OT: Canadian Tennis

[Delicious Pancakes]

It seemed like Bianca was running out of gas last night too. Having to be fit to play best of 5s would probably help with this

She was dealing with a leg injury in the 3rd set, hamstring I believe.

 

[Cloned]

It’s part of why I have trouble caring much about women’s tennis. Every time it seems like there might be a batch of dominant stars they seem to flicker and fall back to earth after only a few years.

Also find it a bit underwhelming that it’s a best of 3 and not best of 5 like the men’s side mbut that’s another story.

For me it’s more that almost no one is consistent enough to win against lower ranked opponents, even when they’re in their prime.

 

[Oilhawks]

She was dealing with a leg injury in the 3rd set, hamstring I believe.

She wasn’t looking that amazing since the 2nd set either though, to be fair

 

[Oilhawks]

For me it’s more that almost no one is consistent enough to win against lower ranked opponents, even when they’re in their prime.

Yeah, the whole “anyone can win any day” mantra turns me off from it more than makes me interested. I love an underdog too, don’t get me wrong, but it rarely feels like anyone is a favourite on the women’s side. Which actually makes it hard for one to be an underdog to begin with.

 

[Cloned]

She wasn’t looking that amazing since the 2nd set either though, to be fair

She’s definitely still working back into match shape and form. It’ll take a while, she was basically off for an entire year and a half.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Yeah, the whole “anyone can win any day” mantra turns me off from it more than makes me interested. I love an underdog too, don’t get me wrong, but it rarely feels like anyone is a favourite on the women’s side. Which actually makes it hard for one to be an underdog to begin with.

Better expressed than I tried to put it. This is it, exactly it.

 

[Delicious Pancakes]

Curious to see how high Fernandez jumps up the WTA rankings after this US Open run. It's looking like she'll be up against Sabalenka in the semis.

 

[CupofOil]

Yeah, the whole “anyone can win any day” mantra turns me off from it more than makes me interested. I love an underdog too, don’t get me wrong, but it rarely feels like anyone is a favourite on the women’s side. Which actually makes it hard for one to be an underdog to begin with.

I just think women's tennis is in a transition phase. Serena dominated for so long that there was eventually going to be a period once Serena hit the age wall when women's tennis would be a free for all. I actually think this new generation of ladies has a much deeper talent pool so that makes it difficult for any to stand above the rest. I'd say that Osaka is head and shoulders above all others when her head is right but her mental issues go far deeper than just not focusing on tennis. Otherwise, she'd be a threat to the all time record. She's THAT good.

On the opposite side of spectrum, you have the men's game which has had a decade of dominance by three players to the likes of what we've never seen. It's a miracle that Murray and Wawrinka squeezed in multiple slams during that time period. Now it's Djokovic then everybody else and he's in his mid 30s which is remarkable considering that 30 was forever known as the end of the prime for just about every tennis player up until this last decade when Serena and The Big 3 changed the narrative on that in a big way.

 

[Oilhawks]

I just think women's tennis is in a transition phase. Serena dominated for so long that there was eventually going to be a period once Serena hit the age wall when women's tennis would be a free for all. I actually think this new generation of ladies has a much deeper talent pool so that makes it difficult for any to stand above the rest. I'd say that Osaka is head and shoulders above all others when her head is right but her mental issues go far deeper than just not focusing on tennis. Otherwise, she'd be a threat to the all time record. She's THAT good.

On the opposite side of spectrum, you have the men's game which has had a decade of dominance by three players to the likes of what we've never seen. It's a miracle that Murray and Wawrinka squeezed in multiple slams during that time period. Now it's Djokovic then everybody else and he's in his mid 30s which is remarkable considering that 30 was forever known as the end of the prime for just about every tennis player up until this last decade when Serena and The Big 3 changed the narrative on that in a big way.

Great post, definitely agree with your analysis. It would be exciting if somehow the women’s could have a big 3-5, maybe with some specializing on certain courts (it gets boring for me if it’s mostly one dominating).

Side question, do you attend US Open matches? Would love to make one someday. The girl has been to a couple Aussie Open matches years ago, jealous of that!

 

[CupofOil]

Great post, definitely agree with your analysis. It would be exciting if somehow the women’s could have a big 3-5, maybe with some specializing on certain courts (it gets boring for me if it’s mostly one dominating).

Side question, do you attend US Open matches? Would love to make one someday. The girl has been to a couple Aussie Open matches years ago, jealous of that!

Several years back, I would attend fairly regularly but haven't been there since they reconstructed Louis Armstrong Stadium, Grandstand etc.
It's actually only about a 5 minute ride from where I live so commuting is easy for me. Citi Field where the Mets play is also in the same area so I used to go to several Mets games a year. I've been to more Yankees game recently, went a couple of weeks ago for the first time post-Covid.

You guys should go. The Flushing Meadows complex is really nice and there's so much to do on the grounds if you want to wander around before, between or after matches. It's also not too far from Manhattan if you want to station in Manhattan.

