Tennis Thread 2017 - US Open
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- Mega Ron
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Re: Tennis Thread 2016 - ATP World Tour Finals
Roanic, Nishikori, and Federer are the only other players that I think could win this.
Edit: forgot about Wawrinka. He's the best player left in other than Murray.
Edit: forgot about Wawrinka. He's the best player left in other than Murray.
Last edited by Mega Ron on Thu Jan 19, 2017 6:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Chicken Run Supreme
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
Wawrinka is always a threat. He's won 3 Slams from the 3 Finals he's reached, not sure where he is in the draw as to whether he might be seeded to play Andy before the Final - all being well for both parties obviously.
Stan can blow anyone away on the court on his day with the ferocity of his play but is also liable to going "walkabout" in the middle of a match.
This could finally be Andy Murray's year though after too many runners up trophies here.
Stan can blow anyone away on the court on his day with the ferocity of his play but is also liable to going "walkabout" in the middle of a match.
This could finally be Andy Murray's year though after too many runners up trophies here.
- Happyhammer93
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
Murray is now considered the favourite...
But this could be the year of the 'underdog' by that I mean that a lot of the old guard/big four are now heading past there peaks...
Raonic is a slam winner in the making
Dmirtov has the serve and ability to go all the way
Stan is great all round and has an excellent grand slam record to rely on
Nisikori already made one final (IIRC) and definitely can mix it with the big guys...
Theim again another good player and now hitting the big time...
Could be a year where we see a lot of 'wildcards' joining the top 4... as they say history repeats itself and evertime the top get to a point when they can no longer sustain themselves and this will be the year...
I'd love for Murray to capture the two slams remaining but I sense a change of guard...
But this could be the year of the 'underdog' by that I mean that a lot of the old guard/big four are now heading past there peaks...
Raonic is a slam winner in the making
Dmirtov has the serve and ability to go all the way
Stan is great all round and has an excellent grand slam record to rely on
Nisikori already made one final (IIRC) and definitely can mix it with the big guys...
Theim again another good player and now hitting the big time...
Could be a year where we see a lot of 'wildcards' joining the top 4... as they say history repeats itself and evertime the top get to a point when they can no longer sustain themselves and this will be the year...
I'd love for Murray to capture the two slams remaining but I sense a change of guard...
- Cockneyboy311
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
Murray's best chance to win this one imo. Great stuff from Dan Evans also. Great to see more than one Brit past the 1st round
- Chicken Run Supreme
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
Nadal wins a thrilling 5 setter - he'll be on the phone to Richard Ashcroft to say actually, the drugs do work!
Even though Murray is No 1 player and Djokovic is out, Murray does seem to have the rough end of the draw. However, if he plays to the highest level he has in his locker, no-one left can beat him, simple as that. If he is less, then there are a few already mentioned in this thread who can take advantage of any lapses in Murray's intensity . Federer could yet play a hand in this too, an interesting week ahead.
Even though Murray is No 1 player and Djokovic is out, Murray does seem to have the rough end of the draw. However, if he plays to the highest level he has in his locker, no-one left can beat him, simple as that. If he is less, then there are a few already mentioned in this thread who can take advantage of any lapses in Murray's intensity . Federer could yet play a hand in this too, an interesting week ahead.
- hammerdivone
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
Another brilliant performance from Konta, blowing away Wozniacki.
Looks like she's destined for high places given her performances so far this season
Looks like she's destined for high places given her performances so far this season
- Slacking student
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- Chicken Run Supreme
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
Big shock as Murray exits.
Zverev played the match of his life and Murray made too many errors.
I said if Murray played his A game he would win. Although Andy wasn't at his best, Zverev just did not let him get that A game out of the locker today. Stunning tennis at times from Zverev, shame for Andy.
Anyone's now, have a funny feeling Federer or Nadal might seize the opportunity here. Personally I'd like to see Nishikori win his first Slam.
Zverev played the match of his life and Murray made too many errors.
I said if Murray played his A game he would win. Although Andy wasn't at his best, Zverev just did not let him get that A game out of the locker today. Stunning tennis at times from Zverev, shame for Andy.
Anyone's now, have a funny feeling Federer or Nadal might seize the opportunity here. Personally I'd like to see Nishikori win his first Slam.
- smuts
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
His worst ever loss to an opponent in the ranking since 2006.
Oh well, he's suffered set backs before and his come back stronger. You do wonder if the era of the big 4 is at an end as there are a lot of up and comers knocking on the door.
Oh well, he's suffered set backs before and his come back stronger. You do wonder if the era of the big 4 is at an end as there are a lot of up and comers knocking on the door.
- White Goodman
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
Federer dumps him out in 5 sets.Chicken Run Supreme wrote:
Anyone's now, have a funny feeling Federer or Nadal might seize the opportunity here. Personally I'd like to see Nishikori win his first Slam.
- OFT
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
It's nearing it would seem.smuts wrote: You do wonder if the era of the big 4 is at an end as there are a lot of up and comers knocking on the door.
