Jeor Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Continue! Re: tennis parents, I think the sport itself kind of attracts very driven parents. Tennis is one of those sports that is highly individual and involves lots of individual training not to mention all the travel. You can get crazy parents in team sports too, but because they're part of a team that sort of dilutes their influence and gives the coach/manager/senior players and others a bit more of a role in a young sportsperson's development. For a young up-and-coming teenage tennis star, where they fly all over the world and play individually in tournaments, it's kind of geared towards a very intense parent role. So, Sharapova-Halep final. Halep has to get Sharapova moving, but I don't think she can win. Sharapova has already won a few matches coming from behind after losing the first set, so she's going to be very mentally resilient no matter how the game starts. Whereas Halep has had an easy ride all the way through - and never had to face anyone the calibre of Sharapova. Men's semis coming up - Gulbis/Djokovic and Nadal/Murray. Pretty sure we're going to see the predictable Djokovic/Nadal final. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 Just done watching a replay of Sharapova vs Bouchard and it just left me that much more disillusioned with women's tennis. There was no craft at all, construction of points was horrible, 95% of points were ball-bashing and the other 5% were the opponent winning the point because the player tried to do something they weren't comfortable doing (drop shots, volley, change of pace) and failed. At a semi final of a Grand Slam I find this style of play unacceptable, and that these players make up the majority of the top players and the best up and comers is a bit sad. The two exceptions seem to be Radwanska who I love to watch, but she's just not at the level of Hingis and her decision making sometimes is poor. And Halep, who is more the Hewitt brick wall type and a better version of Jankovic and Wozniacki that relies more on tracking balls down and keeping it in play. Say what you will about Henin, Mauresmo, Hingis, but they knew how to play all facets of tennis very well. In the women's game, I suppose we just need someone who can combat the bashers. I am a fan of Jankovic, although her net play is absolutely woeful - it's what lost her the match against Errani. I think the net play from women is generally worse than the men. Even your average male baseliner comes to the net to finish points off, and most have a general instinct to get forward when their opponent is on the ropes, but many women look very uncomfortable when they do so and only approach with great reluctance. I think the women's game is particularly susceptible to the influence of bashers because there is a greater range of power among the top players. The weight of shot that Sharapova and Williams can use is miles apart from that of Wozniacki and Radwanska, who are still top tenners or thereabouts. With such a glaring power advantage, Williams and Sharapova (and others who want to be like them) can just play off that without having to work on other facets of their game. Whereas in the men's game, while there are people who have more power than others, the range between players is not as great, so there is more opportunity for an all-court game to make a difference and the need to try and find an edge through diversifying your game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Which Tyler Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Agreed, and the more... rounded players may be able to take on and take out 1 or even 2 of the power hitters in the women's game, but I they just seem to drain them (mentally as well as physically), and facing that 3-4 times in a week to win a slam is just too much. Only real exception to that, that I can think of, is Henin. Hingis may have been able to, but her body simply couldn't cope with that level of battering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baxus Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Wow, that one's good. You meant TV network? I haven't realised it's such a big deal. :) Yeah, our national TV network. I don't really mind that he pulled a stunt like that, I mind that he wasn't told to bugger off. The guy repeatedly gets away with bullying like that. He's probably embarassed by his family's behavior but cant do much about it without actively ejecting them from his life. He hasn't shown any signs of it, other than forcing his father to leave the box during one of the matches. Djokovic's family may be bad, but at least they aren't Ivica Tomic. Or Damir Dokic. Man, Slavic tennis parents are the worst. 1. Those are all Balkan parents, to be exact. No need to blame all the Slavic people ;) 2. Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Ivo Karlovic, Janko Tipsarevic etc. all have Balkan Slavic parents who aren't (borderline) crazy ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3CityApache Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Those are all Balkan parents, to be exact. No need to blame all the Slavic people ;) Well, Radwańska's dad may not be crazy as such, but he could have been a real pain in the ass as well sometimes, and so Isia had to ask him politely not to be her trainer anymore some time ago. By the way, here in Poland there was a big fuss few months ago, after Jerzy Janowicz publicly accused Polish authorities and journalists in particular, that they don't support Polish tennis players (and him in particular) enough. He said something in the lines of "there are no future here, we are forced to play in sheds", which caused a real avalanche on mems like these ones. