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2019 In Between Grand Slam Thread

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Comments

  • #52
    Francie Barrett
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,765 ✭✭✭✭Francie Barrett


    Bubblegummers wrote: »
    I’m not a Murray fan but felt sad reading this- watching players like feli Lopez and Karlovic play to touching 40 and then seeing Andy having to walk away quite young.
    The thing about Murray is that he is widely regarded as one of the fittest and hardest working players on tour with a huge work ethic. If he had toned down the intensity of his regime, he would probably have had a longer career, but I doubt he would have had the success that he had. He can definitely go out with his head held high, which is an awful lot more than can be said of some other players who have wasted their careers.


  • #53
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Bubblegummers wrote: »
    He was tidy under Ivan Lendl.

    yes. if he had that push on the mental side that Lendl brought in a bit earlier he surely would have converted more in the finals. (lost 4 before his first Wimbledon - the year Lendl came in).
    still a stellar career considering the depth around in his time.
    remember that he also lost some time before this injury in earlier years on other injury time-outs which impacted a couple of seasons.


  • #54
    dominatinMC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,941 ✭✭✭dominatinMC


    Just watched the press conference now, Christ it was tough (and sad) to watch. Found myself getting a bit emotional - this announcement is signalling the beginning of the end of the Big4 era, and tennis without them will be a lesser place for sure. As others have said, Andy can bow out with his head held high, a phenomenal career in any era of tennis, even more so when you consider the competition in this era. I will always count him as a worthy and deserving member of the Big4. It's just a shame it has to end like this for him.


  • #55
    Bubblegummers
    Registered Users Posts: 282 ✭✭Bubblegummers


    dominatinMC wrote: »
    Just watched the press conference now, Christ it was tough (and sad) to watch. Found myself getting a bit emotional - this announcement is signalling the beginning of the end of the Big4 era, and tennis without them will be a lesser place for sure. As others have said, Andy can bow out with his head held high, a phenomenal career in any era of tennis, even more so when you consider the competition in this era. I will always count him as a worthy and deserving member of the Big4. It's just a shame it has to end like this for him.

    I pray he gets to Wimbledon but I think he’s in for a straight sets defeat on Monday to Bautista agut


  • #56
    Hector Savage
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,809 ✭✭✭Hector Savage


    And Nadal just gets stronger and stronger - sickening.


  • #57
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    The only upside for Murray is that he can go back to being Scottish again.


  • #58
    Bubblegummers
    Registered Users Posts: 282 ✭✭Bubblegummers


    Hector Savage wrote: »
    And Nadal just gets stronger and stronger - sickening.

    There’s a reason for that


  • #59
    Hector Savage
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,809 ✭✭✭Hector Savage


    Bubblegummers wrote: »
    There’s a reason for that

    Yep, and it's got three letters : E ______ O

    Can anyone guess the middle letter ? hmmmmmmmmmm


  • #60
    Bubblegummers
    Registered Users Posts: 282 ✭✭Bubblegummers


    Hector Savage wrote: »
    Yep, and it's got three letters : E ______ O

    Can anyone guess the middle letter ? hmmmmmmmmmm

    For sure I’ve never seen a comeback from a near career ending injury like his.


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  • #61
    yerwanthere123
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,533 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Nice debut title win for De Minaur, still only 19.


  • #62
    dominatinMC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,941 ✭✭✭dominatinMC


    yerwanthere123 wrote:
    Nice debut title win for De Minaur, still only 19.

    He will give Nadal a real rattle in the 3rd round if they both make it there.


  • #63
    yerwanthere123
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,533 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    dominatinMC wrote: »
    He will give Nadal a real rattle in the 3rd round if they both make it there.

    Maybe he'll win a set? :)


  • #64
    Bubblegummers
    Registered Users Posts: 282 ✭✭Bubblegummers


    Australian Opens predictions for me:
    ATP: Djokovic. WTA:Sabalenka


  • #65
    Bubblegummers
    Registered Users Posts: 282 ✭✭Bubblegummers


    Cmon Muzza- What a game so far. We go 5.


  • #66
    Bubblegummers
    Registered Users Posts: 282 ✭✭Bubblegummers


    Andy can hardly stand here in this final set.


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  • #67
    yerwanthere123
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,533 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Bubblegummers there's an Australian Open thread here


  • #68
    Bubblegummers
    Registered Users Posts: 282 ✭✭Bubblegummers


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    Bubblegummers there's an Australian Open thread here

    Sorry mate hahah


  • #69
    yerwanthere123
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,533 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    :pac:

    https://twitter.com/Ashish__TV/status/1090263942037790720


  • #70
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 56,627 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    :pac:

    https://twitter.com/Ashish__TV/status/1090263942037790720

    I actually don't think that was funny...not that it was meant to be funny....

