Tennis: All Purpose Tennis Thread X

[Cole Caulifield]

Naomi's victories at Indian Wells: total games lost per match

Sharapova: 8 games
Radwanska: 5 games
Vickery: 3 sets
Pliskova: 5 games
Halep: 3 games
Kasatkina: 5 games

The draw from hell, including 4 present or past #1 players, and Osaka annihilated everyone except the unknown Vickery. Once Naomi realizes how good she is, I think #1 is definitely in the cards.

Now let's take a look at who Kasatkina beat :

Sloane Stephens
Caroline Wozniacki
Venus Williams
Angelique Kerber

Just as impressive ! Kasatkina is 20 also. She'll be a good one.

 

[kihei]

First break to Juan Martin, 3-2. Roger not particularly sharp again today, but Del Potro a very different kettle of fish than Coric, so Roger better raise his game quickly.

 

[Tuggy]

Gotta think Del Potro gets it done today.

 

[kihei]

JMDP takes the first set 6-4, and there is no good reason to suspect that he will have a letdown the rest of the way,

 

[Cole Caulifield]

 

[kihei]

Some signs of uncharacteristic frustration from Roger. When is the last time Roger made it look like a slog?

 

[kihei]

Though it is 3-3, Roger is really looking like the 2016 model.

5-5 amd Roger is picking it up a notch....but now he is back to talking to himself. Just can't stay sharp long enough to turn the match around.

 

[kihei]

Meanwhile, Del Potro continues to play very well and very intelligently.

Tiebreaker.

 

[kihei]

The crowd: every match Roger plays anywhere might as well be in Zurich.

 

[rangerssharks414]

Roger is mad.

 

[Know Your Enemy]

Both players turning red lol

 

[kihei]

Roger blows three set points, the last one a heartbreaker on his own serve (overruled on replay).

 

[Know Your Enemy]

Challenge of the year.

Roger still takes it

 

[kihei]

Roger saves a match point on the way to winning the breaker 10-8. How many "t"s in t-t-t-tense.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Crazy final ! For me the stakes aren't so high. Two proven players who have both won against each others in bigger settings. But the quality of tennis is high and entertaining.

 

[kihei]

Lazarus rises once again. He beginning to make this a dangerous habit. Still like Del Potro's chances as he has been by far the steadier player, though he has been known to buckle in these sort of circumstances, too. He is certainly none too happy with the umpire at the moment.

 

[kihei]

2-2 and I'm kind of waiting for Juan Martin to crack soon. He looks a little fragile, but he is keeping it together at the moment.

 

[rangerssharks414]

Roger will serve for the championship.

Edit: And... he blows three championship points.

 

[kihei]

Roger, now playing flawlessly, gets the break and will serve for the match....and up 40-15, Federer basically chokes. This is turning into a great set--5 all and likely heading for a breaker.

 

[rangerssharks414]

Federer looked lost in the tiebreaker. Congrats to Del Potro.

 

[kihei]

A well-deserved win for Del Potro. I'm happy for him.

 

[kihei]

Despite the loss, Federer remains #1 with a slim 290 point lead over Nadal. Del Potro moves up two places to #6.

Osaka moved up a whopping 22 places to #22 and Kasatkina moved up 8 places to #11.

 

[Know Your Enemy]

Classic match

 

[Tuggy]

Congrats to Del Potro. He deserves it.

 

[Tuggy]

Federer still planning on playing Miami. Another 1000 points to defend.

Qualifying begins tomorrow. 6 Canadians looking to qualify (3 men 3 women). Felix looking to qualify for a second straight tournament. And Genie actually in qualifying. No WC this time