Tennis Thread

[topanga]

Glad to see Serena win #18. The trophy presentation along with Caroline's graciousness and all-around awesomeness as a person were the best parts of the match. For example, Caroline gets mad props for walking across the court and giving Serena a hug rather than waiting for her at the net. Otherwise, the match was pretty one-sided. Some good rallies at the end, though.  Not as exciting as 2012 and 2013--I still go back an watch those Serena vs. Vica matches because those two women battled till the end.

 

My DVR is already set up to record the replay on Tennis Channel. I can't wait to hear Marina's and Lindsay's commentaries throughout the match.

 

Venus wasn't there. I wonder if it's too painful to watch little sister win another Grand Slam when Venus is in the twilight of her career. But she was at the 2012 and 2013 finals.

 

And why doesn't Richard come to their matches anymore? I know he no longer coaches Venus and Serena, but why doesn't he least come to cheer them on?

Edited September 7, 2014 by topanga

[wanderingstar]

Congrats to Serena on winning. Eighteen major titles is an incredible achievement.

Really wish I could see the men's final today, but I will be @ work so will just have to follow it online.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Is the men's final airing on CBS or a different network?  I plan to go to the gym after work today and they have overhead TV's but none are ever set to CBS.

[crimsongrl]

Men's Final @ 5pm EST on CBS, but if its like the Women's match it won't begin until 25 minutes later.

What's with Serena's coach being her "coaching consultant"? Are they still an item?

Edited September 8, 2014 by crimsongrl

[topanga]

What's with Serena's coach being her "coaching consultant"? Are they still an item?

 

So much drama there. I've been trying to avoid it. But Serena says that her love life is always dramatic--in a bad way. I hope she's no longer with that cheating, old, shifty-eyed Frenchman. Not that he's old, per se. But I think he's too old for Serena.

 

She called him her coach during the trophy ceremony, but yes, his official title is "Coaching consultant." I don't even know what that is? Does it means she doesn't need a coach anymore, just someone to check on her from time to time?

 

I was watching tennis YouTube videos yesterday and saw some clips from when Venus and Serena were just starting out. Richard Williams described 11 year-old Serena as a "bull dog" who latches onto an opponent and won't let go until the match is over. And she still plays that way today. Amazing.

[truthaboutluv]

Congrats to Cilic. He was just punishing throughout the match. A little bummed for Kei. I think all the long matches he played to get to the Finals caught up with him and he just ran out of gas. His legs weren't moving as well and it didn't help that the way Cilic was playing, he had to hit like three or four extra points sometimes just to win a point. Still, it was a good tournament for him and hopefully he takes the positives from it and has a strong 2015. It will be interesting to see if this really was a sign of things to come and more fresh faces push through in 2015.

[MyAimIsTrue]

I would have been happy with either man winning but as the match wore on I realized I was rooting for Cilic for purely shallow reasons:  to see more of the still hot Goran Ivanisovic.

[Ohwell]

Yes, it was nice to see hot Goran again.  There was also a young fellow sitting to the right in a black t-shirt who had me fanning myself.  Maybe that was Cilic's younger brother?

[MyAimIsTrue]

Politically speaking I wonder how the Croat Cilic and the Serb Djokovic get along. 

[BitterApple]

Yes, it was nice to see hot Goran again.  There was also a young fellow sitting to the right in a black t-shirt who had me fanning myself.  Maybe that was Cilic's younger brother?

Yes, it was his little brother, who plays tennis for the University of Nevada. Definitely a hottie. My 36 year-old self felt like a pervert for ogling him during the match.

[Ohwell]

College kid, huh.  Now I feel like a dirty ol' cougar.

[wanderingstar]

Well, damn. I was hoping the final would go long enough for me to see some of it when I got home from work. Apparently, Cilic wasn't having it! Congrats to him on the win and to Nishikori for his run to the final. I was rooting for Kei, but would have been happy no matter who won. It's just nice to see some new(er) blood out there vying for the GS titles.

[truthaboutluv]

Apparently, Cilic wasn't having it!

