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Tennis - General Discussion
- Thread starter Peru
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perfectchaos007
Member
I think her age is finally playing a factor. We could be witnessing her final decline
I don't know if this is indicative of anything lasting, as she has a tendency to throw in poor days like this here and there even during more successful seasons (just comparatively, I know this is really early in the year still). It's just a combination of a poor day and a solid opponent. Sometimes she digs herself out, sometimes she doesn't. If she goes most of the year like this, maybe we can start talking about that.
perfectchaos007
Member
It's not like she was dominant in the matches she won last year, but she was able to will herself to the end of most matches until Vinci at the US Open. This year, she hasn't been able to will herself out of tight matches like this one. I think that also has to do with opponents not fearing her like they did before.
perfectchaos007
Member
I'll go one further and say whomever wins that match will win Miami
I don't really agree with the comment about last year, aside from maybe the French Open and the Heather Watson match at Wimbledon. Maybe some of her US Open matches as well, but being nervous there was justifiable imo. Otherwise she was winning most of her matches fairly easily, I think we just tend to forget about the easy wins and only fixate on the losses/struggles.
Kotetsu534
Member
I think Aga and Serena both wilted in the heat today. Certainly Aga could hardly hit her backhand towards the end of the third (Timea, much fresher, realised her opponent was struggling and just kept a good length and avoided UEs through the last half of the match). Serena's serve was just a mess in sets 2 and 3 and the first set was very long and tough. Full credit to Kuznetsova for a great win, who has now played great matches this year against Halep (Sydney SF) and Serena and done little elsewhere.
Terrible call in the Aga/Timea match by the umpire. Can't believe umpires get stuff like that wrong (she overruled Timea's ball called out, Aga challenged the call, was wrong, umpire gave Timea the point despite Aga's next shot being in) what with hawkeye being around for a decade or more at this point.
Terrible call in the Aga/Timea match by the umpire. Can't believe umpires get stuff like that wrong (she overruled Timea's ball called out, Aga challenged the call, was wrong, umpire gave Timea the point despite Aga's next shot being in) what with hawkeye being around for a decade or more at this point.
perfectchaos007
Member
Azarenka has taken control. Mugurutha is running out of time
As is typical these days, Azarenka couldn't close it out at 5-4, they're in another tiebreak now.
Kotetsu534
Member
Murray is an error machine these days. Dimitrov was just biding his time and drawing the errors out of him in longer rallies, much like Murray excelled at years ago. Needs to find some form on the clay before RG and Wimbledon come up. Great win for Dimitrov, a display of tenacity that he's too often lacked.
Men's draw is so open now. The top quarter has Djokovic, Thiem, Berdych and Gasquet. But the second quarter has Goffin, Zeballos, Simon and Pouille, none of whom anyone would pick to make the SFs. Bottom half will likely see Kyrgios or Raonic face Nishikori or Dimitrov (or Monfils) in its SF. Djokovic has to be odds on now.
The women's though, has pretty much collapsed. Kuznetsova/Svitolina and Bacsinszky/Halep are the top half QFs. Rankings would suggest Halep is favourite, but having watched two of her matches (Watson and Goerges) I'd give Bacsinszky a really good shot to get past her. Bottom half has Azarenka face Konta and it'll likely be Keys against Kerber in the other QF is Babos doesn't pull off a big win tonight. Keys has definitely played her best tennis this season at Miami.
The last time both Indian Wells and Miami had the same men's and women's champions was 2005 (Federer and Clijsters). Could see it happening against this week.
Men's draw is so open now. The top quarter has Djokovic, Thiem, Berdych and Gasquet. But the second quarter has Goffin, Zeballos, Simon and Pouille, none of whom anyone would pick to make the SFs. Bottom half will likely see Kyrgios or Raonic face Nishikori or Dimitrov (or Monfils) in its SF. Djokovic has to be odds on now.
The women's though, has pretty much collapsed. Kuznetsova/Svitolina and Bacsinszky/Halep are the top half QFs. Rankings would suggest Halep is favourite, but having watched two of her matches (Watson and Goerges) I'd give Bacsinszky a really good shot to get past her. Bottom half has Azarenka face Konta and it'll likely be Keys against Kerber in the other QF is Babos doesn't pull off a big win tonight. Keys has definitely played her best tennis this season at Miami.
The last time both Indian Wells and Miami had the same men's and women's champions was 2005 (Federer and Clijsters). Could see it happening against this week.
perfectchaos007
Member
Man if Sock had a halfway decent backhand, he would be a really good player. I think Fritz is the first American in over a decade with a solid backhand so I'm looking forward to watching his development more than any other American.
Good points like always but Makarova won over Svitolina,which I was happy for because Svitolina is a sore loser...
