2023 In Between Grand Slam Thread

whiterebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120953636#Comment_120953636

They should use them for competition, otherwise the net would be the wrong height.

dublin49

Murray going well in Canada,he is playing well and ekking out wins .Big surprise with Rune,Rublev ,Zverev and Tsitsipas all getting knocked out yesterday.As I was saying above there is a real levelling up( or down) of standard now and most matches potentially can have an upset.

Girly Gal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120959328#Comment_120959328

It's definitely a levelling down of standard!

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120959328#Comment_120959328

Except for Alcaraz. Alcaraz could get a few major wins in before someone comes along to really challenge him. Reminds of the early years of Federer were he is was dominant and then Rafa came along and for awhile it was just the 2 of them and then Djokovic came along and we got some great matches.

josip

Djokovic doesn't look ready to play second fiddle to Alcaraz just yet. It also means that he's likely to return to #1 after the US Open. Hopefully he can get past 400 this time around.

Winning Cincinatti also moves him clear of Lendl in ATP titles, but he's still 8 behind Federer so unlikely to close that gap before age catches up with him.

lbunnae

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121005907#Comment_121005907

It sounds insane to say it but the 3 sets suits Djocko now. Can't see him getting the better of Alcaraz in the US open.

dublin49

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121005935#Comment_121005935

I thought last night early on that Alcaraz had worked out how best to play Djock but by the end was thinking Djock had worked out Alcaraz.

Alcaraz won nearly every drop shot point and don't think Djock used it once,They are so close currently that I think it will on the day who wins albeit Djock may start to feel it if he gets a few 5 setters before there likely next meeting in US OPEN.

Floppybits

That was a cracking final last night between Djokovic and Alcaraz. 5 games into the match and Alcaraz had hit 12 winners and Djokovic hadn't hit one. I thought it was going to be over in 2 sets with the way Djokovic was playing especially towards the end of the First set and mid way through the second but then again we have seen this many times before from Djokovic. Alcaraz was like rocky he just wouldn't stay down. Unreal stuff.

Any chance someone would know what the tablets were that they gave Djokovic midway through the second set? Asking for a friend.😀 It reminded of a match in the US Open a few years ago where Del Potro was suffering similar to Djokovic and was 2 sets down and the medics came out checked on him gave him some tablets and Del Potro won the match in a 5 setter.

josip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121007857#Comment_121007857

Creatine

camz09

Sucks we're losing US Open Coverage on Prime. So easy to access and get free thru 1 month trial, ugh.

Now we're stuck with Sky. Or on Sports membership on NowTv for 15 euros for 1 month on a voucher. Cheapest and probably only option I can find. Not even sure if they show replay on demand for those late night early morning matches.

dublin49

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121010547#Comment_121010547

I am hoping SKY adopt Primes coverage and show every match,if they do it will be through red button and not sure that works on Now TV.

tiegan

9 now (Australia) with a VPN show free coverage

dublin49

Poor ould Richard Gasquet,37 year old ,battlies away for over 2 hours in horrendous mid day sun and loses in 3 sets,in a tie breaker to Korda, who promptly pulls out of tournament,theres no sentiment in sport.Gasquet had match points.

yerwanthere123

US Open thread here

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058311131/us-open-2023

yerwanthere123

Simona Halep banned for four years! Won't be eligible to compete until 6th October 2026.

https://www.itia.tennis/news/sanctions/independent-tribunal-sanctions-simona-halep-for-anti-doping-rule-violations/

Zero sympathy from me I'm afraid.

gmisk

Watched the end of the GB Davis cup tie with France....no idea how they managed to win that final key rubber (saved 4 match points). Dan Evans was terrific (in his own match he was down a set and a break) but dead on his feet in doubles, but dragged them through to the finals along with Skupski, if they really want a chance at winning they have to drop Norrie on current form...brutal.

josip

Sinner beat Alcaraz and Medvedev on the way to the China Open title last week.

29 of the top 30 have entered the Shanghai Masters this week. That's an impressive entry list.

