Tennis 2020

[Mrs Smoker]

Scandalously, no Hopman Cup this year, something called ATP Cup replaces it. Though, all the big names are there, save for Roger who withdrew for personal reasons.

January schedule:

3–12 January 2020 ATP Cup
6 – 11 January 2020 Qatar Open
12 - 18 January 2020 Adelaide International
13 – 18 January 2020 Auckland Open
20 January–2 February 2020 Australian Open

 

[André Dominguez]

Does ATP Cup offer a good prize-money? Can't see any reason why top players would bother playing this competition.

 

[saivet]

Does ATP Cup offer a good prize-money? Can't see any reason why top players would bother playing this competition.

Guaranteed matches in the group stages for players and playing for ranking points is the biggest plus. The only other tournaments going on now are 250 events. Not sure about the prize money, but seems a nice enough warm up for the Australian Open.

 

[saivet]

Not followed the tournament too much, but Nadal seems out of sorts. Lost in straight sets to Goffin yesterday and a set down to De Minaur.

If Spain go through, I think Djokovic will give him tough time in the final.

 

[saivet]

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[Bojan11]

Very good second set

 

[Rajma]

Djokovic does it for Serbia

 

[Bojan11]

Nadal probably would have been better off not chasing number 1.

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[saivet]

I think the worst thing for Nadal is potentially having to play Khachanov, Thiem and Medvedev back to back. He could beat all three of them, but they all would likely make it very physical, as they have done in recent years at the US Open, so I don't think he would have enough in the tank for a final against Djokovic or Federer. Draw can and have fallen apart though.

For Novak, I'd say Struff is difficult a R1 match, but the earliest I see potential trouble for him is in a QF vs Tsitsipas.

For Federer, Hurkacz in R3 is a potentially tricky match, but I wouldn't envisage him having much problems otherwise until the SFs.

I personally think we'll have a Medvedev vs Djokovic final.

 

[Bojan11]

I don’t think the courts suit Medvedev.

Also the conditions sound terrible over the last few days. They improved, but they clearly not going to go away over the next two weeks so that could play apart.

I can see a few early shock exits as a result. I am sure Murray and Del Potro are glad they decided to skip it.

 

[saivet]

I don’t think the courts suit Medvedev.

Also the conditions sound terrible over the last few days. They improved, but they clearly not going to go away over the next two weeks so that could play apart.

I can see a few early shock exits as a result. I am sure Murray and Del Potro are glad they decided to skip it.

I didn't even think about the conditions, but Medvedev looked good in the ATP Cup.

Just seen in interesting first round matches, we have Medvedev vs Tiafoe which is not a formality.

Gauff vs Venus in round 1...again.

 

[massi83]

I don’t think the courts suit Medvedev.

Also the conditions sound terrible over the last few days. They improved, but they clearly not going to go away over the next two weeks so that could play apart.

I can see a few early shock exits as a result. I am sure Murray and Del Potro are glad they decided to skip it.

Well today the air quality here was better than in London for example. So it varies a lot depending on wind direction. There will be some days that playing will be stopped because of smoke with easterly winds, but on many days there will be zero problems.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

Rublev wins two tournaments already.

 

[Brophs]

Dimitrov might win this but the way he consistently manages to find himself in these scrapes is quite something.

 

[Brophs]

Grigor gonna Grigor.

For anyone wondering, Tommy Paul looked absolutely gassed at 3-5, so obviously Dimitrov used that opportunity to put his foot on his throat. His own throat.

 

[saivet]

Hurkacz two sets down again, this time to Millman. A break down in the third too.

A very realistic chance that Federer could make the SFs without playing a seeded player.

Happened with Nadal at the US in 2017.

 

[saivet]

Federer handing a beat down to Krajinović. At this rate the match won't last much longer past one hour.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

Hurkacz two sets down again, this time to Millman. A break down in the third too.

A very realistic chance that Federer could make the SFs without playing a seeded player.

Happened with Nadal at the US in 2017.

It was all smooth sailing last year until he collapsed against Tsitsipas.

At his age you can’t really make predictions, and the conditions are less than ideal to say the least. I wanted to kill myself coming out of work today, extremely muggy even with the strong gust and smoggy air.

 

[massi83]

It was all smooth sailing last year until he collapsed against Tsitsipas.

