But it's all hypothetical because maybe Roddick wouldn't be held in such disregard if he hadn't had to deal with the force of nature that was Federer from 2004-7. The same goes for Hewitt - watch what Federer did to him in the 2004 US Open final. I've never seen anything like it, especially the first set.
Tennis 2018
- Thread starter Raoul
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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Well done Novak.
Federer 20
Nadal 17
Djokovic 14
And tennis' 'next generation' 0. They've been bloody useless haven't they?
Federer 20
Nadal 17
Djokovic 14
And tennis' 'next generation' 0. They've been bloody useless haven't they?
Not just the next generation - the past generation, as well as the one before.
Only 10 majors have been won outside the big 3 since 2004. (Gaudio, Safin, Delpo, Murray x3, Cilic, Stan x3)
I empathize with the ones that are part of the same as generation as any of the big 3. But in the last 3/4 years, had we genuinely had some top class young players we'd have seen a few GS taken away from from Federer/Nadal/Djokovic given their level has fluctuated with age. The field seems to have completely dried up, with the exception of a few talents who don't have the confidence or mentality to take charge.
True. Although I've been conditioned to not be surprised when the next big player comes out of nowhere to win a slam, then go on to dominate after. The trouble with the present is that any young player seeking to break through would literally have to go through the three best tennis players in history to do so.
“The Calendar Slam”
If anyone even the level of Murray emerges, they wouldn't find it very hard to dominate. The era post the Big 3 looks quite weak really. I'm glad we've been treated with this level of tennis for the last 15 years or so because the era coming after this looks very poor in comparison.
Yeah Fed and Nadal have no right winning Slams at 32 and beyond. Both of them have cleaned up over the last 18 months because Djoko wasn't around and the rest are, well, not up to the mark. Tennis has needed Djoko to return and now hopefully Stan and Murray make full comebacks as well.
In October there won't be a mens grand slam champion who is under 30.
Cilic and Del Potro are the youngest ones, both 29 with their birthdays at the end of this month.
Cilic and Del Potro are the youngest ones, both 29 with their birthdays at the end of this month.
Why'd he white wash Osaka and the ref though
Djokovic won't hold them all 4 simultaneously again, he's not good enough at the moment to beat Nadal on clay.
She's a bit darker, not white. I thought the ref was rather light as well
Last night was the best I seen Djokovic play since 2015 and 2011. Del Potro didn't play bad. Djokovic kept making him play another shot or make something special happen.
But I'm too cautious to look ahead and say Djokovic is going to win that or hes going to catch him. Two months ago nobody would have predicted he would win two more slams.
The momentum can easily shift to another player. But tennis really needs a young player stepping up and winning that elusive slam.
But I'm too cautious to look ahead and say Djokovic is going to win that or hes going to catch him. Two months ago nobody would have predicted he would win two more slams.
The momentum can easily shift to another player. But tennis really needs a young player stepping up and winning that elusive slam.
Agreed. His level of play was some incredible. People forget that Del Porto was playing very well coming in and Novak just outplayed him. That stretch early in the 2nd set where Delpo won three games in a row could've been the turning point in the match, but Novak raised his game again to take the set.
Herald Sun = Australian biggest Murdoch right wing rag
Yep, he forced Del Po to eventually crumble, rather than Del Po just not being at the races. He intimidated Del Po in a manner I've never seen before on a hard court when Del Po himself is in cracking form.
What a racist cartoon.
Definitely the best since 2015 because he's just not been at the races since the 16 RG anyway. I don't think he was anywhere close to his levels of earlier though. IF he gets his BH firing again like it used to earlier, he's going to easily dominate the tour again.
What a ridiculous statement.
To be honest I dont think Serena is the most naturaly gifted player to ever play the sport. Her mental and physical strength are on a completely different level from the rest of the circuit. Especially her serve is an unrivalled weapon.
Ofcourse her ground stokes are very good as well, but from a technical stand point she is by no means the best ever.
Stephen A telling it as it is
Stephen A is absolutely right. Also, Serena seems to have a knack for losing the plot just before she is likely to lose a match. Happened against Clijsters in 2009 as well.
Her serve in the men's game would be a normal serve.
