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2018 In Between Grand Slam Thread

24567…16

Comments

  • #32
    Pistachios & cream
    Registered Users Posts: 762 ✭✭✭Pistachios & cream


    Not surprisingly Victoria Azarenka has also withdrawn from the Australian Open. It will probably be Indian Wells before we see her again. AFAIK she can't leave the state of california with her child so she should be able to play in Indian wells.


  • #33
    Floppybits
    Registered Users Posts: 7,529 ✭✭✭Floppybits


    Murray is out now till the grass court season. He had hip surgery in melbourne today.

    He has said that he will work a shorter schedule targeting the bigger competitions.


  • #34
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    In hindsight it's a pity he couldn't have had this early 2017, but was probably told and understandably felt that rest and rehab could sort it, given surgery is a last resort really.

    Anyhow even though I'd doubt Murray will ever return towards the top of the rankings or be a consistent force again, I still wouldn't write him off winning a slam or 2 yet if this goes ok. 31 (when he should return) is not old in this day and age, and there's no-one as hungry as him. Tweaking his schedule should benefit him too. A half-fit Murray has often limped to the latter stages of Slams before now

    I guess if it goes well we'll see him play Queens, Wimbledon, Cincinatti, USO, Shanghai and Vienna perhaps, and then reconvene for next year. In theory he can have a good few years tennis in him yet


  • #35
    jr86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭jr86


    In an absolute bizarre move the AO had SHARAPOVA of all people carrying the women's trophy on to the court in Serena's absence, and then asked about her time away from the sport, as if she was on a nice holiday from the sport. Tennis!

    Something tells me this won't go down well, even Ben Rothenberg is condemning it! PR disaster for them what on earth were they thinking?

    Anyhow, the draw itself, Nadal pretty much has a bye to the last 8, fit or not. I don't see Cilic beating him in the last 8 either, which leaves a semi with... well, anyone - Dimitrov, Kyrgios, Tsonga, Sock - who can keep their nerve? But expect to see Nadal in the final if he's fit

    Stan has entered anyway, but can't be fit. Djokovic and Zverev could be a 4th round with the winner playing Stan, Thiem or RBA (who is my pick out of the 3). Federer will get most likely Goffin or Delpo in the quarters - then Djokovic - then Nadal. It did look tougher on paper last year however

    Looks wide open anyway. Hopefully Dimitrov or Kyrgios make the final from the top half. I'm going to tentatively side with a Djokovic, Nadal final though


  • #36
    dominatinMC
    Registered Users Posts: 2,852 ✭✭✭dominatinMC


    It would be great to see Dimitrov win it, he has all the weapons to do so. We could get a replay of last years AO semi-final if Nadal and Dimitrov make it through their quarters. Last years match was the best match of the year IMO, and I would not begrudge Dimitrov winning this time around (as long as he goes on to win the tournament). Saying all that, I can't overlook Djokovic at 6/1 on Paddy Power, great value, even considering his elbow issues. If that elbow holds up for the 2 weeks, who knows how far he could go. It's his favourite slam, and I'm sure he's eager to prove that's he's not on the decline just yet!

    All things considered, it should be an interesting slam, the AO has turned into my favourite slam of the year, been some epic matches in the last 6/7 years (who can forget Nadal-Djokovic in 2012 and Nadal-Verdasco in 2009), always a few surprises, and generally a good atmosphere down there.


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  • #37
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,283 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Thread here.


  • #38
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,283 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Alex de Minaur has started the season incredibly, made the Brisbane SF's last week and will play his first ATP final in a few hours in Sydney. Not bad for an 18 year old!


  • #39
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,283 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Kerber seems to be back, already won more titles in her first official tournament of 2018 than she did for the entirety of 2017. Beat some real quality opposition to do it as well, a big contender for the Australian Open.

    De Minaur lost the final in Brisbane and Delpo lost the Auckland final to Bautista Agut.


  • #40
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,283 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Azarenka update. If she'd talked about moving Leo to Belarus previously then it's no wonder the father went to the court and declared her a flight risk. Quite sad that she'll probably be allowed to take the child away to Belarus, and if he did the same he'd be prevented, but that's the way it is unfortunately.

    According to Tennis Forum and some Twitter rumours the next host for the WTA finals will be Shenzhen. And not for 3 years, not 5 years, but apparently 10 years. So much for Manchester or Prague then. I mean I know money talks, but surely someone at the WTA should've stepped in and tried to do what's best for the game instead. Sad if true.