At his age you can’t really make predictions, and the conditions are less than ideal to say the least. I wanted to kill myself coming out of work today, extremely muggy even with the strong gust and smoggy air.

There wasn't any smoke or haze today. Air quality was good or excellent the whole day.

http://aqicn.org/city/australia/melbourne/melbourne-cbd/m/

 

[saivet]

Fognini was two sets up, and now into a fifth set vs Thompson.

A back to back fifth setter after coming back from two sets vs Opelka in R1.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

There wasn't any smoke or haze today. Air quality was good or excellent the whole day.

http://aqicn.org/city/australia/melbourne/melbourne-cbd/m/

I work in Richmond right next to the facility, about 4 or so strong winds started blowing and I legit couldn’t breathe.

Mind, that could be my hay fever acting up, but don’t think so because I was fine after getting up on the train.

 

[massi83]

I work in Richmond right next to the facility, about 4 or so strong winds started blowing and I legit couldn’t breathe.

Mind, that could be my hay fever acting up, but don’t think so because I was fine after getting up on the train.

Well, that doesn't sound too much fun for any reason

I was at the tennis. The air quality has been better than in for example Manchester for last couple of days.

http://aqicn.org/city/united-kingdom/manchester-piccadilly/m/

Nobody gets any symptoms unless that number is over 100 and for most people it has to be over 200 to be affected

 

[saivet]

Nadal currently having a shocker converting break points. He's a set up and on serve in the second set he's converted 1 out of 17 break points so far in the match

Certainly dragging this match out a lot longer than it needs to be.

 

[saivet]

Serena out, Wozniack out (and now retired).

Guaff now a set qup against Osaka.

Cilic beat RBA and Raonic a set up against Tsitsipas.

Some interesting results/matches.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

Raonic 2 sets up now, pretty steep hill for Tsitsipas to climb, but not impossible by any means judging by that last game.

 

[Brophs]

If Federer got pumped out of two separate Slams by John Millman that’d be special enough to surpass even the 20.

 

[saivet]

Raonic 2 sets up now, pretty steep hill for Tsitsipas to climb, but not impossible by any means judging by that last game.

And he's gone. Pretty rough draw for Tsitsipas to be fair, would have had to play Cilic if he went through as well.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

And he's gone. Pretty rough draw for Tsitsipas to be fair, would have had to play Cilic if he went through as well.

Was too tired so fell asleep, woke up to find he’s gone and Fed down a set.

Tbh I had a bad feeling beforehand about this game, Millman+ hard court + erratic weather = deja vu.

 

[Twins]

Was too tired so fell asleep, woke up to find he’s gone and Fed down a set.

Tbh I had a bad feeling beforehand about this game, Millman+ hard court + erratic weather = deja vu.

Looks like it's not happening, Federer took the second and third now.

 

[wr8_utd]

Tsitsipas continues to underwhelm at Slams (no one is shocked. RBA losing to Cilic was a bit surprising.
Federer already had a walkover to the semis and now even Djoko's draw has really opened up with Tsitsipas and RBA losing.

Nadal on the other hand is yet on track to face Nick, Thiem, Medvedev and Federer/Djokovic back to back if he's to win the Slam

 

[Bojan11]

Brilliant from Millman.

But Fed had his chances to break and now he’s getting punished.

 

[wr8_utd]

Wow Millman with a break in the fourth. This may be headed to a decider if Millman can hold his nerve.

 

[Bojan11]

Easy service game to take the fourth set.

 

[wr8_utd]

Into the fifth we go. You've got to feel Federer's experience will show here and he'll take the fifth. If not, it's a wonderful day for Novak.

 

[Brophs]

Federer will do really well to survive this. The forehand is so up and down.

 

[wr8_utd]

Federer will do really well to survive this. The forehand is so up and down.

It is but I feel he'll find the gear he needs and Millman will crumble eventually. I'll be pretty surprised if he wins this set.

 

[Bojan11]

Millman breaks again.

 

[wr8_utd]

Wow Millman with a break in the 5th. Major test of his nerves now to see if he can keel holding serve.

 

[wr8_utd]

Ofcourse Federer breaks back.

 

[wr8_utd]

Millman had 2 BP and they're both gone. He's had his chances.