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gears of the Beast Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Speaking of Tipsarevic, what's happened to him? He's the only Serbian player I actually like. and I'm going to enjoy Rafa decimating Murray. Shame it's not on first, will be a late night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 and I'm going to enjoy Rafa decimating Murray. Shame it's not on first, will be a late night. At least it's a long weekend! (or is here in NSW) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baxus Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Speaking of Tipsarevic, what's happened to him? He's the only Serbian player I actually like. He's been having injury problems and has had heel surgery recently. At the moment, he should be recovering from it. I can't say if he's back in training yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gears of the Beast Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 At least it's a long weekend! (or is here in NSW) Yeah I'm in NSW too. Nice long weekend of tennis and essays (: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3CityApache Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 I also vaguely remember the commentators saying that Ferrer (or Djokovic, or both) had beaten Nadal on clay already this year. Beating Nadal on clay (both Ferrer and Djokovic managed that this year AFAIR) and beating him on Roland Garros are two completely different things. He's been beaten on clay numerous times (at least twenty some I guess). But here in Paris he has lost just one match - in 2009 to Robin Soederling. His record at Roland Garros is 64-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 The five-setters of a Grand Slam make Nadal virtually invincible on clay. In a best-of-three, some of the top, top players can hit a hot streak and maintain it long enough to beat Nadal. You're essentially talking about winning a set off him, and maybe getting lucky in a tiebreak, and boom, you've won. But over five, Nadal is just too good. Not only is his game more suited to clay than any other player (with his huge amounts of topspin), he still remains one of the fittest, quickest and mentally toughest players on tour. All of those are massive advantages that accrue over 5 sets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Selig Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 So my impression of watching Djokovic's parents in the stands that they are terrible persons was correct, good to know. This is one of my favourite Federer moments, when he told them to shut up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpd23dTcT6c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 Looks like you might get to see Nadal/Murray sooner than you think, Gears. 2 sets to 0 so far in the first semi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3CityApache Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Gulbis started to fight harder in the third though. I'm guessing it might end in four. Edit: call me a prophet. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baxus Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Baxus, you have ruined Djokovic for me. If anyone should happen to have similar knowledge of some of the other top tennis players, please do not share it! :worried: I'm happy living in my bubble of naivety :commie: Sorry about that. As I said, he still doesn't look like a bad guy to me. It's just that everything that goes with him is too annoying. He's just a great athlete who is enjoying his time in the spotlight and I can't blame him. The only things I don't like about him are his performance in the semifinal and bronze medal matches in London where he had this "I can't be bothered" attitude and the fact he repeatedly avoided playing for our Davis Cup team. All things considered, I could live with that if only I wasn't constantly bombarded by all the "here's why Djokovic is the best there ever was" crap served by the media. So my impression of watching Djokovic's parents in the stands that they are terrible persons was correct, good to know. They wore a t-shirt with their son's face all over it. How could anyone have gotten any other impression is beyond me ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SerArthurHeath Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Nadal is on fire. This is over Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SerArthurHeath Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 If Nadal plays like this, who do you think for the final? So tough, Novak has the recent edge but Rafa is a god on this court Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mexal Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Well that match sucked. Nadal will win again. He's just way too good on clay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyvasse Khal Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Both matches happened very much as expected. In the final, have to go with Nadal, but i'll take the safer option and say in 4 sets. Djokovic generally isn't a player that gets thrashed. A couple of weeks ago Murray would not have even been considered a chance for RG and Wimbledon. He struggled and fumbled his way through the draw and couldn't find any sort of consistency. Yet, he made it to the semi's on his least favourite surface while not playing his best. That to me means he does go back to being one of the favourites for Wimbledon this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 Yeah, Murray was seeded 'only' 7th, he had not got a lot of tennis in. The fact that he made it to the semis (and played through some pretty tough matches, although some of it his own doing) shows he's hitting form probably at the right time for Wimbledon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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