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French Open 2021

Floppybits

A few days away from the second Slam of the year. I guess for the men's Nadal has to be favourite. Is there anyone that beat him here? As for the ladies for me its wide open with 3 or 4 players that can win. I see Osaka has said she is not doing any press at the French Open for her mental health. I don't see her winning it.

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Rob2D

OH S**T! There's the Roger magic. That's getting shot of the day for sure.

mzungu

This looks to be heading towards another tie-break.

klr87

Hmm ... they changed to a new set of balls at 7-6 6-7 7-6 3-3, or 45 games. I make it they should have changed a game earlier, counting the warm-up as 2 games, and having not changed before the 2nd set tie-break*.

*Ah, I see it in the rules: "... In this case, the ball change is delayed until the beginning of the second game of the next set".

Rob2D

Sure hope this doesn't go to 5. I've to be on court myself at 9am tomorrow!

klr87

glasso wrote: »

Federer does the "bog break" quite frequently indeed and no mention.

Any time Djokovic goes to chop a log, he's the fooking anti-Christ.

Federer is not in many finals or semis the last while so maybe not as visible to those only watching the last two stages.

The Big 3 are probably all at a similar level in this respect IMHO, each with their own faults. But Novak is invariably the one to be called out ... mostly by Roger and Rafa fans, so no surprises there. For whatever reason, he is just not as popular/"marketable" as the other two. Don't ask me why.

And on we go here. 7-6 6-7 7-6 *2-1 to Fed, with a break. At least their serves are being broken. There are an increasing number of men's matches with few or even no break points, but that's not very likely on clay.

[Deleted User]

Experience and career-level class really counts when it comes to the tie-breaks.

Lesser players tend to tighten up.

Maybe the 59 ranking is showing.

Koepfer blew that set so will be a challenge to get over that before the match is gone.

[Deleted User]

klr87 wrote: »

Ah now, Roger's getting on a bit, it's way past his bedtime.

Seriously though, Roger could get away with almost anything in the eyes of his fans.

Also seriously: The worst offenders are not necessarily the most well-known players. We should be thankful Laura Siegemund* lost in the first round of the singles. Her use of epic bathroom breaks, tactical MTOs and all other manner of gamesmanship know no bounds. Well, not quite no bounds, as whenever she plays on a big show court at a slam, she hides the true extent of her evil nature.

*The German Rat, as one exasperated opponent once referred to her.

And we go to yet another tie-breaker. John Isner may have lost last night, but his spirit lives on.

Federer does the "bog break" quite frequently indeed and no mention.

Any time Djokovic goes to chop a log, he's the fooking anti-Christ.

Federer is not in many finals or semis the last while so maybe not as visible to those only watching the last two stages.

klr87

glasso wrote: »

Saint Fed takes a "strategic" jacks break.

They're all at it.....

Ah now, Roger's getting on a bit, it's way past his bedtime.

Seriously though, Roger could get away with almost anything in the eyes of his fans.

Also seriously: The worst offenders are not necessarily the most well-known players. We should be thankful Laura Siegemund* lost in the first round of the singles. Her use of epic bathroom breaks, tactical MTOs and all other manner of gamesmanship know no bounds. Well, not quite no bounds, as whenever she plays on a big show court at a slam, she hides the true extent of her evil nature.

*The German Rat, as one exasperated opponent once referred to her.

And we go to yet another tie-breaker. John Isner may have lost last night, but his spirit lives on.

Rob2D

Koepfer playing well above his station. Dude can hustle and he's hitting with such clarity. Impressive.

NoviGlitzko

Federer breaks back! This is some match now.

[Deleted User]

Saint Fed takes a "strategic" jacks break.

They're all at it.....

whiterebel

klr87 wrote: »

Well, well, well. One tie-break each. No-one is getting out of here until about 1am local time at the earliest. Mirka will not be pleased.

She had her sexiest cardie with her, too......

klr87

Well, well, well. One tie-break each. No-one is getting out of here until about 1am local time at the earliest. Mirka will not be pleased.

klr87

Federer would probably take a straight sets win with 3 tie-breaks if you offered it to him right now.

whiterebel

Fed seems to be finding it difficult to hit the ball through the court. Seems to be slapping it rather than his usual clean striking.

NoviGlitzko

This Koepfer lad who Federer is playing is like roadrunner on the court and hit's and serves like a truck. Surprised he isn't ranked higher than he is.

