The Tennis Thread - Part 2

[Sakuraba]

Chrissie Evert, oh how you make me laugh. She said Federer can have lapses and "go in and out of matches" but Djokovic is so focused and doesn't have lapses. Hahahaha!

I mean, seriously, do we need to point to all of Djokovic's lapses, retirements, and fake injuries? We can even start from when he became Super Djokovic in 2011. Off the top of my head: he quit against Murray in Cincy, he didn't show up for the first sets against Federer at the USO, he quit in Davis Cup against Delpo, he gave Tsonga a walkover at Bercy, he pretty well announced to the world he wouldn't do well on the blue clay in Madrid and that bit of self-prophecy came true, he didn't show any resolve or patience during the 2012 clay season as he did in 2011, he completely checked out of Wimbledon semifinal against Federer after slipping in like the second game of the match, and he basically quit and got the hell out of there against Murray in Olympic semis.

Then she's talking about Wawrinka and says "I think he's played a few doubles with Federer and they're good buddies." Umm, do you mean like when they destroyed everybody and won gold in Beijing? You think? Obviously she hasn't read Wawrinka's reaction to Federer making Davis Cup even less of a priority this year. I wouldn't say they're good buddies no matter what flowery language Federer throws on Wawrinka.

What do North American fans do to deserve Evert, Shriver, and M. Joe Fernandez getting to bounce terrible analysis and even worse commentary off each other for like 15 straight minutes while matches are being played? Think we could maybe watch the fifth set of the Tipsarevic match?

 

[Nightwing 52]

^

Seriously they're a terrible trio. I've never liked Shriver and Evert whenever she gets the chance likes to bring up how they did things during "her" time. All three are soooo gossipy and it's just impossible not to get annoyed from time to time. The only commentary I like is from Navratilova and Wilander. Always straight and to the point.

Sad to see Jerzy's run end but happy Almagro is through. One would argue that he isn't the best hard court player and that his best surface is definitely clay - but he's still put in the work and he's been looking sharp since Abu Dhabi. Plus that backhand is always a beaut. Also, go Tipsy! Rooting for Almagro in their encounter though.

If Ferrer beats Baghdatis I hope Nishikori gets the win when they meet.

 

[Nightwing 52]

Evert: He's our last American hope.

LOL, poor you.

 

[Bim]

I'm grateful that the latin american commentators arent like that lol.

 

[Hamill-Joker]

Jamie Hampton took a set off Azarenka. Drama with the possible back injury.

 

[Nightwing 52]

Dammit Vika.

 

[Hamill-Joker]

Come on Jamie, fight through the pain.

 

[Sakuraba]

I don't how hurt her back is, but I know sometimes all you need is an excuse to fade. I can't see that that has happened here, but I don't know what's going on in Hampton's head.

Triple break point to get back on serve. Of course that doesn't really matter because Azarenka is going to break her twice more to win 6-4.

 

[Sakuraba]

Chrissie Evert asking Pam Shriver "you had a slice backhand, it really does buy you time, doesn't it?"

Jesus, did Chris Evert just pick up tennis a week ago? Shouldn't she know the answer to that question? I guess Pam took it as a rhetorical question since she didn't answer

 

[Sakuraba]

Hamilton's running forehand is quite an awesome weapon. Her slices are poorly struck though. She's not hitting through the ball and it's floating on her. I wonder how many of her 50unf have been slices carrying on her.

 

[Sakuraba]

Azarenka has like the biggest racquet bag I've ever seen. That thing must hold 24 racquets

 

[Nightwing 52]

Dodig taking command against Gasquet right now.

Also for Stephens/Robson I'm cool with either winning but if I had to pick one I'd like to see Robson win. Should be an interesting battle between the young up and comers.

And the main event...Fed/Tomic. Hoping it won't disappoint. Many people don't see an upset but can you imagine? lol

 

[Sakuraba]

I read on another forum where someone was saying this could be the Sampras/Federer Wimbledon 2001 changing of the guard. I thought that was incredibly silly. I'll agree on one component, that Tomic is probably in the same stage of his career as Federer was then. Where he can do damage in Slams, but hasn't yet become competitive from tournament to tournament, though he's on the verge of doing so.

Other than that, I didn't get it. Sampras was badly washed up, getting a second wind on grass. The make up of the court changed that year, but they were still serving and volleying. Federer in 2013 is basically still Federer.

Of course the big glaring fault in that comparison is that styles make matches. Federer had the serve to go hold for hold with Pete, and he has also had a sublime and criminally underrated return game. He won by blasting Pete's second serve, which even in 2001 was like a first serve today.

So how is Tomic going to defeat Federer? I don't know. Maybe he'll read his serve better than last year and he'll force him to go for more. I don't see a clear path for young Tomic.

Serena is pretty crafty. Morita is seeing and hitting the ball extremely well, so on break point Serena takes like an hour to serve the ball. And Morita dumps it in the net.

 

[Sakuraba]

Chardy hit a great crosscourt angle there on set point, unfortunately he hit into Del Potro's forehand and he slapped about a 115mph screamer right in the corner that Chardy couldn't possibly handle. When are these guys going to learn. Don't worry about making Delpo work, just hit to his backhand. Didn't Federer learn this cruel lesson way back in 2009?

 

[Hamill-Joker]

I don't how hurt her back is, but I know sometimes all you need is an excuse to fade. I can't see that that has happened here, but I don't know what's going on in Hampton's head.

Triple break point to get back on serve. Of course that doesn't really matter because Azarenka is going to break her twice more to win 6-4.

Jamie was going to serve for the second set when she called the trainer, so I don't think she was using it as an excuse because that wouldn't have been to her advantage.

The back has been a problem for her in the past, forced her to pull out of the French Open last year.

It was heartbreaking to see her fade after fighting back in the first set and taking the second set.

 

[Sakuraba]

Sorry, I wasn't trying to imply that she was quitting, so much as I was trying to say that injuries can mess with you mentally and cause your game to deteriorate.

As a young player, she probably was thinking, "okay, I got this far and now my back is eff'd, I've done well. No one expects me to win this match."

It's thinking like that that tricks a player into lowering their level, trying to press more, and also gives them an abnormal acceptance for losing. It happens to Djokovic and Murray on a fairly regular basis!

 

[Nightwing 52]

AAAAAAAAAAAnd there goes my third pick to win the AO. Incredible. -_- Delpo out in 5 sets...all credit to Chardy though for hanging in there. Finished it off with the ace and hit a lot of winners. Also Seppi! Who would've thought.

Berankis played very well against Murray. Hope he has a great season.

 

[Sakuraba]

Chris Evert just said "watch out for Wozniacki" proving once again that she's clueless.

 

[Nightwing 52]

I just put her on mute.

Stephens up 2-0.

 

[Sakuraba]

I don't think I can stay up for these matches. The crowd is hot, makes me want to watch live.

 

[Nightwing 52]

Stephens needs to stop hitting most shots in the middle.

 

[Nightwing 52]

Dodig taking command against Gasquet right now.

Also for Stephens/Robson I'm cool with either winning but if I had to pick one I'd like to see Robson win. Should be an interesting battle between the young up and comers.

And the main event...Fed/Tomic. Hoping it won't disappoint. Many people don't see an upset but can you imagine? lol

 

[Nightwing 52]

That first break hurt Tomic as he was able to hold serve after that and you can see how aggressive he's trying to play. But first set goes to Fed 6-4.

 

[Nightwing 52]

Good hold for Bernie.

 

[Nightwing 52]

Wow!

Some really great tennis from both - Tomic bringing it to Fed.