2019 US Open

[I6MTW]

4 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Any idea why more injuries on carpet? Because of problem in foot gripping? Or is change in direction more taxing on knees/ankles? I don't think you can slide much on HC either, clay is best for the joints. 

 

Conditions won't be slowed down, sponsors want longer rallies, longer game time and they shall have it. 90s was boring with all those unreturned serves and 3 shot rallies but now we have 40 shot rallies on 1st week of Wimbledon...dunno which is worse? Grass season is short because those courts are expensive to maintain...a masters in Queen's will be good for the sport. 

Even I'm not sure why carpet is injury prone. I always thought faster surfaces were easier on the knees and body. Though I know sliding and moving on HCs are bad for the knees. 

 

I think a masters in Halle would be better. Better facilities, roof, bigger courts I think. Plus Germany deserves a masters for all its tension following. They haven't had one since Stuttgart and Hamburg got relegated etc. 

 

Queens would be pointless, it's a waste to have a masters on the same surface and same city just a week or two before a slam. Plus the facilities and parking doesn't even match Halle. The only advantage it has is that it's more prestigious. 

Edited September 5, 2019 by I6MTW

[Real McCoy]

Looks like a MEDAL matchup in the finals. Nadal will be like "Berrettini is a incredible player, no. He asa powaful serbe, guud forehan. Will be a good game no" before the game and will win the match up 6-3 6-2 6-1 no

[I6MTW]

32 minutes ago, Real McCoy said:

Looks like a MEDAL matchup in the finals. Nadal will be like "Berrettini is a incredible player, no. He asa powaful serbe, guud forehan. Will be a good game no" before the game and will win the match up 6-3 6-2 6-1 no

Like I said, the only one remaining , who can challenge Nadal is Dimitrov if he peaks and returns to his A0 17 form. He has taken a set in every match he played against Nadal om HC, and even played him close for a set or two on clay. He is a tough matchup for Nadal , has beaten him once. Even if he loses, at least it won't be a total bendover. This isnofc course, if he gains decent form. If not, then Medvedev would be a better option, though he will definitely not have the fitness to exchange with Nadal on the baseline. He might even retire in the final.

 

I'm not too convinced on Berrettini ready for the big guns yet. He doesn't have the experience or the composure to handle the situation. 

[Gollum]

Congrats on #19. Nadal will have more USOs than Fed+Nole this decade, despite missing a couple of editions. I don't know what to say, unreal luck !!!

[Gollum]

8-7, 40-15......that's all I can think of, never been as tormented cos of any other sporting event. History of tennis would have been different if he had won that. Now he will end up at 3rd position in the slam race 

[Gollum]

Blatant cheating by Nadal right now.

[Gollum]

Nadal is cancer, deserves a ban for his gamesmanship tonight. Gutted for Med, and * the inept umpire. 

Edited September 9, 2019 by Gollum

[I6MTW]

20 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Nadal is cancer, deserves a ban for his gamesmanship tonight. Gutted for Med, and * the inept umpire. 

Exactly!! Average 40 secs between serve. Yet he gets a penalty only once in a while. Even in the final game, he was past the serve clock but the umpire didnt give him one. 

 

Medvedev is the real deal. Extreme mental strength, unseen and unheard of. 99% of the players other than the big 3,  would've given up after being 2 sets down, but Medvedev came back. He almost came back again after being a double break down. Almost took it to 5-5 as well. Ice Cold demeanor. Crowd was pathetic as always. Nadal didn't even play that well. He just tried to disrupt Medvedev's Momentum. 

 

It's amazing how Medvedev came this far.  He was under the radar of Next Gens. Nobody expected him to reach to the top. The focus was all on Zverev, Kyrgios, Tsitsipas, Shapovolav, etc. But this guy had achieved more than any of them. 

 

This is an asterisked win for Nadal. He almost choked the championship. The only difference between Nadal and Federer's choke was he was up a double break instead of a single break. Which is why he was able to regroup and and serve out the match. Both had 2 CPs wasted but Federer was up only a single break. This was almost no different to Fed's choke.

[Number]

https://twitter.com/mzemek/status/1170872879644200961

[zep1706]

 

 

 

 

Edited December 7, 2019 by zep1706

[Gollum]

4 hours ago, I6MTW said:

Exactly!! Average 40 secs between serve. Yet he gets a penalty only once in a while. Even in the final game, he was past the serve clock but the umpire didnt give him one. 