    And quite disrespectful to Lisicki...who was trying to not hurt a living thing.

    I am not some PETA fanatic by the way...


  • #71
    Johnmb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Johnmb


    walshb wrote: »
    I actually don't think that was funny...not that it was meant to be funny....

    And quite disrespectful to Lisicki...who was trying to not hurt a living thing.

    I am not some PETA fanatic by the way...
    She seemed to see the funny side of it.


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  • #72
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 56,627 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Johnmb wrote: »
    She seemed to see the funny side of it.

    I know. I don’t know, it just really painted that ballboy in a bad light...

    That’s the vibe I got from it...

    Had that been a small bird, say and he did that? Just saying...


  • #73
    Johnmb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Johnmb


    walshb wrote: »
    I know. I don’t know, it just really painted that ballboy in a bad light...

    That’s the vibe I got from it...

    Had that been a small bird, say and he did that? Just saying...
    He did exactly what any kid would do anywhere in the world. It wasn't a small bird, it was a bug. He wouldn't have done that to a small bird any more than any other kid who has squashed a bug would. It was a funny moment, with an adult trying to do move it without hurting it, and a kid completely innocently doing what he was told in the most ruthlessly efficient way possible :D


  • #74
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 56,627 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Not exactly a kid...a teen more like

    And absolutely no, not all kinds/teens would behave like that..so your assumption there is well off..

    Anyway, not arguing about it. Just came across in a bad light...

    The situation, how it developed. I would have loved to have seen cooperation from the ballboy. Help. Both on the same team..

    Had I been the player trying to move the creature:bug without wanting to hurt it, and some kid/teen ran over and did that, I’d give him a telling off...

    It was kind of disrespectful to the player. That is actually more my point. In other words, the player was really trying to do one thing, and the ballboy came over and completely did the opposite of what the player was wanting. It just looked and felt "not nice."


  • #75
    Johnmb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Johnmb


    walshb wrote: »
    Not exactly a kid...a teen more like

    And absolutely no, not all kinds/teens would behave like that..so your assumption there is well off..

    Anyway, not arguing about it. Just came across in a bad light...

    The situation, how it developed. I would have loved to have seen cooperation from the ballboy. Help. Both on the same team..

    Had I been the player trying to move the creature:bug without wanting to hurt it, and some kid/teen ran over and did that, I’d give him a telling off...

    It was kind of disrespectful to the player. That is actually more my point. In other words, the player was really trying to do one thing, and the ballboy came over and completely did the opposite of what the player was wanting. It just looked and felt "not nice."
    Looked more like she was afraid of it than she was trying not to hurt it. The fact that she was laughing after it was done would seem to show that she didn't feel disrespected at all by the fact that the kid did his job that way, and cleared the court for play to proceed, as instructed.


  • #76
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 56,627 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Johnmb wrote: »
    Looked more like she was afraid of it than she was trying not to hurt it. The fact that she was laughing after it was done would seem to show that she didn't feel disrespected at all by the fact that the kid did his job that way, and cleared the court for play to proceed, as instructed.

    Grand...

    I just felt "that's not nice," when I saw it. That's the feel I got from it....

    Kid came across that way. Little sh1t!

    I wonder what exactly it was. Looked a big enough bug/insect....


  • #77
    Johnmb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Johnmb


    walshb wrote: »
    Grand...

    I just felt "that's not nice," when I saw it. That's the feel I got from it....

    Kid came across that way. Little sh1t!

    I wonder what exactly it was. Looked a big enough bug/insect....
    I think we have it pretty lucky here in Ireland, with regards to the size of our insects. Closer you get to the tropics, the bigger those things seem to be! :eek:


  • #78
    shutup
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 507 ✭✭✭shutup


    walshb wrote: »
    I know. I don’t know, it just really painted that ballboy in a bad light...

    That’s the vibe I got from it...

    Had that been a small bird, say and he did that? Just saying...

    Ballboy. How disrespectful of you to refer to a female as a ball boy.


  • #79
    yerwanthere123
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,533 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Sam Barry has retired, meaning Ireland's only ranked player is now Sam Bothwell with a ranking of 613. There's not a single Irish woman ranked on the WTA.


  • #80
    TomSweeney
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,246 ✭✭✭TomSweeney


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    Sam Barry has retired, meaning Ireland's only ranked player is now Sam Bothwell with a ranking of 613. There's not a single Irish woman ranked on the WTA.


    Sad reading.


