Tennis 2018

Status
Not open for further replies.
Shame to see Djokovic struggling like that, albeit Chung did great. Big few months ahead for Djokovic, you’d think. If, as he’s vaguely alluded to in the last week or so, he needs to have surgery, given it’s his elbow, it probably wouldn’t be a particularly quick recovery. But, if six months of rehab has only gotten his elbow to the point where getting through a first set early in the second week of a slam where he hadn’t been massively challenged before then is too difficult, then he’ll probably have to do something.

Also, no idea why, but I have a slight inkling for Berdych v Federer. I fancy the semis to be Nadal v Dimitrov and Chung v Berdych, in which case I don’t see anything other than a Rafa win.

Obviously I’ll have gotten every single bit of that wrong.
 
The Firestarter said:
Suddenly it became a lot more easier for Roger.
Click to expand...
I'm not too sure about that. First he has to beat Birdman, who;s given him some trouble the last couple of times they've met. Then if all goes well, he'll probably have to play Chung - which is no gimme.
 
One thing that concerns me a little bit about Roger is that he seems to have gone back to slicing his backhand a lot more this year. Berdych will give him plenty of problem if he persists with that.

That said, at the beginning of the tournament every Fed's fan would have bitten your hands off if you give Berdych and Chung/Sandgren as quarter/semi oppo, given the draws, so cant complain.
 
Chung is actually the best player of the AO so far when it comes to percentage of baseline points won (can't find the figures, but I know I read it somewhere), truly a Mini-Djokovic. Could only watch the third set but he came up with some amazing counter punches.

Puts Zverev's loss into perspective a little, altough he still bottled it like a champ.
 
Piratesoup said:
Chung is actually the best player of the AO so far when it comes to percentage of baseline points won (can't find the figures, but I know I read it somewhere), truly a Mini-Djokovic. Could only watch the third set but he came up with some amazing counter punches.

Puts Zverev's loss into perspective a little, altough he still bottled it like a champ.
Click to expand...
Chump......

Love Zverev. He'll learn...
 
Roger v Rafa still on I see. That said, I get the impression something will derail it this time.
 
Piratesoup said:
Chung is actually the best player of the AO so far when it comes to percentage of baseline points won (can't find the figures, but I know I read it somewhere), truly a Mini-Djokovic. Could only watch the third set but he came up with some amazing counter punches.

Puts Zverev's loss into perspective a little, altough he still bottled it like a champ.
Click to expand...
I read Zverev has not beaten a top 50 player in a slam.
 
The domination and ruthlessness from Djokovic from previous seasons looks to have just taken it's toll mentally and physically on him

It was looking like for sure he was going to be the one to catch Fed and overtake him amazing how things change so fast in sport and Fed + Nadal are dominating again
 
Djokovic and Murray both made mistakes. Should have had surgery. Murray has said he will be playing a much lighter schedule from now and so should Djokovic.

Whenever there are back to back masters like Rome/Madrid, Miami/Indian Wells and Cincy/Canada they should show never now play both back to back. They reached the age where they have to watch their schedule.

Cillic will be the first real test for Nadal.

Chung is probably the most promising player out of the lot. The others have talent but unless you got talent like Federer then you going to have to work hard in this era to win slams. As every player now is a baseliner rather than serve or volley.
 
Edmund beats Dimitrov in 4 sets! First slam SF. Plays the winner of Nadal-Cilic.

Wasn't sure why some thought this would be straight forward for Dimitrov.
 
Jazz said:
Chump......

Love Zverev. He'll learn...
Click to expand...

I don't rate Zverev as highly as some on here. Talented but his height and lack of dynamism just doesn't scream world beater to me. Kyrgios and Chung for me are my favourites from the new generation.

Edmund fwiw has a great aggressiveness to his game from what I have seen of him despite lacking the talent of some of his peers. Huge forehand but lacks mobility.
 
Jazz said:
I'm not too sure about that. First he has to beat Birdman, who;s given him some trouble the last couple of times they've met. Then if all goes well, he'll probably have to play Chung - which is no gimme.
Click to expand...

