2020 In Between Grand Slam Thread

[Deleted User] · 19-02-2020 3:13pm

meanwhile the winner of the the Australian Open Kenin goes out in the first round in the same tournament in Dubai, her first WTA tournament after the AO, to a player never ranked higher than 19.

plus ça change

yerwanthere123 · 19-02-2020 5:40pm

Jack Sock gets his first win on the tour since November 2018 (!), beats the defending champion Radu Albot in Delray Beach. Battled some injuries but mainly poor form for the last while. He was top ten two years ago and currently doesn't even have a ranking, although this win should put him back in the top 800 for now at least.

[Deleted User] · 19-02-2020 6:14pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Jack Sock gets his first win on the tour since November 2018 (!), beats the defending champion Radu Albot in Delray Beach. Battled some injuries but mainly poor form for the last while. He was top ten two years ago and currently doesn't even have a ranking, although this win should put him back in the top 800 for now at least.

a player that has never got within a sniff of a grand slam quarter-final.

that's where the difference lies.

mzungu · 19-02-2020 10:50pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

At the very least Del Potro fulfilled some of his potential, and more success even after his first round of wrist surgery. Laura's career was basically nipped in the bud right when it was starting. Sad really, she was a real big match player and was great fun to watch.

I'd like to think the extent and frequency with which players get serious injuries nowadays will eventually result in a return to them being able to selectively cherry-pick their schedules, although with the amount of money involved in tennis I doubt either the WTA or ATP would let it happen.

It would be nice, but I reckon it will only ever be those at the very top that will be able to do that. But like you mentioned above, the money involved is only going to increase. It is quite likely there will be plenty more Robsons and Del Potros in the coming years.

Royale with Cheese · 20-02-2020 11:24am

Federer out until the grass court season, the beginning of the end? I've flights already booked for Roland Garros and all.

[Deleted User] · 20-02-2020 12:30pm

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Federer out until the grass court season, the beginning of the end? I've flights already booked for Roland Garros and all.

One last big push at Wimbledon?

He was never going to be competing for the title at RG and it's only the chance of a slam that interests him at this point.

but what will be his ranking at Wimbledon now.....?

could be down to 7th in the world by the Summer apparently with this time out...

yerwanthere123 · 20-02-2020 1:01pm

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Federer out until the grass court season, the beginning of the end? I've flights already booked for Roland Garros and all.

Yes, had knee surgery yesterday. That's a surprise, didn't know there were any issues there. Will be hard coming back from that at his age, I wonder is a Wimbledon comeback too optimistic. Ranking will take a hit too, he won't get to defend Dubai, Miami, Indian Wells final or RG semi points.

I want to go to RG this year too but I was gonna hold off booking flights or anything until I actually got tickets. Maybe I should just go ahead now and do it anyway, tickets go on sale March 25th isn't it? How difficult are they to get, is it basically just login and buy? I was hoping to get tickets for the second Monday, the 1st of June.

Royale with Cheese · 20-02-2020 2:21pm

I've heard it's not too difficult to get tickets if you're online when they go on sale. I'm in France for the first weekend of the tournament anyway so it wasn't too much bother to take a detour through Paris.

I was going to get tickets for the whole weekend to be guaranteed to see Federer as long as he made the 4th round, will probably just get a Sunday ticket now. I've seen Nadal play before and while Djokovic is a great player, watching him doesn't do that much for me. Would be happy to see either of them play without getting to see both.

Would also love to see Serena play, and lose.

Rob2D · 21-02-2020 10:40am

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Yes, had knee surgery yesterday. That's a surprise, didn't know there were any issues there.

Preventative most likely. Fed and his team have always played things very safe.

whiterebel · 21-02-2020 2:11pm

Arthroscopy isn’t preventative, its a clean out of debris, using keyhole surgery.

yerwanthere123 · 22-02-2020 4:28pm

Halep playing the Dubai final now against 20 year-old Elena Rybakina. Never seen Rybakina play but she's in fine form so far this year, fourth final already and sixth since last July. The winner gets just under $700,000, not bad for a weeks work against a not so stellar field, although Rybakina will definitely have earned it if she gets the title.

Medvedev took a lopsided 4-6 0-6 loss to Gilles Simon in Marseille, who he's now 0-3 against. He started off the year well enough but a poor last couple of tournaments, hope he rights the ship soon. As far as I can see he's not down for any tournament next week so I presume we won't see him until Indian Wells/Miami.

Tsitsipas just got through to the final, hopefully he'll be playing FAA.

Joe_ Public · 22-02-2020 4:51pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Halep playing the Dubai final now against 20 year-old Elena Rybakina. Never seen Rybakina play but she's in fine form so far this year, fourth final already and sixth since last July. The winner gets just under $700,000, not bad for a weeks work against a not so stellar field, although Rybakina will definitely have earned it if she gets the title.

