Tennis Volume 7: Roger That!

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

It was a fun match, but good god was it on late. I rarely root against Fed, but I wanted that to end in the fourth.

As far as Fed goes, you have to remember that he is ancient in tennis terms, so it’s not surprising that he struggles with guys who can return with power.

Also, I’ve never heard of this Millman fellow, but he’s one handsome devil.  

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

Fantastic match last night. I feared Nadal would choke, but he pulled it out.

Also, he needs to have a honest chat with his barber. It’s time to come home.

[Calibandar]

On 9/4/2018 at 3:10 PM, Jeor said:

When you think about it, Federer's game is actually not a very high-percentage game. He goes for short points, he relies on winners and quick play, and is always looking to push the envelope in a rally and progress it further (and not just settle into a high-percentage topspin battle of attrition).

For normal human beings, Federer's style of play is a very high-risk game that doesn't always come off, but the genius of the man is that he has somehow made that aggressive, high-risk play as reliable for him as any old baseline clay-courter.

I suppose towards the end of his career it shouldn't be too surprising that it sometimes goes on the blink. So he can look really good one day and then lose it the next.
  

It's something that is very specific to this year. He can run very cold and lose matches in ways that he simply did not used to do.

I know people are eager to point to his age ( not just you but many others) but I just don't think that's it.

He was very relaxed and non-commital about this loss to Millman in the post match press conference. Basically said it was very hot and humid and it really hampered his style. I believe what he says.  And yet we are seeing a pattern.

Agreed btw that his game is high risk. He seems to produce a lot mor unforced errors of late though, looks unfocused. I try and catch every game he plays throughout the year.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

I was about to say I'm excited to watch the matches, but Nadal has already retired? What the hell happened? I wanted my favorite to get one more hard court slam. He's not going to last too much longer.

Anyways, del Potro might take it this year. He's a beast at the U.S. Open.

 

 

AND GO SERENA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jeor]

Del Potro was always a good chance to take Nadal anyway - a pity Nadal had to retire but he clearly wasn't at his best.

It'd be nice for Delpo to get another Slam. I always feel sorry for all the years he lost due to that wrist injury.

[3CityApache]

I hope Delpo can make it, but Novak is also very strong and very consistent this tournament. Honestly I didn't think he still has it in him, but apparently he's still capable of winning multiple slams a year. He would be a really hard nut to crack for Delpo, who has fantastic forehand and great serve, but is not as consistant and doesn't love when the ball keeps coming back from the other side of the court over and over again. It makes him nervous and he tends to do stupid unforced errors. And that's exactly what's gonna happen tomorrow. Hopefully he'll be able to overcome this.

[BigFatCoward]

Nadal is never catching Fed with his body breaking down as it is. Indeed if Fed is over the hill and Nadal breaks down at the same time, Djokovic could hoover up slams over next few years. 

[Jeor]

What a shock in the women's final, although it's not the first time Serena has lost in a US Open final while throwing tantrums (Stosur) and not the first time she's lost a match due to a point penalty (Clijsters, when she threatened to shove a ball down a lineswoman's throat). Serena Williams is a bully and a stain on sportsmanship. She may be a great tennis player who won a lot of titles, but beyond the facts there's nothing endearing about her at all (I know some Americans, and perhaps other diehard fans will probably disagree with me, so I'll grant that it's just my personal opinion on this and other arguments can be made).

I get that she's emotional in the heat of the moment but she really lacks class. Demanding apologies, that the umpire announce to the crowd that she wasn't cheating, calling the umpire a thief and then saying it was because she was a woman are the actions of a petulant child. Unfortunately the US crowd ate it all up and are vociferously partisan for her.

Serena is a classic case of someone who can be classy when things are going well for her, but the moment something goes against her the toys get thrown out of the pram. It's not an isolated incident. Time and time again throughout her career she has had confrontations with officials and pretty much all the time has been on the wrong side of things.

EDIT: Not to mention she has succeeded in completely ruining the experience for a young debutant Grand slam winner and no amount of words after can rescue that. Osaka (nobody for that matter) doesn't deserve that.

[baxus]

14 hours ago, Leap said:

Fucks sake

 

Fed Out

Rafa out

Kei out

 

I like Djokovic, I like Delpo, I would be happy for both of them to win another slam, why does it have to be like this?

And how would Delpo or Djokovic winning another slam with Fed, Rafa and Kei still in the tournament work, exactly?

Unless I missed something, Fed and Kei got beaten fair and square. Nadal retired due to injury which sucks but it happens.

[Gorn]

Serena's behavior truly was a disgrace, and I was disappointed by articles in the US press trying to spin it away. She:

1) cheated

2) lied about it when caught (if she didn't see any signal, how did she know it was actually a thumbs-up gesture?)

3) tried to bully the official who was doing his job into not enforcing the rules on her

4) when it didn't work, lost her temper and started throwing threats and insults

5) after the game, doubled down, and instead of apologizing and admitting error, continued insulting the official.

Her career accomplishments are amazing, but any talk of her being a role model after this episode is ridiculous.

[BigFatCoward]

55 minutes ago, Gorn said:

Serena's behavior truly was a disgrace, and I was disappointed by articles in the US press trying to spin it away. She:

1) cheated

2) lied about it when caught (if she didn't see any signal, how did she know it was actually a thumbs-up gesture?)

3) tried to bully the official who was doing his job into not enforcing the rules on her

4) when it didn't work, lost her temper and started throwing threats and insults

5) after the game, doubled down, and instead of apologizing and admitting error, continued insulting the official.

Her career accomplishments are amazing, but any talk of her being a role model after this episode is ridiculous.

