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The 2015 In Between Grand Slam Thread

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  • #512
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,997 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Andy Murray with all the hot gossip. Dedicates his win to Mauresmo who give birth this morning :)


  • #513
    yerwanthere123
    Moderators, Sports Moderators, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,782 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Wow great win for Andy, wasn't expecting it. Should be a huge mental boost heading into the US Open too.

    Congrats to Bencic also, the list of people she beat to take the title is phenomenal. Really hope she's smart and pulls out of Cincinnati now, particularly since she's also down to play New Haven!


  • #514
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58,558 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Murray has an excellent chance in Flushing Meadows. If he can stay mentally focused and determined then he has the game and the engine and the movement to really challenge Nole over 5 sets.


  • #515
    Floppybits
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,020 ✭✭✭Floppybits


    walshb wrote: »
    Murray has an excellent chance in Flushing Meadows. If he can stay mentally focused and determined then he has the game and the engine and the movement to really challenge Nole over 5 sets.

    Murray has to play the aggressive attacking tennis we seen last night. If he plays is usual sit back and defend tennis then he will be beaten.


  • #516
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58,558 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Floppybits wrote: »
    Murray has to play the aggressive attacking tennis we seen last night. If he plays is usual sit back and defend tennis then he will be beaten.

    Spot on. Murray has to attack and take chances. Has to go for winners. Sitting tight and competing and defending will see him lose all the time vs. Nole. Be more like Nole and he can win.


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  • #517
    the_monkey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,556 ✭✭✭the_monkey


    *serious comment*

    I'd imagine the poor break point conversion will mess up Djokovic mind for the USO ... he still will be up there, but I can see a SF exit ...


  • #518
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58,558 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    the_monkey wrote: »
    *serious comment*

    I'd imagine the poor break point conversion will mess up Djokovic mind for the USO ... he still will be up there, but I can see a SF exit ...

    Who wins the title?


  • #519
    the_monkey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,556 ✭✭✭the_monkey


    walshb wrote: »
    Who wins the title?


    Murray or Federer.

    Murray has broken his mental weakness against Djokovic.

    Federer was unlucky not to win Wimbledon and he'll throw all to get his 18th slam.

    USO is a tough one too , it's not as predictable as the AO, the wind can really f*ck things up there.


  • #520
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,997 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Djokovic had some sort of issue with his elbow yesterday, just by the way. Stan is still the only player I've seen this year actually neuter Djokovic and beat him properly with no room for debate.


  • #521
    the_monkey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,556 ✭✭✭the_monkey


    Interesting if Stan actually did win it, slams split evenly between Djokovic and Wavrinka..


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  • #522
    mrkiscool2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,159 ✭✭✭mrkiscool2


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    Djokovic had some sort of issue with his elbow yesterday, just by the way. Stan is still the only player I've seen this year actually neuter Djokovic and beat him properly with no room for debate.
    I don't know about that to be honest. Whenever he won a point or game his elbow didn't seem to bother him, the same way Murray wasn't limping in the 3rd like he was in the 2nd. I would not be surprised if it was both players trying to psyche out the other guy.

    EDIT: But Stan definitely has been the one that has pushed Nole closest all this year in matches, this was the first time Murray has been ahead of Djocko. Also, Murray moved to 48-0 this year in matches where he has won the first set. Any match he has lost he has lost the first set.


  • #523
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58,558 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    Djokovic had some sort of issue with his elbow yesterday, just by the way. Stan is still the only player I've seen this year actually neuter Djokovic and beat him properly with no room for debate.

    Agreed!


  • #524
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58,558 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    the_monkey wrote: »
    Federer was unlucky not to win Wimbledon and he'll throw all to get his 18th slam.

    .

    I don't think he was. Nole was consistently too strong.


  • #525
    Halloween Jack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,658 ✭✭✭Halloween Jack


    walshb wrote: »
    I don't think he was. Nole was consistently too strong.

