Tennis 2021

Brophs

The One and Only
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Medvedev remains the best value on tour. Most people can’t pull off being that much of a tit.
 

Bojan11

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Not great from Nadal, but he's been comfortable, and Norrie doesn't have anything to hurt him.
 

saivet

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Not great from Nadal, but he's been comfortable, and Norrie doesn't have anything to hurt him.
Fognini will be his first real test. If he can get through that, I'll start taking him more seriously. He's gotten through the first 3 rounds comfortably but they've been against guys you'd expect him to beat in straight sets even if he's carrying an injury.
 

Brophs

The One and Only
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The signs of this were there for Thiem v Kyrgios. He looks tired and undercooked.
 

saivet

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So it is Dimitrov vs Karatsev and not Thiem vs Auger-Aliassime :eek:
I stayed up for Osaka and a bit of Serena. When I went to sleep Felix was about to go a set up. I'm now tired as feck and surprised. Never heard of the Russian guy before Australia this year but happy for Dimitrov.
 

InfiniteBoredom

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Nadal has to be the favourite now, with Djokovic’s issues (even though, granted, he wasn’t 100% himself going into this).

Dimitrov could have really good tournaments like when he had that 5 setters against Nadal in 2017, but it’s too much to ask him not to choke, unlike Thiem.
 

MattofManchester

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with Djokovic’s issues
Novak seems perfectly fine. Don't think there's any issues.

And I don't think Nadal is favourite.

Novak will likely have Zverev who he will probably beat, given Zverev crumbles mentally when it matters and one of Karatsev or Dimitrov, who he'll most likely trounce.

Nadal will have to get through Fognini, Tsitsipas and then Medvedev, then Djokovic to win. I'd love for it to happen, but I don't think he's able to do that anymore. He hasn't done it in a long, long time.
 

Red Devil 26

Premature Examination
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Is there an uglier player to watch on tour than Raonic? Has one of the least aesthetic pleasing games I can think of.
 

KirkDuyt

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Djokovic is injured after every lost point, only to recover after winning a point. The body language is so annoying to watch sometimes. Great player though. Still, i wonder when the next Rafa/Djoko/Federer will stand up.
 
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kidbob

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Djokovic and his injuries anytime he is put into trouble on court.

To be fair this time he honestly seems to have bad injuries, the last match he played he looked fecked at times. Also he has cut a lot of that out in his later years of his career. it was more of an issue when he was young.
 

RORY65

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He was comfortably winning when he got injured. Then he lost 2 sets in a row
Yeah he's got a reputation that he's never going to be able to get rid of now plus he obviously was exaggerating when he said he'd definitely torn a muscle, I can't imagine how he could play if he'd torn something, but there was clearly something wrong the other night.
 

saivet

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Good performance from Rafa. Berretini or Tsitsipas in the QF. The prospect of a Medvedev - Nadal SF looking the more likely.
 

Drawfull

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Serena is a phenomenon, but gets frequently exposed when her matches go to three sets. Is the fact that an almost 40-year-old can hang with the younger players who are supposedly at the top of the game an indicator that the women need to be playing best of five sets in slams now?

I'd assume that the majority of the field are fit enough for the longer format, so is the only issue one of scheduling time or are the players against it, too?
 

saivet

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Serena is a phenomenon, but gets frequently exposed when her matches go to three sets. Is the fact that an almost 40-year-old can hang with the younger players who are supposedly at the top of the game an indicator that the women need to be playing best of five sets in slams now?

I'd assume that the majority of the field are fit enough for the longer format, so is the only issue one of scheduling time or are the players against it, too?
I don't think that's a reason to be playing best of 5 sets. Serena may be nearly 40 but she's hasn't won a slam since she had her daughter plus she is also the GOAT so it shouldn't be a huge surprise she is still competitive even at her age.

I'm not sure what the reasons for it are but it's no doubt political, commercial and tradition factors at the root.
 

InfiniteBoredom

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Serena’s issue are her current age isn’t really stamina, but her reduced mobility. Whenever she goes against a decent baseliner in good form who can cope with her power, she tends to get frustrated and overhit as the match goes on. Slams being what they are, she’s almost always guaranteed to come up against one.

That being said, with how volatile the WTA is, all she need is one tourney where they collectively shit the bed and she can win another one, as she will be semi or there about for most of them.
 

