2019 In Between Grand Slam Thread

SophieLockhart · 02-03-2019 6:18pm

20 Slams and 100 titles, insane..... may as well shut down tennis now cos we'll never see anything like this.

dominatinMC · 02-03-2019 7:31pm

SophieLockhart wrote:

20 Slams and 100 titles, insane..... may as well shut down tennis now cos we'll never see anything like this.

Some achievement all the same...next stop is Jimmy Conors record of 109. Can he surpass it...

josip · 02-03-2019 7:58pm

dominatinMC wrote: »

Some achievement all the same...next stop is Jimmy Conors record of 109. Can he surpass it...

Perhaps, but only by winning the Swiss Indoors for the next 10 years I think.

jr86 · 03-03-2019 8:23am

Kyrgios wins the title going through all of Nadal, Wawrinka, Isner and Zverev. Impressive!

Floppybits · 04-03-2019 1:37pm

jr86 wrote: »

Kyrgios wins the title going through all of Nadal, Wawrinka, Isner and Zverev. Impressive!

Imagine what he could achieve if he would just sort his head out. That's the most disappointing thing about Kyrgios. He should at least have a slam won by now and more than a handful of appearances.

I liked Zverev comments on Kyrgios winnning "If you beat four players like that in an [ATP] 500 tournament, you deserve to win it. He's the real champion of this week."

jr86 · 04-03-2019 3:42pm

Dunno has Nick been good enough to win a slam to date (2014 since the last player outside Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Murray or Stan won one) but should perhaps have a semi or two to his name for sure

Still plenty time though. If he stays fit I could see him doing well at Wimbledon this year

Rob2D · 05-03-2019 2:31pm

The problem is he just doesn't really like the game, so he's not that invested in it. Which is fine and all, he doesn't owe us anything no matter how much people harp on about it.

I just can't understand why he doesn't give it up and go play basketball like he wants. I'm sure there's a team out there somewhere that would give him a start.

yerwanthere123 · 05-03-2019 2:39pm

Rob2D wrote: »

The problem is he just doesn't really like the game, so he's not that invested in it. Which is fine and all, he doesn't owe us anything no matter how much people harp on about it.

I just can't understand why he doesn't give it up and go play basketball like he wants. I'm sure there's a team out there somewhere that would give him a start.

If he was good enough for basketball he'd be doing it though wouldn't be? I'm guessing there's a lot more money in being a decent tennis player than a middling basketball player.

I'm kinda fatigued with Kyrgios now anyway tbh, I'm tired of defending him. I've exhausted almost all the goodwill I've had for him.

Rob2D · 05-03-2019 9:20pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

If he was good enough for basketball he'd be doing it though wouldn't be? I'm guessing there's a lot more money in being a decent tennis player than a middling basketball player.

I'm sure he'd be decent enough at whatever sport he chooses. Being a middling basketball player and HAPPY is I'm sure better than being a decent but miserable tennis player. Just ask Agassi.

And money isn't everything. He probably already has enough to last a lifetime anyway. Just pay off the team and the parents and say "thanks, but I've been to the top of this tennis thing and I just don't think it's for me". Simple.

SophieLockhart · 06-03-2019 2:22am

Kyrgios v Djokovic in Rd 3 (we hope) of Indian Wells. Yummy.

Floppybits · 06-03-2019 2:59pm

SophieLockhart wrote: »

Kyrgios v Djokovic in Rd 3 (we hope) of Indian Wells. Yummy.

That will be a tasty enough match if it happens. Hopefully after having such a good win in Acapulco Kyrgios might now get the finger out and get his head sorted and start to challenge.

dominatinMC · 06-03-2019 4:37pm

Kyrgios is an absolute enigma. Would love for him to attain a level of consistency, and start challenging in (and winning) major tournaments. From what I've seen he is way more talented that the rest of the "Next Gen" crop, and is probably the most talented (in terms of raw tennis ability) since Fed. Obviously he doesn't have the athleticism/physique/stamina/durability of Nadal and Djokovic (whether that is down to lack of conditioning due to a lack of training or just sheer bad luck, I don't know) but his attacking game is a sight to behold. When on song, he is more than capable of beating anyone on tour (with the exception of Nadal on clay probably)

SophieLockhart · 07-03-2019 9:30pm

This forehand from last week is the hardest hit groundstroke I've ever seen I think :

Joe_ Public · 07-03-2019 9:42pm

SophieLockhart wrote: »

This forehand from last week is the hardest hit groundstroke I've ever seen I think :

I’m sure of it. Didn’t even see it bounce on the replay.

Floppybits · 12-03-2019 5:09pm

Looks like there is a virus doing the rounds are Indian Wells. Serena, Zevrev and Sevastova have all blamed illness on them pulling out or losing their matches.