  • #41
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,925 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    Azarenka update. If she'd talked about moving Leo to Belarus previously then it's no wonder the father went to the court and declared her a flight risk. Quite sad that she'll probably be allowed to take the child away to Belarus, and if he did the same he'd be prevented, but that's the way it is unfortunately.

    Nonsense. They were based in Belarus after the baby was born. She wasn't moving him anywhere. Plus she would never be based in Belarus long term anyway due to travelling so much, and she offered previously to cover his costs anytime he wanted to travel with them and spend time with the baby. And she's said she wants a custody arrangement that keeps this guy in the babies life. He has derailed her career for nearly a year now by dragging it through courts that have no business dealing with it, and have said as much now. If I were her I'd sue him for loss of earnings and make him beg for access to the child, but she's obviously a bigger person than I am.

    Also his brother was posting some horrible stuff about her on social media too.


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  • #42
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,283 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    ^ How polite.

    They were based in Belarus after he was born, but after that he was primarily in the US, California is Azarenka's permanent residence and obviously the father is American. I highly doubt Belarus was ever going to be the child's permanent residence, it seems this was only decided once they'd split.

    Not sure on what basis Azarenka could sure for "loss of earnings". She wasn't being held hostage in California, she just wasn't permitted to leave the state with Leo. As I understand it, neither was he (although open to correction on that). She didn't have to shut down her career, she chose to. There was nothing to stop her continuing her career, she just wasn't allowed take Leo with her. Honourably, she decided she didn't want to leave him, but at the end of the day it was her choice. Why should he have to go weeks/months without seeing his child to facilitate his ex's career? I know she'd offered hotel costs for when she wanted to play the US Open, but it's unclear beyond that what was offered. Obviously, as the relationship had broken down, and there was clearly a lot of bad blood, he's hardly going to want to travel across the country to accommodate his ex is he?

    And no, I don't think he should have to "beg" for anything. He's the child's father, he has a right to see his child. Father's having access to their child isn't something the mother chooses to bestow upon a father, it's their parental right. He went to the courts because their relationship broke down and was obviously scared that Vika would take off with the child, and he's now basically been proven right, as Vika plans to move the child to Belarus "as soon as possible", according to that article. Not defending his friends and families behaviour, they don't come across like nice people, but I just hate the way men are treated in family law cases, they're almost always second class citizens.


  • #43
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,925 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »

    Not sure on what basis Azarenka could sure for "loss of earnings". She wasn't being held hostage in California, she just wasn't permitted to leave the state with Leo. As I understand it, neither was he (although open to correction on that). She didn't have to shut down her career, she chose to. There was nothing to stop her continuing her career, she just wasn't allowed take Leo with her. Honourably, she decided she didn't want to leave him, but at the end of the day it was her choice. Why should he have to go weeks/months without seeing his child to facilitate his ex's career? I know she'd offered hotel costs for when she wanted to play the US Open, but it's unclear beyond that what was offered. Obviously, as the relationship had broken down, and there was clearly a lot of bad blood, he's hardly going to want to travel across the country to accommodate his ex is he?

    She was as good as being held hostage. How would it have looked in a custody case if she was willing to just leave the baby behind for months on end? Also he was basically making her choose between her baby and her career for that entire time, which is not something anyone should be asked to do.

    Look, at the end of the day this is none of our business and despite all the reports on it we'll probably never know all the details so probably best we just focus on the tennis side of it.


  • #44
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,283 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    There's no "as good as" here. She wasn't being held hostage. She was free to go, but chose not to. Obviously, it wouldn't have looked good in a custody case if she did, so she chose to stay. I highly doubt she'd be in any way successful if she attempted to sue for loss of earnings. It's unfortunate that she had to put her career on hold, but no father should be faced with having their child taken to live in another continent, which is now going to happen. I think I know which one is worse. Also, wanting someone to have to "beg" for access to their child is a truly disgusting thing to say.


  • #45
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,925 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    There's no "as good as" here. She wasn't being held hostage. She was free to go, but chose not to. Obviously, it wouldn't have looked good in a custody case if she did, so she chose to stay. I highly doubt she'd be in any way successful if she attempted to sue for loss of earnings. It's unfortunate that she had to put her career on hold, but no father should be faced with having their child taken to live in another continent, which is now going to happen. I think I know which one is worse. Also, wanting someone to have to "beg" for access to their child is a truly disgusting thing to say.

    I don't really want to get into this anymore than I have but if you can't see that his actions, through lawyers and the courts, made her playing tennis impossible then I don't know what to say.