InfiniteBoredom

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These two are doing Sharapova proud with their grunting tonight.

Also 14 games and 7 breaks. It’s pretty embarrassing.
 

MattofManchester

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Is the fact that an almost 40-year-old can hang with the younger players who are supposedly at the top of the game an indicator that the women need to be playing best of five sets in slams now?
No I'd say it's a testament to the weakness of characters in the women's game at the moment. Grand slam winners lose in the first few rounds, get double bageled and generally can't compete consistently.
Serena's level has fallen off a cliff with age and still betters the fitter, more athletic players.
Mental game seems very weak.
 

InfiniteBoredom

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Zverev should be more aggressive and work Djokovic on his serve. The latter is already making plenty of UEs while barely running.
 

saivet

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No I'd say it's a testament to the weakness of characters in the women's game at the moment. Grand slam winners lose in the first few rounds, get double bageled and generally can't compete consistently.
Serena's level has fallen off a cliff with age and still betters the fitter, more athletic players.
Mental game seems very weak.
I think that's harsh. The WTA field has a lot more depth, especially compared to the ATP.
 

MattofManchester

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I think that's harsh. The WTA field has a lot more depth, especially compared to the ATP.
I just don't think they're consistent. GS winners losing in the first and second rounds to complete unknowns who remain unknown is very weak imo.

I prefer the era of the Henins, Clijsters, both Williams. When there was genuine competition on who wants to be the best.
 

RORY65

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I just don't think they're consistent. GS winners losing in the first and second rounds to complete unknowns who remain unknown is very weak imo.

I prefer the era of the Henins, Clijsters, both Williams. When there was genuine competition on who wants to be the best.
I think that is starting to change now though, the likes of Osaka, Swiatek and even Barty (plus Andreescu if she can overcome the injury issues) are still young but I think there are signs that they will become more consistent presences in the latter rounds. I think it's good to have a bit of unpredictability, I don't think it's good for men's tennis that even now it's the same players at the top as it was a decade ago, but it is also important to create rivalries between some top players which can't happen if they're all so erratic.
 

saivet

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I think that is starting to change now though, the likes of Osaka, Swiatek and even Barty (plus Andreescu if she can overcome the injury issues) are still young but I think there are signs that they will become more consistent presences in the latter rounds. I think it's good to have a bit of unpredictability, I don't think it's good for men's tennis that even now it's the same players at the top as it was a decade ago, but it is also important to create rivalries between some top players which can't happen if they're all so erratic.
I agree with this. Some of the younger players look really good and consistent meanwhile there are a number of other very good but inconsistent players.

It's nice that the top male players tend to go deep but outside of Kyrgios who has been unseeded (or a low seed) at majors there aren't too many interesting early round matches for the top players.
 

MattofManchester

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I think that is starting to change now though, the likes of Osaka, Swiatek and even Barty (plus Andreescu if she can overcome the injury issues) are still young but I think there are signs that they will become more consistent presences in the latter rounds. I think it's good to have a bit of unpredictability, I don't think it's good for men's tennis that even now it's the same players at the top as it was a decade ago, but it is also important to create rivalries between some top players which can't happen if they're all so erratic.
I agree as well. In fact, Swiatek is slowly becoming my new favourite.
It probably is true as well, that if I didn't have a favourite in Nadal, I probably would watch men's tennis a lot less, but I would also say that I like some of the physical battles that take place these days. Players like Thiem and Shapovalov are interesting to watch.

On the women's side, I'm waiting for a breakthrough. The likes of Kenin going on to win AO, before sulking to a 6-0 6-0 loss a few weeks later just tends to dent my ability to watch women's tennis.
Even battles of Kuznetsova/Schiavone proportions are missing these days.

It is improving though, but I think we'll have to wait some time.
 

wr8_utd

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Djokovic ran away with the second set but Zverev up a break again in the third set. Djokovic will still definitely win this.
 

MattofManchester

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Novak's PR team: Well, at least he's been cool, calm and collected today.

*Novak breaks racquet and proceeds to have ballgirl clean it up*

Novak's PR team: Ah, shet. Here we go again...
 

InfiniteBoredom

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Zverev just can’t seem to get the choke out of his system. Even if he manages to win this set we are still in for a long night yet.