The Tennis Thread
Discussion
No I agree he did't go with that intention, per se, but he lost four points on serve total in the first set, to drop serve, and then dropped his first service game of the second set and was then rock steady again. Hmmm...
Murray, in the past, has admitted in post-match press conferences that he lost his match because he was experimenting new techniques. Tournament director must have been chuffed with the appearance money paid out!
Murray, in the past, has admitted in post-match press conferences that he lost his match because he was experimenting new techniques. Tournament director must have been chuffed with the appearance money paid out!
JNW1 said:
chippy17 said:
didn't you say Fed would never win another slam over a year ago!?
I didn't think he had another one in him but, as a confirmed Federer fan, I was delighted to be proved wrong! He now has the luxury of being able to play fewer tournaments than the other top players and it may be that that allows him to arrive a little bit fresher at the Grand Slams (in which case he will certainly be a threat). I actually believe that at his best he still hits the ball better than anyone but the question is how often can he produce his best tennis? My feeling is not often enough to get back to number 1 and probably not often enough over 5 sets to win another GS either. However, I was wrong last year and will be happy to eat another helping of humble pie if this time next year he's got another GS under his belt!
i do think Fed has more tennis in him than people think, everyone has been writing him off since 2009 or even before and he is still here, I think he may be scheduling back his tournys but that will only mean he can hang around just that bit longer, i would not be surprised to see him still playing at the highest level at 35
so who do we fancy for the Aus Open?
Nadal is out which will help old man Fed, slow courts, you gotta fancy Murray and Djokovic
any dark horses? Berdych/Delpo
any up and coming youngsters? would love to see Dimitrov having a good run he has the makings of a great player, big fan of Dolgopolov as well...perhaps Raonic
Nadal is out which will help old man Fed, slow courts, you gotta fancy Murray and Djokovic
any dark horses? Berdych/Delpo
any up and coming youngsters? would love to see Dimitrov having a good run he has the makings of a great player, big fan of Dolgopolov as well...perhaps Raonic
Berdych as a dark horse.
Wimbledon finalist and got to last US Open semis.
27-ish now, which appears to be around the time modern tennis players peak, but would need a fairly kind draw.
Real long shot, Benoit Paire. Won 6-0 6-1 today in 40 mins 17 secs against Sela. That's some going, especially when you consider he had break points to save in two service games. (Maybe not serious on this one).
Realistically Federer, Djokovic or Murray. Two out of the three in the final, any of them can win.
Djokovic for me.
Wimbledon finalist and got to last US Open semis.
27-ish now, which appears to be around the time modern tennis players peak, but would need a fairly kind draw.
Real long shot, Benoit Paire. Won 6-0 6-1 today in 40 mins 17 secs against Sela. That's some going, especially when you consider he had break points to save in two service games. (Maybe not serious on this one).
Realistically Federer, Djokovic or Murray. Two out of the three in the final, any of them can win.
Djokovic for me.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
The guy has won the most recent major and people are still questioning whether he's got the game to beat the best guys on tour? People should lay off the drugs.If often happens in the off season that players will get niggles playing first competitive matches.
I'm guessing some of you don't play tennis, playing hard court tennis is incredibly stressful on the joints and these players will have come off their training blocks so normally takes time to adjust.
I'm sure we'll see a different, focussed Murray come the Australian Open.
amare32 said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
The guy has won the most recent major and people are still questioning whether he's got the game to beat the best guys on tour? People should lay off the drugs.If often happens in the off season that players will get niggles playing first competitive matches.
I'm guessing some of you don't play tennis, playing hard court tennis is incredibly stressful on the joints and these players will have come off their training blocks so normally takes time to adjust.
I'm sure we'll see a different, focussed Murray come the Australian Open.
going to add a few more dark horses:
Nishikori playing very nicely, as is Bagdhatis (one of my faves, that match with Agassi at the US I will never forget)
and one other guy, let's see if any of you can get this guy, I will make it easy:
went from approx 240 in the world to current position of 26 in under a year, is 6ft 8 with predicatble huge serve (150mph at times) but moves very well for his height and also has very good ground strokes etc ie not all serve, last tourny he played beat 5 of the top 20 in a row to reach the final...? I think he really could be a contender
Nishikori playing very nicely, as is Bagdhatis (one of my faves, that match with Agassi at the US I will never forget)
and one other guy, let's see if any of you can get this guy, I will make it easy:
went from approx 240 in the world to current position of 26 in under a year, is 6ft 8 with predicatble huge serve (150mph at times) but moves very well for his height and also has very good ground strokes etc ie not all serve, last tourny he played beat 5 of the top 20 in a row to reach the final...? I think he really could be a contender
chippy17 said:
it has become a subconscious thing for Andy, he is not injured in any major way, to hold something and grimace if things are not going right for him, he does it all the time, perhaps you have not seen him play before?!
I've watched Murray since he was a junior USO open champion so I know that the habits he has is ingrained so not so easy to change. You do realise that he does pull up with the occasional 'sore knee' or back because he was born with bipartite patella which causes him pain from time to time. While I'm at it, lower back pain is a common injury for tennis players.I guess you belong to the Virginia Wade camp who calls Murray a 'drama queen' everytime he grimaces or pulls up as nothing but a bit of acting or gamesmanship?