Umpire was pathetic, should be permabanned. And the way Nadal was throwing Med off his game, what is with these Spaniard cheats in sports, him in tennis, Marin in badminton, Alonso in F1, football clubs?

Quote

Medvedev is the real deal. Extreme mental strength, unseen and unheard of. 99% of the players other than the big 3,  would've given up after being 2 sets down, but Medvedev came back. He almost came back again after being a double break down. Almost took it to 5-5 as well. Ice Cold demeanor. Crowd was pathetic as always. Nadal didn't even play that well. He just tried to disrupt Medvedev's Momentum.

I'll wait for a bit longer. Too many flaws I see in Med's game, plus he himself choked in the 5th set. This was against a sh!t version of Nadal. Good player but let's see how the future unfolds. 

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This is an asterisked win for Nadal. He almost choked the championship. The only difference between Nadal and Federer's choke was he was up a double break instead of a single break. Which is why he was able to regroup and and serve out the match. Both had 2 CPs wasted but Federer was up only a single break. This was almost no different to Fed's choke.

Asterisked because of gamesmanship, sure. 

He choked but not as hard as Fed, he also got the job done in the end with some ballsy tennis second time while serving for the championship. Fed's service game post (8-7) 40-15 must rank as the most inept and cowardly tennis I have seen in my lifetime, he was soiling his pants there...on his favorite turf, on serve, hadn't been broken up 40-15 at any point in that tournament until then, Nole's ROS floundering throughout the match, huge crowd support, legacy on the line, nothing compares man, nothing. And did I mention how he forgot to play in the TBs? Only equivalent I can think of is the late Novotna's collapse against Graf in one of the early 90s Wimbledon finals. Fed's lack of balls that day has changed tennis history forever, I am sure that would haunt him for the rest of his life. 

Edited September 9, 2019 by Gollum

[Gambit]

Great win for Rafa! He has almost as many non-clay GS as Agassi had overall slams. Hopefully if he plays another 3-4 years (and wins all FOs), he will have a clear lead over Fed and Djokovic.

[I6MTW]

6 hours ago, Gollum said:

I'll wait for a bit longer. Too many flaws I see in Med's game, plus he himself choked in the 5th set. This was against a sh!t version of Nadal. Good player but let's see how the future unfolds. 

 

Sure Med's technique and playing style is unorthodox especially the forehand of his has been a major weakness in the past, but it has improved and he is also improving . Just a year ago nobody thought he'd be top 10 or even a GS Finalist/Winner. Two years ago, people were saying he was nothing special, no technique , will not make it to the top, probably the most unimpressive of the next gen etc. But look where he is now. He was running on fumes the entire tournament, fatigued, cramped, close to retiring in the early rounds. But, he pulled thru, and almost completed one of the greatest comebacks in a slam final against a Big 3. Nadal's level was pretty average but you have to understand this was Med's first GS final as well plus he has not had much exposure to Nadal's game, played him only once and bent over massively. He was the only option remaining after Fed and Noles exit, and Wawrinka and Dimitrov's lack of display after convincing wins. If Del Potro was healthy he would've had a nice opportunity to take this title and grab his second GS, but sadly injuries have screwed him.

 

But, question is, will this be his only GS final? Will other next gen players rise to the top , show consistency and become regulars at GS's. If that happens Medvedev has tough work. Will this loss in the final motivate him or break him down? Will he show consistency in GS from now, or will he be MIA for some time like most Next Genners after a successful run.

 

If he does succeed, I'll be rooting for him after the big 3(Federer mainly) retires and if no other next gener performs in slams,  his personality, ice cold demeanor, trolling the crowd(didn't like it at first, felt like it was WWE drama like but now I felt it was an excellent response to this NY crowd) are all a breath of fresh air.

 

His playing style isnt the most exciting to watch though. But neither is Djokovic's and Murray's but they have plenty of fans. He's like a servebot pusher, though he does have other skills and variety but he mostly servebots and pushes from the baseline, like a Monfils. Though his exact playing style reminds me of a Murray-Simon-Djokovic prototype. (50% Simon, 40% Murray,10%Djokovic).

 

I think in the future, the ATP will become Ike the WTA of now, random slam winners peaking out of nowhere, and maybe the one dominant guy(Medvedev taking the role of Serena in this case)

 

WTA on the other hand have nice promising and exciting talents who've shown exciting tennis, fearless attitude, etc. 