SophieLockhart · 13-03-2019 1:27pm

Djokovic also looked lethargic in his defeat, although he won his doubles an hour later.

On another note, Nadal is playing amazingly well when you consider how many tournaments he missed last year. And especially given its 4 or 5 years since he looked in serious decline.

I still expect Federer to beat him if they meet in the semis.

lostcat · 13-03-2019 11:07pm

Djokovic bounced by Kohlschreiber is odd, but he hasn't played enough (i.e. at all) in the past several weeks to stay match fit. Not sure he will be too bothered, I imagine its all about the FO for him atm. Not sure he has ever gotten further in a tournament in doubles than singles before.....

Kohlschreiber is a funny one, he's one guy no one wants to meet in the early rounds anywhere, but never troubles the later rounds anywhere (i'm not sure I have ever seen him in a semi anywhere...) must be a mental thing as he is a talented, smart player who isn't just a grinder.
Prediction: Federer to beat Nadal in the semi....

SophieLockhart · 16-03-2019 10:39pm

So Nadal withdraws yet again but expects to be 100% for Monte Carlo. It seems to defy all laws of medicine that his knees are less damaged by the clay, when everyone else considers it the most demanding surface.

Chivito550 · 17-03-2019 12:57am

SophieLockhart wrote: »

So Nadal withdraws yet again but expects to be 100% for Monte Carlo. It seems to defy all laws of medicine that his knees are less damaged by the clay, when everyone else considers it the most demanding surface.

Just remember stuff like this the next time people bang on about H2H. Nadal was not going to beat Federer today had he toed the line. How many other times did Nadal fail to reach the later stages of hard court events and didn’t gave Federer as a result?

dominatinMC · 17-03-2019 2:01am

Chivito550 wrote: »

Just remember stuff like this the next time people bang on about H2H. Nadal was not going to beat Federer today had he toed the line. How many other times did Nadal fail to reach the later stages of hard court events and didn’t gave Federer as a result?

Without getting into this same old debate again, you do realise that Federer has skipped the entire clay season for the last two years. I wonder will people remember that when they "bang on about the H2H". Nadal has obviously had a wretched run on hard since 2018 onwards but at least he is giving it a go, and not skipping it.

SophieLockhart · 17-03-2019 2:23am

dominatinMC wrote: »

Without getting into this same old debate again, you do realise that Federer has skipped the entire clay season for the last two years. I wonder will people remember that when they "bang on about the H2H". Nadal has obviously had a wretched run on hard since 2018 onwards but at least he is giving it a go, and not skipping it.

Fed was already 35 when he began skipping it though, Nadal is 32.

Nadal with no wins against Federer since 2014, and no wins off clay against Djokovic since 2013. Pretty amazing.

Rob2D · 17-03-2019 2:19pm

Nadal definitely trying to save the H2H at this point. Disappointed in him.

SophieLockhart · 17-03-2019 10:07pm

LOL Irish trad music being played during the changeover in the Kerber/Andreescu final.

yerwanthere123 · 17-03-2019 11:34pm

Wow, Bianca Andreescu wins Indian Wells at just 18, and as a wildcard! Remains to be seen whether this'll be a flash in the pan or the start of a great career, but for now it's an incredible story. Up to #24 in the rankings and #5 in the race.

Joe_ Public · 18-03-2019 2:56pm

Fair play to Andreescu, great to see another young player put their name in the mix. Becoming a seriously competitive environment at the moment.

Elsewhere i see Naomi Osaka’s sister in the main draw in miami. 338 ranked in the world, two matches played this year (on challenger and futures) and two heavy defeats. Fair to say not everyone is happy about it!

Johnmb · 18-03-2019 3:40pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Elsewhere i see Naomi Osaka’s sister in the main draw in miami. 338 ranked in the world, two matches played this year (on challenger and futures) and two heavy defeats. Fair to say not everyone is happy about it!

Well in fairness, at 338 in the world, she's been doing okay for herself over the last 52 weeks, so the two heavy defeats this year are not typical. And that's what wildcards are for, the tournament either believe she will attract crowds, is capable of winning some matches, or deserves the financial support at this stage in her career.

yerwanthere123 · 18-03-2019 4:17pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Fair play to Andreescu, great to see another young player put their name in the mix. Becoming a seriously competitive environment at the moment.

Elsewhere i see Naomi Osaka’s sister in the main draw in miami. 338 ranked in the world, two matches played this year (on challenger and futures) and two heavy defeats. Fair to say not everyone is happy about it!

And one of those defeats was a double bagel :pac: The perks of having a World #1 tennis sibling I guess! Tbf though I'm sure there are lots of worse American players who've got wildcards throughout the years, but even so, giving Mari a main draw wildcard is a stretch. A wildcard for qualifying would've been more appropriate, if even that.