 

 

Honestly, the way he was playing, it reminded me of a tweet someone made during the women's final, that Serena was playing like she had somewhere to be by 6:30. That was Marin today.

[shok]

That was a very boring match today and although Cilic played very well, he doesn't have much pizzazz in his game. Nishikori on occasion does but this certainly wasn't one of those occasions. Congrats to Marin - huge achievement for him.

 

I do have to laugh though at all the talk (in all the media and forums) about it being such a good thing there were two new guys in the final. Why would so many people want new guys playing a dud of a match when the old guard plays such exciting tennis? We have been very fortunate to watch such superb tennis for the last decade and I'm hopeful we'll still see a lot more of it from the stars of the game.

 

And interesting stat. Women's final was won by a score of 63 63 and men's final was 63 63 63.

[BitterApple]

shok, I know I expected a better match because both guys were fighting for their first Slam title, and quite frankly I think their chances of getting to another final are slim. I think Kei was just exhausted and had nothing left to give. 

[truthaboutluv]

Why would so many people want new guys playing a dud of a match when the old guard plays such exciting tennis?

 

 

I don't really think it's fair to the judge what all these guys can do based on one match. Yes, it wasn't the most exciting because sadly I do think Kei just had nothing left in the tank and also credit to Cilic, he was just dominating. But that does not mean this is how it will only be. Because it's not like every match and every final between the old guards was always this super amazing, exciting tennis match. In the 2008 French Open final, Rafa defeated Federer in three straight sets that barely took two hours. Similarly, Rafa's first Wimbledon final against Federer, the latter destroyed him in three straight sets. Djokovic and Murray's Wimbledon final, sure the sets were close, but Murray still won in straights. 

 

Just to be clear, for the record, I have no issues with Rafa, Djokovic, Murray and Federer still hanging around and kicking ass and taking names. But I do understand why many are embracing and are hopeful of the possibility of seeing new names and new faces break through. As Becker said in a BBC interview, post Djokovic's semifinal loss, while of course he's rooting for his guy to have a strong 2015 season and continue to win, the reality is in the game eras come to an end and new ones start. Federer and Nadal alone have more or less dominated the men's game for a decade. 

[shok]

 

I don't really think it's fair to the judge what all these guys can do based on one match.

 

Sure, let's have another slam final featuring Raonic and, say, Tomas Berdych. That'll be really exciting.

 

Of course one match doesn't represent everything the other guys can do but the bottom line is that the top ranked players who have been around for awhile are the best tennis players and the best tennis players usually produce the best matches. I'm all for great new talents emerging and becoming stars but I find all these comments about it being so refreshing to see new guys reaching finals kind of silly when they're not the ones playing entertaining exciting matches for the most part.

[truthaboutluv]

I'm all for great new talents emerging and becoming stars but I find all these comments about it being so refreshing to see new guys reaching finals kind of silly when they're not the ones playing entertaining exciting matches for the most part.

 

 

And we can agree to disagree because I think these new guys have had plenty of exciting matches. I really don't know what is so silly or really what is the issue about people wanting and being excited about seeing new talents emerge. No one, far as I can tell is basically saying that Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray should all go away tomorrow. Rafa is still my favorite player and who I will root for as long as he's in a tournament. But the simple reality is that they cannot play forever.

 

And at 33 for Federer, Rafa's 28, Djokovic is 26, etc. you do figure that the years are catching up and it's nice to see who may be around when they call it a day. And also, it doesn't even have to be about a whole new era but seriously I don't think it's so unreasonable that some people were just happy and excited to see new faces in a GS final when the same few faces have been there for damn near 10 years. That's a long time to be seeing the same people playing final after final.

Edited September 10, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[wingster55]

I think it's too soon to claim there's a new era. Federer and Nadal were running things for 3 years before Djokovic won his first. People claimed then that the Fed-Nadal era was over...except it wasn't as Djokovic didn't win anything for 3 years. Murray had his brief momens in 12 and 13 but where is he now? Del Potro won in NY 5 years ago..he's had some success but he hasn't won another major.

So I'd like Nishikori etc to be the future and present...but I'm not holding my breath.