Fed gave him a lesson at round 3 last year. I agree it was closer at Wimbledon but again Fed stepped it up in the tie breaks.

Berdy was a bit of a bogey player for him around the 2010 period (beat him at Wimbledon and also at a US open) but he hasn't been much trouble lately.

Wonderfull stuff from Kyle btw.
 
FootballHQ said:
Fed gave him a lesson at round 3 last year. I agree it was closer at Wimbledon but again Fed stepped it up in the tie breaks.

Berdy was a bit of a bogey player for him around the 2010 period (beat him at Wimbledon and also at a US open) but he hasn't been much trouble lately.

Wonderfull stuff from Kyle btw.
Click to expand...
Berdych also held match point at Miami against him before bottling it.

The guy always has a meltdown in him but on top form he is very dangerous, and he is on top form right now.
 
White male from Tennessee in his mid-twenties. Big surprise.

Although, his political views should have no bearing on his professional career if he can keep them separated. The need from some journalists to mix them up, I'll never understand, just like the Kyrgios press conference the other day.

Margaret Court is an unrepentant bigot and no one's ever suggested taking away the court's name.
 
InfiniteBoredom said:
White male from Tennessee in his mid-twenties. Big surprise.

Although, his political views should have no bearing on his professional career if he can keep them separated. The need from some journalists to mix them up, I'll never understand, just like the Kyrgios press conference the other day.

Margaret Court is an unrepentant bigot and no one's ever suggested taking away the court's name.
Click to expand...
Where were you in the buildup to the tournament? BJK and others were calling for that and the controversy led to Court skipping the tournament. Why is it ok to attack Kaepernick, Ali, Smith, Carlos etc. for their political views but not others? Coming from a place where the end of an oppressive regime was partly brought about because of the pressure applied in the sports arena, this idea that sports shouldn't mix with politics doesn't fly with me. Anyways, this probably isn't the place for this debate.
 
freeurmind said:
Where were you in the buildup to the tournament? BJK and others were calling for that and the controversy led to Court skipping the tournament. Why is it ok to attack Kaepernick, Ali, Smith, Carlos etc. for their political views but not others? Coming from a place where the end of an oppressive regime was partly brought about because of the pressure applied in the sports arena, this idea that sports shouldn't mix with politics doesn't fly with me. Anyways, this probably isn't the place for this debate.
Click to expand...

I sadly have a life that demands me to work 12 hours a day most of the week, then there's study and other hobbies on top of that. Pardon me for being inattentive.

It just doesn't seem like a big thing locally. Both the news and paper whenever I caught them made no mention of it. Aussies don't give much of a damn about what their sportsperson say or do, as long as they are performing/ successful. If your are a Tomic or Kyrgios (in his tantrums) though, then all helll break loose. Court has expressed these views for years and especially throughout the marriage equality referendum, it's not new.

For the record, I'm not saying sport and politics should never mix, but it should be at the volition of the sportsperson. Ali, Kaepernick etc... choose to make a stand and hence put themselves in the spotlight. If a guy like Kyrgios who doesn't give a shit about what's going on in the US, or Sandgren who holds despicable view but keeps it privately, why should they be questioned for it?

Anyway, back on topic now.
 
Cilic has been poor so far, looks a bit nervous. Would say it'll be over quickly but given the time they're both taking to serve that seems unlikely.
 
The shot clock can't come soon enough, Rafa's going over time more often than Cilic is yet he hasn't had a time violation. Seems to have fired Cilic up a bit at least.
 
Giggsy92 said:
Nah the fourth will be fairly comfortable for Rafa you'd imagine, Cilic needed that set. Even with the slow pace it won't get that far.
Click to expand...
Nadal is tiring faster to my eyes. If he doesn't manage to break Cilic early in the 4th it can easily go the distance.
 
Watched the last 5 games of the Set and I am not convinced by either Player. Nadal didn't manage to put pressure on Cilic in almost any Rally, so Cilic either hit winners, tame returns or made UEs. That forehand to gift Nadal set point sums it up. That set had Cilic'name on it, now watch him fade entirely.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.