The Tennis Thread
Discussion
You lot might appreciate this.
Funny faces in tennis.
Milos Raonic: http://imgur.com/a/FJgh8
Andy Murray: http://imgur.com/a/Gqq0Q
David Ferrer: http://imgur.com/a/wm0Ud
Roger Federer: http://imgur.com/a/6i9oX
Funny faces in tennis.
Milos Raonic: http://imgur.com/a/FJgh8
Andy Murray: http://imgur.com/a/Gqq0Q
David Ferrer: http://imgur.com/a/wm0Ud
Roger Federer: http://imgur.com/a/6i9oX
Hoofy said:
You lot might appreciate this.
Funny faces in tennis.
Milos Raonic: http://imgur.com/a/FJgh8
Andy Murray: http://imgur.com/a/Gqq0Q
David Ferrer: http://imgur.com/a/wm0Ud
Roger Federer: http://imgur.com/a/6i9oX
Proof that Federer is actually a cyborg.Funny faces in tennis.
Milos Raonic: http://imgur.com/a/FJgh8
Andy Murray: http://imgur.com/a/Gqq0Q
David Ferrer: http://imgur.com/a/wm0Ud
Roger Federer: http://imgur.com/a/6i9oX
Cinci has been outstanding so far. Djokovic looked a bit ropey against Goffin and Murray was getting beaten to a pulp by Dimitrov (at one point after 1.5 sets Dimitrov had 30 winners to 5 unforced errors and Murray had 8 winners to 5 errors). If Dimitrov can open up like that more often then he's going to be very unpredictable come NY.
Federer looks the best so far but no one able to return well has played him yet. I call Fed for tonight as Murray was just looking a bit drained against Gasquet y'day but should be a good match.
Federer looks the best so far but no one able to return well has played him yet. I call Fed for tonight as Murray was just looking a bit drained against Gasquet y'day but should be a good match.
As we approach the US open it appears Federer is playing some of the best tennis of his career. He's still gliding across the court effortlessly and he's striking the ball well . He beat Murray convincingly yesterday and now is doing the same vs Djokovic.
Meanwhile Nadal continues to look like he is in terminal decline - sure it was never his strong point but his serve is almost WTA-esq these days and that magical forehand is rarely seen now.
Meanwhile Nadal continues to look like he is in terminal decline - sure it was never his strong point but his serve is almost WTA-esq these days and that magical forehand is rarely seen now.
BlackLabel said:
As we approach the US open it appears Federer is playing some of the best tennis of his career. He's still gliding across the court effortlessly and he's striking the ball well . He beat Murray convincingly yesterday and now is doing the same vs Djokovic.
Meanwhile Nadal continues to look like he is in terminal decline - sure it was never his strong point but his serve is almost WTA-esq these days and that magical forehand is rarely seen now.
I agree Federer is playing well but to be honest I thought both Murray and Djokovic looked a bit jaded by the end of the week in Cincinnati. Obviously Fed can only play what's in front of him (which he did very effectively!) but there were some tired looking shots and uncharacteristic unforced errors from both Murray and Djokovic in the semi-final and final respectively and I suspect both will provide more of challenge come the US Open.Meanwhile Nadal continues to look like he is in terminal decline - sure it was never his strong point but his serve is almost WTA-esq these days and that magical forehand is rarely seen now.
Nadal does seem a bit in the doldrums at the moment and on current form it's hard to see him making much of an impression at Flushing Meadow; however, I never thought for one second that he'd come back from a long injury lay-off and have the year he did in 2013 so it's dangerous to write him off! It does seem a bit different this time though - in the past his problems seemed physical whereas now he appears relatively healthy but just seems to have lost a bit of self belief. However, confidence was a big part of what made him such a great match player and regaining it is perhaps more difficult than overcoming a physical injury; a dilemma for him and his team to resolve but also a bit chicken and egg in the sense confidence tends to come from winning...
You can count on the top guys making some adjustments against Federer come the Open. Andy and Novak have had a good look at Federer this week, Murray has made massive inroads compared to Wimbledon. Even though Novak lost he knows over 5 sets Federer is still second favourite and the courts in NY are slower than Cincy which doesn't favour Federer.
For Federer playing Djokovic is a different prospect to Murray as Djok will make less errors come the big matches.
It's a shame about Wawrinka, seems to be really struggling after the Kyrgios issue. If he can get his focus together he has the most attacking game even against Fed so again very unpredictable.
