It's really nice to get to watch Rafa again.
Tennis 2024
- Thread starter Jippy
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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?
Impressive from Rafa to keep going there. Raced away with the first set, looked in danger of falling apart in the second but fought his way through to win it in the third.
Three hours on court. Ouch.
Three hours on court. Ouch.
It was very patchy from both in set 2 but a good amount of time on court, something he needs.
Interested to see how he recovers and fares against Lehecka. Potentially Medvedev in he QFs and Sinner in the SFs if he makes it that far. As well as he has done, I struggle to see how he wins a set off Sinner her in Madrid but hope we get to see that match as it will provide the clearest indication of where he's at. Get to the SF and be competitive against Sinner then I think he's back in the conversation for RG in my opinion. I don't think he makes the SF here or gives Sinner a good match but we'll see.
He has a lot of catching up to do, Rafa. Looked knackered at the end of the second set when he couldn’t get his returns past the service line, then somehow found a second wind. It’s hard to see him gaining enough in three weeks to be a contender at Roland Garros but maybe he could have a worthy, Murray esque send-off with some battling five-set epics before losing in the third or fourth round.
In terms of Roland Garros so much depends on the draw. It could be one match and out. I just think he might be using Madrid to see if it would be a miserable defeat or just a defeat if he met one of the big dogs early.
He perhaps wouldn't frame it in those terms, but being competitive means different things at different moments in a career.
I know Madrid's court differs from other clay due to altitude, but it's still generally clay. This court today looks like it plays like a grass court
Gracias Rafa
Lovely end and ceremony in Madrid for Rafa.
I'm sure he's fine with it but did look a bit odd Lehecka there being the forgotten man watching on from the sidelines.
I'm sure he's fine with it but did look a bit odd Lehecka there being the forgotten man watching on from the sidelines.
Rybakina v Sabalenka is an odd match. On the one hand Sabalenka is haemorrhaging errors and Rybakina is completely dialled in. But Sabalenka is also venting at her box almost constantly and looks quite upset/visibly distressed at times. I’m sure her head is all over the place with what has happened in her life recently.
And yet there are passages of play where the standard is insanely high.
And yet there are passages of play where the standard is insanely high.
Getting really good now.
Strong holds all round now.
Really, really good now.
Alcaraz and Sinner injured for Rome. Medvedev is a doubt too apparently.
It will be interesting to see how Djokovic is in Rome as you have to think he now becomes a strong favourite by default despite having hardly played.
I think it's possibly as good a chance for someone like Ruud or Tsitsipas to win RG.
It will be interesting to see how Djokovic is in Rome as you have to think he now becomes a strong favourite by default despite having hardly played.
I think it's possibly as good a chance for someone like Ruud or Tsitsipas to win RG.
This is an incredible game. Djokovic vs Nadal women version almost
The women's game is really simmering right now. Swiatek, Sabalenka and Rybakina all look like contenders at RG and are consistent on all surfaces. Some competitive rivalries forming. Likes of Coco not far off too.
Yep, Iga will be the favourite for RG, but her against either one of Rybakina or Sabalenka is an exciting prospect.
WTA has really outclassed the ATP this week. That was one of the best possible finals and it absolutely delivered.
Chuffed for Rublev. I like the madman.
Such a shame. Remember at one point plenty assumed he’d be the king of clay once Nadal departed.Tweet
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Been a long time coming. Not sure what it was that made him lose track that badly. A mixture of his wrist injury combined with that managerial background and getting distracted by his girl too much. Also he just seems to have lost hunger and appetite for the game.
Thiem confirmed that it will be his last season.
Really sad news about Dominic Thiem, despite the great career he's had.
Think it is one of the gradual wear injuries and result of the cartilage breaking down. If you're repetitively using that joint, the pain will just keep returning no matter what treatment or rest it receives. It's probably degenerative and just better for him to call it quits.
Think it is one of the gradual wear injuries and result of the cartilage breaking down. If you're repetitively using that joint, the pain will just keep returning no matter what treatment or rest it receives. It's probably degenerative and just better for him to call it quits.
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At the other end of the retirement scale, Camilla Giorgi appears to have quiet quit her entire career and then thrown hers and her entire family’s phones in the North Sea.
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Hurkacz giving Nadal that Federer retirement treatment?
Seems stupidly accidental by a fan. Shit happens but what are the odds it’d land right on his noggin instead of missing him or glancing off his shoulder?