Australian Open 2019

Tristram · 20-01-2019 12:04pm

dominatinMC wrote: »

This match between Federer and Tsitsipas is quality!

Yeah, it's a great one!

20-01-2019 12:17pm

Auld Rodge could be on an early plane home.

Crazy stat just before that game for 3rd set

- "Tsitsipas and Federer have played 58 games without a break this month. "

20-01-2019 12:47pm

What about the treatment for the Greek?

that Castle plonker has his say

https://twitter.com/AndrewCastle63/status/1086951071015231488

dominatinMC · 20-01-2019 12:50pm

glasso wrote: »

What about the treatment for the Greek?

that Castle plonker has his say

https://twitter.com/AndrewCastle63/status/1086951071015231488

:rolleyes: Would expect nothing less from that clown...the cult of Federer is alive and well!

20-01-2019 12:56pm

Whenever they say "mini-break" I can't help but think of that Bridget Jones movie.

20-01-2019 1:03pm

One match point and it's done.

Real changing of the guard this time?

Federer was not as clinical as you'd expect him to be.

The Greek really took his chances - didn't need to be asked twice.

Joe_ Public · 20-01-2019 1:05pm

Yeah no messing about there, put it to bed pretty smartly from 5-6 in that breaker.

20-01-2019 1:07pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Yeah no messing about there, put it to bed pretty smartly from 5-6 in that breaker.

and Fed had 12 break points on serve - got none

Tsitsipas took the 1 that he got.

Chivito550 · 20-01-2019 1:09pm

Dare we dream of a new grand slam champion on Sunday or is that just crazy talk?

dominatinMC · 20-01-2019 1:13pm

Chivito550 wrote: »

Dare we dream of a new grand slam champion on Sunday or is that just crazy talk?

I'd love nothing more than a Tsitsipas - Zverev final. Based on some of the performances of 2018 (namely Tsitsipas beating Djokovic in Rogers Cup & Zverev winning Madrid & ATP Finals), I was predicting that this "NextGen" would break through this year. No better place to start than down under!

Royale with Cheese · 20-01-2019 1:14pm

Federer out of the last three slams in the first match where he's dropped a set?

20-01-2019 1:15pm

Chivito550 wrote: »

Dare we dream of a new grand slam champion on Sunday or is that just crazy talk?

Tsitsipas has a real winner's mindset/ belief.

Federer wasn't great tonight.

He'd have Nadal in the semis if they both get through.

But Butista Agut is a real competitor - could easily beat him in the next round.

Could have 2 real old vs new semis if Djokovic and Zverev make it there also on the other side.

You'd still have to favour Djokovic and Nadal to make the final.

dominatinMC · 20-01-2019 1:17pm

Tiebreak wrote: »

Was it changing if the guard in 2010 when Berdych beat Federer in wimbledon quarters, or Tsonga in 2011 wimbledon quarters, or Robredo in 2013 US Open 4th round, or Cilic 2014 US Open final or Anderson at Wimbledon last year?

How do you define changing of the guard, what does it mean?

Calm down, these posters are only asking a question, not offering a hypothesis on "changing of the guard". For what it's worth, when an up-and-coming 20 year old (who has improved immeasurably year-on-year) beats an aging 37 year old legend (who happens to be said 20 year old's idol), it would seem plausible that a slight shift in mens tennis may be happening.

20-01-2019 1:20pm

Tiebreak wrote: »

Was it changing if the guard in 2010 when Berdych beat Federer in wimbledon quarters, or Tsonga in 2011 wimbledon quarters, or Robredo in 2013 US Open 4th round, or Raonic 2016 Wimbledon final, or Cilic 2014 US Open final or Anderson at Wimbledon last year?

How do you define changing of the guard, what does it mean?

It's a speculative thing that is proved in retrospection.

It can only be qualified years after the event where it can be looked back where the previous best vs the ascending player marked their respective opposing trajectories.

So those ones you pointed to didn't prove to be.

Like Fed - Sampras at Wimbledon in 2001 is referred in those terms.

20-01-2019 1:24pm

It's also not as clear cut as Sampras for example was pretty much out on his own and subsequently Fed out on his own after for a while as the obvious premier players.

Whereas with Djokovic and Nadal still at the highest level it doesn't have the same meaning here.

It's only a term to talk about the arrival of a new generation.

I would argue that it can only be used for a competitive GS match (4th round + not a total off day in the early rounds), not a 3 setter.