For Federer playing Djokovic is a different prospect to Murray as Djok will make less errors come the big matches.
It's a shame about Wawrinka, seems to be really struggling after the Kyrgios issue. If he can get his focus together he has the most attacking game even against Fed so again very unpredictable.
Justices said:
Andy facing the young rascal Krygios in R1 at Flushing. I think a serious lesson will be dealt out in NY.
I agree although interestingly Murray has been more inclined to cut Kyrgios a bit of slack than some of his fellow pros! I can see a repeat of the 2012 final this year and if that's the case hopefully the outcome will be the same; Federer has been hitting the ball well but sadly I just don't see him being able to maintain the level required over 5 sets at a Grand Slam on hard courts......My word Nick Kyrgios has some talent. Murray won but the all court game Kyrgios has is incredible at 20. I can only think of 2 or maybe 3 people in the past 15 years that has the ability to play all court but also accelerate both wings at such an early stage.
Unfortunately I don't see him hanging around tennis for long, I can see a steadily decline in his motivation. Maybe his talent will get him a slam but once he's achieved a level of fame/fortune that he feels adequate I can see his commitment to the sport waning. He's got the appearance for a good Hollywood baddie.
Unfortunately I don't see him hanging around tennis for long, I can see a steadily decline in his motivation. Maybe his talent will get him a slam but once he's achieved a level of fame/fortune that he feels adequate I can see his commitment to the sport waning. He's got the appearance for a good Hollywood baddie.
MiniMan64 said:
The woman's game is in a truly odd place at the moment.
One supreme player only interested in winning slams who can go from being dominant to blowing it in the space of a game surrounded by a field of averageness that can only beat her when she beats herself.
Supreme ?? only at the baseline...from left to right..One supreme player only interested in winning slams who can go from being dominant to blowing it in the space of a game surrounded by a field of averageness that can only beat her when she beats herself.
I'm quite astonished that more Ladies haven't got closer to undoing Serena's game by the simple tactic of keep moving her around.
She seems almost completely immobile and whilst she has an astonishing array of shots as well as perhaps the best Ladies serve I can't help thinking that some of the better players from previous generations would have undine her game by moving her around; wouldn't players like Navratilova, Evert, Graf, Hingis and a few others simply have decided to open the game up to the corners rather than try to trade blows up and down the length of the Court where Serena can keep hammering away all day..... as long as she doesn't have to move much.
Perhaps it says far more about her opposition than it does about Serena's game itself?
As for Mac saying she is 'already the best ever', I suspect Miss Court and Miss Graf in their prime would have had quite a lot to say about that - even now their records and their list of opponents stands in solid testament to their breadth of abilities.
She seems almost completely immobile and whilst she has an astonishing array of shots as well as perhaps the best Ladies serve I can't help thinking that some of the better players from previous generations would have undine her game by moving her around; wouldn't players like Navratilova, Evert, Graf, Hingis and a few others simply have decided to open the game up to the corners rather than try to trade blows up and down the length of the Court where Serena can keep hammering away all day..... as long as she doesn't have to move much.
Perhaps it says far more about her opposition than it does about Serena's game itself?
As for Mac saying she is 'already the best ever', I suspect Miss Court and Miss Graf in their prime would have had quite a lot to say about that - even now their records and their list of opponents stands in solid testament to their breadth of abilities.
I think simply because Tennis is highly subjective (i.e. you can only beat the opponent in front of you with no reliance on a clock or a tape measure) you can more easily draw comparisons between generations before. It also helps to have the objective opinions of the current veterans who still play on modern courts with modern equipment who can draw on their experience to say more accurately what players might have achieved in the modern era.
That said, yes the finesse has been almost completely removed from the Ladies game through the utter reliance and dominace of the power players - in no small way helped by the courts, balls and raquets.
That said, yes the finesse has been almost completely removed from the Ladies game through the utter reliance and dominace of the power players - in no small way helped by the courts, balls and raquets.
anonymous said:
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We have and I still think this best of all time stuff is a load of old tosh; best of an era fair enough but you can't extrapolate that to say who was the best ever because there are simply too many variables IMO. Serena is certainly the best of her era but to be honest that's not saying much; in fairness to her she can only beat what's in front of her but I think champions from some other eras faced rather more in the way of consistent competition. I still think the ultimate nonsense is the prize money for this mediocrity is the same as for the men but that's another debate that's been had on this forum before...Gassing Station | Sports | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff