Tennis Thread - Grand Slams & The Tour

Excellent re result & farting.

Disappointing re taps.

 

Halep looking good to go one better than in Australia!

 

Serena Williams pulls out of competition with arm injury.

 

I just watched the Kevin Anderson v Diego Schwartzman match. It makes me think of this film.....can't think why!!

 

You're having an Anderson day today HB1!

 

Diego 'Shortman' is an inspiration to those who are not Titans!
I suspect* that Serena has an injury to her latissimus dorsi which can manifest in the pectoral muscle.
I had a similar injury earlier this year and mine is a little tight today post disappointing tap episode!
It's either that or Dame Diana's catsuit was too tight!
*I'm awaiting a diagnosis from my physio,the man who diagnosed Murray'a injury in his first round at Wimbledon last year and predicted QF at best! He also said he would need a year of rehab,post op. In which case it was well worth the LTA spending 150k on two Challenger tournaments,as requested by AM food his comeback!

 

Cecchinato: what a story!
Epic tea break and beats Joker in four.
Plays Thiem who defeated the clearly lame Zverev.

 

Sensational stuff - great tennis in the tie break alone!

 

I was anxious watching,let alone playing!
Who ever is in charge of Italian mens tennis is doing a fine job;Fognini,Cecchinato,Berrentini,Bolelli,Soledo and a few others besides.

 

I think Djokovic is finished at the very top level.

 

He didn't seem too keen to talk about the future - saying he might skip the grass court season.

 

It is very difficult to maintain your condition when you play such a manual game as Djokovic. Murray has the same problem and the recovery rate from hip operations is not good.
Nadal proves to be the exception in terms of longevity and an arduous style,although he has missed many a month with his chronic knee complaint.
ND looked far nearer his top level this tournament but time waits etc etc.

 

Perhaps an approach closer to Federer’s is what Djokovic and Murray need. Realise clay isn’t the best of surfaces for them and that is only increasing with their age and ailments. Take the clay season off and come back for the grass. Let the young pretenders take Nadal on, on clay.

I bet given the chance again, and now that he’s 50/50 on playing Wimbledon, Djokovic wishes he’d taken the above approach.

 

Possibly but the real problem is that RF is such a free flowing player and plays much shorter points as a result.
Oddly enough for Murray,if he had been more aggressive earlier in his career and come forwards,it would have saved wear and tear on his lateral movement and therefore his back and hips. He is a very good technical volleyer,much more so than RF or ND,but is very stubborn!

 

IBB, how free flowing are you?

On a scale of Martina to Sue Barker where would you sit?

 

That's a good question.
I hope I am closer to MN than SB in that sense.
I would describe myself as part MN*,part Santoro and the remaining part Terminator/Lendl!
* I always serve and volley and chip and charge/crush and rush in doubles.

 

Looks like Nadal has had a good rest and back on form .

 

He's been quite fortunate with rain breaks this clay court season: was 3-1 down to Zverev in Rome and it rained.
Plays Del Boy now.
I hope most people will support DB,it would be good to see him in another major final.

 

Yes I wouldn’t disagree with you there. Safely through to the final. Looks like her first Grand Slam title awaits. Well deserved too.

 

I hope so but she has a lot of baggage of choking,especially last year at RG.

 

If Inverdale says 'Conrad' Barazzutti one more time I shall be emailing ITV
Corrado man!

 

Still haven't forgiven him for the Bartoli comment.

 

Ahh!

I'm actually in charge of succession planning for A Question of Sport.

We're more looking for Sues.

Sorry.

 

Come on Del Potro.

 

If that's the case you'll have no white wine left if Sue Barker is there!

Poor Del Boy.
Got Rafa ed.
Only Thiem in his way now,unless someone knocks over his drinks bottles again!

 

Well Done Malts. Good prediction!

 

Very pleased for Halep.
An almost complete reversal of her loss last year.

 

Number 11 for Nadal and probably many more to come!

Probably hasn't been such dominance for one event in sport...ever. ​

 

He’s quite good this Nadal isn’t he?!

Who would have ever thought two years ago, when Novak was at his peak and Murray and Cilic were winning the big tournaments too, that the next 6 slams would have been shared 3-3 by Nadal and Federer. One’s career seemed almost over because of age, the other through injury. Amazing. It’s like going back 5 years in time.

And the Number One seeds winning both the singles titles. Must have been a little while since that happened I think?

 

Perhaps Rafa will get his transfer requests from Ashley now?!

Good question Malts.
Not sure.
I will be surprised if he plays at The All England.

 

Wimbledon 2015 I think.

Novak and Serena.

 

Crap final in the end. This new generation just isn't anywhere near talented enough to compete with the likes of Nadal and Federer, even at an age where they should both be either struggling or looking at retirement. This has got to be one of the worst eras for tennis in a long, long time in terms of genuine depth, especially considering the decline and absence of Djokovic, Murray and even Wawrinka the past year or two.

As I said before, Nadal's dominance of clay absolutely bores me to tears, and I just can't stand his defensive style of play. He also doesn't get anywhere near as much stick as he should for his gamesmanship. Really, really hope someone knocks him off of his perch next year.

Oh, and his chipmunk face and grunting irritate the life out of me, too.

 

I can't agree with you about the Next Generation players,there are quite a few that will challenge,they're not quite there yet. Zverev,Thiem,Tsitsipas,Shapovalov,quite a few Americans and the other young Canadian whose name escapes me,Felix Augur Aliassime (?),they all look terrific to me.
Tsitsipas has the best all round game I think,not afraid to come in and good volleying technique.He's only 19 so plenty of time to develop.Zverev needs a year or two to grow into his frame.
I agree about Rafa's gamesmanship,other players get penalised for time wasting.He will get a soft warning and then it will be ignored. As ever one rule for hoi polloi,one for the elite.

 

Scottish football.

 

I remember when people were saying that it was a shame to see Federer's decline, and that he was playing on either out of greed, or some love of the game, but that he should have retired in his pomp. He then won 3 slams in a row.

Seeing him and Nadal continue to dominate reminds me that we are lucky to be in an era when we can see probably the two best ever tennis players still winning slams. It's nice when things are more democratic, maybe in terms of variety, but we'll be unlikely to see any male players of these two's quality in our lifetimes.