What a time to be alive!
     
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  34. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

    Felt sorry for Federer. Will he get another chance to win Wimbledon? He just played the tie-breaks badly, and once Federer had two Championship points on his serve Djokovic played smart by just keeping the ball in play. Federer had to either find a winner or a big serve but could do neither. I had a feeling had Djokovic got two match points he would ruthlessly finish the job, which he did.

    Ironically Federer actually had the better match stats. Federer won more games and got more points than Djokovic. He also had a better first serve return, more Aces and more winners. He was clearly the better player overall. Tennis is just crazy like that, where you can do better than your opponent in every area of the match, yet still lose.

    Djokovic...……..……………….. Federer
    74% First-serve points won 79%
    10... Aces...…….………………..25
    54... Winners ......................94
    204 Total points won...…... 218
    29 Total games won...……... 36
     
  35. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    The women at the club have gone into mourning and their and the general genuflection towards Federer is rather over the top.
    Some of the crowd yesterday,as ever,have clearly never hit a tennis ball as they were sighing and groaning,not realising that the ball was going in due to the topspin.
    Either that or they were drunk!
    That makes six of us that favoured ND yesterday!
     

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