Dunno, no.s 2,3,4,5 & 7 all in the field so it cant be that bad! Already beaten reigning slam winner and world no.2 and just about to go a set up here. Didnt see her being a factor here after last weeks efforts so seems very impressive.

Joe_ Public · 22-02-2020 6:45pm

Really good match. Rybakina just comes up short but she's an exciting and brave player. Loves to go for her shots.

yerwanthere123 · 23-02-2020 2:01am

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Dunno, no.s 2,3,4,5 & 7 all in the field so it cant be that bad! Already beaten reigning slam winner and world no.2 and just about to go a set up here. Didnt see her being a factor here after last weeks efforts so seems very impressive.

Oh yeah, Rybakina had a tough draw alright, Halep not so much until the final. $700,000 for winning four matches, not a bad weeks work :cool: Halep now up to #4 on the all-time prize money list, which goes to show how obscene the money is these days. Sensibly, she's pulled out of Doha also.

Tsitsipas-FAA final it is in Marseille, could be a very good match. FAA leads the h2h 2-1, 3-1 if we include juniors. Hope he wins it, not least because he's already lost four finals. Here's a cool stat that I definitely compiled myself and didn't rob from Twitter:

Number of ATP finals reached as a teenager:

18 - Nadal
7 - Djokovic
5 - Murray
5 - Auger-Aliassime
4 - Federer
4 - Monfils
4 - Del Potro
4 - Zverev

dominatinMC · 23-02-2020 9:29am

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Oh yeah, Rybakina had a tough draw alright, Halep not so much until the final. $700,000 for winning four matches, not a bad weeks work :cool: Halep now up to #4 on the all-time prize money list, which goes to show how obscene the money is these days. Sensibly, she's pulled out of Doha also.

Tsitsipas-FAA final it is in Marseille, could be a very good match. FAA leads the h2h 2-1, 3-1 if we include juniors. Hope he wins it, not least because he's already lost four finals. Here's a cool stat that I definitely compiled myself and didn't rob from Twitter:

Jesus that stat is mad, Nadal really was a freak of a teenager!

mzungu · 23-02-2020 6:38pm

Tsitsipas wins 6-3, 6-4 in Marseille.

Scoreline suggests it was straightforward but Auger-Aliassime was toe-to-toe with him for a decent chunk of it. Losing his serve twice in the second ended him. He did well to break back after losing it the first time, only to loose his own again straight after. Maybe it was a lack of concentration on his part.

Decent match nonetheless. Tsitsipas a worthy winner.

Joe_ Public · 23-02-2020 7:03pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Oh yeah, Rybakina had a tough draw alright, Halep not so much until the final. $700,000 for winning four matches, not a bad weeks work :cool: Halep now up to #4 on the all-time prize money list, which goes to show how obscene the money is these days. Sensibly, she's pulled out of Doha also.

Didnt halep face a match point in her first match against Jabeur? Jabeur is a great story and a decent player who i think will climb a good bit higher in rankings. Rybakina is scheduled to go again in Doha tomorrow. The inhibitions of youth, i guess. But reminds me a bit of sabalenka a couple of years ago who seemed to have no off switch and burned herself out i reckon. She'll surely tank this week if she does turn up.

dominatinMC · 23-02-2020 9:24pm

mzungu wrote: »

Tsitsipas wins 6-3, 6-4 in Marseille.

Scoreline suggests it was straightforward but Auger-Aliassime was toe-to-toe with him for a decent chunk of it. Losing his serve twice in the second ended him. He did well to break back after losing it the first time, only to loose his own one straight after. Maybe it was a lack of concentration on his part.

Decent match nonetheless. Tsitsipas a worthy winner.

Didn't see the match but saw on Twitter that FAA has yet to even win a set in a final. Would suggest nerves are an issue for him on the big stage..

[Deleted User] · 25-02-2020 7:23pm

#Champion Watch

Australian Open Champion Sofia Kenin now out in the first round again. Two weeks running. First 2 tournaments after Melbourne.

Such a deep standard in the WTA -> you just never know what will happen!

Slashermcguirk · 25-02-2020 7:35pm

Presume you mean such a poor standard in the WTA. Serious lack of decent players and rivalries in women’s tennis

glasso wrote: »

#Champion Watch

Australian Open Champion Sofia Kenin now out in the first round again. Two weeks running. First 2 tournaments after Melbourne.

Such a deep standard in the WTA -> you just never know what will happen!