Joe_ Public · 18-03-2019 4:25pm

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

And one of those defeats was a double bagel :pac: The perks of having a World #1 tennis sibling I guess! Tbf though I'm sure there are lots of worse American players who've got wildcards throughout the years, but even so, giving Mari a main draw wildcard is a stretch. A wildcard for qualifying would've been more appropriate, if even that.

Yeah was just about to say that. A wild card for qualifying wouldn’t have raised too many eyebrows i think, but into the main draw seemed a bit much. And just for being someone’s sister, that was always going to provoke some comment.

Then again, i certainly wasn’t complaining when Simon Carr got an invite to dubai a few weeks back. That was just to qualifiers but I’m not sure Simon is inside the top 1000 so it would be a bit hypocritical of me to give out about the obvious nepotism here.

yerwanthere123 · 18-03-2019 6:58pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Yeah was just about to say that. A wild card for qualifying wouldn’t have raised too many eyebrows i think, but into the main draw seemed a bit much. And just for being someone’s sister, that was always going to provoke some comment.

Then again, i certainly wasn’t complaining when Simon Carr got an invite to dubai a few weeks back. That was just to qualifiers but I’m not sure Simon is inside the top 1000 so it would be a bit hypocritical of me to give out about the obvious nepotism here.

Yeah sure, it happens everywhere. Pretty sure Marko Djokovic and Elke Clijsters have both been given wildcards throughout the years that were in no way earnt. With Simon Carr, I think there's an Irishman involved in the upper reaches of the Dubai tournament? Seem to remember James Mcgee (who I assume is retired now) getting a main draw wildcard a few years back.

dominatinMC · 19-03-2019 9:43am

Surprised at the lack of posts regarding Thiems win over Fed on here...in any case, it was a great win, he really took the initiative in the 2nd and 3rd sets with some unreal winners. Bit mad that he has won his first masters on hard and not clay, but he did show at the USO last year that his game is suited to medium speed hard. Would love to see him have a good clay season, culminating with a win at RG - he's been getting closer every year.

Rob2D · 19-03-2019 11:56am

He was really swinging for the fences yesterday. I couldn't believe that all the balls kept landing in.

yerwanthere123 · 22-03-2019 5:45pm

Azarenka lost to Garcia in Miami, currently down to #67 in the live rankings. I don't like writing people off, but I'm not sure the tennis future is that bright for her. She's back playing a full schedule about a year now, and she can't even do well in the smaller tournaments. Tbf because her ranking is low she's bumping into a lot of the top players in the earlier rounds (Venus, Petra, Serena etc.), but she'll be 30 in July. I'd love to be wrong, but I'm not sure. Not that she'll care in the slightest because she got a beautiful baby boy out of it, but having Leo really f*cked her career.

yerwanthere123 · 30-03-2019 2:50am

Isner-Federer final in Miami

The WTA side isn't a whole lot better though, imo. Pliskova should win, she flies under the radar a lot but she's had a very impressive year so far.

lostcat · 30-03-2019 12:32pm

Federer seems to be the only member of the 'big whatever' who cares about these pesky masters tournaments anymore, although I expect Djokovic and Nadal to tune in a bit more in the couple immediately preceeding the FO.

gives the young fellas an opportunity to jostle for position in a new look top 10 I suppose...but then you get Federer - Isner in the final..........

Joe_ Public · 30-03-2019 8:10pm

Barty is a great bit of stuff, way too good for Ka Plis. Been putting few quid on her last few slams but nothing this week alas! Her slam record probably should be better than it is, but i think she'll get there sooner rather than later.

Floppybits · 01-04-2019 2:28pm

lostcat wrote: »

Federer seems to be the only member of the 'big whatever' who cares about these pesky masters tournaments anymore, although I expect Djokovic and Nadal to tune in a bit more in the couple immediately preceeding the FO.

gives the young fellas an opportunity to jostle for position in a new look top 10 I suppose...but then you get Federer - Isner in the final..........

It would be sad to think that the top players (i mean the top 20/30) don't care about the Masters tournaments. I can understand the like of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic maybe not focusing too much on them but that because of where they are in their careers. But I would expect the up and coming players to be busting a gut to win these Masters tournaments.

It's disappointing not to see that Zevrev, Tsipitas, etc not making more finals of these tournaments.

CassieManson · 01-04-2019 2:33pm

Floppybits wrote: »

It would be sad to think that the top players (i mean the top 20/30) don't care about the Masters tournaments. I can understand the like of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic maybe not focusing too much on them but that because of where they are in their careers. But I would expect the up and coming players to be busting a gut to win these Masters tournaments.

It's disappointing not to see that Zevrev, Tsipitas, etc not making more finals of these tournaments.

Federer now No 1 in the race!