And ruined what should have been an amazing moment for her opponent. 

[Calibandar]

21 hours ago, 3CityApache said:

I hope Delpo can make it, but Novak is also very strong and very consistent this tournament. Honestly I didn't think he still has it in him, but apparently he's still capable of winning multiple slams a year. He would be a really hard nut to crack for Delpo, who has fantastic forehand and great serve, but is not as consistant and doesn't love when the ball keeps coming back from the other side of the court over and over again. It makes him nervous and he tends to do stupid unforced errors. And that's exactly what's gonna happen tomorrow. Hopefully he'll be able to overcome this.

I think your prediction is exactly what will happen, and that is indeed what usually seems to be the frustration for him.

Djoker too solid, basically.

16 hours ago, Leap said:

Fucks sake

 

Fed Out

Rafa out

Kei out

 

I like Djokovic, I like Delpo, I would be happy for both of them to win another slam, why does it have to be like this?

I feel the same way. I lost a lot of interest in this tournament when Fed suddenly lost early. It robbed us of a great clash with Djokovic and it robs the tournament of so much beauty. Federer is a great foil for Djokovic, or vice versa. Nishikori vs Djokovic is a match you know going into that it goes to Djoker, and it did, easily.

2 hours ago, baxus said:

And how would Delpo or Djokovic winning another slam with Fed, Rafa and Kei still in the tournament work, exactly?

Unless I missed something, Fed and Kei got beaten fair and square. Nadal retired due to injury which sucks but it happens.

I think he just means that it's a shame that the more attractive players go out early and we miss out on the best clashes, but that may also just be my feeling. And yes, injuries happen, but I think people are allowed to find that regrettable?

[David Selig]

4 hours ago, Gorn said:

Serena's behavior truly was a disgrace, and I was disappointed by articles in the US press trying to spin it away. She:

1) cheated

2) lied about it when caught (if she didn't see any signal, how did she know it was actually a thumbs-up gesture?)

3) tried to bully the official who was doing his job into not enforcing the rules on her

4) when it didn't work, lost her temper and started throwing threats and insults

5) after the game, doubled down, and instead of apologizing and admitting error, continued insulting the official.

Her career accomplishments are amazing, but any talk of her being a role model after this episode is ridiculous.

Her playing the woman card and blatantly lying that men are never punished for such acts was pretty disgraceful too.

And now as usual I see all kinds of clueless progressives and journos on social media taking her side reflexively (most of them don't seem to watch men's tennis anyway but just know St. Serena is always right) and calling anyone who doesn't like St. Serena's antics sexist and racist. A lot of people are calling Serena a feminist hero for this, which is all kinds of messed up.

[Mladen]

7 minutes ago, David Selig said:

Her playing the woman card and blatantly lying that men are never punished for such acts was pretty disgraceful too.

Yeap, she played that card... I hate when people plays "sexism/racism etc." card when there is no racism or sexism. She was not punished for being a woman, she was punished for breaking the rules. It was such a disgraceful performance.

And, honestly, swear to God, can't remember when was the last time someone so openly insulted a tennis umpire. Man or Woman.

[David Selig]

The same persons who are praising Serena now would have been the first to criticise harshly any male player who had done the same to a black female umpire during a major final and would have no doubt proclaimed the umpire to be a feminist hero for standing up to the oppressor class.

[Calibandar]

Nice sum up of all that she said. She has completely invalidated herself here.

She could not be more wrong on every argument she tries to make.

[Clueless Northman]

4 hours ago, David Selig said:

And now as usual I see all kinds of clueless progressives and journos on social media taking her side reflexively (most of them don't seem to watch men's tennis anyway but just know St. Serena is always right) and calling anyone who doesn't like St. Serena's antics sexist and racist. A lot of people are calling Serena a feminist hero for this, which is all kinds of messed up.

Did these idiots not watch the game? Don't they know it's the Women tournament and Serena was playing against another woman, not against a man? And if there was racism, it was a specific case of pro-Asian and anti-Black one, not the usual suspect of White Power.

[baxus]

9 hours ago, Calibandar said:

I think he just means that it's a shame that the more attractive players go out early and we miss out on the best clashes, but that may also just be my feeling. And yes, injuries happen, but I think people are allowed to find that regrettable?

Sure, we'd all like to have at least one matchup between Federer, Nadal and Djokovic in every tournament and we'd like it to be another one of their epic clashes we fondly remember, but the truth is that those are going to happen less and less often with Federer aging and Nadal's style of tennis taking a toll on his body. Even Djokovic had disappeared for a year and a half though he seems to be regaining his good form from before.

I know that makes us wanting those clashes even more and it would be great to have as many as possible before the Big Three falls apart but I'm afraid the level of tennis wouldn't be anywhere near what we're used to from three of them.

And I'm not sure I'd say Kei is an especially attractive player to watch but I'm no expert and could definitely be wrong here.

[baxus]

9 hours ago, Leap said:

That's all true, doesn't mean I have to like it. 

I like Delpo and Djokovic and I want them to be successful, but it's disappointing ends for three people I like more. Fed lost to fucking Millman, Kei lost to Djokovic for the thousandth time, Rafa injured again. 

 

The logic is I want my favourite players to progress, and I typically want them to beat my less favourite players. I still like those less favourite players, but if they have to win at the expense of players I like more, I want them to be interesting and entertaining matches where all players played to a high standard. That's not really what happened here. 

Fair enough.  

[BigFatCoward]

Djokovic pretty much walks it, now level with Pete.  It must be shite for anyone else outside the top 3 playing in this era.