  • #81
    TomSweeney
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,246 ✭✭✭TomSweeney


    https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-47121681


    Sad story


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  • #82
    yerwanthere123
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,533 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Read that this morning. Difficult to feel sympathy for him really, especially when he continued fixing matches even after being caught. It's quite striking though that the guy who first corrupted him is still playing professional tennis, goes to show how the TIU just try to find scapegoats to make an example of rather than trying to fully stamp out the problem.

    Now if only they made an effort to rid the sport of doping :cool:


  • #83
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Problem I had with that story is it doesn’t make clear why the negotiations between player and TIU broke down. He says he wanted to cooperate fully and get something in return but didn’t happen and there’s no explanation why. Hard to know how much sympathy to have for him on that basis, if any.

    Problem for integrity unit is same one that dogged doping units for years, if your not landing big fish it’s just going to appear like you’re picking off low hanging fruit and the real guilty parties continue to get a free run. Need the feds involved too or criminals behind it never face any threat.


  • #84
    Johnmb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Johnmb


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    Read that this morning. Difficult to feel sympathy for him really, especially when he continued fixing matches even after being caught. It's quite striking though that the guy who first corrupted him is still playing professional tennis, goes to show how the TIU just try to find scapegoats to make an example of rather than trying to fully stamp out the problem.

    Now if only they made an effort to rid the sport of doping :cool:
    The two things that pop into my mind on the gambling thing are:
    1. The bookies can either stop taking bets on tennis given how easy it is to fix the matches, or build it into their odds. I don't have a lot of sympathy for them when someone outplays them at their own game.
    2. The prize money for the lower tier professional tournaments needs to be improved as a priority more-so than the top tournaments. If the lower ranked players could earn enough to live through their prize money, there'd be less temptation to take pay-offs to rig matches in the first place.

    As for the doping, I think WADA and the ITF should only focus on PEDs. This business of going after players who take recreational drugs is BS. If a player wants to get high, let them. Their opponents will be delighted at the easy victories! If they are breaking the law by doing so, that is a police matter, not a sporting body's.


  • #85
    SophieLockhart
    Registered Users Posts: 209 ✭✭SophieLockhart


    Johnmb wrote: »
    The two things that pop into my mind on the gambling thing are:
    1. The bookies can either stop taking bets on tennis given how easy it is to fix the matches, or build it into their odds. I don't have a lot of sympathy for them when someone outplays them at their own game.
    2. The prize money for the lower tier professional tournaments needs to be improved as a priority more-so than the top tournaments. If the lower ranked players could earn enough to live through their prize money, there'd be less temptation to take pay-offs to rig matches in the first place.

    As for the doping, I think WADA and the ITF should only focus on PEDs. This business of going after players who take recreational drugs is BS. If a player wants to get high, let them. Their opponents will be delighted at the easy victories! If they are breaking the law by doing so, that is a police matter, not a sporting body's.


    Why should lower ranked players be paid more if not enough ticket-buyers want to watch them? That kind of business model makes no economic sense whatever.


    And your implication that cokeheads should get an energy boost before a 5th set decider is, as you might say yourself, complete BS!


  • #86
    Johnmb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Johnmb


    SophieLockhart wrote: »
    Why should lower ranked players be paid more if not enough ticket-buyers want to watch them? That kind of business model makes no economic sense whatever.
    The professional tennis circuit is the business model, not individual tournaments, as far as the WTA, ATP, and ITF are concerned, and they sort out the prize money. The big money-making tournaments can't make money if good players can't progress to them due to lack of funds. It would be relatively easy for the tours to charge slightly higher registration fees to the top tournaments, and use that income to supplement the prize money at the lower levels.
    And your implication that cokeheads should get an energy boost before a 5th set decider is, as you might say yourself, complete BS!
    Re-read what I wrote, there is no such implication there. I never said anything about taking recreational drugs on court, the rules of tennis preclude doing anything illegal during a match, and taking them in private elsewhere won't give you anything during a match other than a major downer...


  • #87
    Floppybits
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,736 ✭✭✭Floppybits


    Osaka splits with Sascha Bajin. Very strange decision after winning 2 majors


  • #88
    yerwanthere123
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,533 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Very surprising alright, obviously it was a personal decision rather than being a results based one. I did notice she was a bit blunt in some of her AO press conferences when asked about him but didn't think much more of it at the time.


  • #89
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    See Simon Carr in the qualifiers for Dubai this week. He’s currently trailing Mirza Basic (166 ranked) by a set but is a break up in the second. Good experience for him at least.

    Edit: gave him kiss of death. Didn’t win another game after i posted. Still no disgrace in losing 3-6 3-6 to a guy ranked inside top 100 last year.


