The Tennis Thread

[Anpanman]

Lol.

I really, really don't think that it is outlandish to suggest that Novak Djokovic prioritises majors over an Olympic Gold, nor do I think that I need to know him personally to ascertain that.

100% agree with that, however my comments were directed at a different one of yours entirely;

I wouldn't say he'd be gutted about not having it though. He'd never swap a single one of his major wins for it.

You said he wouldn't be gutted/upset etc, I clearly showed a link that proved otherwise, you then said said 'he wouldn't swap one etc' implying you've had a chat with him personally or more likely seen it in print or video somewhere. Or you are just surmising/making it up.

I really don't think he'll be living with the regret of not getting Olympic Gold when he hangs the racquet up. I'm sorry, I just don't.

Maybe maybe not.

It's all good talking about next year but current form and momentum obviously dictate and give good indicators of what is to come. Context.

The supposed up-and-comers simply haven't stepped up (No, I don't see Medvedev beating him tonight). It's starting to get a bit "they'll come good next year, honest!" every year.

Yes and my original point was aimed at next year, so if Djok won all four GS finals next year 6-0 6-0 6-0 and THEN you came back at me I would completely agree saying 'yes these youngsters have a lot of work to do' (I never said he was going to get his arse handed to him just that he would find it more difficult).
Instead you shot your bolt taking my comments about the current state rather than pulling me up next year which would have been the sensible thing to do.

It now looks as if your thoughts above about current form may be prophetic if he does struggle next year but alas not the one about Medvedev;

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/58540110

[wheelaa]

Best tennis I ever saw was a Russ Abbot sketch (I'm 90% sure it was him).

He's sitting in the crowd as a rally starts. As the rest of the crowd turn their heads from left to right, he turn's his from right to left. As the rest of the crowd turn their heads from right to left he turns his from left to right. This continues throughout the rally at the end of which the person sitting next to him asks why he's looking in the wrong direction the whole time, to which he replies 'I arrived late'.

(I was young lol...)

[Nu-Eclipse]

He may not end his career with the most singles majors won in the men's game, but he'll go down for many as the GOAT irrespective.

He raised the bar.

What a player.

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[Neon Ignition]

If this thread had a modifiable title....


Fed-Ex

[Anpanman]

He may not end his career with the most singles majors won in the men's game, but he'll go down for many as the GOAT irrespective.

He raised the bar.

What a player.

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Sad day for us as we'll never have a chance to see him play, for me he is the best naturally gifted player to step on court.

At least now we've got Alcaraz.

[Nu-Eclipse]

At least now we've got Alcaraz.

He does look fantastic.

To be honest, the men's game looks like it'll be in rude health for years to come despite now clearly being in the beginning of the post-Rafa/Novak/Roger era.

Alcaraz, Medvedev, Ruud, Auguer-Aliassime, Tsitsipas, Zverev (for all of his off-court baggage), Tiafoe...the future looks bright.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Legendary American Tennis coach Nick Bollettieri, responsible for helping to play significant parts in developing the careers of legendary players like Andre Agassi, Monica Seles and Boris Becker (to name just a few amongst many others), has died at the age of 91.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/63862938

[Anpanman]

Sad news, I didn't know of him, wife did as she's the tennis expert in our house.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Martina Navratilova has been diagnosed with both early on-set throat and breast cancer.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/64146656

[Anpanman]

She has had it before, hope she recovers.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Rafa Nadal confirms that he won't be defending his French Open title this year due to ongoing injury problems, aiming to take all the time out that he needs in order to get back to full fitness.

He also confirms that he intends to hang up his racquet at the end of the 2024 season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/65597964

[Anpanman]

He's had a great career one of the best to play but we aren't fans of his, I'm glad to be seeing him go.

[Nu-Eclipse]

He's had a great career one of the best to play but we aren't fans of his, I'm glad to be seeing him go.

Each to their own, but he will be missed by the majority.

He's easily my favourite of the Rafa/Novak/Roger trio. Would've happily paid to watch him more so than the others - incredible fight and attitude that often meant his ability got overlooked way too often. The way he adapted his game to win at Wimbledon and the US/Aussie Opens proved it when many predicted that he'd only ever win at Roland Garros.

Arguably had it tougher than Roger and Novak in terms of winning majors and/or becoming World Number 1 - he had to win FIVE majors before topping the rankings for the first time in his career and rarely got easy finals the way Roger and Novak did.

Best ever clay-court player in my lifetime and he won't be bettered.

[Anpanman]

It was Roger for me, easily the most naturally gifted tennis player we've seen - certainly in the modern era which is also what most of the pundits say.

Rafa was good on clay because most of the time the sun was shining and you could get that high-bounce that played into his strengths and was a great tool for him, on cloudy days he tended to be more vulnerable.

Problem for us he was boring, too much time wasting with all his pre-shot routine shenanigans and actually going over the time allowed on the shot-clock but umpires wouldn't pull him for it.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Many on tour time wasted just as bad as Rafa did...Novak is easily worse with his love of a good timeout or toilet break or feigning injury when he's losing. Roger might not have indulged in that but he could be incredibly petulant and brat-like when he wasn't getting his way or winning. None of them are/were perfect.

The whole cloudy days at the French Open thing being bad for Rafa is massively overplayed. The guy won 14 of the bloody things and I'm not even talking about his many other wins at many other clay events on the Tour. They were all on sunny days?? LOL! And again, he adapted his game to win everywhere else, including beating Roger at Wimbledon in arguably the best Men's final of the Open era there.

No denying Roger's talent but he cruised to beating Pete Sampras' slam record partly because he got so many gimmes in his early finals against guys who were nowhere near him (Roddick, Philippousis, Hewitt, etc.). Not his fault, obviously, but he had an undeniably clear path to so many majors in that period between the end of Sampras and Agassi and the emergence of Rafa, Novak and Andy Murray.