    Federer didn't play as well as he did in the semi against Murray though, had he maintained that level he would have won imo. His serve that day was awesome, Murray was standing miles behind the baseline and couldn't get near it. I didn't even think Murray played badly that day.


  • #526
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58,558 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Halloween Jack wrote: »
    Federer didn't play as well as he did in the semi against Murray though, had he maintained that level he would have won imo. His serve that day was awesome, Murray was standing miles behind the baseline and couldn't get near it. I didn't even think Murray played badly that day.

    Yes, but Murray was not at Nole's level. One could use that argument. Federer did well, but he was not strong enough in the longer and tougher rallies. Nole was too good, and considerably cleaner and more efficient than Murray.


  • #527
    mrkiscool2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,159 ✭✭✭mrkiscool2


    walshb wrote: »
    Yes, but Murray was not at Nole's level. One could use that argument. Federer did well, but he was not strong enough in the longer and tougher rallies. Nole was too good, and considerably cleaner and more efficient than Murray.
    I don't know if Nole would have beaten Federer the way he was playing against Murray, and I'd wager had Nole been playing Murray the way Murray had been playing Federer it would have been close. Fed wasn't as good as he was against Murray. That game at 5-4 in the second set was two players playing tennis of the highest quality for 15 minutes, don't think we ever saw Fed hit fifth gear against Nole.


  • #528
    Halloween Jack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,658 ✭✭✭Halloween Jack


    walshb wrote: »
    Yes, but Murray was not at Nole's level. One could use that argument. Federer did well, but he was not strong enough in the longer and tougher rallies. Nole was too good, and considerably cleaner and more efficient than Murray.

    If fed served in the final like he did in the semi it would have been different. The accuracy and variety were staggering, I would have Djokovic as a better returner than Murray, but not by much and Murray had at most a handful of break points.

    Murray do fairly well in the rallies I thought but they were all happening in his service games while fed was breezing through his.

    I don't think anybody could have beaten fed that day


  • #529
    lostcat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 695 ✭✭✭lostcat


    Halloween Jack wrote: »
    If fed served in the final like he did in the semi it would have been different. The accuracy and variety were staggering, I would have Djokovic as a better returner than Murray, but not by much and Murray had at most a handful of break points.

    Murray do fairly well in the rallies I thought but they were all happening in his service games while fed was breezing through his.

    I don't think anybody could have beaten fed that day

    I think you are playing down the pressure Djokovic puts on the Fed serve. Djokovic is a better returner than Murray, and a far far better returner than Murray against Federer, whose serve he seems able to read very early.

    Two years in a row Fed came into a wimby final virtually unbreakable and both times he was broken several times in each match.

    On a broader theme after last night, Murray has finally copped on that he has to be more aggressive to beat Djokovic. Djokovic will now have to recalibrate his approach to playing murray and will have to become more aggressive also. This should hopefully make their matches a bit more enjoyable (and a bit shorter!).

    Does anyone know if Murray moving to 2 in the world automatically puts Fed in Djokovics half of the draw for US open?


  • #530
    mrkiscool2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,159 ✭✭✭mrkiscool2


    lostcat wrote: »
    I think you are playing down the pressure Djokovic puts on the Fed serve. Djokovic is a better returner than Murray, and a far far better returner than Murray against Federer, whose serve he seems able to read very early.

    Two years in a row Fed came into a wimby final virtually unbreakable and both times he was broken several times in each match.

    On a broader theme after last night, Murray has finally copped on that he has to be more aggressive to beat Djokovic. Djokovic will now have to recalibrate his approach to playing murray and will have to become more aggressive also. This should hopefully make their matches a bit more enjoyable (and a bit shorter!).

    Does anyone know if Murray moving to 2 in the world automatically puts Fed in Djokovics half of the draw for US open?
    Murray will have to stay there this week but no, Fed could possibly play either Murray or Djockovic depending on how the draw unfolds. It just means Murray and Djockovic couldn't meet until the final.