[Ohwell]

I want to see new faces but I am not claiming there's a new era of tennis players right now.  I'm just hoping it happens and, based on what I've seen of the younger players, I think it could.  

[wingster55]

Well obviously but the question is...does the new generation force the big 4 out or does it happen when (some or all) the big 4 retire?

[shok]

IMO it happens when they retire (or slow down to a crawl but don't know enough to go away) and I think we who love tennis should be glad for that because there's no one in the mid-twenties generation who plays anywhere near the quality of the big guys on a consistent basis. I think there are some in their teens and very early twenties who show promise of being amazing players who will take up the slack when the big 4 are gone.

[Ohwell]

Well, basically, I just want to see Federer gone, ASAP.  Cannot stand him.

 

I'd like to see Nadal come back because I'd hate for a great player to have to retire due to injuries.

 

I'd like for Djokovic and Murray to stick around so that I can see them get beaten by the up-and-comers.

 

And yes, I love tennis.

[shok]

I'd like for Djokovic and Murray to stick around so that I can see them get beaten by the up-and-comers.

 

 

Heh, well yeah, there is that aspect. :)  For me it's more Djokovic who I love to see getting beaten. For some perverse reason I like the dour Scot and get a kick out of his constant clutching and grabbing and grumbling and whining.

[crimsongrl]

Li Na retires citing recurring knee problems

[MyAimIsTrue]

I'm sorry to see Li Na retire as I've always enjoyed watching her play, not to mention her super cool personality.

[truthaboutluv]

Sad to hear about Li Na. I enjoyed watching her play and she was an interesting personality on the tour. But I'm not that surprised considering her age, since she didn't really come into her own in the game until later in her career. But with her already in her 30's, I can see why a lingering, nagging injury would make her just decide to walk away from the game.

[Ohwell]

Well, at least she leaves having won two Slams.  I'm sure she retires happy about that.

[shok]

Rafa's latest Poker Stars ad. He has the most elastic expressive face! I initially wasn't too sure about his collaboration with PS but they have done some of the most creative ads I've ever seen a professional athlete appear in. Too funny! 

[Harry24]

Thanks for posting that adorable ad, shok.  Both his face and his voice have cartoon character qualities.  

 

This ad is great, but it still doesn't compare to that hilarious series he did with Pau Gasol for some watch company.  I don't speak a word of Spanish, and the last time I saw them on YouTube they had no subtitles, but they were a scream.

[shok]

LOL yeah those ads with Pau Gasol were hilarious. I especially loved the one where Pau slammed him in the face with a basketball and Rafa went flying backwards over some benches, yet his eyebrow was still working great. :D

 

Djokovic goes to such extreme lengths to be the clown but it's Rafa who has the natural comedic instincts.

[shok]

Geez, could Rafa be any more unlucky?  The poor guy just can't get a break. :(

 

As if having the prior foot problems and knee problems, and now this year the back and the wrist weren't bad enough, now the guy gets appendicitis!!! He played tonight but you could tell he wasn't 100% and Feli played really well. Get on a private jet with a private nurse and get your famoos ass back to Barcelona NOW Rafa.

[Rick Kitchen]

I can't believe he actually plans on taking drugs to combat the appendicitis instead of having surgery.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Seriously?  I'm no doctor but can't appendicitis turn into something much worse especially if it bursts or ruptures?

[shok]

I can't believe he actually plans on taking drugs to combat the appendicitis instead of having surgery.

 

He's said since he first revealed in his pre-tourney presser that appendicitis was the reason he hadn't been seen for three days that he will have the surgery but just doesn't know when. He wants to wait until he gets back to Spain and can meet with his own doctors before he decides although he said in his post match presser today that right now, if he has a choice, he'd prefer to do it after the WTF.

 

Personally, I'd like to see him do it right away because in the shape he's in right now, he's not well enough to play up to his standards and I think it would be kind of pointless to try. I'm sure though that his team and his doctors and his family will help him make the decision that's right for him.

 

 

Seriously?  I'm no doctor but can't appendicitis turn into something much worse especially if it bursts or ruptures?