Rob2D · 01-04-2019 4:12pm

CassieManson wrote: »

Federer now No 1 in the race!

The old dog for the long road.

thomasj · 09-04-2019 11:28pm

With regards to the wonderful world of women's tennis

Jessika ponchet beating Tara Moore 6-0 5-0 with match point and Tara Moore came back to win the match.

yerwanthere123 · 20-04-2019 9:46pm

Lajovic-Fognini Monte Carlo final, bet the organisers are thrilled with that :pac: It'll probably mean nothing in terms of RG, I expect The Balding One to breeze through the draw as always.

yerwanthere123 · 24-04-2019 2:42pm

ATP Finals will be held in Turin from 2021 to 2025. Sad it'll be leaving London but might finally make the trip over before it leaves, I've talked about it enough times. Delighted it's staying in Europe too and not some soulless Chinese venue.

Tricky match coming up for Osaka in Stuttgart against familiar foe Hsieh, that could swing either way, particularly on clay. Meanwhile, Dominika Cibulkova managed to lose to 192 ranked Greet Minnen, who's the girlfriend of compatriot Alison Van Uytvanck.

Fun fact about Pouille's 2019
https://twitter.com/tumcarayol/status/1121029767464140800

Floppybits · 07-05-2019 9:22am

Madrid this week should be interesting with Federer returning to play on clay for the first time in a couple of years. Be interesting to see how Thiem gets on, he has a couple of good results the last couple of weeks. I'm not sure if Fogini is a dark horse after his win in Monte Carlo, god knows what Fogini turns up.

Djokovic needs to have a good run in both Madrid and Rome to have some chance in Paris. The loss of form is surprising and is like that time he crashed out of Wimbledon.

Royale with Cheese · 10-05-2019 11:00am

On my way to Madrid, going to the evening session tomorrow. Praying Federer can somehow get past Thiem and it's a Fed - Djokovic semi. Why couldn't it be Thiem who got good poisoning??

CassieManson · 10-05-2019 11:09am

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

On my way to Madrid, going to the evening session tomorrow. Praying Federer can somehow get past Thiem and it's a Fed - Djokovic semi. Why couldn't it be Thiem who got good poisoning??

Who got food poisoning?

RosyLily · 10-05-2019 8:52pm

CassieManson wrote: »

Who got food poisoning?

I think it was Cilic. He was due to play Djokovic earlier.

Got BT Sports after changing broadband so finally getting to see some WTA tennis. Very tempted to splash out for ATP.

Floppybits · 13-05-2019 3:34pm

Onto Rome now. 3 different winners on the clay now Fogini, Thiem and Djokovic. Be interesting to see what happens this week. Hard to know with Nadal, is there something bothering him, is he saving energy for Paris or are we starting to see some chinks in the armour? Me I think he is saving energy for Paris. He is a different beast in a 5 set match than a 3 set match. I couldn't see Thiem or Tsipipas living with him in a 5 set match. Djokovic should get some confidence from winning in Madrid, have to see how he goes this week to see if he is back on form.

yerwanthere123 · 15-05-2019 9:11pm

Sharapova out of Roland-Garros

Serena, meanwhile, pulled out of Rome after playing just a single match, meaning she'll have played just a single match on clay and only four matches since the Australian Open if she plays RG.

Floppybits · 16-05-2019 11:51am

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Sharapova out of Roland-Garros

Serena, meanwhile, pulled out of Rome after playing just a single match, meaning she'll have played just a single match on clay and only four matches since the Australian Open if she plays RG.

Did I read that Sharapova has only played 3 tournaments this year?

Funny that the match Serena pulled out of was against her sister.:(

Pighead · 16-05-2019 1:32pm

Unsurprisingly Kyrgios doesn't hold back in this lengthy interview with Ben Rothenberg. Describes Nadal as 'Salty', says Novak 'has a
sick obsession with wanting to be liked which is cringeworthy and adds that Djokovic can never consider himself the best in the world as he has never beaten Kyrgios. Think Nick has a 2-0 record against Novak.

https://nochallengesremaining.podbean.com/e/episode-226-nick-kyrgios/

Christy42 · 16-05-2019 3:50pm

Pighead wrote: »

Unsurprisingly Kyrgios doesn't hold back in this lengthy interview with Ben Rothenberg. Describes Nadal as 'Salty', says Novak 'has a
sick obsession with wanting to be liked which is cringeworthy and adds that Djokovic can never consider himself the best in the world as he has never beaten Kyrgios. Think Nick has a 2-0 record against Novak.

https://nochallengesremaining.podbean.com/e/episode-226-nick-kyrgios/

He gives out about Djokovic pulling out of the Australian and then proceeds to have a temper tantrum against Ruud.

For all that he disparages the sport and claim not to care he sure does seem to get emotional on the court.

2019 In Between Grand Slam Thread

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