Tennis: All Purpose Tennis Thread XIV

[AceKing21]

If Basilashvili forehand had been as good as his backhand, he would have won in straight sets. Though down a set and a break, Norrie eventually applied enough steady pressure to draw frequent errors (32) from Nikoloz's forehand and the rest of his game crumbled in quick order during the third set.

Didn't think I'd ever see the likes of Cam Norrie win a M1000. I guess its subject to a weak field and top seeds not being able to find their way through the draw. #NextGenSucks

 

[JohnnyDrama]

At least Djokovic will be finishing the year in Paris and ATP finals after that pretty sad Indian Wells tournament with no top seeds in either semifinal. Basilashvili Norrie has to be the worst Masters 1000 final of all time

 

[AceKing21]

At least Djokovic will be finishing the year in Paris and ATP finals after that pretty sad Indian Wells tournament with no top seeds in either semifinal. Basilashvili Norrie has to be the worst Masters 1000 final of all time

Not Novak fan at all, but I hope he gets to play Medvedev in the finals and puts a beatdown on him. Just something about Med that I cannot stand.

 

[kihei]

Not Novak fan at all, but I hope he gets to play Medvedev in the finals and puts a beatdown on him. Just something about Med that I cannot stand.

The matches will be played on hard courts, right?. I can see Nole possibly winning against Medvedev, sure. But a beatdown? I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[AceKing21]

The matches will be played on hard courts, right?. I can see Nole possibly winning against Medvedev, sure. But a beatdown? I wouldn't hold my breath.

Yes it's a HC. It used to be a super fast carpet, but they changed some years ago. The Paris courts are touch slower then Toronto and Cincinnati

 

[kihei]

Typical. Just as I more or less give up on her, Kontaveit goes on a hot streak winning Ostrava and now getting to the finals in Moscow.

 

[kihei]

Brooksby is fun to watch, seemingly incapable of giving up on even the most hopeless ball until it has bounced twice. But Schwartzman is a bad match up for him, and Diego thumps Jenson 6-love in the second and deciding set.

 

[kihei]

Good on Australia for not relaxing (so far) their double vaccination requirement for all visitors, including tennis players who will thus play by the same rules as any other tourists entering Australia. Players, including Novak, who might object to this, well, tough. Public safety trumps a sporting event.

 

[kihei]

Diego played well all week and he played well today. And he got absolutely slaughtered by Sinner, 2 and 2. What an awesome display of tennis from Jannick--just breathtaking.

 

[kihei]

Konteveit takes Moscow and in the process equals her career high ranking of # 14. And headed in the right direction.

 

[Tuggy]

Straight forward win for Felix in Vienna. Norrie next, who is in top form.

 

[kihei]

Andy finally beat Hurkacz for the first time in three tries this year. His hip has held up through several grueling marathon matches recently. The future looks bright for him.

 

[Incubajerks]

Mamma mia, Opelka games are boring, arms stolen from agriculture.

 

[Tuggy]

Big win for Felix over Norrie. Lost the first set 6-2 but came back, even saving MP's.

 

[Novak Djokovic]

Good on Australia for not relaxing (so far) their double vaccination requirement for all visitors, including tennis players who will thus play by the same rules as any other tourists entering Australia. Players, including Novak, who might object to this, well, tough. Public safety trumps a sporting event.

Agreed.

 

[JohnnyDrama]

Although he lost in the finals, Tiafoe has really come into his own this year. I always forget how young he still is since he was like 16 when he turned pro. Hopefully he can keep up the consistency, super fun player and likeable guy. Meanwhile, Sascha continues his complete dominance since the Olympics and should be a close second favourite to Djokovic in Paris and Turin

 

[kihei]

Man, Kontaveit is on fire lately. Won Transylvania and is now #8 in the world, a career high. Yay.

 

[kihei]

Murray was going very quietly when Koepfer failed to serve the match out at 5-4. So Andy who seems to almost exclusively play physically gruelling marathon matches these days, took the set 7-5 and its going to a third.

Turns into another war of attritiion which Koepfer wins 11-9 in the final set tie breaker as Andy wastes six match points.

 

[Tuggy]

Nice start for Canada at the Billie Jean Cup (formally Fed Cup). No Fernandez or Andreescu.

Billie Jean King Cup

In the Finals, they are in Group A with France and Russia. Canada beat France yesterday 2-1 to take the early lead in their group.

Canada playing Russia today. Down 1-0 right now and Marino is down in the 3rd, so not a great second day so far.

And Felix just won his first match in Paris.

 

[kihei]

Alcaraz versus Singer tomorrow, first meeting. Man, I have been waiting for this one.

 

[Incubajerks]

Alcaraz versus Singer tomorrow, first meeting. Man, I have been waiting for this one.

And they put them on a side court...bah.

 

[JohnnyDrama]

Rublev’s last 4 tournaments he’s been knocked out by Tommy Paul, Van de Zandschulp, Mannarino and Fritz (who’s been playing really well) with the last 2 losses in straight sets. Guy needs to take a break, playing absolutely brutal

 

[kihei]

Alcaraz over Singer in two hard fought sets. Tough to draw any conclusiions, other than they sure hit the ball hard. But Alcaraz looks like he has a level of creativity and imagination that Sinner lacks. He also seemed very relaxed, like he was completely at ease and wanted this competition--an athlete totally comfortable in his element.

 

[kihei]

Gaston, trying to be the eight player to make the Next Gen finals in Milan, took the first set from an off form Alcaraz but Alcaraz ran off to a 5-love lead in the second set and all seemed back to normal. Then in front of a raucous home crowd, Gaston reeled off seven straight games to take the set and the match, winning 20 of the last 21 points in the process. Alcaraz looked shell-shocked and who could blame him.

 

[kihei]

The two Paris semis looked like they were played in different tournaments. Nole guaranteed his seventh year end #1 ranking to pass Sampras and cop yet another stellar record by knocking out a game Hurkacz 7-6 in the third set. Turned on the sound because the crowd looked raucous and lively as hell and they were. Lucked into an annoucerless feed in the second semi, and it was like moving from New York in a frenzy to Eastbourne at tea time. Part of the problem was Zverev basically no-showed losing 2 and 2 to Medvedev, but even in the early stages of the match, there was no energy anywhere.

So a US Open rematch on a Paris hard court that is measurably slower than Roland Garros' clay. Should be interesting.