 

Yes, it can, but not if it is caught early enough and is treated properly.  Aggressive courses of antibiotics are becoming more and more the accepted treatment since surgery always has its own chances of complications even if it's a fairly simple procedure nowadays. Rafa's was apparently caught early and treated aggressively. The Chinese doctor told the press he wouldn't have allowed Rafa to play if his temperature had been elevated but it wasn't so he let Rafa to make the choice.

 

The players are dropping like flies. On top of the several players who pulled out before the tourney began, only six of the sixteen seeds are left after the second round and that number should have been down to five if Federer hadn't been so incredibly lucky. He admitted himself it was his luckiest ever comeback and that he felt badly for Mayer who should have won. Five match points!!!  Fed himself is sick with a cold too.

[SophiaD]

 

Seriously?  I'm no doctor but can't appendicitis turn into something much worse especially if it bursts or ruptures?

 

Yes!  If it ruptures, it can turn into peritonitis, which can actually be fatal.  I had chronic appendicitis when I was younger, but because I had this insane immune system, it beat it back each time.  It finally started rupturing, but they got to it in time, fortunately.

 

I wish Nadal had gone ahead and had the surgery.  You don't want to mess with it.

[crimsongrl]

The Australian Open begins on Sunday! I'm never ready for the season to start. It's cold and I've got football to watch.

 

The Tennis Channel has an Aussie Open Preview on Sunday at 7:30am & 5pm EST.

 

News and Notes:

-US Open Champ Marin Cilic is out of the Aussie Open with a shoulder injury.
-Caroline Wozniacki got a wrist injury this week but intends to play in the Open.
-Simona Halep has gastroenteritis and hopes to recover in time. *She won the Shenzhen Open last week.
-Juan Martin Del Potro is back on tour after 11 months away for wrist surgery.
-Victoria Azarenka is unseeded in the tournament. *I hope she's on Sharapova's side of the draw!
-Venus is playing well and won her 46th WTA title against Wozniacki last week.

-Roger Federer reached 1,000 match wins (86th ATP title) in Brisbane last week. That puts him behind Jimmy Connors(1,253 wins/109 titles) and Ivan Lendl (1,071wins/94titles) for the most singles match wins in the Open era.

 

My tennis bf Nadal is working his way back so my expectations are low for this early in the season.

[Ohwell]

Glad to see that Del Potro is coming back.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Thanks for the reminder about the Aussie Open!  I've been so slammed at work the past couple of weeks that I seem to have forgotten the outside world exists.

 

Even though I don't get to watch much of it because of the time difference the Australian Open is my favorite of the grand slams.  Why?  Not sure other than it seems to have a much more laid back vibe than the other three and it's always a nice way to start the year.

[crimsongrl]

Ohwell, I've got some sad news: Juan Martin Del Potro pulls out of Australian Open

 

Also, Djokovic canceled a training session due to an undisclosed illness. I thought everyone was supposed to be rested and healthy at the start of the season! This Aussie Open could be a strange one.

[truthaboutluv]

My tennis bf Nadal is working his way back so my expectations are low for this early in the season.

 

 

You and me both. I have no expectations for this Australian other than one match at a time and Youzhny for the first round really sucks. Youzhny could have one of his inconsistent days and totally suck or be really on and then it's a real match and with Rafa having so little match play for more than six months, that could be a problem. I'm glad they scheduled it for Day 1 so we can get it out of the way. 

 

Sucks about Del Portro and many experts had him as one to watch for the Open. As for Djokovic, might just be a bug or something and he'll be fine with a few hours of rest.

Edited January 18, 2015 by truthaboutluv

[Ohwell]

Ohwell, I've got some sad news: Juan Martin Del Potro pulls out of Australian Open

Nooooo!  Damn. 

[wingster55]

Really a shame about Del Potro. 