20-01-2019 1:31pm

Tiebreak wrote: »

What I dislike about such comments is the neediness to look for dramatic moments. This match will likely be forgotten about in a few years. Federer is already 13 years past his best.

would you stop projecting

and IF, huge IF, Tsitsipas goes on to be a hugely dominant player it would not be a match that is forgotten but spoken about in those terms.

dominatinMC · 20-01-2019 1:37pm

Tiebreak wrote: »

What I dislike about such comments is the neediness to look for dramatic moments. This match will likely be forgotten about in a few years. Federer is already 13 years past his best.

Ah come off it, we're not the only ones drawing such conclusions - have a look online at what seasoned tennis commentators and analysts (who I would regard as a lot more knowledgeable than you or I) are saying about this match. It's the manner in which Tsitsipas beat Fed too, he was calm, assured, confident, aggressive - all qualities which would suggest he has a bright future. You've 10/11 posts on here, after Fed gets beaten, complaining about some suggesting that there *might* be a changing of the guard, reeks of a salty Fed fan imo

20-01-2019 1:37pm

Federer came across as fatalistic in his press conference there.

Floppybits · 20-01-2019 1:40pm

Its great to see so many of the next gen going deep in a slam, tiafoe, tsipitas, zevrev, Medvedev, Coric. Not sure where you would put Raonic, Batista agut and Pouille.

Changing of the guard, we won't know that till the younger players start outnumbering the old guard in the latter stages and winning the tournaments.

yerwanthere123 · 20-01-2019 1:43pm

Deighted for Tsitsipas, but all it'll do it pave the way for Nadal to get to the final now. Still, if it is a Djokovic-Nadal final, at least I'll be getting a sleep in that Sunday morning

Dunno what dafuq happened to Kerber last night, she was my favourite for the title. I'll be happy with either Kvitova or Stephens reaching the final from that bottom half. Would be happy with anyone except Sevastova or Serena from the top half.

SophieLockhart · 20-01-2019 1:45pm

glasso wrote: »

Like Fed - Sampras at Wimbledon in 2001 is referred in those terms.

That was a media invention really, Sampras won the US Open the following year...

Disappointed to see Fed go out but easier to take when its at the hands of a potential superstar. This guy has every shot in the book and seems so solid upstairs also.

yerwanthere123 · 20-01-2019 1:47pm

Interesting, Federer talking about playing clay this year. I can't see why he would though really, it worked out well for him avoiding it.

20-01-2019 1:53pm

SophieLockhart wrote: »

That was a media invention really, Sampras won the US Open the following year...

Disappointed to see Fed go out but easier to take when its at the hands of a potential superstar. This guy has every shot in the book and seems so solid upstairs also.

look it's just a term - and always going to come up in commentary as they need something to talk about during a match.

It doesn't have to be the match after which the incumbent is finished - (but incidently Sampras retired directly after that US Open win a year later).

Only years later can be pointed back to - and yes is an artificial term.

Tsitsipas's mentality is very very impressive for his age I agree - can have all the talent but if you don't have that belief and grit in the mind it's not worth much - case in point Nick Kyrgios

20-01-2019 1:54pm

Tiebreak wrote: »

Where are you seeing the press conference?

Eurosport showed a short extract of it.

yerwanthere123 · 20-01-2019 2:00pm

Tiebreak wrote: »

Didn't work out well last year.

And the year before that?

dominatinMC · 20-01-2019 2:12pm

Just my take on it, but Fed announcing that he is playing clay this year seems like it could be part of a farewell tour. Does he honestly think he has a realistic chance against Nadal (and Thiem/Zverev who are RG champs in the waiting) after not playing on clay for over 2 years. Seems like an unnecessary risk that could jeopardize a realistic title tilt at SW19 - unless of course he feels he owes it to the fans to play one more time before he leaves...

Royale with Cheese · 20-01-2019 2:13pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Interesting, Federer talking about playing clay this year. I can't see why he would though really, it worked out well for him avoiding it.

If he plays the clay court season I would guess it's because he knows that time is up and he wants to give a farewell performance at Roland Garros, and thinks he has little chance of winning at Wimbledon anyway. I always figured he'd make one more appearance in Paris in his final season, but thought it might come next year.

Either that or he's worried about his ranking, he'll drop to 6 or possibly 7 after this tournament.

yerwanthere123 · 20-01-2019 2:19pm

Yeah, I just can't see him playing RG at this stage, unless he'd actually know it to be his last year. But at the very least I think he'll play until next year what it being Olympic year, so who knows.

RosyLily · 20-01-2019 2:20pm

Tiebreak wrote: »

Without googling can anyone here remember the name of the player to knock Federer out of the 2nd round of wimbledon in 2013, or Nadal in the early rounds in 2012, 13, 14 ? Anyone remember that HISTORY!!!