Disappointed for Murray.
I can't believe he's still contemplating playing Davis Cup, he's been looking a bit weary for a while, even when he was winning regularly through the end of last season.
Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
Don't care too much about Murray, what was good was seeing fantastic serve and volley tennis again, it was a shock to the baseline robot that Murray is (and many others of his generation)
- Chicken Run Supreme
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
Federer makes light work of dispatching Murray's conqueror Zverev. I've not always been a fan of Federer but it would be good to see him win again (he did also knock out my previous pick Nishikori too). I really don't see either Djokovic or Murray still making Semi Finals at Slams when they're 35. Unfortunately for Fed, he has Wawrinka to get past first, if he does that I reckon he will go on to win.
We could even see a retro Federer vs Nadal Final yet!
We could even see a retro Federer vs Nadal Final yet!
- DasNutNock
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
For years people whined that serve/volley was boring and that baseline tennis was where the action was. I've always thought baseline tennis to be far less pro-active, and is more akin to watching safety play in snooker.shammy wrote:Don't care too much about Murray, what was good was seeing fantastic serve and volley tennis again, it was a shock to the baseline robot that Murray is (and many others of his generation)
- White Goodman
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
Have a sneaky feeling this might come to pass.Chicken Run Supreme wrote: We could even see a retro Federer vs Nadal Final yet!
Be very interesting , see if Nadal is still the mental stumbling block for Federer that he always has been.
Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
I have been saying for years that the modern player should come to the net more, not regularly, but when they see their opponent struggling to reach a shot and on the right surface i.e. quick. So often these days you see a player scrabble a ball back into court from a shot to him deep in the corner, which would be an easy put away for his opponent, only for the rally to start all over again.
But modern coaching does't seem to include this tactic. I am still playing competitive amateur tennis, and my partner and I love coming up aginst many of the young players starting to play league tennis. They often only have one tactic - sitting on baseline and hammering the ball.
But modern coaching does't seem to include this tactic. I am still playing competitive amateur tennis, and my partner and I love coming up aginst many of the young players starting to play league tennis. They often only have one tactic - sitting on baseline and hammering the ball.
- White Goodman
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
I'm not sure where I stand on this.Timbloom wrote:I have been saying for years that the modern player should come to the net more, not regularly, but when they see their opponent struggling to reach a shot and on the right surface i.e. quick. So often these days you see a player scrabble a ball back into court from a shot to him deep in the corner, which would be an easy put away for his opponent, only for the rally to start all over again.
But modern coaching does't seem to include this tactic. I am still playing competitive amateur tennis, and my partner and I love coming up aginst many of the young players starting to play league tennis. They often only have one tactic - sitting on baseline and hammering the ball.
The baseline game can be a bit monotonous but is it less monotonous to have rallies over in two or three strokes at the net?
- Chicken Run Supreme
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
I think there's a place for both styles of play. My all-time favourite player is JP McEnroe who was particularly good with his volley technique and wasn't shy when it came to coming to the net. I also used to like the dogged determination of Jimmy Connors who was almost glued to the baseline. I like to see a mix of both - the one type of game I do not enjoy though is when you have a serve that is dominating and there are few rallies in a match.
As big a fan of Murray as I am, if there was one criticism (which seems harsh as he is World #1 ) it would be that he is too cautious and doesn't come to the net enough. He has a decent serve himself and is possibly the best returner of a serve around but I just wish he would approach the net more. I remember some stats being shown on the screen in the fourth set of his defeat to Zverev and it was along the lines of Murray hitting 22 winners from only 30-something net approaches. Zverev's figures were a significantly higher number of winners - 50ish, but he had approached the net over 100 times. Now that suggests to me that Murray would have won an awful lot more points had he approached the net more. He won a higher % of points than Zverev based on net approaches - Zverev was just prepared to do it more - he was the more aggressive.
As big a fan of Murray as I am, if there was one criticism (which seems harsh as he is World #1 ) it would be that he is too cautious and doesn't come to the net enough. He has a decent serve himself and is possibly the best returner of a serve around but I just wish he would approach the net more. I remember some stats being shown on the screen in the fourth set of his defeat to Zverev and it was along the lines of Murray hitting 22 winners from only 30-something net approaches. Zverev's figures were a significantly higher number of winners - 50ish, but he had approached the net over 100 times. Now that suggests to me that Murray would have won an awful lot more points had he approached the net more. He won a higher % of points than Zverev based on net approaches - Zverev was just prepared to do it more - he was the more aggressive.
- DasNutNock
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Re: Tennis Thread 2017 - Australian Open
Sampras, for me. The ultimate in pro-active tennis play. Absolutely hustled people off the court with speed, power, accuracy, and that evil second-serve. The tennis he played in the 1999 final - something like 7 or 8 consecutive sets where he utterly dominated Agassi - is still the best I've ever seen. Wasn't like Andre was playing badly or anything, Pete just found a level that would have destroyed any player, past or present.