The Tennis Thread

[JCRD]

I should have entered the US open at this rate.

Mannn

 

[ralvy]

Let's just say I'm very glad there are no line judges in the way at the level I play at...

@ralvy I was thinking similar re Serena threatening to shove balls down umpires' throats, but then remembered we couldn't possibly sanction her as she's a mother and a role model

haha, one of the reasons I stopped playing so much online poker was the regular destruction of mouses, monitors and keyboards.

To be fair, she wasn't yet a mom back then and she virtually got disqualified as a result of the ball shoving threat (she got a point penalty at clijster's match point), but how comes she wasn't defaulted after saying that exchange with the chair umpire during the 2011 final against Stosour? Here's how it went:

At the changeover Williams refused to let up on her barrage. "We were in America last time I checked," she said to Asderaki, who leaned down to hear what she was saying. "Don't look at me," Williams shouted. And so it continued. "If we're ever walking down the street, stay on the other side. You're totally out of control. You're a hater and you're unattractive inside. What a loser."

That probably demanded a long ban from the tour as well IMO.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

If Sascha wants to have any chance of winning the trophy he needs to start his comeback at the start of the match!

But I really don't see Thiem falling short this time. He's playing too well, and Zverev isn't.

 

[ralvy]

If Sascha wants to have any chance of winning the trophy he needs to start his comeback at the start of the match!

But I really don't see Thiem falling short this time. He's playing too well, and Zverev isn't.

Zverev did play almost amazing during the last three sets against Carreño-Busta. If he plays like that again, the final will be a fun match to watch, but I just can't see Thiem losing tomorrow.

As you say, Thiem is playing sooo well, and his tennis is beautiful to watch. IMO, 4 players are above the rest right now: Djokovic, Nadal, Thiem and Medvedev (Federer is currently a bit bellow those three, but he has proven he still can give a match to any of them and perhaps even win it).

 

[Teemu]

Zverev is the Tottenham of tennis.

 

[JCRD]

Zverev is the Tottenham of tennis.

Ouch that is super harsh on Zverev...

It was a great match up and match. I've loved the tennis over the last Couple of weeks and so much better without fans.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Zverev is the Tottenham of tennis.

Over his career he will win a lot of trophies; so yes.

 

[Teemu]

Ouch that is super harsh on Zverev...

It was a great match up and match. I've loved the tennis over the last Couple of weeks and so much better without fans.

Better without fans?! What makes you say that?

 

[JCRD]

Better without fans?! What makes you say that?

It just felt like a battle between a man and a man rather than a man who had 20k fans behind him and someone who had 5k fans behind him... just felt a bit more raw if that makes sense.

 

[Teemu]

It just felt like a battle between a man and a man rather than a man who had 20k fans behind him and someone who had 5k fans behind him... just felt a bit more raw if that makes sense.

I don't really agree with you, but it makes sense

IMO a knowledgeable crowd which reacts to the ebbs and flows of the game and shows appreciation for the more dramatic/spectacular moments definitely adds to the viewing experience. But I agree that I could generally do without the partisan crowds (unless it's Wimbledon, where I'm 100% Team GB).

 

[aliyid]

I've loved the tennis over the last Couple of weeks and so much better without fans.

Not sure we’ll notice any difference with the French open, they never have any fans in the first 20 rows anyway

 

[ajspurs]

Wow what a match

Massive hats off to both of them. Devastating for Zverev as with Djokovic out, no Nadal or Federer and 2 sets up in a final, he'll feel like he won't get a better chance. Should be proud though, I didn't think he'd come out and play the tennis he did.

Thiem did say he gets nervous and you could tell he was in the first few sets, the danger for Zverev was always if Thiem actually started to play. To think they both had chances to serve out for the championship before the tie break too!

Also I didn't know the French Open was to come ? Is Nadal taking part?

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Wow what a match

Massive hats off to both of them. Devastating for Zverev as with Djokovic out, no Nadal or Federer and 2 sets up in a final, he'll feel like he won't get a better chance. Should be proud though, I didn't think he'd come out and play the tennis he did.

Thiem did say he gets nervous and you could tell he was in the first few sets, the danger for Zverev was always if Thiem actually started to play. To think they both had chances to serve out for the championship before the tie break too!

Also I didn't know the French Open was to come ? Is Nadal taking part?

I think he'll get plenty more chances - Federer and Nadal won't be there much longer, Djokovic is 33, Zverev is 23. Even Thiem's 27.

Nadal is playing in the Rome Masters this week, along with Djokovic, and both are planning to play in Paris.

 

[ajspurs]

I think he'll get plenty more chances - Federer and Nadal won't be there much longer, Djokovic is 33, Zverev is 23. Even Thiem's 27.

Nadal is playing in the Rome Masters this week, along with Djokovic, and both are planning to play in Paris.

Yeah very true. Hopefully so, definitely felt sorry for him. Rome Masters is this week too? God I'm loving the tennis right now. But thanks, should be a very interesting French Open.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

Yeah very true. Hopefully so, definitely felt sorry for him. Rome Masters is this week too? God I'm loving the tennis right now. But thanks, should be a very interesting French Open.

Rome live now on Amazon Prime if you've got it.

 

[BSJ93]

I appreciate it's wrong to sit here and criticize anything a player does in the fifth set of a grand slam final as I can't even begin to fathom how nervous he must have been when trying to serve it out but his second serves were dropping below 70 which for a player like him, is criminal.

 

[Arnoldtoo]

I appreciate it's wrong to sit here and criticize anything a player does in the fifth set of a grand slam final as I can't even begin to fathom how nervous he must have been when trying to serve it out but his second serves were dropping below 70 which for a player like him, is criminal.

It's the #1 area he has to work on, but I guess he knows that!

 

[Teemu]

I appreciate it's wrong to sit here and criticize anything a player does in the fifth set of a grand slam final as I can't even begin to fathom how nervous he must have been when trying to serve it out but his second serves were dropping below 70 which for a player like him, is criminal.

Amazing wasn't it. Slow mid-service box pat-a-cakes are how I hit my second serve by default so it was quite comforting to see

 

[ralvy]

I think he'll get plenty more chances - Federer and Nadal won't be there much longer, Djokovic is 33, Zverev is 23. Even Thiem's 27.

Nadal is playing in the Rome Masters this week, along with Djokovic, and both are planning to play in Paris.

Yeah, that age difference was the main reason I was supporting Thiem yesterday, since I knew it was more urgent for him to get that slam than it was for Sascha.

 

[Partizan]

I like these words from Thiem

“I hope that it doesn’t change my life because my life cannot depend on success. That would be wrong,” Thiem told ATPTour.com. “But I hope it definitely changes my career. I achieved the biggest goal so far that I set for myself and I hope that it lets me play more free and even better tennis in the next big tournaments coming up.”