Stakhovsky beat Federer. Watched it from The Hill. As for Nadal - Steve Darcis, Lukas something and Dustin Brown? Kyrgios beat him at some stage as well. Remember Lukas because of Murray's "nobody likes you" comment!:D

lostcat · 20-01-2019 2:22pm

Well, the young guns may finally be making a move, or a multiple of small moves which will end up as a 'movemenr' by the middle of the year. Djokovic could have his hands full against Medvedev tomorrow too, the guy can fairly leather the ball.

there seems to be a hell of a lot of tie breakers this year so far, must mean that the courts are playing fast, or is everyone serving bigger? I haven seem much of the play so far...

dominatinMC · 20-01-2019 2:53pm

Tiebreak wrote: »

Yep pretty much it takes the mod of a tennis forum to remember these things. The way people were talking about those events at the time we should all remember the minute details decades later.

Ya, because everyone was heralding a 28 year old Stakhovsky as the next big thing when he beat a near-prime Federer in 2013. :rolleyes: Small bit different when an improving 20 year old beats a near-retiring 37 year old Federer

20-01-2019 3:02pm

lostcat wrote: »

Well, the young guns may finally be making a move, or a multiple of small moves which will end up as a 'movemenr' by the middle of the year. Djokovic could have his hands full against Medvedev tomorrow too, the guy can fairly leather the ball.

there seems to be a hell of a lot of tie breakers this year so far, must mean that the courts are playing fast, or is everyone serving bigger? I haven seem much of the play so far...

Federer saying that the courts were playing slower this year

1 min 19 seconds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYZBE7nDHis

20-01-2019 3:13pm

and he was asked about "changing of the guard"

Chivito550 · 20-01-2019 3:55pm

Tiebreak wrote: »

A 19 or 20 year old Zverev beat Federer in the Final at Montreal.

How could it even be a changing of the guard when Federer isn't the guard, Djokovic is the guard.

Well Federer was two-time defending champion in Melbourne, so technically speaking, in terms of the Australian Open, Federer was the guard.

Nonsense discussion anyway.

20-01-2019 4:36pm

Didn't know that Tsitsipas is the first Greek male to ever go inside the top 100.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/46931595

Floppybits · 20-01-2019 8:49pm

dominatinMC wrote: »

Just my take on it, but Fed announcing that he is playing clay this year seems like it could be part of a farewell tour. Does he honestly think he has a realistic chance against Nadal (and Thiem/Zverev who are RG champs in the waiting) after not playing on clay for over 2 years. Seems like an unnecessary risk that could jeopardize a realistic title tilt at SW19 - unless of course he feels he owes it to the fans to play one more time before he leaves...

When I heard that i thought the same as you. Could his farewell.

Floppybits · 20-01-2019 8:54pm

RosyLily wrote: »

Stakhovsky beat Federer. Watched it from The Hill. As for Nadal - Steve Darcis, Lukas something and Dustin Brown? Kyrgios beat him at some stage as well. Remember Lukas because of Murray's "nobody likes you" comment!:D

Its Lucas Rosol. He really got under Nadals skin that day. Was there also a bit of a shoulder barge at one stage at the change of ends in that match?

yerwanthere123 · 20-01-2019 9:55pm

Floppybits wrote: »

Its Lucas Rosol. He really got under Nadals skin that day. Was there also a bit of a shoulder barge at one stage at the change of ends in that match?

Yes

Meanwhile, it looks like the Sharpova press conference was fun :pac:

https://twitter.com/guardian_sport/status/1086995014012620810

Joe_ Public · 20-01-2019 10:11pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Yes

Meanwhile, it looks like the Sharpova press conference was fun :pac:

https://twitter.com/guardian_sport/status/1086995014012620810

Poor Maria! Can’t see why asking about the toilet break was a “silly” question. It provoked the crowd, seemed to backfire on her (if indeed it was a conscious effort to check her opponents momentum), it was obvious it would be asked and she just didn’t have an answer for it. The meldonium question is a bit too much though, far too loaded and worthless topic at this point.

Chivito550 · 20-01-2019 10:20pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Poor Maria! Can’t see why asking about the toilet break was a “silly” question. It provoked the crowd, seemed to backfire on her (if indeed it was a conscious effort to check her opponents momentum), it was obvious it would be asked and she just didn’t have an answer for it. The meldonium question is a bit too much though, far too loaded and worthless topic at this point.

Completely disagree with this. She's a drug cheat. Why should she get a free pass while Justin Gatlin continues to get asked about doping in his press conferences? That was actually a very valid question by that journalist, one which she had no answer to. She's pretty despicable to be honest. Fair play to that reporter for bringing up the subject. One wouldn't know she had a doping past if you only listened to Eurosport etc.