[Deleted User]

In the women's singles draw, only 2 of the "Top 10" seeds left and it's not even the end of the 3rd round.

joke!

Augme

That Musetti lob was one of the best shots I've ever seen.

whiterebel

Musetti is playing brilliantly against Cecchinato after losing the first set. Some genius shots being played here. He has a great defence too, Berretini should take note.

whiterebel

hawley wrote: »

Sinner looks like the best of all the young players coming through. He's still only 19 but would expect him to win a good few slams.

Musetti and Alcaraz are another 2. I'd like to see Alcaraz on other surfaces, so far he’s been brilliant on clay.

Rjd2

Augme wrote: »

If nadal reaches the final the only way he losses is if he is taken to five sets at the semi final stage. If I'm Novak, at this stage in just hoping someone takes at least one set from him in the next two matches and depletes his energy levels a bit more.

In these conditions, it's definitely tougher for the older guys to have the stamina. But if Nadal gets to the final having not dropped any sets I just can't see him losing.

Rublev and Karatsev going in his quarter helps him hugely.

Sinner easily the 2nd best player in that quarter and he has been sloppy so far so it's tough to see how even he can trouble Rafa over 5.

Famous last words, but don't see Rafa dropping a set before a semi final whatsoever.

Good result for Tsitsipas that, Isner played well and is underrated on this surface but getting him out in 4 is a nice effort.

Busta next who is a very dangerous opponent for Tsitsipas though.

hawley

Girly Gal wrote: »

Agree, the next gen are consistently inconsistent, it's the main reason it's hard to see them topple both Nadal and Djokovic in the slams.

Sinner looks like the best of all the young players coming through. He's still only 19 but would expect him to win a good few slams.

Augme

If nadal reaches the final the only way he losses is if he is taken to five sets at the semi final stage. If I'm Novak, at this stage in just hoping someone takes at least one set from him in the next two matches and depletes his energy levels a bit more.

In these conditions, it's definitely tougher for the older guys to have the stamina. But if Nadal gets to the final having not dropped any sets I just can't see him losing.

Girly Gal

Tsitsipas did well to turn it around after the first set, something not typical of the next gen players, it's the type of match he needs to be winning on a consistent basis to become a genuine slam contender.
Is there any possibility he could beat Nadal in the final if he gets there, can't see it myself, but, would be great to see a new champion emerge.

Royale with Cheese

I turned that off at 3-3 in the second set. I couldn't watch any more, absolute puke tennis from John Isner. I've never really watched a full match of his so I'm sure it was nothing out of the ordinary for him, delighted Tsitsipas went through though.

Floppybits

Isner playing good stuff here. Tsitsipas needs to up his game just a little and try put the Isner serve under pressure. Easier said than done when Isner is hitting 130mph serves.

Rjd2

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Medvedev through in straight sets. I haven't seen much of him thus far, any chance he could trouble the latter rounds of the tournament? I'd have had Tsitsipas as certain favourite to make the final from that half of the draw initially.

His attitude to clay was pretty dire before this, but has had some nice wins.

Garin loves the clay his next opponent so that will be a nice test.

I'd keep my eye on Busta on that side, playing nicely and loves the surface and has a pair.

Rjd2

Joe_ Public wrote: »

The mtos can be frustrating but hardly much of an excuse for that level of implosion from sabalenka. Kicking myself cos i was starting to believe in her after a very good clay season. Thought she'd get a qf this time before blasting her way out of it. Can't pick a finalist from that half now, a few there should definitely be fancying it, including Aza.

She murdered this girl a few weeks ago and chances are if they play next week she murders her again, its just she has a Grand Slam blank .

Its a bit like Pliskova worryingly.

sxt

Djokovic said something very interesting in his interview after the French open final last year. I think he was asked some question about the "next gen". He said that he, rafa, and Federer were the next gen. It was a joke but he was right

The "next gen" needs to beats one of them in a major final. Beating them in three set tournaments doesn't count for a generational shift

Girly Gal

Augme wrote: »

The guy he played in the previous round should have done a better job. He's definitely better than people assumed. He was 130/1 before the tournament. Tsisipas is still my certain favourite to make the draw from that side. I'd have Sasha as second favourite. But on his day Sasha could very best Tsitsipas or lose to Medvedev. And that's the problem with this "next gen". They are just too inconsistent.

Agree, the next gen are consistently inconsistent, it's the main reason it's hard to see them topple both Nadal and Djokovic in the slams.