Not sure how this Slam will go. I'd watch out for Federer (biased though)

[obtabius]

This was amazing! Nice one Kokkinakis http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open-kokkinakis-prevails-over-gulbis-in-fivesetter-20150119-12to1t.html

 

And how cute is Li Na?! http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/retired-star-li-na-announces-pregnancy-20150119-12tmtm.html

Edited January 19, 2015 by obtabius

[truthaboutluv]

Wow, the women seeds were pretty pitiful yesterday, save for Sharapova and Halep but in one day, Ivanovic, Kutnetzova, Lisicki and about five others all lost. What was really odd, is that most of their losses happened after the top seed won the first set comfortably, save for Kutnetzova who just seemed completely lost. Weird...

 

On a much happier note for me, Rafa looked amazing last night. Not sure about those bright colors he's wearing but I thought his serve was really good and his movement didn't seem tentative or slow. Like McEnroe said, he looked like himself. Of course that's led to some saying he once again was exaggerating his injuries just so he could have a "dramatic" comeback. Remind me to avoid most tennis boards away from this place.

 

Also, for the first time in a LONG time I heard Brad Gilbert yammering, after Ivanovic's loss (I couldn't find the remote so I couldn't mute like I usually do most of the inane commentary) and wow that man is annoying. He basically just kept repeating the same damn point over and over like I don't know, he figured if he yelled it, it would seem like he was saying something new and interesting.

 

Then he kept talking over Mary Joe who was actually making a lot of sense to repeat the same damn point and and the point he was making wasn't even that original because it's basically what Mary Joe said at the start of the commentary. He jumped in yelling and acting like he was adding something so new and insightful. Like WTF...I may be projecting but I swear I thought Mary Joe looked like she wished she could tell him to STFU. 

[topanga]

I like the Australian Open, but I never get as excited watching it as I do when I watch the other Slams. Maybe it's because most of the matches come on really late here on the East Coast, when I'm half-asleep. (I know I could TiVo them and watch them later, but I like watching sports live--or nearly live).  Also, the commentary isn't as lively, and the audience seems subdued. Then again, the crowds aren't large in these early matches.

 

A few thoughts:

• Glad to see Serena and Maria win their early matches. I root against Maria, but her presence adds excitement to a tournament. Same with Serena. When Serena loses, I stop watching.
• I was trying to stay up last night to watch Rafa but couldn't make it.
• Venus looked great in her opening round match. I hope she continues to feel well and play well.
• Something about Sloane Stevens' game looked off two nights ago. She's a really good player, but will she ever be great?
• Taylor Townsend, though she lost her match against Wozniacki, showed flashes of brilliance during the match. If she keeps playing with passion and focuses a little more on her nutrition and fitness, she will be great in a few years.
• Andy Murray looks strong. I hope he goes far.

[dcalley]

 

I like the Australian Open, but ... the audience seems subdued.

It's interesting that you say that, because I feel like there's a lot of activity in the crowd (shouting/chanting, flag waving, dressing up), even for non-Aussie players.

 

I love how many courts are streaming (13!) on ESPN3.

[truthaboutluv]

So I guess no one's watching the Australian Open then. Federer goes out in the 3rd round, earliest exit since 2001 and first time since 2008 he didn't make the semi-finals and not one post about it - wow. Biggest disappointment for me so far was Wozniacki going out in the 2nd round because she got such a sucktastic draw.

 

Like I know Azarenka had an injury in the last year and a half and struggled to get back to form and lost a lot of points but seeing Azarenka/Wozniacki as a second round match was just insane to me. So I can't even say Caroline's losing was an "upset" because it's not like she lost to a complete nobody, just got the unfortunate luck of drawing someone who is trying to climb back up the rankings. 

Edited January 23, 2015 by truthaboutluv

[Ohwell]

I didn't regard Federer losing as a huge upset anymore, and I suspect that neither did a lot of other people.  Hence, not much to say about it. 

[Etta Place]

I'm watching. I didn't watch the end of the Federer match, I admit, because it was not looking good and although I used to love to watch him lose when it was a rare event, now it's sort of depressing.

 

I'm looking forward to tomorrow and Nishikori/Ferrer. I would be more excited to see Kyrgios/Seppi (I like the brash kid, what can I say), but I won't be watching since it'll be on in the middle of the night and I'm not excited enough to stay up for it.