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French Open 2018

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    #62
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,335 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    judeboy101 wrote: »
    "arm injury"

    What are you suggesting? She was too scared to take on Sharapova? :pac:


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    #63
    FrKurtFahrt
    Registered Users Posts: 899 ✭✭✭FrKurtFahrt


    I'm watching highlights of the Nadal game, and shocked at the amount of empty seats. Nadal is an all-time great, yet cannot fill a grand slam venue. Is it price of tickets, or is tennis no longer popular?


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    #64
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,335 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    FrKurtFahrt wrote: »
    I'm watching highlights of the Nadal game, and shocked at the amount of empty seats. Nadal is an all-time great, yet cannot fill a grand slam venue. Is it price of tickets, or is tennis no longer popular?

    I think attendance has been patchy all week, it'll pick up this week. On the other hand, who wants to watch a three set procession?


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    #65
    FrKurtFahrt
    Registered Users Posts: 899 ✭✭✭FrKurtFahrt


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    I think attendance has been patchy all week, it'll pick up this week. On the other hand, who wants to watch a three set procession?

    Exactly my point (in reverse) - when can anybody see a legend in true grand-slam competition? Its just that I find it extraordinary that tickets were wasted for such a tennis icon. (Its not my game, by the way, I just thought it strange - if I were in Paris, I'd have jumped all over a ticket to that)


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    #66
    BarryD2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,732 ✭✭✭BarryD2


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    What are you suggesting? She was too scared to take on Sharapova? :pac:

    I'd say she was certainly unwilling to take on Sharapova with the slightest hint of discomfort. Too much riding on that, more than just a game. I wonder will she retire? Been there, done that, nothing left to prove and the only way is down.
    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    I think attendance has been patchy all week, it'll pick up this week. On the other hand, who wants to watch a three set procession?

    Just caught the third set and thought that Marterer was unlucky not to take the set. Played some great shots, battled and had Nadal scowling. Who knows what would have transpired if he'd taken that set, Marterer was settling into that match and had the beating of Nadal IMHO. Just played a few too many loose shots but it was no procession. I'd guess that Nadal was glad to get out of that one.


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    #67
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,335 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    BarryD2 wrote: »
    I'd say she was certainly unwilling to take on Sharapova with the slightest hint of discomfort. Too much riding on that, more than just a game. I wonder will she retire? Been there, done that, nothing left to prove and the only way is down.



    Just caught the third set and thought that Marterer was unlucky not to take the set. Played some great shots, battled and had Nadal scowling. Who knows what would have transpired if he'd taken that set, Marterer was settling into that match and had the beating of Nadal IMHO. Just played a few too many loose shots but it was no procession. I'd guess that Nadal was glad to get out of that one.

    Don't think she has any plans on retiring, certainly not when she still has Margaret Court's 'record' to beat. She recently spoke of wanting to get back to her best. I mean, if she can get back to where she was pre-pregnancy there's no reason why she can't win a few more.


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    #68
    judeboy101
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,246 ✭✭✭judeboy101


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    Don't think she has any plans on retiring, certainly not when she still has Margaret Court's 'record' to beat. She recently spoke of wanting to get back to her best. I mean, if she can get back to where she was pre-pregnancy there's no reason why she can't win a few more.


    why the ' ' around record?


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    #69
    Chivito550
    Registered Users Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    judeboy101 wrote: »
    why the ' ' around record?

    I think because many of her wins were from before the Open Era, so her record is not taken all that seriously.


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    #70
    Chivito550
    Registered Users Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    FrKurtFahrt wrote: »
    I'm watching highlights of the Nadal game, and shocked at the amount of empty seats. Nadal is an all-time great, yet cannot fill a grand slam venue. Is it price of tickets, or is tennis no longer popular?

    I went to RG 2 years ago. It is really hard to get tickets. They sell out within a few hours, and there are no tickets available to buy at the grounds. The empty seats is simply down to the fact that the French are a bit funny when it comes to these things. Many will only use their ticket for part of the day, and happily wander around the grounds too and leave their seat for awhile.