  • #46
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,283 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Jesus. I'm not denying that going the legal route made her playing tennis more difficult. But there's a bigger picture here than Vika's tennis career. I think perhaps you need to question why he went the legal route. If I felt there was risk that my ex was going to leave the country with my child then I wouldn't hesitate to go to the courts. In fact, I'd expect anyone in that situation to go to the courts. But if you don't want to get into this any more then fair enough.

    Well except for the fact that you're now ranting about me on Twitter :D

    https://twitter.com/TheShiftyShadow/status/953433683192672257

    https://twitter.com/TheShiftyShadow/status/953434185439596544

    Not on the father's side, just trying to emphasise the fact that, well, father's have rights too.


  • #47
    Floppybits
    Registered Users Posts: 7,529 ✭✭✭Floppybits


    Whats the story with James Mcgee? Is he injured?


  • #48
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,283 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Floppybits wrote: »
    Whats the story with James Mcgee? Is he injured?

    The official line is he's taking some time out of tennis, don't know much more beyond that.


  • #49
    Rob2D
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 2,449 Mod ✭✭✭✭Rob2D


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    The official line is he's taking some time out of tennis, don't know much more beyond that.

    He may give it up at this stage. He's done a lot more than most guys from this country will ever be able to say. Making it to the main draw of a slam is a pretty nice thing to look back on.


  • #50
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,925 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Alizé Cornet could be in trouble, seems to have missed 3 drugs tests.

    https://twitter.com/lequipe/status/956263001329426432


  • #51
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,283 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Perhaps she just didn't read her emails :pac: Interesting that she's blaming the ITF though, not sure that will work in her favour. Should be interesting to see how it pans out anyway.

    Serena will be playing Fed Cup next month for the USA, probably just testing the waters to see how fit she is.


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  • #52
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,925 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    yerwanthere123 wrote: »
    Perhaps she just didn't read her emails :pac: Interesting that she's blaming the ITF though, not sure that will work in her favour. Should be interesting to see how it pans out anyway.

    She claims she has valid reasons for missing them and the fact she took 20 others in competition should be enough to prove she's clean. There's a few athletes have gotten away with missing tests before, what was Mo Farrah's excuse? Didn't hear the doorbell?


  • #53
    mickmackey1
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,288 ✭✭✭mickmackey1


    Ah so that's how she somehow managed to beat Gorgeous ;)


  • #54
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,925 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Not sure if it was mentioned but Bernard Tomic is doing the Australian version of I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.


  • #55
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,925 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    https://twitter.com/tennis_photos/status/957565629292339202


  • #56
    Hector Savage
    Registered Users Posts: 8,810 ✭✭✭Hector Savage


    Christ is that what Tomic is doing ??? ... he still has time to sort his head out I really hope he cops on .


  • #57
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,925 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Apparently today's episode ended with him in the diary room thing saying he wanted to speak to the producers because he wants to leave.


  • #58
    TomSweeney
    Registered Users Posts: 3,193 ✭✭✭TomSweeney


    Sorry I posted this on the AO thread too, but in case people are no longer reading it

    Just listening to RTE Sean O Rourke
    Embarassing.

    So Federer won his 6th grand slam, and a few years back was in tears after losing to Andy Murray(!) in a wimbledon final - embarrasing really!
    This is the national broadcaster and in this information age there is no excuse to get such easy facts to check wrong !!!

    Terrible journalism.


  • #59
    yerwanthere123
    Registered Users, Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,283 Mod ✭✭✭✭yerwanthere123


    Sometimes I get truly exasperated with Tomic, then I remember that he's obviously a deeply damaged individual. The delusion is still unreal, still talking of getting into the top ten, top five etc but with seemingly no understanding of the work that it would take to get there. And just last night on I'm A Celebrity blaming the big four as to why he's never cracked the top 5, or whatever it was he said. Again, just utterly deluded, but sad in another sense I guess.

    Both Sharapova and Azarenka have wild cards into Doha. Whether this means Azarenka will be able to or even expects to be able to play is another thing. Plenty of good WTA tennis to look forward to in February with Doha/Dubai, pretty much nothing on the ATP side until March, excluding the possibility of Federer taking a WC into Dubai to try and regain the #1 ranking.


  • #60
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,925 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    ^ Azarenka has apparently hired a new coach so it looks like she's making serious plans to return. I wasn't expecting to see her so soon but I suppose her fitness should be fine, it would just be match fitness she's lacking.


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  • #61
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,925 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Bernie has quit the jungle. You can follow his long weekend in this twitter thread.
    https://twitter.com/pluckyloser/status/957910612494856192


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