[Deleted User] · 25-02-2020 7:43pm

Slashermcguirk wrote: »

Presume you mean such a poor standard in the WTA. Serious lack of decent players and rivalries in women’s tennis

#irony

(although that is actually the claim that some eejits come out with - that they are all so good. #lmfao)

yerwanthere123 · 25-02-2020 10:59pm

Well I mean it's still early days for Kenin, it hasn't even been a month since she won in Melbourne, let's see how she's doing by the time the clay season rolls around. But I don't think anyone is expecting her to dominate, and I'd be massively surprised if she ever adds to her current grand slam tally.

Has anyone subscribed to the tennis on Prime? Supposed to be very good with excellent choice. I've only ever watched their US Open coverage.

[Deleted User] · 25-02-2020 11:40pm

I haven't watched it but I do have prime - not sure if you have to pay extra on top of normal prime - doesn't appear that you do have to.

seems to say "not available in your location" but I understand that I could maybe fix that if I get onto the help centre and say that I want to be considered based in a UK address - might try that.

does say this....

"selected tournaments". otherwise you have to buy "Tennis TV"

https://www.tennistv.com/help/can-i-watch-tennis-on-amazon-prime/

Eurosport are still pretty good. I find Mats Wilander quite insightful when they ask him for a contribution - not sure what others think of him?

yerwanthere123 · 25-02-2020 11:43pm

Murray update:

https://twitter.com/stu_fraser/status/1232432737199345664

Surely more surgery at this stage would be a career death knell?

whiterebel · 26-02-2020 12:43am

glasso wrote: »

I haven't watched it but I do have prime - not sure if you have to pay extra on top of normal prime - doesn't appear that you do have to.

seems to say "not available in your location" but I understand that I could maybe fix that if I get onto the help centre and say that I want to be considered based in a UK address - might try that.

does say this....

"selected tournaments". otherwise you have to buy "Tennis TV"

https://www.tennistv.com/help/can-i-watch-tennis-on-amazon-prime/

Eurosport are still pretty good. I find Mats Wilander quite insightful when they ask him for a contribution - not sure what others think of him?

Just tell Amazon support that you’re moving to the UK, put in a delivery address on your account for the UK beforehand. All works then, ATP and WTA this year. Eurosport only covers Australia and French, as far as I remember.

yerwanthere123 · 26-02-2020 2:16pm

Oh wow, Maria Sharapova just announced her retirement, published an essay in Vanity Fair.

[Deleted User] · 26-02-2020 9:45pm

notwithstanding the ban, hasn't been relevant for a good while.

not very pc but I remember getting a chuckle out of Adam Levine's alleged remarks on their dating that she was a like a "dead frog" in the sack.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-478483/Maroon-5-singer-denies-reports-called-Sharapova-dead-frog.html

mzungu · 26-02-2020 10:11pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Murray update:

https://twitter.com/stu_fraser/status/1232432737199345664

Surely more surgery at this stage would be a career death knell?

Aye, more surgery at this point and he would be better off throwing in the towel altogether.

Hopefully that won't happen, but I wouldn't like to see him bust himself up just for the sake of playing a few more tournaments.

yerwanthere123 · 27-02-2020 3:39pm

Not sure how I feel about Sharapova tbh. Following tennis since 2011 and she'd been my favourite WTA player for large portions of that, but like it or lump it the Meldonium cloud will always hang over her, and it's what a lot of people will remember above all else. I've defended her before, and I know that most players have and continue to abuse legal supplements in the same way she has without getting caught, but it'll forever leave a stain on her achievements. Not nice after such a terrific career, but it is a harsh reality.

Meanwhile in Dubai, Muguruza still playing well since the Australian Open, into the QF's to play Barty. Ons Jabeur is another into the QF's and thus up to a new career high of #38 at least. Never seen her play but a lot seem to like her, will probably be seeded for RG. Also well done to Sloane Stephens in Acapulco who managed to lose to #270 Renata Zarazua. Sloane has seemed thoroughly disinterested in tennis for a while now, although will presumably make an effort again when she wants a big payday.

Nothing too much of note happening on the ATP side so far, although Dan Evans is into the SF's of Dubai and now enters the top 30 for the first time.

lostcat · 28-02-2020 11:04am

glasso wrote: »

notwithstanding the ban, hasn't been relevant for a good while.

...... of Adam Levine's alleged remarks on their dating that she was a like a "dead frog" ......

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-478483/Maroon-5-singer-denies-reports-called-Sharapova-dead-frog.html

Maroon 5 have that affect on me too, to be honest....

Sharapova was never going to win another major tournament I think, even without injury. I'm ambivalent about her legacy, the ban was correctly applied and is quite damaging but the taking of that drug was not banned for the majority of the time she was taking it. It would be naive to think that she is the only player to be taking this kind of stuff.

anyway, not wanting to rehash it, and, as others have noted, i wont miss the aural component of her game.

2020 In Between Grand Slam Thread

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