 

Bianca Andreescu is going to be the future star of Woman's tennis, not Osaka, not Kenin. She has everything, the exciting all court and variety game modeled after Kim Clijsters, the looks, the fearless attitude , and winning mentality(11-0 against top 10 players), nice personality off the court as well. She could be the female version of Federer in the WTA with her game and playing style. 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2019 by I6MTW

[Real McCoy]

Congratulations Rafa on winning the US Open. It will be an ideal wedding present to Rafa and his fiancee & gf Francisca.

[Gollum]

On 9/9/2019 at 6:04 PM, I6MTW said:

If he does succeed, I'll be rooting for him after the big 3(Federer mainly) retires and if no other next gener performs in slams,  his personality, ice cold demeanor, trolling the crowd(didn't like it at first, felt like it was WWE drama like but now I felt it was an excellent response to this NY crowd) are all a breath of fresh air.

Always like me some Russian tennis players (being an unabashed Russophile helps), sooooo chill, and that relaxed, who gives a * swag we often see in WIndians. Safin was my erstwhile favorite and Khachanov is another guy I want to see do well. Med has a strong mentality, that should compensate for some of his technical shortcomings. Behind these two is Rublev...pretty strong Russian generation taking shape. 

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His playing style isnt the most exciting to watch though. But neither is Djokovic's and Murray's but they have plenty of fans. He's like a servebot pusher, though he does have other skills and variety but he mostly servebots and pushes from the baseline, like a Monfils. Though his exact playing style reminds me of a Murray-Simon-Djokovic prototype. (50% Simon, 40% Murray,10%Djokovic).

Wish he comes a bit closer to the baseline, he stands way too back and often resorts to passive pushing when an opportunity presents itself to finish the point. His technique may never allow him to have a killer FH but he should aim to work the angles and hit deep like Nole. His net game has potential and with his huge reach he should look to develop that part of his game. In the future when Fed/Nole fade away he could stamp his authority on Wimbledon, with a few tweaks he has the game to flourish on grass. His BH has the potential to become a powerful weapon, all depends on how hard he is prepared to work. 

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I think in the future, the ATP will become Ike the WTA of now, random slam winners peaking out of nowhere, and maybe the one dominant guy(Medvedev taking the role of Serena in this case)

 

WTA on the other hand have nice promising and exciting talents who've shown exciting tennis, fearless attitude, etc. 

Agree but I wouldn't be able to bring myself to watch women's tennis with the same interest...it is like women's MMA/boxing, boring and everything in slow motion. Pretty sure I will always be an ATP fan first and foremost no matter what comedy unfolds.

 

What may work with next gen is there are many characters, so WWE type storylines and trash-talking can elevate the sport to a timepass soap opera . 2003-2022 will be regarded as the golden era, so lucky we have been. But if you remember the 90s era it wasn't just like WTA of now but also very boring with dull characters (barring 1-2 exceptions). If next gen can give us a Samprass-Agassi equivalent, some sidekicks and loads of drama shouldn't be that bad. 

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Bianca Andreescu is going to be the future star of Woman's tennis, not Osaka, not Kenin. She has everything, the exciting all court and variety game modeled after Kim Clijsters, the looks, the fearless attitude , and winning mentality(11-0 against top 10 players), nice personality off the court as well. She could be the female version of Federer in the WTA with her game and playing style. 

Bianca does give me vibes of Clijsters, I also like Osaka and Sloane. Slightly left field but I want Ostapenko to develop, can someone give that girl a passable serve? She is often a brainless ball basher but that works for me when it comes to women's tennis...she is fearless and plays fun, aggressive tennis always going for winners, reminds me of Seles on her good days. Kasatkina is another one who I like to watch for different reasons, crafty player, very tactical, outstanding IQ. 

Edited September 12, 2019 by Gollum

[Gollum]

@Muloghonto you followed the Canadian kid Bianca? If not check her out, a breath of fresh air in women's tennis. This young WTA generation has potential, and she could be the face. 

[I6MTW]

6 hours ago, Gollum said:

Always like me some Russian tennis players (being an unabashed Russophile helps), sooooo chill, and that relaxed, who gives a * swag we often see in WIndians. Safin was my erstwhile favorite and Khachanov is another guy I want to see do well. Med has a strong mentality, that should compensate for some of his technical shortcomings. Behind these two is Rublev...pretty strong Russian generation taking shape. 

Wish he comes a bit closer to the baseline, he stands way too back and often resorts to passive pushing when an opportunity presents itself to finish the point. His technique may never allow him to have a killer FH but he should aim to work the angles and hit deep like Nole. His net game has potential and with his huge reach he should look to develop that part of his game. In the future when Fed/Nole fade away he could stamp his authority on Wimbledon, with a few tweaks he has the game to flourish on grass. His BH has the potential to become a powerful weapon, all depends on how hard he is prepared to work. 

