Tennis: All Purpose Tennis Thread XV

[Tuggy]

Hopefully you are right on Felix

 

[kihei]

Hopefully you are right on Felix

I'd trade being wrong on all the others if I could be right on Felix.

 

[Hadoop]

Watching Alcaraz is like watching a future king in waiting. And the wait may be shorter then we think.

Never mind a future slam winner; he looks like a generational talent.

Gonna be hard for me to top the predictions/bets I made last year regarding Alcaraz so no big early 2023 prognostications. That said I'm most looking forward to the following storylines:

1) Who is now the best player in the world - Carlos or Novak?
2) Does Nadal have one more French Open in him?
3) Will anyone else amongst the next (or is it next-next) gen win their first major?

 

[Ben Grimm]

• Gauff to ASB Classic semis with 76-minute win
• Pegula stuns Swiatek; U.S. up 2-0 in United Cup
• Raducanu leaves court in tears after ankle injury
• Tennis star Garcia says she struggled with bulimia
• Opelka pulls out of Australian Open with injuries
• WTA: China return requires resolution over Peng
• U.S. tops Britain to advance to United Cup semis

 

[kihei]

Alcaraz withdraws from Australia with an injury. That actually lessens the potential seeding dilemma that the AO faces this year, what with Nole currently at #5, Medvedev at #8 and Zverev at #13. Bad news in every other way, though.

 

[kihei]

In maybe the first important match-up of the year, Nole has a surprisingly easy time against Daniil, 3 and 4. It was a dominant performance in which Novak dictated points and pinned Medvedev deep on the baseline with great depth. Outside of an effective first serve, Daniil seemed at a loss how to counter.

Briefly the universe seemed to move over six inches to the left when Nole appeared to pull a thigh muscle that required a full medical time out. But it turned out to be nothing momentous after all. Indeed, Daniil was less than impressed, even mocking Nole's movement a little near the end of the match. Since his lost to Medvedev in the finals of the US Open in 2021, Nole has now won four straight matches against Daniil.

 

[MsMeow]

In maybe the first important match-up of the year, Nole has a surprisingly easy time against Daniil, 3 and 4. It was a dominant performance in which Novak dictated points and pinned Medvedev deep on the baseline with great depth. Outside of an effective first serve, Daniil seemed at a loss how to counter.

Briefly the universe seemed to move over six inches to the left when Nole appeared to pull a thigh muscle that required a full medical time out. But it turned out to be nothing momentous after all. Indeed, Daniil was less than impressed, even mocking Nole's movement a little near the end of the match. Since his lost to Medvedev in the finals of the US Open in 2021, Nole has now won four straight matches against Daniil.

Why do athletes do things like that? It only makes the person being mocked more motivated.

 

[kihei]

Why do athletes do things like that? It only makes the person being mocked more motivated.

I think, in general, that athletes are pretty good at knowing when other athletes are styling it a bit. The temptation is to get annoyed and show the perpetrator up a little. It's not the first time Nole has played possum a tad. Djokovic was firmly in control of the match, so motivation wasn't a concern. Daniil was just making his little point. Boys will be boys.

 

[Tuggy]

Congrats to her, but I can't help but wonder when/if we'll see her on the court again.

 

[17futurecap]

Draper/Khachanov just ripping the ball.

Draper got tight serving for it at 5-4, but did well finishing it in the breaker.

Should be a big year for him if he can stay healthy, which is a big if.

 

[Evilo]

New Davis Cup format is gone !

 

[kihei]

New Davis Cup format is gone !

The 3 billion, 25 year deal with Gerard Pique's Kosmos Group is gone. It was a ridiculous amount of money to throw at a new format, so no surprise that the Kosmos Group threw in the towel after a few years. Hopefully, the old format will be brought back because it is a unique competition.

Is there some insight here about selling your soul for money? Maybe, but 3 billion is a lot of money,

 

[kihei]

Kwon over RBA in three sets in Adelaide; Gasquet in three sets over Norrie in Auckland. Both matches were absolute beauties, like watching chess from the baseline.

 

[Tuggy]

 

[Ben Grimm]

Wimbledon 2023: Men’s doubles matches to be abbreviated

The men's doubles at Wimbledon is to change from best-of-five sets to best of three, the All England Club has announced.

www.tennis365.com

@kihei

 

[kihei]

@kihei

Absolutely fabulous idea for Wimbledon.

Only thing that would be better would be if doubles matches were reduced to a single set or, better, best two of three games to be played somewhere in the Scottish Highlands with results conferred to the general public exclusively by elderly carrier pigeons.

 

[kihei]

Top Dozen reasons why Nole is the best ever:

Tied with Rafa at 22 GS titles
Most weeks at #1 and counting: 374 (set to beat Graf's record of 377 shortly)
HIghest winning percentage of matches, men: 83.29%
Career winning records over Federer and Nadal
Most Masters titles: 38
Only player to win all 9 of the Masters titles and he has done it twice (two away, Monte Carlo and Cincy, from making it three times)
Most year-end #1 ranking: 7
All-time record GS finals: 33
He has made the finals in each GS tournament at least six times, a record
Most GS titles after 30 years of age; 10
Only male player to win two different GSs seven of more times
He is a French Open win away from winning each GSs at least three times

 

[kihei]

ATP finally completed its investigation of Zverev abuse claims. The organization found "insufficient evidence" to discipline Zverev.

 

[Novak Djokovic]

Bought tickets for Toronto Masters event in August, I think QF made the most sense with 2 men’s matches.

 

[Filppula]

Andreescu currently playing WTA 250 tournament in Thailand. Took a WC and is the top seed. She is currently leading 3-1 and should she win, she faces Marta Kostyuk.

 

[Hadoop]

Hearing Djokovic will not be able to play Indian Wells or Miami, but WILL be able to play the US Open this year.

He's still divisive to many, but he's also still the best player on the planet (and many would objectively say all time), and I for one am glad to see that he'll be in New York to soak up the adulation/derision on Ashe again this summer.

 

[Ben Grimm]

MSN

www.msn.com

 

[Tuggy]

Felix opens up his title defense in Rotterdam.

 

[Ben Grimm]

I left work early: Part-timer beats ex-No. 8 Sock

Full-time real estate professional Matija Pecotic stunned former world No. 8 Jack Sock on his ATP Tour main draw debut at the Delray Beach Open on Tuesday.

www.espn.com

 

[kihei]

I left work early: Part-timer beats ex-No. 8 Sock

Full-time real estate professional Matija Pecotic stunned former world No. 8 Jack Sock on his ATP Tour main draw debut at the Delray Beach Open on Tuesday.

www.espn.com

What a story. I saw the match. Sock didn't play well but the 33 year old rookie with his ranking in the 700s did.