Tennis: All Purpose Tennis Thread X

[Panteras]

 

[Vamos Rafa]

I dunno why, but I wanna cry.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

The Women's tour needs an equivalent to the Laver Cup. Just a really fun event and it's awesome to see the players enjoying it so much.

 

[Hadoop]

Not a bad idea, although there is some isolated cattiness among some of the top players.

 

[Hadoop]

Is it me or does Ostapenko hit groundies a little bit like Sharapova?

 

[kihei]

Is it me or does Ostapenko hit groundies a little bit like Sharapova?

I think I see similarities, too, but I still think the differences are more telling. When they have the luxury of time, they both can have a little baseball stance hitch in their backhands sometimes, Maria (there is an instant sometimes when I can really picture her in a batter's box) more often than Jelena, and their forehand backswings look similar up until the racket starts moving forward. Then I think the forehands are very different. In terms of weight transfer moving forward, Maria has close to perfect form with her whole body contributing to the effectiveness of the stroke and the end result providing her with more margin for error crossing the net. Whereas Jelena really relies heavily on her swinging motion with her arm and on her incredible racket speed to do the heavy lifting. I think Maria has the technically sounder forehand and way more consistent footwork, and Jelena may need to trade some of that arm speed and her tendency to swipe at the ball for more control at some point. Just my two cents, don't know how plausible any of it is.

 

[Hadoop]

No you're right. The results are similar in that they both hit them extremely flat and deep, but the way this is done is quite different.

Impressed with Ostapenko's racket-head speed in particular though... she is world class in the WTA in that regard.

 

[Soliloquy of a Dogge]

Not a bad idea, although there is some isolated cattiness among some of the top players.

Good point. There also doesn't seem to be the initiative or desire to have such an event which is a shame.

Since Russia is Eurasian... imagine a Serena/Sharapova duo as a doubles team on the World's side?

 

[kihei]

Maria just barely gets past Sevastova in the first round in Beijing, 7-6 (9-7) in the third. Sharapova looked regal standing there on the baseline but inconsistent when it came to striking a tennis ball.

Garcia defeats Ostapenko's conquerer (pushers not named Halep continue to give Jelena fits) Barty in three sets. Very emotional win for Garcia who needs someone to show her how to serve properly.

 

[kihei]

Again in Beijing, another awful first round loss for Mladenovic, 5-7. 4-6. this time to #96 Ying Ying (Nuthin') Duan of China. Kristina has unbelievably lost seven first round matches in a row and hasn't been past the second round of any tournament since Eastbourne.

 

[kihei]

For no particular reason, I watched Tomic beat Sousa in three sets in Tokyo. I wonder how many three setters Bernard has won lately. He played well, though not over ambitiously. I like watching him--the no-frills serve, the slow motion forehand stroke (one of many forehands), the touch around the net--but he really does make playing look like a chore. It's just a way to make money for him. I'm not even complaining about it. That's just the way it is--doubt he ever changes.

Sousa, of all the tennis players in the world, had a little fan club of eight or nine (they would come and go) middle-aged Japanese women sitting right behind him in the first two rows at change overs. They held little fans that they cooled themselves with which had his image on them, and one or another of the women would hold up a little home-made sign that said "Joao" which was printed in bright coloured felt markers. They weren't terribly demonstrative, but they smiled a lot and stayed with him until the end. Sousa, being Sousa, ignored them completely, but I would hope he went over and chatted with them and signed their stuff after the match. The world is a strange place.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Anyone else have Tennis TV? Only 14.99 a month and it's worth every penny if you religiously follow the sport. I'll get the annual pass or $120 in January.

 

[kihei]

Ostapenko makes another quarterfinal, this time in Beijing, with a 3-love, retired win over Peng Shuai. Peng had both legs taped and Jelena was basically taking high velocity target practice at the corners of the court off of Peng's weak serves. Peng's movement didn't seem that bad, but no sense risking further injury.

 

[Hadoop]

Raonic forced to retire from yet another injury only a couple of days after complaining that the tennis schedule is too demanding. Guy sure knows how to prove a point lol

 

[Tuggy]

Raonic forced to retire from yet another injury only a couple of days after complaining that the tennis schedule is too demanding. Guy sure knows how to prove a point lol

It's just time for him to shut it down for the season.

 

[MrFunnyWobbl]

There is no way Garbine Muguruza is 23. She looks like mid thirties.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Wait, Japan Open is considered an open hard court event? Looks indoors to me.

 

[Hadoop]

In random rankings news, Shapovalov will move into the top 50 next Monday, and Halep can ascend to world #1 if she can avenge her French Open finals loss against Ostapenko tomorrow.

 

[Tuggy]

Nadal/Kyrgios in the Beijing finals. Could be a good one.

Shapovalov draws Troicki first round in Shanghai. Vasek in the second round of qualifying.

 

[Tuggy]

Nadal wiping the floor with him.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Damn, missed the match. Asian swing is definitely my least favorite part of the season mainly because of the time difference.

 

[kihei]

Rafa killed Nick. So after nearly three and a half years between hard court championships for Nadal, he wins two in a row, and in very convincing fashion. If he has a dominant year next year, that GOAT discussion might heat up again.

 

[Hadoop]

Crazy that the ATG (all-time-great for the guests and lurkers around these parts) who is notorious for breaking down late in the year is now the one veteran who looks fresh-as-a-daisy. I for one was sure he would break down like he always does.

Edit: I decided to dig up my predictions for this year from back in Jan which is in the previous All-Purpose tennis thread. WOW I could not be more wrong on just about everything, though I'm quite happy with how far off my Fedal predictions were.

Crazy to think the new season is already in full swing. My full slate of predictions:

- Murray wins either the Australian Open or the French (I'm gonna say the AO), possibly both.
- Nadal will have a bounce-back year in the first half of the season, but injuries will derail his second half
- Federer will, sadly, have a rough year, and possibly retire at season's end, if not next year at Wimby (cruel, I know )
- Who knows about Djokovic - I'm not a mind-reader

Outside the big 4

- Pouille finishes the year in the top 10
- Kryrios finishes the year in the top 8 (damn kihei, great minds think alike)
- not too sure about Raonic. But what the heck, I'll go out on a limb and say he wins Wimby (I think that's why he let Moya go)

And on the women's side

- Serena begins her inevitable descent down the rankings
- K. Pliskova (the right-handed twin) wins a slam and finishes the year in the top 3
- Bencic (whom I'm still bullish on) has a bounce-back year
- and lastly Bouchard.... meh

 

[Tuggy]

Shapovalov went out to Troicki, getting bageled in the 3rd...disappointing.

 

[kihei]

Looks like Nick has shot himself in the foot again. He walked off, seemingly in protest over the umpire, after losing a first set tie breaker to Steve Johnson. Brilliant timing as it was the same tournament where he got suspended last year for basically tanking. Almost certainly the end of a frustrating season as undoubtedly a suspension awaits him.