The Tennis thread

[Super_horns]

Well they say always go out at the top!

 

[Master D]

When you just won $3.3m, it's an easy decision!

 

[SALTIRE]

Bouncy Bartoli retired right after winning Wimbledon. It's the best time to do it if you feel you've given all you have.

 

[Pyeman]

Can anyone explain why Roger Federer's new SABR tactic is being described as disrespectful?

It makes no sense. It's like saying shooting from 25 yards is disrespectful to the opposition GK. Or attempting to smash someone for six in cricket is disrespectful to the bowler.

If Fed is good enough to pull it off, why should he be criticised?

 

[SALTIRE]

Hingis wins another doubles slam, she is some woman. Pity she doesn't want to resume her singles career as she'd give Serena more than a run for her money if she could stay fit, however she obviously prefers the doubles.

 

[allouso]

Can anyone explain why Roger Federer's new SABR tactic is being described as disrespectful?

It makes no sense. It's like saying shooting from 25 yards is disrespectful to the opposition GK. Or attempting to smash someone for six in cricket is disrespectful to the bowler.

If Fed is good enough to pull it off, why should he be criticised?

Because he had the audacity of trying something outrageous, and because whoever he's doing this against has struggled to deal with it, including Djokovic in their last match.

Don't think i've ever wanted to see Federer win a match more than this. Come on, one last hurrah.

 

[The Iron]

Damn rain Hopefully it won't be too long before the game gets underway now.

 

[SALTIRE]

FINALLY!! Going to get some tennis!

 

[SALTIRE]

Wow, this is going to be some match. Tennis of the highest order already. Djokovic breaks first.

 

[SALTIRE]

Ouch, Djokovic with a big fall there, his elbow, hand and leg all cut, it was a nasty one. It affected him as Fed breaks back.

Great atmosphere, got to love the US Open

 

[SALTIRE]

Djokovic takes the first set. A strange match thus far though. Both players started off on fire, and then both dipped for a bit before Djokovic recovering after his fall and being solid while Federer hasn't quite got back into the match again.

Early days however.

 

[SALTIRE]

Fed levels the match!

 

[Munkiki]

Not converting break points is really going to cost Federer. He shouldn't have lost this third set.

Should add that Novak is ridiculously good. The standard from both has been exceptional.

I struggle to see a world in which Djokovic doesn't end his career as the GOAT.

 

[SALTIRE]

I struggle to see a world in which Djokovic doesn't end his career as the GOAT.

He is definitely on track for it. Poor Murray, mixed in with THREE potential GOATs during his career.

Djokovic breaks early in the fourth now, is this it?

 

[SALTIRE]

What a return there from Djokovic to get the double break. Not long now it looks like.

 

[SALTIRE]

Maybe not, Fed gets a break back and is going for it one final time.

 

[SALTIRE]

And there it is; he got nervy but had balls of steel to finish it out and is now into double figures in slams. Some player.

 

[allouso]

Couldn't watch it so had to sleep. But from what i've seen it seems it went just like any 5 setter between Fed and Djoker/Nadal? Fed misses loads of break points, plays a few blinders but he's not consistent enough and eventually loses. What a fucking shame.

 

[Master D]

Very predictable outcome. He is one of the GOAT's now, hell only an inspired Wawrinka has prevented him doing the Grand Slam this year.

 

[Master D]

Couldn't watch it so had to sleep. But from what i've seen it seems it went just like any 5 setter between Fed and Djoker/Nadal? Fed misses loads of break points, plays a few blinders but he's not consistent enough and eventually loses. What a fucking shame.

Federer wastes more BP's than any other player in the world I'd say. It's a big weakness for him, maybe his biggest.

 

[The Iron]

I'm disappointed that i missed this match, but i'm happy with the result.10 slams now for Djokovic and i wonder how many more he can get over the next 3 or 4 years.

 

[allouso]

Always difficult how things will pan out in the future but at the moment i really don't see who can stop him. Federer is 34 and he can't beat him over 5 sets, Nadal is finished and Murray really needs to take another step up if he wants to live with him. The new generation sucks to be honest.

 

[Super_horns]

Final outcome of TFF:

1st Krazy8 1486
2nd Stantheman 1363
3rd Baker's Ballers 1349
4th Wilson's wonders 1224
5th Mark F's US stars 1096

We came a very creditable 8th overall!

 

[Leewilson]

On to the Davis Cup Friday. I feel the USA and France games were tougher than Australia so it would be typically British if we fail to win this one.

I can't see Murray losing to Hewitt, Tomic or Kokkinakis over 5 sets. I'd prefer Ward to Edmund at this moment in time. I don't think Edmund is quite ready for a Davis Cup semi yet. Although Ward's form is dire, he's often raised his game for DC in the past.

As for the Australia team, how can they not select John Peers?!! I'm baffled by that, a doubles pairing of Peers and Groth would definitely give Murray/Murray or Murray/Inglot an extremely tougher game.

I feel like we should have enough to win this but I can already see a 2-2 scenario where Lleyton Hewitt wraps up a dramatic victory in the 5th rubber.

Come on GB, this generation will never get a better chance to win the bloody thing.

 

[The Iron]

I was just looking on bbc sport, and only 6 men in the history of Tennis have won more slams than Djokovic.

Most Grand Slam titles

17: Roger Federer

14: Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal

12: Roy Emerson

11: Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg

10: Bill Tilden, Novak Djokovic

I can see Djokovic getting to 14, but catching up with the great Roger Federer is a big ask, but not impossible.

 

[Munkiki]

Yeah, things can change very quickly. I mean it was pretty much a given that Nadal would overtake Federer, now there's considerable doubt (wouldn't write it off completely yet). With Novak, you look at him this year and wonder who can stop him. But if you think about it, he's got five (?) more Grand Slams before he hits 30. Even if he won all 5, he'd then have to win a further three in his 30s. Like you say, a pretty big ask.

A shame that Fed couldn't take his chances really - can't really afford to only convert 4/23 break points against anyone let alone the undisputed number 1. He's still playing well but times running out, would have been nice to have one last hurrah. Plus 18-9 would surely have been insurmountable and 18-14 might even been considered too great a gap for Nadal given form and age.

 

[SALTIRE]

That stat of 17 slams for Federer showed how dominant in them (with the exception of the French Open of course) he was at his peak. I mean Djokovic has been the best player for the past 4 seasons now (except for a period when Nadal came back and had a fine year two or three years back), and yet he'd still need to win at least 2 slams for the next four years without Federer winning another to surpass him. Extraordinary. If anyone could do it however it would be Djokovic, I wouldn't put it past him at all.

 

[The Iron]

 

[Munkiki]

For longevity you've got to hand it to him too...

Australian Open: made semi-finals at least in 11 out of last 12 (5 finals, 4 wins)
French Open: made quarter-finals at least in 10 out of last 11 (5 finals, 1 win) [bloody Nadal!]
Wimbledon: made final in 10 of last 13 (7 wins) plus 2 quarter-finals
US Open: made semi-finals at least in 10 of last 12 (7 finals, 5 wins) plus a quarter-final

 

[SALTIRE]

Actually thinking of it, it is even more remarkable since he has only been in with a chance of winning three out of the four slams year on year with Nadal's dominance of the French.