Still a lot of points up for grabs between now and Turin. In reality, probably only those in 9th to 12th have a chance of catching Rune in 8th.

yerwanthere123

Great result from Sinner, think he'd lost all six matches he'd previously played against Medvedev. Also got a win over Alcaraz during the week, and now surprisingly leads their h2h 4-3. Some great mental hurdles to get over, now just needs to overcome his record in best of 5 matches.

josip

Alcaraz goes out very early in Shanghai. That will dent his hopes of finishing year end #1.

He's got the Swiss Indoor to try and close the gap to Djokovic before they both compete in Paris and Turin.

josip

And Alcaraz out early again in straight sets in Paris. Is he injured? He's had a long time to rest since Shanghai.

Meanwhile at the more interesting side of the race for Turin, Hurkacz has a 200 point gap to try and make up to take 8th place from Rune. It's between him and Rune, I can't see Ruud getting the extra 500 points he needs to take the spot.

whiterebel

Alcaraz pulled out of Basel last week with an injury, so I'd say its still affecting him.

Royale with Cheese

Nadal usually gives up for the rest of the season after Flushing Meadows and he's done alright for himself, I wouldn't read too much into it just yet.

josip

Title number 97 for Djokovic in Paris. Still a long way to go to get to Federer's 103.

gmisk

Nice to see Jack Draper hitting some form, won a challenger and now into a semi final in Sofia and up to world number 65, he had been outside top 100 until recently. No reason why he shouldn't be pushing top 20 soon enough if he can stay fit!

whiterebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121328295#Comment_121328295

Hard to see him not winning another 6.

josip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121348983#Comment_121348983

True, but 1 injury could change everything. Doesn't matter how flexible or fit he is, any significant injury at his age would be very hard to come back from. It was injuries that did for both Federer and Nadal in the end, more than diminishing competitiveness.

josip

Djokovic beat Rune yesterday which means he'll get to at least 410 weeks as #1.

Today, Alcaraz loses to Zverev. Whether it's form or injury or something else, Alcaraz has been indistinguishable from the rest of the next gen since winning Wimbledon.

yerwanthere123

Big first win for Sinner over Djokovic. Made to work for it though, three hours and eight minutes.

josip

In case anyone needs help with the qualifying permutations from today's group :)

1) Regardless of score, if ALCARAZ defeats MEDVEDEV and RUBLEV defeats ZVEREV, then ALCARAZ wins the group and MEDVEDEV qualifies 2nd.

2) Regardless of score, if MEDVEDEV defeats ALCARAZ and RUBLEV defeats ZVEREV, then MEDVEDEV wins the group and ALCARAZ qualifies 2nd.

3) Regardless of score, if MEDVEDEV defeats ALCARAZ and ZVEREV defeats RUBLEV, then MEDVEDEV wins the group and ZVEREV qualifies 2nd.

4) If ALCARAZ defeats MEDVEDEV in 2 sets and ZVEREV defeats RUBLEV in 2 sets, then ALCARAZ wins the group and MEDVEDEV qualifies 2nd.

5) If ALCARAZ defeats MEDVEDEV in 2 sets and ZVEREV defeats RUBLEV in 3 sets, then ALCARAZ wins the group and MEDVEDEV qualifies 2nd.

6) If ALCARAZ defeats MEDVEDEV in 3 sets and ZVEREV defeats RUBLEV in 2 sets, then MEDVEDEV wins the group and ALCARAZ qualifies 2nd.

7) If ALCARAZ defeats MEDVEDEV in 3 sets and ZVEREV defeats RUBLEV in 3 sets, then MEDVEDEV wins the group and ALCARAZ qualifies 2nd.

whiterebel

This tournament was threatening to turn into a shambles during the week after Tsitsipas lasted 3 games. No refund by the organisers, because they go to see the doubles? It wasn't looking great last either, with both players needing the physio. I don't think I'd be in a rush to pay money to see this, when you see Cam Norrie being flown in.