  • #531
    Halloween Jack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,658 ✭✭✭Halloween Jack


    lostcat wrote: »
    I think you are playing down the pressure Djokovic puts on the Fed serve. Djokovic is a better returner than Murray, and a far far better returner than Murray against Federer, whose serve he seems able to read very early.

    Two years in a row Fed came into a wimby final virtually unbreakable and both times he was broken several times in each match.

    On a broader theme after last night, Murray has finally copped on that he has to be more aggressive to beat Djokovic. Djokovic will now have to recalibrate his approach to playing murray and will have to become more aggressive also. This should hopefully make their matches a bit more enjoyable (and a bit shorter!).

    Does anyone know if Murray moving to 2 in the world automatically puts Fed in Djokovics half of the draw for US open?

    A quick check in the numbers says fed served at 76% of first serves in the semi, which is insane. By contrast in the semi he was down to 67%. Which while imperfect tends to confirm what my eyes told me on watching the two matches, that federer's serve was really on song in the semi and dipped for the final.


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  • #532
    lostcat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 695 ✭✭✭lostcat


    Halloween Jack wrote: »
    A quick check in the numbers says fed served at 76% of first serves in the semi, which is insane. By contrast in the semi he was down to 67%. Which while imperfect tends to confirm what my eyes told me on watching the two matches, that federer's serve was really on song in the semi and dipped for the final.

    I was aware of that stat but read it as Federer feeling that he had to put more on his first serve against Djokovic, thus missing more. Impossible to know without asking Federer...


  • #533
    Halloween Jack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,658 ✭✭✭Halloween Jack


    lostcat wrote: »
    I was aware of that stat but read it as Federer feeling that he had to put more on his first serve against Djokovic, thus missing more. Impossible to know without asking Federer...

    The mental factor is obviously the reason, but the fact remains that he missed 10% more first serves, which by default means his performance dipped. I'm saying had he produced a similar display he would have beaten Novak in the final.


  • #534
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58,558 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Halloween Jack wrote: »
    A quick check in the numbers says fed served at 76% of first serves in the semi, which is insane. By contrast in the semi he was down to 67%. Which while imperfect tends to confirm what my eyes told me on watching the two matches, that federer's serve was really on song in the semi and dipped for the final.

    You can apply the same logic to Nole's numbers too. Had he gotten in above 66 percent of his 1st serves, had he converted more than 4/10 break points etc etc. He had 10 BPs compared to Roger's 7. Had Nole gotten in 76/77 percent 1st serves maybe Roger would have only had 2-3 BPs. The UE count is alarming. That is down to mistakes/pressure, and the opponent across the net. Nole did not crack as easily as Roger in this department, hence the disparity with the figures; 35-16 in Nole's favour.

    It was a closely fought match, but overall, Nole was too strong during the crucial rallying points. As mentioned, Nole being on the other side of the net may have forced Roger to play that bit differently than he did vs. Murray. The excuses for Federer get tiring. The matter of fact claim that had Federer played "like" he did vs Murray he wins is not near matter of fact. Nobody knows, because you cannot know how Nole would react.


  • #535
    Floppybits
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,020 ✭✭✭Floppybits


    Watching the wawrinka match yesterday against coric, he didn't play well and should have lost to coric. I think stans experience got him through. But after the match when interviewed by sky he was asked if Kyrgios had apologised to him and he said no that Kyrgios hadn't apologised to him. If this is true and I don't see why it's not as Stan said it on live tv then Kyrgios has lied in his statement when he said he apologised in private. I wonder if the ATP will ban him? I also see in today's irish independent that Vekic has said she hasn't spoken to Kyrgios either. So it seems he has just apologised to kokkinakas.

    http://m.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/donna-vekic-hits-out-at-tennis-star-nick-kyrgios-over-sex-sledge-31462918.html


