2021 In Between Grand Slam Thread

Girly Gal wrote: »

Tsitsipas looks the best of the younger guys atm, Sinner still has a bit to go, but, time on his side. For me Zverev, Medvedev and even Thiem have proven themselves not to be up to the task, will probably end up with a few slams each once Djokovic finishes up, but, that'll only prove that the level has dropped. If Tsitsipas proves to be the real deal he could really begin stacking up the slams once Djokovic goes. Don't think we'll ever see a player reach the levels the big 3 reached, but, it's quite possible that a dominant player in a weak era could break all their records, which isn't something I'd like to see.

Got to agree with you there. Tsitsipas looks the best of them atm and able to handle it physically and mentally. Zverev as good as he is unless he pull himself together is never going to win anything. Thiem I thought had got over that hurdle winning the US Open but he seems to have gone to pieces since. Medvedev I think can do it, he seems mentally strong maybe needs a bit more physicality.

In other news I see Niaomi Osaka is on social media promoting her picture on the cover of Vogue magazine, I thought she was suppose to be taking it easy with friends and family

Girly Gal wrote: »

Tsitsipas looks the best of the younger guys atm, Sinner still has a bit to go, but, time on his side. For me Zverev, Medvedev and even Thiem have proven themselves not to be up to the task, will probably end up with a few slams each once Djokovic finishes up, but, that'll only prove that the level has dropped. If Tsitsipas proves to be the real deal he could really begin stacking up the slams once Djokovic goes. Don't think we'll ever see a player reach the levels the big 3 reached, but, it's quite possible that a dominant player in a weak era could break all their records, which isn't something I'd like to see.

I know we're told to never say never, but there isn't a hope that's happening IMO. The next gen are much too inconsistent to get anywhere near the records of the Big3.

Also, you'd have to imagine that the current homogeneity of the courts (which certainly favoured Nadal and Djokovic's games) will not last forever, and we will have a greater disparity in court characteristics, leading to the clay-court specialists, grass-court specialists of old. In this case, you won't have the same players competing at the latter stages of all events.

dominatinMC wrote: »

That's not really saying much though is it. He was up 2 sets on Djokovic at the FO and, as well as Djokovic played, Tsitsipas crumbled. I know Djokovic is one of the greatest, but you really need to be capitalising on those sort of situations.

I would give him the benefit of doubt on that one. It was his first GS Final and maybe that got to him a bit. As they say sometimes to got to lose a final to win a final.

dominatinMC wrote: »

I know we're told to never say never, but there isn't a hope that's happening IMO. The next gen are much too inconsistent to get anywhere near the records of the Big3.

Also, you'd have to imagine that the current homogeneity of the courts (which certainly favoured Nadal and Djokovic's games) will not last forever, and we will have a greater disparity in court characteristics, leading to the clay-court specialists, grass-court specialists of old. In this case, you won't have the same players competing at the latter stages of all events.

Had just one of Federer, Nadal or Djokovic not ever appeared, the other 2 would have probably added another 5 slams each, so it's not that far fetched to think that a dominant player could emerge in the future with no real serious competition (similar to Serena in the women's game from about 2010 on), they could have most of their career without a really serious opponent who could play to their level, they could very well break any record set by the big 3 ( apart from FO wins which will last forever). The big 3 at various stages of their careers robbed each other of slams

Girly Gal wrote: »

Once Djokovic goes I think we're going to see a period in the men's game where players will come from nowhere, win a slam and disappear, similar to the women's game.

Quite possibly. As long as it's not the big servers at Wimbledon though. I don't think i could stomach a final between (say) Reilly Opelka and some other beanpole, Average rally length of oh, 2.1 shots, no break points, and thus a tie-break in every set.

For all the talk of random slam winners amongst the women, I've got to say that (for me) by far the most unexpected slam run in recent years was by Karatsev, who qualified and then made SF in the Australian Open this year, before Djokovic beat him in straight sets. It was the first time ever in the Open era a slam debutant made the semi-final.

klr87 wrote: »

Quite possibly. As long as it's not the big servers at Wimbledon though. I don't think i could stomach a final between (say) Reilly Opelka and some other beanpole, Average rally length of oh, 2.1 shots, no break points, and thus a tie-break in every set.

For all the talk of random slam winners amongst the women, I've got to say that (for me) by far the most unexpected slam run in recent years was by Karatsev, who qualified and then made SF in the Australian Open this year, before Djokovic beat him in straight sets. It was the first time ever in the Open era a slam debutant made the semi-final.

Karatsev has shot up the rankings and has done fairly well since, but, he could well be a sign of how things could go in the future, had Djokovic not been there, Karatsev could well has gone on to win it. Wouldn't be at all surprised to see a few unusual names in the latter stages of Wimbledon as not many in the top 20 ( Djokovic and Federer apart) have done much on grass.

klr87 wrote: »

From what I've read, it seems very unlikely he will play Wimbledon, and will probably be out for much longer.


In other news, del Potro will miss the Olympics, which should come as a relief to Djokovic - anyone remember their R1 match in Rio? Few singles players have contributed more to Olympic tennis than Delpo, but it seems he'll never win gold now.

A pity Del Potro's career was so blighted with injury, one of the few players who on his day could live with the big three even when they played well, would imagine he'd have added a few more slams but for all the injuries.

glasso wrote: »

Del Potro was a fine player with a forehand that was fun to watch but a bit over-rated also in his absence.

He only really threatened seriously at the US Open when fit.

(even tho he got to SF's in other tournaments he was never going to win the French or SW19)

Tbf to Del Potro the main reason he didn't seriously contend at the slams is that he was constantly either getting injured or coming back from an injury, he never really get a proper injury free run, very stop start career which must have been very fustrating for him. The injuries may well have been as a result of his playing style.

First man to beat both Nadal and Federer in a slam, the injuries pretty much started straight away after winning the US open, think he was only around 21 at the time, so the potential was there to win more.

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

It's a bit disappointing, because after they were all in for Wimbledon 2012 I thought tennis at the Olympics had turned a corner, but it seems to have gone backwards again. I know Djokovic is taking it seriously though, he really wants a medal, and was devastated when he lost to Delpo back in 2016.

The Olympics should probably treat Tennis like they do Soccer, have it as an U23 (or Next Gen) competition. No one (including most of the players) particularly care about it.

Whatever the Olympics 'says' to me, its not tennis, golf (or soccer or rugby), they add nothing to the flavour of the Games.

Correct on Djokovic, he very badly wants to win a gold.

Meanwhile ... there is still tennis this week, plenty of it in fact, between the last of the warm-up events and Wimbledon qualifying,

At Eastbourne, the 3 women's semi-finalists so far are all have serious pedigree on grass: Kontaveit, Giorgi and Ostapenko. Ostapenko started terribly against Kasatkina (finalist last week in Birmingham), but finished it well on top, hitting winners from everywhere as only she can. That wasn't the best part of the match though. Drama follows Ostapenko everywhere, from being ratted out by a line judge for bad language, then telling the umpire to change said line judge, adding "I don't want to see her face ...", then being wrongly awarded a point at a critical stage two minutes later.

There was a great match now in Bad Homburg (Germany): Kerber beat Kvitova 3-6 4-6 7-6. It was the second match of the day for both, after a washout yesterday. It's not often two multiple slam champions go head-to-head in the semi-final of a low-level (WTA 250) event.

I forgot that I pass this place every morning on the dog walk.

I must call in some time to see if they have any vaccine-free, vegan spare ribs.

Djokovic's restaurant in Belgrade