Joe_ Public · 20-01-2019 10:32pm

Chivito550 wrote: »

Completely disagree with this. She's a drug cheat. Why should she get a free pass while Justin Gatlin continues to get asked about doping in his press conferences? That was actually a very valid question by that journalist, one which she had no answer to. She's pretty despicable to be honest. Fair play to that reporter for bringing up the subject. One wouldn't know she had a doping past if you only listened to Eurosport etc.

Yeah perhaps so, but I think there’s a way of bringing it up without it sounding as loaded as that. The purpose of a press conference after all is asking questions and eliciting responses. I’m not surprised she didn’t respond to the way that question was asked, but likely she wouldn’t have responded to it whatever way it was asked. If it makes the journalists and us feel better by asking it at every opportunity then fair enough. I don’t see what enlightenment can come from it but that’s just me. The toilet question was of far greater relevance and she ducked that too which doesn’t reflect well on her at all.

Floppybits · 20-01-2019 10:57pm

I think both questions were relevant. She could have answered the crowd treatment simply by saying that the crowd were supporting their home player and she expected it and had no problem with it.

The drug question i thought was fine because it would be interesting to know if it has affected her since she came back. She hasnt been the same since she came back. Probably a question more for a biography at the end of her career.

Chivito550 · 20-01-2019 11:18pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Yeah perhaps so, but I think there’s a way of bringing it up without it sounding as loaded as that. The purpose of a press conference after all is asking questions and eliciting responses. I’m not surprised she didn’t respond to the way that question was asked, but likely she wouldn’t have responded to it whatever way it was asked. If it makes the journalists and us feel better by asking it at every opportunity then fair enough. I don’t see what enlightenment can come from it but that’s just me. The toilet question was of far greater relevance and she ducked that too which doesn’t reflect well on her at all.

A tweet I’ve read about this topic which I 100% echo:

Sharapova has just lost a three-set match during which she clearly struggled physically. She has reached just one grand slam quarter-final since her return. I believe it's pertinent to ask a question like this after this match.

Joe_ Public · 20-01-2019 11:28pm

Chivito550 wrote: »

A tweet I’ve read about this topic which I 100% echo:

Sharapova has just lost a three-set match during which she clearly struggled physically. She has reached just one grand slam quarter-final since her return. I believe it's pertinent to ask a question like this after this match.

Fair point alright.

Floppybits · 21-01-2019 12:05am

Chivito550 wrote: »

A tweet I’ve read about this topic which I 100% echo:

Sharapova has just lost a three-set match during which she clearly struggled physically. She has reached just one grand slam quarter-final since her return. I believe it's pertinent to ask a question like this after this match.

Exactly the reason to ask the question.

Johnmb · 21-01-2019 12:35am

Chivito550 wrote: »

Sharapova has just lost a three-set match during which she clearly struggled physically. She has reached just one grand slam quarter-final since her return. I believe it's pertinent to ask a question like this after this match.

Maybe that's due to the fact that she hasn't played regularly for so long. She had been stop-starting with her career before the ban due to injuries, then served the ban, and then has been back to stop-starting due to injuries. Kind of hard to get any form going when you can't get a decent run of matches together.

The drug she was taking wasn't banned for most of the time she took it, and didn't stop her injuries while she was taking it. That's not how it works. It's not even classed as a PED, or at least wasn't when she was banned, and as far as I know, it still isn't. It's a bit silly to be trying to pass off her lack of form as something to do with a drug that doesn't give form to begin with. The injuries, coupled with a lengthy ban, are more than enough to explain her lack of consistency.

Joe_ Public · 21-01-2019 2:23am

Osaka trailing early. Could be in for another long night/morning!

Floppybits · 21-01-2019 8:20am

Raonic beats Zevrev in 3 sets 6-1,6-1, 7-6.

Hector Savage · 21-01-2019 9:29am

Floppybits wrote: »

Raonic beats Zevrev in 3 sets 6-1,6-1, 7-6.

wow!
That is a shock!

I hope Zverev doesn't turn out to be another dissapointment, sadly it looks the case.

I see Nadal is now 2.25 to win the AO

In fairness to him, he has completely changed his game, no grinding , shortening the points and hitting winners from everywhere - needed to change it to minimise chance of injury.

Watching williams here, jaysus sorry to say this but she has some fat arse on her, that suit shouldn't be allowed for fuxake!!

Floppybits · 21-01-2019 10:06am

Halep getting a hiding from Serena. That outfit Serena is wearing, WTF.

Australian Open 2019

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