  • #536
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,997 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Floppybits wrote: »
    Watching the wawrinka match yesterday against coric, he didn't play well and should have lost to coric. I think stans experience got him through. But after the match when interviewed by sky he was asked if Kyrgios had apologised to him and he said no that Kyrgios hadn't apologised to him. If this is true and I don't see why it's not as Stan said it on live tv then Kyrgios has lied in his statement when he said he apologised in private. I wonder if the ATP will ban him? I also see in today's irish independent that Vekic has said she hasn't spoken to Kyrgios either. So it seems he has just apologised to kokkinakas.

    http://m.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/donna-vekic-hits-out-at-tennis-star-nick-kyrgios-over-sex-sledge-31462918.html

    Kokkinakas spoke about the incident last week after the Ryan Harrison match and said that he himself had spoken to Stan and Donna to clear the air and he had had words with Kyrgios about it. I though that was interesting seeing as none of it was his fault but it's decent of him.

    The whole incident was nasty but it could have been forgotten about by now if Kyrgios and his whole family hadn't jumped on the defensive and making it ten times worse. They're a pack of idiots.


  • #537
    Floppybits
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,020 ✭✭✭Floppybits


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    Kokkinakas spoke about the incident last week after the Ryan Harrison match and said that he himself had spoken to Stan and Donna to clear the air and he had had words with Kyrgios about it. I though that was interesting seeing as none of it was his fault but it's decent of him.

    The whole incident was nasty but it could have been forgotten about by now if Kyrgios and his whole family hadn't jumped on the defensive and making it ten times worse. They're a pack of idiots.

    Mark Petchy was an angry man yesterday after the interview with Stan where Stan said that Kyrgios hadn't apologized to him in private. I see Kyrgios was boo'd onto the court the other day when he played Gasquet in the Cincinnati. Looks like this one isn't going away. Fair play to Kokkinakis for approaching Stan and Vekic to clear the air even though he wasn't involved. Someone would want to sit down the Kyrgios Family and sort them out as well. What his brother said on the radio was disgusting.

    http://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/15538/9957207/nick-kyrgios-failure-to-apologise-to-stan-wawrinka-angers-mark-petchey


  • #538
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,997 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Floppybits wrote: »
    Mark Petchy was an angry man yesterday after the interview with Stan where Stan said that Kyrgios hadn't apologized to him in private. I see Kyrgios was boo'd onto the court the other day when he played Gasquet in the Cincinnati. Looks like this one isn't going away. Fair play to Kokkinakis for approaching Stan and Vekic to clear the air even though he wasn't involved. Someone would want to sit down the Kyrgios Family and sort them out as well. What his brother said on the radio was disgusting.

    http://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/15538/9957207/nick-kyrgios-failure-to-apologise-to-stan-wawrinka-angers-mark-petchey

    His brother wasn't allowed have credentials in Cincy, had to buy a regular ticket to get in to watch Nick play. They all need a good slap. Nick only signed with IMG a while ago, potential to earn big money with those guys but he's ruining his own career before it's even started. I'm sure he'll make a fair bit from prize money but the big earners make most of their money from endorsements.


  • #539
    lostcat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 695 ✭✭✭lostcat


    Djokovic scrapping through matches again here, and looking pretty flat since Wimbledon. Stan up next, who doesn't look to be streaking either so that one could go either way.

    Cant quite understand why Djokovic is often poor in the lead up to (and during) the US Open most years, especially since he usually cleans up between the Open and the end of the year on da hardcourts.

    We could get a Fedal match for the first time in ages also, be nice to see how these two match up at the moment.


  • #540
    John.Icy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,194 ✭✭✭John.Icy


    Nadal out. Novak and Murray both could/should have been out.

    Dimitrov will have nightmares about that forehand return he shanked from a 83mph second serve on match point.


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  • #541
    Rjd2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,267 ✭✭✭✭Rjd2


    In a just world both Murray and Dimitrov would have lost the match, but sadly their had to be a winner. It was fun to watch, but both of them will want to forget that match.


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