Every player on the tour does it. Before you say Federer is the exception and most recently against Murray at the Shanghai Masters, got the match stopped because of a few rain droplets, whenever he loses he often brings up injuries to discredit his opponent's wins against him. Nadal's MTOs...retirements and Dkjokovic 30 ball bounces, playing possum, stretches between points, faking, MTOs....
need I go on?
chippy17 said:
going to add a few more dark horses:
Nishikori playing very nicely, as is Bagdhatis (one of my faves, that match with Agassi at the US I will never forget)
and one other guy, let's see if any of you can get this guy, I will make it easy:
went from approx 240 in the world to current position of 26 in under a year, is 6ft 8 with predicatble huge serve (150mph at times) but moves very well for his height and also has very good ground strokes etc ie not all serve, last tourny he played beat 5 of the top 20 in a row to reach the final...? I think he really could be a contender
Jerzy Janovicz.Nishikori playing very nicely, as is Bagdhatis (one of my faves, that match with Agassi at the US I will never forget)
and one other guy, let's see if any of you can get this guy, I will make it easy:
went from approx 240 in the world to current position of 26 in under a year, is 6ft 8 with predicatble huge serve (150mph at times) but moves very well for his height and also has very good ground strokes etc ie not all serve, last tourny he played beat 5 of the top 20 in a row to reach the final...? I think he really could be a contender
Paris was a BIG breakthrough for him. Will be interesting to see if it's a fluke or the start of something big. Had a good challenger tour last year, and a couple of wins at Wimbledon, but didn't really set the world alight until Paris. Certainly wasn't a player I had on my radar as the next breakthrough.
psgcarey said:
chippy17 said:
going to add a few more dark horses:
Nishikori playing very nicely, as is Bagdhatis (one of my faves, that match with Agassi at the US I will never forget)
and one other guy, let's see if any of you can get this guy, I will make it easy:
went from approx 240 in the world to current position of 26 in under a year, is 6ft 8 with predicatble huge serve (150mph at times) but moves very well for his height and also has very good ground strokes etc ie not all serve, last tourny he played beat 5 of the top 20 in a row to reach the final...? I think he really could be a contender
Jerzy Janovicz.Nishikori playing very nicely, as is Bagdhatis (one of my faves, that match with Agassi at the US I will never forget)
and one other guy, let's see if any of you can get this guy, I will make it easy:
went from approx 240 in the world to current position of 26 in under a year, is 6ft 8 with predicatble huge serve (150mph at times) but moves very well for his height and also has very good ground strokes etc ie not all serve, last tourny he played beat 5 of the top 20 in a row to reach the final...? I think he really could be a contender
Paris was a BIG breakthrough for him. Will be interesting to see if it's a fluke or the start of something big. Had a good challenger tour last year, and a couple of wins at Wimbledon, but didn't really set the world alight until Paris. Certainly wasn't a player I had on my radar as the next breakthrough.
tbh i had never heard of him until Paris either but looked him up and he was runner up in 2 junior GS so has certainly 'got game' and watching him in paris he was impressive, I think he would have beaten Ferrer in the final had he not knackered himself out beating all those top 20 guys, whether fluke or not we shall see is Aus, mad to think last Aus Open he could not even afford to enter now he is straight into the main draw
amare32 said:
I've watched Murray since he was a junior USO open champion so I know that the habits he has is ingrained so not so easy to change. You do realise that he does pull up with the occasional 'sore knee' or back because he was born with bipartite patella which causes him pain from time to time. While I'm at it, lower back pain is a common injury for tennis players.
I guess you belong to the Virginia Wade camp who calls Murray a 'drama queen' everytime he grimaces or pulls up as nothing but a bit of acting or gamesmanship?
Every player on the tour does it. Before you say Federer is the exception and most recently against Murray at the Shanghai Masters, got the match stopped because of a few rain droplets, whenever he loses he often brings up injuries to discredit his opponent's wins against him. Nadal's MTOs...retirements and Dkjokovic 30 ball bounces, playing possum, stretches between points, faking, MTOs....
need I go on?
He is not the only top player with that knee problem, and as you say there are plenty of players with back problems, but he IS a drama queen.I guess you belong to the Virginia Wade camp who calls Murray a 'drama queen' everytime he grimaces or pulls up as nothing but a bit of acting or gamesmanship?
Every player on the tour does it. Before you say Federer is the exception and most recently against Murray at the Shanghai Masters, got the match stopped because of a few rain droplets, whenever he loses he often brings up injuries to discredit his opponent's wins against him. Nadal's MTOs...retirements and Dkjokovic 30 ball bounces, playing possum, stretches between points, faking, MTOs....
need I go on?
If I can find them again there were some players in the summer saying it was poor gamesmanship as it disrupts the concentration of his opponent who starts thinking about Murray's fitness rather than the match, Nieminen at RG being a perfect example.
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