2021 In Between Grand Slam Thread

yerwanthere123 · 13-06-2021 11:02pm

Rob2D wrote: »

Another next gen falls today as Cilic defeats FAA to win Stuttgart.

FAA now 0-8 in finals. Not good at the early stages of his young career.

Girly Gal · 14-06-2021 4:53am

Rob2D wrote: »

Another next gen falls today as Cilic defeats FAA to win Stuttgart.

The next gen guys are just so mentally weak, most seem to have the talent, but, just wilt when any sort of pressure comes on them.

josip · 14-06-2021 10:21am

Girly Gal wrote: »

The next gen guys are just so mentally weak, most seem to have the talent, but, just wilt when any sort of pressure comes on them.

In fairness to the next gen, it's not just 'any sort' of pressure.
Going into set 4 or 5 of a GS with a Nadal or Djokovic staring back from the other side of the net is the kind of pressure very few in sport experience or would want to experience.
Even Federer wilts under that pressure and he's last gen

Rob2D · 14-06-2021 1:18pm

I hate the way Nike aren't sending out different sets to players. Have Sinner v Draper on in the background and whenever I look I can't tell who's who.

14-06-2021 1:47pm

heard a point that I thought was interesting

the younger players - don't expect them to do well at Wimbledon this year comparatively maybe

1. the players play little on grass anyways as it's the shortest season

2. last year there was no grass court season

3. this year the turnaround is also shorter to Wimbledon than in a totally normal year

4. it takes several seasons normally for players to learn how to optimise their game to play on grass to their potential

whiterebel · 14-06-2021 1:51pm

Rob2D wrote: »

I hate the way Nike aren't sending out different sets to players. Have Sinner v Draper on in the background and whenever I look I can't tell who's who.

It is very irritating. They are like twins. Apart from one being leftie:pac:
Queens looks wonderful apart from the advertising hoardings - they are very, very pink.

whiterebel · 14-06-2021 2:40pm

Federer has signed up for Halle next year already, according to the commentators. Still looks very rusty here v Ivashka.

Rob2D · 14-06-2021 3:06pm

If Fed was smart he'd start playing doubles from next year. It'd keep drawing in the crowds and he's more than capable of winning a few doubles slams in his 40's with a good partner. It would be an easy way to add nicely to his legacy.

yerwanthere123 · 14-06-2021 4:06pm

Rob2D wrote: »

If Fed was smart he'd start playing doubles from next year. It'd keep drawing in the crowds and he's more than capable of winning a few doubles slams in his 40's with a good partner. It would be an easy way to add nicely to his legacy.

It'd be an undeniable step down though, no? It's singles where the prestige is.

14-06-2021 4:28pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

It'd be an undeniable step down though, no? It's singles where the prestige is.

True.

No way you're going to get away with counting mixed doubles slams in your GS total

CassieManson · 14-06-2021 4:51pm

Rob2D wrote:

I hate the way Nike aren't sending out different sets to players. Have Sinner v Draper on in the background and whenever I look I can't tell who's who.

It's to help you to prepare for Wimbledon where they all look the same!

josip · 14-06-2021 4:54pm

glasso wrote: »

True.

No way you're going to get away with counting mixed doubles slams in your GS total

His $300m Uniqlo contract runs until 2028, does he have to continue playing according to that contract or just be the brand ambassador?

14-06-2021 4:59pm

josip wrote: »

His $300m Uniqlo contract runs until 2028, does he have to continue playing according to that contract or just be the brand ambassador?

I don't know tbh.

I would doubt that they expect him to keep going on the main tour until he's 47 (unless a number of matches on the retirement exhibition gig circuit)

the contract will have set all that out but won't be public I guess.

Rob2D · 14-06-2021 5:36pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

It'd be an undeniable step down though, no? It's singles where the prestige is.

True but at his age he's done what he's going to do in singles. All the old greats were acomplished doubles players. It's nice to have on the resume for sure. And a bit of a gap when it's not there IMO. It just fell out of favour recently with the switch to more intensive training on the off days.

Girly Gal · 14-06-2021 8:37pm

josip wrote: »

His $300m Uniqlo contract runs until 2028, does he have to continue playing according to that contract or just be the brand ambassador?

I doubt they expect him to play singles until 2028, he'll be 46 or 47, Covid probably pushed his retirement back a year or two, had Covid not came I'd say he'd have finished up last year, wants a final shot at Wimbledon and the Olympics, the fact that there won't be full crowds this year probably means he'll hang on for next year.
He could probably play doubles until 2028 alright and would be a massive draw. Nadal and Djokovic might even follow suit in a few years and continue fighting it out there, if that happened the doubles tour wouldn't know what hit it.

josip · 14-06-2021 10:38pm

Girly Gal wrote: »

...Nadal and Djokovic might even follow suit in a few years and continue fighting it out there, if that happened the doubles tour wouldn't know what hit it.

Or maybe they could pair up?

15-06-2021 12:28pm

josip wrote: »

Or maybe they could pair up?

I wonder who would be likely to pair up with who!

might indicate what they really think behind the scenes

couldn't see Djokovic paring up with Federer as Djokovic has just foiled him at too many slams

Nadal is probably seen as a more "neutral" party as he was the RG animal as a given.

Rob2D · 15-06-2021 12:44pm

glasso wrote: »

I wonder who would be likely to pair up with who!

might indicate what they really think behind the scenes

couldn't see Djokovic paring up with Federer as Djokovic has just foiled him at too many slams

Nadal is probably seen as a more "neutral" party as he was the RG animal as a given.

Fed and Nadal actually get on well it seems plus Nadal is the much better doubles player anyway. I'd be surprised if we don't see it at some point. It's guaranteed viership money for the tour.

MisterAnarchy · 15-06-2021 12:45pm

Wimbledon tickets are due to go on sale this week.
It looks like most of them will be sold online on Ticketmaster, there will be no queuing this year.
Handy for anyone in the Uk, a really good chance of getting tickets to it this year unlike normally.

https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/tickets/index.html

Tickets for The Championships 2021 will be made available via an online sale, which we anticipate commencing in mid-June. All tickets will be distributed via the official Wimbledon mobile Apps for iOS and Android.

There will be no Queue in operation this year, and the 2021 Qualifying Competition will be closed to the public.

15-06-2021 12:51pm

Rob2D wrote: »

Fed and Nadal actually get on well it seems plus Nadal is the much better doubles player anyway. I'd be surprised if we don't see it at some point. It's guaranteed viership money for the tour.

probably a likely outcome alright if they fancy it

Navratilova was still getting to GS Doubles Semis at 50 (near as)

Hector Savage · 15-06-2021 2:16pm

glasso wrote: »

I wonder who would be likely to pair up with who!

might indicate what they really think behind the scenes

couldn't see Djokovic paring up with Federer as Djokovic has just foiled him at too many slams

Nadal is probably seen as a more "neutral" party as he was the RG animal as a given.

Djokovic and Nadal would never pair up , they f*ckin hate each other !

Rob2D · 15-06-2021 4:25pm

Paire blending in with the scenery.

dominatinMC · 15-06-2021 6:25pm

Hector Savage wrote: »

Djokovic and Nadal would never pair up , they f*ckin hate each other !

I don't think that's the case at all. There seems to be a lot of animosity between Fed and Djokovic, but I've never seen any hostility between Nadal and Djoker.

15-06-2021 6:46pm

dominatinMC wrote: »

I don't think that's the case at all. There seems to be a lot of animosity between Fed and Djokovic, but I've never seen any hostility between Nadal and Djoker.

yes - Nadal and Djokovic seem ok imo from interactions

Fed and Djokovic not so - and tbh I'm pretty sure that it's more on the Fed side!

mzungu · 15-06-2021 7:10pm

Glad to see Murray winning there.

His next match will be tough, though.

josip · 16-06-2021 12:34am

Djokovic to play doubles in Mallorca.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/57486181

Partner not yet announced, might be someone local?

Slashermcguirk · 16-06-2021 9:15am

The field at Queens has become so weak over the years. I remember back in the day a lot of the top players would play but Federer never had any interest (presumably contracted to Halle), Nadal and Djokovic i think played maybe twice ever and the last time they played each other there was in 2008 from memory. I suppose it is only a 500 event so no real incentive to play in it. A friend of mine went a couple of years ago and said the field was very poor

dominatinMC · 16-06-2021 10:11am

Slashermcguirk wrote: »

The field at Queens has become so weak over the years. I remember back in the day a lot of the top players would play but Federer never had any interest (presumably contracted to Halle), Nadal and Djokovic i think played maybe twice ever and the last time they played each other there was in 2008 from memory. I suppose it is only a 500 event so no real incentive to play in it. A friend of mine went a couple of years ago and said the field was very poor

It's a shame really as it seems like a really well organised event, pristine courts, and a nice introduction to grass tennis before Wimbledon. The event has a bit of prestige too but, as you say, the field rarely reflects that.

lostcat · 16-06-2021 10:17am

Slashermcguirk wrote: »

The field at Queens has become so weak over the years. I remember back in the day a lot of the top players would play but Federer never had any interest (presumably contracted to Halle), Nadal and Djokovic i think played maybe twice ever and the last time they played each other there was in 2008 from memory. I suppose it is only a 500 event so no real incentive to play in it. A friend of mine went a couple of years ago and said the field was very poor

The FO being pushed by a week hasn't helped this year. But perhaps the real reason is that, with all surfaces playing somewhat more similar recently, players don't feel the need for a proper 'tune up' anymore.

16-06-2021 12:10pm

dates changed this year but was never big in the last decade with the very top players aside from Murray who would sort of have to attend I suppose

https://www.queensclub.co.uk/cinch-championships/past-winners-championships/

Lopez won the last one in 2019 at 37 then went out at Wimbledon in the second round

Slashermcguirk · 16-06-2021 3:07pm

yes the tournament has gone downhill particularly in the past decade. The top players are just not drawn to it, Halle would often have the better field in recent years. Its interesting that Djokovic so rarely plays a warm up event for Wimbledon but has won it 5 times. Even Nadal back when he was doing better at Wimbledon often skipped the warm up events.

I think players are probably just gassed after the clay season and particularly the players who go deep at the French open. You look at Halle this week though, much stronger field than Queens:

Federer, Medvedev, Zverev, Rublev, Khachanov, Nishikori, Bautista Agut, Monfils, Felix Alliasime, Goffin.

Queens is like Murray, Berritini, Shapovalov and then a bunch of much lower ranked players

whiterebel · 16-06-2021 3:59pm

FAA takes out Fed in 3. Serving was woeful. FAA was hitting the forehand beautifully and Fed kept serving on to it. Strange that FAA gets in one of the top Clay coaches in Uncle Tony, has a horrific clay season, and yet plays really well on his first 2 grass tournaments. Well deserved win.

16-06-2021 4:42pm

doesn't augur well for Wimbledon and having pulled out of the French surely was planning to go deeper here - his next match will be at SW19 according to his schedule

klr87 · 16-06-2021 5:30pm

whiterebel wrote: »

FAA takes out Fed in 3. Serving was woeful. FAA was hitting the forehand beautifully and Fed kept serving on to it. Strange that FAA gets in one of the top Clay coaches in Uncle Tony, has a horrific clay season, and yet plays really well on his first 2 grass tournaments. Well deserved win.

glasso wrote: »

doesn't augur well for Wimbledon and having pulled out of the French surely was planning to go deeper here - his next match will be at SW19 according to his schedule

Well, that withdrawal definitely did not have the desired affect. FAA is very competent player on grass, IMHO better than the likes of Tsitsipas, Zverev and Medvedev, so this was never going to be easy. The one thing FAA can't seem to do is win a final: he's now 0/8 after losing to Cilic in Stuttgart last week.

Is two matches on grass enough match practice? Fed isn't the type to go entering a tournament at short notice the week before a slam, although these are unusual circumstances. I'm sure Eastbourne* would love to have him as a wild card next week, but on balance, I think it's quite unlikely. He'll probably play a couple of exhibition matches.

*Can't see him going to Nadal's back yard in Mallorca ...

Girly Gal · 16-06-2021 6:41pm

klr87 wrote: »

Well, that withdrawal definitely did not have the desired affect. FAA is very competent player on grass, IMHO better than the likes of Tsitsipas, Zverev and Medvedev, so this was never going to be easy. The one thing FAA can't seem to do is win a final: he's now 0/8 after losing to Cilic in Stuttgart last week.