 

[Oilhawks]

Several years back, I would attend fairly regularly but haven't been there since they reconstructed Louis Armstrong Stadium, Grandstand etc.
It's actually only about a 5 minute ride from where I live so commuting is easy for me. Citi Field where the Mets play is also in the same area so I used to go to several Mets games a year. I've been to more Yankees game recently, went a couple of weeks ago for the first time post-Covid.

You guys should go. The Flushing Meadows complex is really nice and there's so much to do on the grounds if you want to wander around before, between or after matches. It's also not too far from Manhattan if you want to station in Manhattan.

That’s awesome, sounds like it would be a lot of fun. Once all this is over (hopefully sometime this decade), I’d like to go on a bit of a tour of the big cities in the US (been to some random states in the West including California a half dozen times).

My goal is to make it there to see one of the big 3 before they all retire as well

 

[Cloned]

Sports high continues.

Jays win, Leylah wins, Felix advances!

Keep it going tomorrow!

 

[Canovin]

I could see Emma Raducanu taking the US Open. She reminds me of Djokovic. A very good mover and returner. Very poised and high IQ player who plays most of the matches hitting at 80% to minimize unforced errors and once in awhile you see them hitting at 100% for a winner

 

[Oilhawks]

I could see Emma Raducanu taking the US Open. She reminds me of Djokovic. A very good mover and returner. Very poised and high IQ player who plays most of the matches hitting at 80% to minimize unforced errors and once in awhile you see them hitting at 100% for a winner

I’d actually be surprised if she didn’t at this point

 

[Canovin]

I’d actually be surprised if she didn’t at this point

Imagine winning the US Open and not dropping a set or going to a tie break. Doing it as an 18 year old and a qualifier. That's just insane

 

[Delicious Pancakes]

I’d actually be surprised if she didn’t at this point

Either of Pliskova or Sakkari will provide a stiffer test so we'll see how she does in the semi. It would be pretty cool to see a Fernandez-Raducanu final. They're only a little over 2 months apart in age.

 

[Stoneman89]

What happened to Ceausescu?

 

[oilers'72]

What happened to Ceausescu?

Firing squad. Christmas Day, 1989.

 

[rboomercat90]

Leylah losing to Svitolina would have been no surprise. Andreescu choked lasted night, IMO. Very frustrating loss, she lost to an inferior player. Understand that she is not fully up to speed but you need to be able to get back to game shape after coming back from an injury or risk losing footing permanently. Especially on the women’s side

She just can’t stay healthy. It’s been 2 years of this for her now. I’m starting to think we’ve already seen the best of her.

 

[Drivesaitl]

So I just did a run down and the average age of topten women is 24. With this age going further down as more young players break down the top doors. It seems a prounounced pattern in womens tennis. It suggests that other than the Williams sisters old players don't progress, gather weapons and dominate. As one would think, and as occurs in most sports. An argument could be made in Womens soccer that peak age is much lower than in say hockey or other sports. I find it interesting. The mens game is different. The top players almost invariably are seasoned vets who get better with age.

The average age of the top mens players right now is 29, and made younger because just fairly recently some younger players have made topten. A couple years ago the average age would have been 30something.

What accounts for such a statistically significant difference? Seems like the top form in the womens game is so much lower and thus takes so much less time to get to that relative podium. But to that end hard to watch. Just a bunch of randoms mostly going up and down the rankings. Often never seen again in womens game. I mean as a professional mature athlete, I have to say I would be embarrassed to be throttled by an 18yr old. One would think a pro tour would be better than that.

 

[Drivesaitl]

She just can’t stay healthy. It’s been 2 years of this for her now. I’m starting to think we’ve already seen the best of her.

She's carrying about a dozen lbs too much weight. I'm not the only one out there saying it. For a thinner player maybe she could get around that. But she's stocky and muscular to begin with. Trouble is not all of that weight is muscle. She has some padding. Her collective weight makes it a bit difficult on her body, joints, etc, and her style is impacted that way. She exerts a lot of force on joints because she's strong. But that puts a lot of pressure on those same joints. Its her power combined with excess weight that is possibly collecting injuries.

I'm a bit worried that Andreescu has fallen into the eating regimen endorsed by say Naomi Osaka, Taylor Townsend etc. Athletes that consider calorie counting as unhelpful. But its part of this hubris that says we can't "shame" (thats not what this post is) . These are athletes, top fuel dragsters. Damn straight what you are eating, how much, what, is essentially important, its the fuel you're putting in your bodies. Yet theres this movement suggesting that athletes should be able to eat what others eat, they should be able to be normal. Well thats fine, if you tire of excellence in sporting competition you can be like everybody else, but without the millions in prize money. I mean Osaka particularly, she's really gained weight in recent years. It matters. She was looking over at Serena all those years thinking she could do that, gain weight, size, and still compete at her best. The Williams girls would be the exception to the rule.