    The biggest problem is the corporate jokers. All the corporate seats are at the front in RG and they are almost always empty, which looks dreadful on TV. Quite often the top tiers are full or close to full, yet the bottom tier/corporate section is empty. It's embarrassing stuff really.


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    #71
    judeboy101
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,246 ✭✭✭judeboy101


    Chivito550 wrote: »
    judeboy101 wrote: »
    why the ' ' around record?

    I think because many of her wins were from before the Open Era, so her record is not taken all that seriously.
    One could argue that modern athletes with their access to ped's, creatine and the professional nature of the game should all mean No modern record should be accepted? The reality is that the record stands, just like jack nicklaus in golf. Courts off court antics might leave a nasty taste in the mouth of some but an objective look at her record shows that she was unbelievably prolific.


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    #72
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    I've never even heard of the guy Djokovic is playing in the quarters. He's had a laughable draw for the 20th seed.

    Nadal hasn't actually been his brilliant best, but hasn't had to be. I'm sure he'll step it up for the latter stages


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    #73
    Rikand
    Registered Users Posts: 20,342 ✭✭✭✭Rikand


    jr86 wrote: »
    I've never even heard of the guy Djokovic is playing in the quarters. He's had a laughable draw for the 20th seed.

    Not Djoko's fault that the good players he should have faced shat their togs in the earlier rounds


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    #74
    Chivito550
    Registered Users Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    Who does everyone think has the better chance of beating Nadal in the SF: Delpo or Cilic?

    And who do you all think has the best chance of an upset in the final? Novak, Thiem or Zuerev?


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


    Chivito550 wrote: »
    Who does everyone think has the better chance of beating Nadal in the SF: Delpo or Cilic?

    And who do you all think has the best chance of an upset in the final? Novak, Thiem or Zuerev?
    I think Delpo in the semis is the only one with a chance of beating him. If Delpo is on form, he can just blast Nadal off the court. That is the only way Nadal has ever been beaten in Roland Garros. None of the others can do that, and I don’t think they can live with him on that court over 5 sets...


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    #76
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,335 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Madison Keys has now reached the semi's or better at three of the four slams. Impressive.


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    #77
    Rjd2
    Registered Users Posts: 12,020 ✭✭✭✭Rjd2


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    Madison Keys has now reached the semi's or better at three of the four slams. Impressive.

    Its odd Wimbledon is her worst slam it seems now:pac:

    I would not have predicted that, but credit where its due she handled business while the likes of Svitolina bottled it as usual.:)


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    #78
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    Johnmb wrote: »
    I think Delpo in the semis is the only one with a chance of beating him. If Delpo is on form, he can just blast Nadal off the court. That is the only way Nadal has ever been beaten in Roland Garros. None of the others can do that, and I don’t think they can live with him on that court over 5 sets...

    Djokovic hardly blasted him off the court in 2015 in fairness

    I think Thiem is the only hope of beating him here. He's done it on clay twice now and generally gives him a good game, except the semis here last year where Nadal was just crushing everyone anyway

    Don't think he'd be too nervous in a final either as he'd be clear underdog and can come out swinging.


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    #79
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    Djokovic loses the first set. Deary, deary me


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    #80
    dominatinMC
    Registered Users Posts: 2,865 ✭✭✭dominatinMC


    jr86 wrote: »
    Djokovic hardly blasted him off the court in 2015 in fairness

    I think Thiem is the only hope of beating him here. He's done it on clay twice now and generally gives him a good game, except the semis here last year where Nadal was just crushing everyone anyway

    Don't think he'd be too nervous in a final either as he'd be clear underdog and can come out swinging.

    In 2015, Nadal was a pale imitation of his self. Djokovic didn't need to "blast" him off the court that year, if I remember rightly he lost twice to Murray and others on clay in the lead up to that FO. Generally speaking, when he's on form, he needs to be blasted off court.


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    #81
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    Madison Keys has now reached the semi's or better at three of the four slams. Impressive.