Is two matches on grass enough match practice? Fed isn't the type to go entering a tournament at short notice the week before a slam, although these are unusual circumstances. I'm sure Eastbourne* would love to have him as a wild card next week, but on balance, I think it's quite unlikely. He'll probably play a couple of exhibition matches.

*Can't see him going to Nadal's back yard in Mallorca ...

Depending on the draw of course, but, I reckon Federer is unlikely to get to the second week if he meets anyone decent, he's too old now, plus being out for over a year at his age is massive, had he stayed fit and was playing regularly over the last year I'd have given him a decent shot at getting to the latter stages, but, very hard to see how he can be competitive at Wimbledon this year.

Floppybits · 16-06-2021 9:41pm

What is the story with Kyrgios? Has he given up? What a waste of talent.

mzungu · 16-06-2021 9:51pm

Floppybits wrote: »

What is the story with Kyrgios? Has he given up? What a waste of talent.

I think he is playing Mallorca.

whiterebel · 16-06-2021 9:52pm

Didn’t he have a neck injury?

MisterAnarchy · 16-06-2021 10:14pm

Wimbledon tickets go onsale tomorrow at 1pm for anyone interested.
Need to register by midnight tonight.

https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/tickets/index.html

An initial sale of tickets for the public will go live on this page at 1pm on Thursday 17 June, and you must be registered with myWIMBLEDON by midnight BST on Wednesday 16 June in order to access the ticketing platform for the initial sale. Further details on these ticket sales will be published shortly.

16-06-2021 10:18pm

whiterebel wrote: »

Didn’t he have a neck injury?

seems yes - but he also hasn't played any tennis since the AO - just skipped the whole clay court season - when he wasn't injured

and we know that he's not a big man for the practice

I used to think that he was a character that brought a bit of colour to the game but sort of hard to care when he doesn't even bother playing.

yerwanthere123 · 16-06-2021 10:52pm

whiterebel wrote: »

Didn’t he have a neck injury?

The perils of too much video gaming. I'd similar trouble with my Nintendo 64 when I was around 8.

yerwanthere123 · 17-06-2021 12:11am

Interesting from Federer today, surprised this didn't get posted. Click on the tweet for full thread.

https://twitter.com/tumcarayol/status/1405216782638530566

MisterAnarchy · 17-06-2021 1:13pm

Nadal has pulled out of Wimbledon and the Olympics saying that , he needs to "recuperate after a long clay-court season".

Girly Gal · 17-06-2021 1:14pm

Nadal out of Wimbledon, looks like the beginning of the end for Rafa, his body no longer able to sustain the level of punishment required to play his game, age finally catching up with him.

MisterAnarchy · 17-06-2021 1:16pm

2 weeks between the French Open and Wimbledon is an absolute farce in fairness.
No excuse for that sort of stupid scheduling.

josip · 17-06-2021 1:24pm

Strange to pull out of the Olympics, unless he fancies his chances in the US Open?

klr87 · 17-06-2021 1:35pm

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

2 weeks between the French Open and Wimbledon is an absolute farce in fairness.
No excuse for that sort of stupid scheduling.

It should have been 3 weeks, as it's been since 2015, but the FFT insisted on delaying the French Open by a week, in the hope that some spectators would be allowed.

ArmaniJeanss · 17-06-2021 1:59pm

klr87 wrote: »

It should have been 3 weeks, as it's been since 2015, but the FFT insisted on delaying the French Open by a week, in the hope that some spectators would be allowed.

Roland Garros kept the grand slam show going last year, whilst Wimbledon didn't bother.
So I'd find it hard to begrudge the French rescheduling by a week this year in an attempt to make it more financially viable for them.

paulie21 · 17-06-2021 2:07pm

Uncle Toni was only bigging up his Wimbledon chances yesterday. Was there a falling out between them? Would imagine he'd know he was considering withdrawing

Hector Savage · 17-06-2021 2:23pm

paulie21 wrote: »

Uncle Toni was only bigging up his Wimbledon chances yesterday. Was there a falling out between them? Would imagine he'd know he was considering withdrawing

Uncle Toni is Felix Auger coach now, so he really should stay quiet.

But great news , I can enjoy Wimbledon now!

2021 In Between Grand Slam Thread

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