Tennis: All Purpose Tennis Thread XV

[Novak Djokovic]

He's still good. Go figure. Too bad about his own stupidity about not playing AO and USO last year, could have buried the nail in coffin for GOAT debate.

 

[Tuggy]

Davis Cup Finals today. Canada vs Germany in the QF KO stage.

https://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie.aspx?id=M-DC-2022-FLS-M-GER-CAN-01

 

[Tuggy]

Denis lost but Felix won.

It will come down to doubles.

 

[Tuggy]

Canada won doubles and is into the SF against Italy.

 

[MsMeow]

What was Mardy Fish thinking? He left Rajeev Ram off the American team, taking 4 players instead of 5. He wouldn't explain why. The Americans paid for it, losing to Italy in doubles.

 

[MsMeow]

Wow! I left the house when Denis dropped the first set and got to a tv in the 2nd set breaker. He was down a break early but broke back and Sonego double faulted. Denis served for the set and Sonego barely missed a shot long when he had the court open. 1 set each now.

 

[Tuggy]

Denis lost again.

So up to Felix to win to stay alive. Just like the QF.

 

[MsMeow]

Felix won easily by the look of it, and he may be playing doubles.

 

[MsMeow]

OMG, Canada wins!!

 

[MsMeow]

I was just thinking about Milos today and thought he just retired but maybe not.

 

[MsMeow]

Denis is on now. Regular Sportsnet, not SN1.

 

[Tuggy]

Denis is on now. Regular Sportsnet, not SN1.

And he won!

 

[MsMeow]

And he won!

I felt like that was a must win. De Minaur is a better player than Kokkinakis.

 

[CanadianFlyer88]

Felix serving for the Davis Cup and the feed doesn't work for Sportsnet.

 

[CanadianFlyer88]

Canada wins and I was watching the Sportsnet studio instead of the tennis.

 

[kihei]

Man, this is a big, big deal. CONGRATS TO OUR TEAM, especially Denis and Mr. Superclutch, Felix.

 

[kihei]

If Felix doesn't win Canadian athlete of the year there is no justice in the world.

 

[MsMeow]

Got home and now I'm watching Felix's match on The Tennis Channel. Felix is really playing amazing tennis.

What an amazing win for Canada!

 

[otown]

An historic win for Canada! Overshadowed a bit by the World Cup but this is an amazing feat.
Felix has taken his game to another level. A real team effort. Happy for everyone but really glad to see Vasek Pospisil who has carried the torch for a while. Nice to hear them give credit to others before them who have paved the way for Canadian Tennis.

 

[jj cale]

It's a shame our football team has over shadowed this historic accomplishment.

Never thought I would see the day Canada at the top in the Davis Cup.

 

[MsMeow]

Happy New Year! Bianca defeated Muguruza 0-6, 7-6, 6-1. I missed the first 2 and a half sets but caught the last few games. Hope she carries that momentum forward. She was down 2-5 in the second!

 

[MsMeow]

Rebecca and Leylah won last night, Felix lost

 

[kihei]

Scorecard from last year's predictions

Fearless Predictions 2022

Most improved player: Andy Murray (currently 135) (A case might be made, but Carlos should get the nod)
Comeback player of the year: Andy Murray (from 135 to 49 is not bad}
GS winners: Medvedev 2, Djokovic, Zverev (one for four, pretty awful)
GS winners: Osaka 2, Barty, Kontaveit (one for four, really awful)
End of year #1, men: Medvedev (wrong)
End of year #1, women: Osaka (way, way wrong)
New Top Ten male players, in order: Medvedev, Djokovic, Zverev, Tsitsipas, Nadal, Berrettini, FAA, Singer, Rublev, Alcaraz (not bad in terms of players, not rankings)
Roger announces his retirement by the end of the year, probably at Christmas (close enough)
Serena (47) does not return to the top 25 (good one)
Raonic (69) doesn't return to the top 50 (slam dunk)
Long shot Top Ten player, male: Denis Shapovalov (14, sure, but still a long-shot to me) (dropped instead)
Long shot Top Ten player, female: Leylah Fernandez (24) (didn't come close to happening)
Hottest young player, male: Korda (40) (Carlos or Rune here)
Hottest young player, female: still Gauff (19) (not bad)
Felix (9) stays in Top Ten and achieves a year end career-high ranking of #7 (pretty good)
Gauff (19) makes Top Ten (finished the year at #7)
Murray (135), Brooksby (57), Korda (40) and Popyrin (55) move up (they all did. but not by much in most cases)
Rublev (5), Norrie (12), Garin (18) and Karatzev (20), move down (they all did)
Krecikova (4), Pavylchenkova (11) and Kenin (12) move down (they all did)
Andreescu (46), Vondrousova (34), and Sviatek (8) move up (Bianca just barely, and Vondrousova dropped like a stone)
Taylor Fritz (22) cracks the Top 20, moving up at least 5 spots (good one)
Kokkinakis (145) stays healthy and cracks the top 100 (yes, but again just barely)
Reilly Opelka makes at least one GS quarterfinal (nope)
Rafa does not win the French Open (ha, ha)
Nick Kyrgios (114) retires and becomes a colour announcer for tennis (tee, hee)
Emily Raducanu (18) falls out of the top 50 by year's end (good one)

Not a good year but it won't stop me from trying again

 

[Jack Straw]

Hoping for the best for Martina.

Navratilova diagnosed with throat and breast cancer

 

[kihei]

Fearless Predictions 2023

Most improved player: Jack Draper (currently #40)
Comeback player of the year: Dominic Thiem ( #96)
GS winners: Djokovic 2, Alcaraz, Auger-Aliassime
GS winners: Swiatek 3, Jabbeur
End of year #1, men: Djokovic
End of year #1, women: Swiatek
New Top Ten male players, in order: Djokovic, Alcaraz, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Auger-Aliassime, Ruud, Zverev, Sinner, Fritz, Rune (no Nadal)
Long shot Top Ten player, male: Kyrgios (22)
Long shot Top Ten player, female: Anisimova (23)
Hottest young player, male: Draper (40)
Hottest young player, female: continues to be Swiatek (1)
Felix (6) stays in Top Ten and achieves a year end career-high ranking of #5
Gauff (7) makes Top Five but fails to win her maiden GS
Stricker (119), Shelton (91), Draper (40) and Sinner (16) move up
Nadal (2), Rublev (6), Hurkacz (11), Cilic (18) move down
Pegula (3), Kasatkina (8) and Keyes (10) move down
Fernandez (41), Andreescu (42), and Zheng (29) move up
Rafa does not win the French Open
Nole takes the lead in GS titles with 23
Emily Raducanu (78) improves but not enough to make the top 40 by year's end
Fritz remains the best US player
Pretty clear already that this will be Monfils last year, if he makes it that long.
Spain wins the Davis Cup