Agree but I wouldn't be able to bring myself to watch women's tennis with the same interest...it is like women's MMA/boxing, boring and everything in slow motion. Pretty sure I will always be an ATP fan first and foremost no matter what comedy unfolds.

 

What may work with next gen is there are many characters, so WWE type storylines and trash-talking can elevate the sport to a timepass soap opera . 2003-2022 will be regarded as the golden era, so lucky we have been. But if you remember the 90s era it wasn't just like WTA of now but also very boring with dull characters (barring 1-2 exceptions). If next gen can give us a Samprass-Agassi equivalent, some sidekicks and loads of drama shouldn't be that bad. 

Bianca does give me vibes of Clijsters, I also like Osaka and Sloane. Slightly left field but I want Ostapenko to develop, can someone give that girl a passable serve? She is often a brainless ball basher but that works for me when it comes to women's tennis...she is fearless and plays fun, aggressive tennis always going for winners, reminds me of Seles on her good days. Kasatkina is another one who I like to watch for different reasons, crafty player, very tactical, outstanding IQ. 

There's also Tsitsipas, Zverev, Shapovolav etc who are basically of Russian DNA.

Future Gen is going to be full of Russian studded stars. 

Medvedev can def improve on his aggressive ability, even in the Final I saw him turn from def to aggressive , coming to the net often, serve and volley etc.  He has the game to succeed on grass. 

With the future of tennis, it would be more about the drama and vibes behind the match than the matches itself. Tennis quality would've gone down, but personality and drama between the players in terms of rivalries, and interactiom with the crowds would've increased. 

 

Bianca is definitely the most interesting of the lot. Ostapenko serve is too atrocious for me to watch. Her playing style is nice though. I wanna see how Coco Gauff does, given how much she's come at such a young age .

[Gollum]

14 hours ago, I6MTW said:

There's also Tsitsipas, Zverev, Shapovolav etc who are basically of Russian DNA.

Future Gen is going to be full of Russian studded stars. 

Even Eastern Europeans are taking over, this is a trend in both men's and women's tennis. 

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Bianca is definitely the most interesting of the lot. Ostapenko serve is too atrocious for me to watch. Her playing style is nice though. I wanna see how Coco Gauff does, given how much she's come at such a young age .

Ostapenko is close to 180 cm, tall by WTA standards and incredibly powerful, aggressive mentality, just bad serve motion. No reason she can't develop at least an average serve, needs proper coaching there. Can't believe her mom still calls the shots in coaching department, never healthy when a parent has such a domineering influence on a professional tennis player, even Richard Williams and Yuri Sharapov stepped away after a certain point. Haven't watched Coco Gauff closely, but to see her display good results at that age is impressive. 

Edited September 13, 2019 by Gollum

[Real McCoy]

On 9/13/2019 at 7:51 AM, Gollum said:

Even Eastern Europeans are taking over, this is a trend in both men's and women's tennis. 

Ostapenko is close to 180 cm, tall by WTA standards and incredibly powerful, aggressive mentality, just bad serve motion. No reason she can't develop at least an average serve, needs proper coaching there. Can't believe her mom still calls the shots in coaching department, never healthy when a parent has such a domineering influence on a professional tennis player, even Richard Williams and Yuri Sharapov stepped away after a certain point. Haven't watched Coco Gauff closely, but to see her display good results at that age is impressive. 

There are some theories that some of these women may be trannies. Women are usually not that tall, powerful and aggressive. They don't have broad shoulders like Sharapova. You should check these olympic sprinters. Do they look like women to you

[Gollum]

4 hours ago, Real McCoy said:

There are some theories that some of these women may be trannies. Women are usually not that tall, powerful and aggressive. They don't have broad shoulders like Sharapova. You should check these olympic sprinters. Do they look like women to you

Dude that's harsh. These are elite athletes man, diet, fitness regime, priorities etc way different. Some may even have breast reduction surgery like Halep. Anyway as long as they pass hormone and drug tests I have no reason to doubt. I think after retirement their bodies undergo lots of change and they look more feminine. 

 

However when it comes to women bodybuilders, high level strength athletes (strongman, power lifting) and all that ****, I have my suspicions....observe their voice, easy giveaway. 

Edited November 17, 2019 by Gollum