Kotetsu534
Member
Somehow managed to misread that result. Too many matches going on at once! Yes, Svitolina's attitude is not exactly what you'd call cordial. In Doha she invited her coach on to tell him he was useless and wasn't helping her (he said she wasn't focussing properly and that's why she'd gone on a losing run, she snapped). Happy to see Makarova doing well after her injury. Played very well against Kvitova and has a real shot against Kuznetsova now.
Looking forward to Djokovic v Thiem today, but I fear Djokovic will just run him over...
Looking forward to Djokovic v Thiem today, but I fear Djokovic will just run him over...
perfectchaos007
Member
I love watching Vinci and her coach jaw at eachother. It's like watching an Italian family argument from a movie.
Thiem is doing pretty well so far. His first service game was shitty but otherwise he's playing pretty solidly. Has had a few BP chances but couldn't convert.
Edit: well that was confusing as fuck. They made it out like Thiem had converted a BP at 5-3 and went to commercial, then when it came back he actually hadn't won the point and Djokovic ended up taking the set.
Edit2: Dude is Federer-like on break points
Edit: well that was confusing as fuck. They made it out like Thiem had converted a BP at 5-3 and went to commercial, then when it came back he actually hadn't won the point and Djokovic ended up taking the set.
Edit2: Dude is Federer-like on break points
Ozzy Onya A2Z
Member
I just found out this guy's name, my inner child can't stop laughing.
Back to the real tennis.
Back to the real tennis.
Ozzy Onya A2Z
Member
That article name was a typo? LOL.
EDIT: Also Kyrgios into the last eight in Miami, not in style though, he's still pushing his own rhetoric. Hitting balls into the crowd is fine at the end of the match mate, not during.
YoshiStrife
Member
Ozzy Onya A2Z
Member
Silly, no courts in Australia are this surface so only the top pros will get real hands on time with it. Also looks like a low contrast set of colours too. Are they going to change the ball colour for high contrast?
BigJonsson
Member
tycoonheart
Member
Man. Kyrgios is so good. He just needs to stay together mentally.
I'd actually like to see a big tournament on this kind of surface. It'd be super fast of course, but it'd promote different kind of players.
Ozzy Onya A2Z
Member
I had the video on with no sound, LOL, didn't even dawn on me about April 1st. It's been a long time since I walked right into one of those. Excuse me while I have this foot removed.
What strikes me is that he has a super quick arm. It seems he can generate any amount of speed and effect he wants without much effort, particularly on the forehand side. Sometimes it seems he can change his mind mid-gesture and accelerate even more or apply a big topspin out of nowhere.
YoshiStrife
Member
Oh shit, you and me both haha. Sorry, team!
Kotetsu534
Member
Kyrgios' inside out forehand is really something. Really enjoyed his match vs. Raonic. When he's focussed on the match he's incredible. I think his backhand has came on considerably in the past 12 months too - he can redirect pace with it well now.
Monfils had 5 match points against Nishikori but couldn't seal the deal. Nishikori served & volleyed to great effect during the later stages of the final set, saving one match point with a superb low forehand volley. Monfils was completely exhausted by the end. Nishikori v Kyrgios should be a good watch.
Monfils had 5 match points against Nishikori but couldn't seal the deal. Nishikori served & volleyed to great effect during the later stages of the final set, saving one match point with a superb low forehand volley. Monfils was completely exhausted by the end. Nishikori v Kyrgios should be a good watch.
Why would he smash it right back to him...
Kotetsu534
Member
Tennis is better than any other sport at producing "I could have done better!" moments at crucial points. That 4-4 smash in the TB will haunt Goffin. Absolute brain freeze. Djokovic was vulnerable today and I'm not sure how he'd have held up physically in the heat if he had to go far past 2 hours. Goffin gets back to back SFs in IW and Miami, surely the biggest achievement of his career, but he gets some regrets to go with it. Hoping Nishikori/Kyrgios delivers tonight.
Kotetsu534
Member
Scoreline made that match look closer than it was - Nishikori was 34-9 in points over 5 shots and over 71% points won behind 2nd serve. Took the ball early and exposed Kyrgios' poorer movement and tenacity in long rallies (too often he'd go for the Howitzer winner when he needed a recovery shot). Wonderful match point with a net cord, a desperate chase, then a superb volley from Nishikori (nice symmetry with the great volley he made to stay in the tournament against Monfils)
perfectchaos007
Member
Like I said days ago the real final was azarenka v kerber. Also Patty Schneider lost 1st round qualifying in Charleston but she made it competitive. Not bad for the 37 y/o I guess. She's still a lot younger than date-krumm
perfectchaos007
Member
Azarenka and djokovic going b2b in Indian wells and Miami is quite the feat
That's actually the only crack I see in the Djoko armor right now. He's playing so well, he seems disgusted by even some common mistakes. The day he's going to make more, he could be in trouble mentally, just like Rafa right now.
Remember when you gave up on him?
Yeah, agreed. I think sometimes he legitimately thinks he should make every shot. It's not a healthy attitude, but so far it hasn't really affected him. It's as you say though.