    Chance to erase the stain of her US Open final defeat. But Sloane looked impressive too in beating Kasatkina who I thought played better than the scoreline suggests. Fancy Stephens to win that one.


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    #82
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,335 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Joe_ Public wrote: »
    Chance to erase the stain of her US Open final defeat. But Sloane looked impressive too in beating Kasatkina who I thought played better than the scoreline suggests. Fancy Stephens to win that one.

    Yeah, I can't see Keys being able to hit through Stephens on clay. I think it'll follow the exact same format of the US Open final, Sloane will retrieve and wait for the wild Keys error.

    So now I'm thinking it'll be a Muguruza-Stephens final, but tbh I'd be happy with any of the four ladies from the top half taking the title.


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    #83
    Johnmb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Johnmb


    jr86 wrote: »
    Djokovic hardly blasted him off the court in 2015 in fairness
    He didn't do it with raw power the way Soderling did, but he did hit lots of big backhands that whole summer when they faced each other. Unusually, he didn't grind out the result, he simply hit too many winners/unreturnables for Nadal to cope with. I don't think he can do that in his present form, and even if he could play as well, in Nadal present form it'll take a Soderling type of match to beat him. Delpo is the only player left capable of doing that over 5 sets.
    I think Thiem is the only hope of beating him here. He's done it on clay twice now and generally gives him a good game, except the semis here last year where Nadal was just crushing everyone anyway

    Don't think he'd be too nervous in a final either as he'd be clear underdog and can come out swinging.
    I doubt very much he has it in him over 5 sets. I'd love to be wrong, but can't see it.


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    #84
    Rikand
    Registered Users Posts: 20,342 ✭✭✭✭Rikand


    Some match djoko and checcinato


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    #85
    RosyLily
    Registered Users Posts: 2,919 ✭✭✭RosyLily


    What a tiebreak from both players!!! Only got to see the last 2 sets but looked to be a great match! Really impressed with Cecchinato and how well he dealt with the pressure. He'll play Thiem in the SFs. Also picks up €560,000 prize money...nice one!


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    #86
    Rikand
    Registered Users Posts: 20,342 ✭✭✭✭Rikand


    I think djoko mentally let that 4th set go in the 6th game when he had so many chances to break and couldn't put any of them away. You could see he was still reeling from it for several games afterwards


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    #87
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,335 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Oh

    https://twitter.com/stu_fraser/status/1004056003485331457


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    #88
    mickmackey1
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,288 ✭✭✭mickmackey1


    People will say Djoker was a shadow of himself, but I thought he played more than well enough to win the match. Cecchinato was simply on fire, the bloke had never played in a Slam main draw before now!


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    #89
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,335 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    mickmackey1 wrote: »
    People will say Djoker was a shadow of himself, but I thought he played more than well enough to win the match. Cecchinato was simply on fire, the bloke had never played in a Slam main draw before now!

    He had, he'd just never won a match.

    Not sure I'd heard of him before this week, he was charged with match fixing back in 2016 but I think he was recently cleared? It completely passed me by that he won his first title in Budapest a few weeks back, and as a lucky loser! He'll be ranked top 30 minimum after RG.


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    #90
    mickmackey1
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,288 ✭✭✭mickmackey1


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    He had, he'd just never won a match.

    Not sure I'd heard of him before this week, he was charged with match fixing back in 2016 but I think he was recently cleared? It completely passed me by that he won his first title in Budapest a few weeks back, and as a lucky loser! He'll be ranked top 30 minimum after RG.
    Hmmm I saw somewhere he'd never played in a Slam but that could be fake news. About the match-fixing, it was surprising that the crowd seemed to be pro-Djokovic whereas normally you'd expect them to be for the underdog. Maybe they'd read some negative stories.


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    #91
    BarryD2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,732 ✭✭✭BarryD2


    jr86 wrote: »
    I've never even heard of the guy Djokovic is playing in the quarters. He's had a laughable draw for the 20th seed.

    Well we've all heard of him now! Marco Cecchinato :)


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