She isn't the best technically. No way is she talented more than Federer, Nadal or Djokovic. Let alone Sampras and Agassi
She's the most talented female to play the game. But she's definitely not the most talented to play the game ever especially as a journeyman schooled her.
Its the same in football. Nobody calls the best female player as the greatest technically because the gap is huge and it's the same in tennis. With the men atleast things tend to be consistent.
Comparing her with the men's gane is moot, she's not a man, which has nothing to do with talent. Men are stronger, not because they are more talented, but because of biology. Martin Verkerk had a much bigger serve than Serena, i wouldnt say he's a more talented player.
Serena isnt the most naturally talented female is what I was getting at. She is the best because of her mental and physical strength paired with a fantastic serve and great ground strokes. A player like Hingis or Graff probably head more talent from a technical standpoint.
Also, do you rate Sampras and Agassi over Federer, Nadal and Djokovic?
Women get compared against women and men against men. Whether or not she can beat a guy is therefore irrelevant.
It becomes relevant if someone states that she's the greatest tennis player of all time. Which she obviously isn't even close to being. Mcenroe was spot on about this a year back.
Serena wouldnt be able to move the way Federer does on the court even if she is a man. Of course the physical gap is huge and that is where the disparity between the two games come from, but on an individually level it's still nonsensical to say Serena is the best ever tennis player.
This is absolutely the case. I'm too young to watch Graff but both Hingis and Henin had a more refined/aesthetically pleasing game than Serena.
I'm in two minds about this. I know Serena depiction was similar to those old ministrel cartoons. However I know that the technique in caricature is that the artist usually exaggerated certain features of a person.
How does one usually draw a caricature of a black person anyway?
Sign of the times that there is anyone defending Williams. Came across like a right nob.
'You owe me an apology', 'You'll never referee another of my matches', 'You are a thief'. Christ what an arsehole.
'You owe me an apology', 'You'll never referee another of my matches', 'You are a thief'. Christ what an arsehole.
Not with big red lips unless you're being racist.
I hope they do
"Umpires may boycott Serena Williams matches after outburst at US Open final"
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...hes-after-outburst-at-us-open-final-fwgv97swz
"Umpires may boycott Serena Williams matches after outburst at US Open final"
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...hes-after-outburst-at-us-open-final-fwgv97swz
You do realize that since he is 6-7 years younger to Federer, he started winning as he entered his prime just at the time Federer was leaving his. So this argument can easily be turned on its head and the narrative could be made that Djokovic only became this dominant once Federer moved past his peak and got on the wrong side of 30.
Just because the guy is Federer and hh has been able to maintain a high level, doesn't mean that he did move past his best a few years back. Fact is Federer was incredible even at that age and that kind of skews the opinions that Djokovic was dominant against a peak Federer. In fact, even Nadal had started to feel the effects of his injuries when Djokovic started hitting his stride.
Listening to The Tennis Podcast and No Challenges Remaining I think both podcasts discussed it well. Serena lost her cool and it's difficult to blame the umpire too much, however we shouldn't be so quick to dismiss sexism within the sport and the feelings that Serena had at the time (even if you disagree with how she expressed them)
I hope they do it
Djokovic had prime Nadal and Murray to contend with even if you take out Federer who wasn’t bad in his 30s.
I mean Nadal has won 3 slams in his 30s yet everyone said he’d be finished at this age. Djokovic has won 2. Federer won his first slams in his 30s, when Djokovic was out the picture last year. He probably would have won a few more if it wasn’t for Djokovic.
Nadal was useless in 2015 and 2016. You can’t honestly say he was starting to feel the effect of his injuries when he lost 6 times in a row to Djokovic in 2011 including two slam finals.
Nadal came back in 2012 and turned the rivalry around but then got a knee injury. Yet came back again in 2013 and won two slams. So Nadal was fit and at his best for most of Djokovics peak.
That cartoon racist? Bloody hell, PC World has truly gone mad! This planet really needs a reset! 
Hope this happens.
Er...it was a massively racists cartoon. Even if you ignore the racist stereotyping of Serena, they showed osaka as a blond haired white women, literally white washing the player who won the championship.That cartoon racist? Bloody hell, PC World has truly gone mad! This planet really needs a reset!
A bit reminiscent of the Charlie Hebdo situation. I didn't care for the cartoon itself but there should be some degree of latitude for cartoonists to maintain their creative license to offend.
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