 

[Canovin]

She's carrying about a dozen lbs too much weight. I'm not the only one out there saying it. For a thinner player maybe she could get around that. But she's stocky and muscular to begin with. Trouble is not all of that weight is muscle. She has some padding. Her collective weight makes it a bit difficult on her body, joints, etc, and her style is impacted that way. She exerts a lot of force on joints because she's strong. But that puts a lot of pressure on those same joints. Its her power combined with excess weight that is possibly collecting injuries.

I'm a bit worried that Andreescu has fallen into the eating regimen endorsed by say Naomi Osaka, Taylor Townsend etc. Athletes that consider calorie counting as unhelpful. But its part of this hubris that says we can't "shame" (thats not what this post is) . These are athletes, top fuel dragsters. Damn straight what you are eating, how much, what, is essentially important, its the fuel you're putting in your bodies. Yet theres this movement suggesting that athletes should be able to eat what others eat, they should be able to be normal. Well thats fine, if you tire of excellence in sporting competition you can be like everybody else, but without the millions in prize money. I mean Osaka particularly, she's really gained weight in recent years. It matters. She was looking over at Serena all those years thinking she could do that, gain weight, size, and still compete at her best. The Williams girls would be the exception to the rule.

Andresscu's weight has very little to do with her injuries. In fact she won the US Open being on the heavier side. It's her play style that causing her injuries. She plays similar to Nadal. She rips the ball hard every chances she gets and she goes for every ball. That will always leads to injuries.

Nothing wrong with being on the heavier side. I think it's a good thing for her as that's her appeal. She's racking up 9M a year in endorsements and she hasn't won anything in 2 years.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Andresscu's weight has very little to do with her injuries. In fact she won the US Open being on the heavier side. It's her play style that causing her injuries. She plays similar to Nadal. She rips the ball hard every chances she gets and she goes for every ball. That will always leads to injuries.

Nothing wrong with being on the heavier side. I think it's a good thing for her as that's her appeal. She's racking up 9M a year in endorsements and she hasn't won anything in 2 years.

Fair points and while Bianca hasn't *progressed* to Osaka's weight she has played with extra lbs and midriff. I agree with what you say that there is a way she plays that is connected with her injuries. As you say she goes for it on every point. But that also involves leveraging with most force on every shot, positioning and using full body on each shot. Thats hard on the body and joints. To me she's kind of a female version of Raonic. Somebody that goes for too many killers and should stay in rallies instead of trying to win on almost any shot. Its hard to play that way.

Just in response to the bolded, personally, I like how Andresscu looks. I think she's beautiful, that is not connected with her play however except the part of her being strong, which I like in female form. I sure agree its part of her appeal to be muscularly strong. Could still lose 10lbs.

 

[Stoneman89]

She's carrying about a dozen lbs too much weight. I'm not the only one out there saying it. For a thinner player maybe she could get around that. But she's stocky and muscular to begin with. Trouble is not all of that weight is muscle. She has some padding. Her collective weight makes it a bit difficult on her body, joints, etc, and her style is impacted that way. She exerts a lot of force on joints because she's strong. But that puts a lot of pressure on those same joints. Its her power combined with excess weight that is possibly collecting injuries.

I'm a bit worried that Andreescu has fallen into the eating regimen endorsed by say Naomi Osaka, Taylor Townsend etc. Athletes that consider calorie counting as unhelpful. But its part of this hubris that says we can't "shame" (thats not what this post is) . These are athletes, top fuel dragsters. Damn straight what you are eating, how much, what, is essentially important, its the fuel you're putting in your bodies. Yet theres this movement suggesting that athletes should be able to eat what others eat, they should be able to be normal. Well thats fine, if you tire of excellence in sporting competition you can be like everybody else, but without the millions in prize money. I mean Osaka particularly, she's really gained weight in recent years. It matters. She was looking over at Serena all those years thinking she could do that, gain weight, size, and still compete at her best. The Williams girls would be the exception to the rule.

As my friends dad used to say, "She's built for comfort, not speed."

 

[Stoneman89]

Andresscu's weight has very little to do with her injuries. In fact she won the US Open being on the heavier side. It's her play style that causing her injuries. She plays similar to Nadal. She rips the ball hard every chances she gets and she goes for every ball. That will always leads to injuries.

Nothing wrong with being on the heavier side. I think it's a good thing for her as that's her appeal. She's racking up 9M a year in endorsements and she hasn't won anything in 2 years.

She may have won a major tournament a couple years ago, but carrying extra weight ultimately takes it's toll, as you are now seeing. I'm not suggesting she become anorexic, but like a lot of others, it sure looks like there is some extra cushion there besides muscle that could come off. And when you're playing a high intensity sport such as tennis, that extra weight puts a lot of strain on the muscles and joints. Lots of players rip balls and manage to stay healthy, that's not a reason.