  • #90
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Looking forward to Bencic taking on Kvitova in dubai today. Beaten Sabalenka, Halep and Svitolina to reach final which is a very impressive trio of scalps for Bencic, would love to see her finish the job and take a serious step forward as a proper top contender in a very open looking womens era.


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  • #91
    Pistachios & cream
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 762 ✭✭✭Pistachios & cream


    Joe_ Public wrote: »
    Looking forward to Bencic taking on Kvitova in dubai today. Beaten Sabalenka, Halep and Svitolina to reach final which is a very impressive trio of scalps for Bencic, would love to see her finish the job and take a serious step forward as a proper top contender in a very open looking womens era.

    Yes, this is a final where I’m happy for either player to win. I’d be glad to see Bencic get back into the mix at the top of the game. She was very unlucky with injuries and worked her way back the hard way, through challengers etc.

    But I’d love for Kvitová to get the no. 1 ranking and winning here would put here very close considering Osaka is defending 1000 points at Indian wells


  • #92
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    No disrespect to Petra, am all for bencic today. Think there might have been a bit of too much too soon for her along with the injuries. I mean, feels like she’s been around forever and she’s not even 22 yet. She’s 6 months older than Osaka!

    Good contest anyway, looks like a 3 setter.


  • #93
    yerwanthere123
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,533 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Laslo Djere won the Rio Open today, beating Félix Auger-Aliassime in the final and rises from 90 to 37 in the rankings. He's 23 and lost both parents to cancer, his mother seven years ago and his father just two months ago.


  • #94
    Floppybits
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,736 ✭✭✭Floppybits


    Nadal vs Kyrgios tonight/tomorrow morning. I wonder will Kyrgios actually try or will he stink the place out like he did the last tournament he played.

    Then again he is against Nadal so he may feel he has to put in a performance.


  • #95
    yerwanthere123
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,533 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Floppybits wrote: »
    Nadal vs Kyrgios tonight/tomorrow morning. I wonder will Kyrgios actually try or will he stink the place out like he did the last tournament he played.

    Then again he is against Nadal so he may feel he has to put in a performance.

    He said in his press conference that the prospect of playing Nadal was basically the reason he made an effort in his match today. Bodes well :p


  • #96
    Floppybits
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,736 ✭✭✭Floppybits


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    He said in his press conference that the prospect of playing Nadal was basically the reason he made an effort in his match today. Bodes well :p

    I see he pulled out every trick in the book even served under hand. Nadal wasnt impressed going on his comments after the match.


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  • #97
    yerwanthere123
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,533 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Floppybits wrote: »
    I see he pulled out every trick in the book even served under hand. Nadal wasnt impressed going on his comments after the match.

    An underhand serve is a legit shot though, I wish we saw it more. And when Nadal stands about ten feet back from the baseline to receive, then...

    Anyway, I don't think Nadal can complain about people using gamesmanship :)


  • #98
    Floppybits
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,736 ✭✭✭Floppybits


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    An underhand serve is a legit shot though, I wish we saw it more. And when Nadal stands about ten feet back from the baseline to receive, then...

    Anyway, I don't think Nadal can complain about people using gamesmanship :)

    Yep and Kyrgios pointed that out in his press conference. Interesting handshake at the end of the match as well.


  • #99
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    An underhand serve is a legit shot though, I wish we saw it more. And when Nadal stands about ten feet back from the baseline to receive, then...

    Anyway, I don't think Nadal can complain about people using gamesmanship :)

    "He doesn’t know anything about me. That’s the way I play. The way he plays is very slow in between points. The rule in the book says he has to pay to the speed of the server, but Rafa has his speed every time, so I’m not going to comment on him." :D

    Whatever one thinks about Nick, he's box office that's for sure!

    Actually met a few Aussie guys recently, who said only for NK and Tomic tennis would not be in the public eye whatsoever over there (albeit its not always for the right reasons :D ). They couldn't even name another current Australian Player and they'd be huge sports fans in general


  • #100
    Floppybits
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,736 ✭✭✭Floppybits


    Only fair to post Nadals post match comments on Kyrgios,

    "He is a player who has enormous talent, He could win Grand Slams and fight the top positions of the ranking, but there is a reason why he is where he is. He lacks respect for the public, the rival and towards himself."

    I was gutted when I looked and seen this match was on at 3/4 in the morning.


  • #101
    Floppybits
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,736 ✭✭✭Floppybits


    Next up for Kyrgios is his old mate Stan. Be interesting to see his attitude to this match.

    Big win for Cameron Norrie over Schwartzmann last night as well. Both Norrie and Evans are doing well, Evans was unlucky on Sunday to lose the Del Ray final, he beat Isner on the way to that final.


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