Tennis Talk

[Lazz]

Great win for Ash Barty, but the standard especially towards the end of the match was literally quite poor and oh so slow. A fit Serena would have obliterated both of them.

[cheekyboy]

9 hours ago, Lazz said:

Great win for Ash Barty, but the standard especially towards the end of the match was literally quite poor and oh so slow. A fit Serena would have obliterated both of them.

Serena Williams played the Wimbledon Ladies Singles and retired in the first round. The two girls in the final can only beat whoever it is across the net from them in those preceding six matches. Unlike Williams, Barty and Pliskova are class acts and both are a credit to the game………I’ll take those two over Williams every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

Edited July 18, 2021 by cheekyboy

[Lazz]

Are we talking tennis ability or personality. If that final is the future of womens tennis, i pray that it will survive. One word sums it up unfortunately, and that is 'boring'. But yes, you play to your own ability and whoever is your opponent. 

[evil c]

37 minutes ago, Lazz said:

Are we talking tennis ability or personality. If that final is the future of womens tennis, i pray that it will survive. One word sums it up unfortunately, and that is 'boring'. But yes, you play to your own ability and whoever is your opponent. 

My wife who is an accomplished tennis player, and l have always been appalled by Serena.

It has always been all about herself, and she has worsened behavior wise in the last few years- because she hasn't been challenged enough to improve. 

Poor Osaka is still heavily traumatized by Serena's hissy fit after she lost in the final!

 

Questions about her bulking up, and becoming much stronger have been remarkably absent.

I, and many other sports fans would happily watch a complete and fair player over her - yes the standard was lesser, but like true champion's do players like Barty etc. lift their game when required. 

[cheekyboy]

50 minutes ago, Lazz said:

Are we talking tennis ability or personality. If that final is the future of womens tennis, i pray that it will survive. One word sums it up unfortunately, and that is 'boring'. But yes, you play to your own ability and whoever is your opponent. 

 

Hello Lazz, if your post is aimed at my comments, I would say personally on both counts. Apart from Serena's appalling behaviour which we've all witnessed many times, in the slams this year so far, her best effort was a SF in the Australian, round of 16 at the French and a retirement in the first round at Wimbledon.

 

You say that if the Wimbledon Ladies final is the future of women's tennis, that you pray it will survive and then you contradict that statement by saying that it is boring.................you're obviously hard to please.

 

Both girls in the Wimbledon Ladies final were very nervous and it manifested itself in different ways for each player, Barty a little less impacted compared to her opponent. Pliskova metaphorically grew a brick on her elbow and this impeded her play, particularly when she tried to hit out, which ironically is probably what she needed to do to shake that brick off her arm. Barty, throughout the match and particularly in the third set, started to play safe by slowing down that beautiful sliced backhand and coming up more steeply on her forehand to impart more spin to keep the ball in play and for a large chunk of that third set, she was waiting for Pliskova to lose, rather than trying to win it herself. I didn't find the match boring though and I doubt Serena being in the final would have necessarily improved the tennis or won as you suggest, because both Barty's and Pliskova's mindset would have been totally different, had either girl been facing Serena in the final.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

 

 

[metal beat]

14 hours ago, Lazz said:

Great win for Ash Barty, but the standard especially towards the end of the match was literally quite poor and oh so slow. A fit Serena would have obliterated both of them.

 

You sure about that.

 

The same Serena that choked losing the last 6 games afta being up 5 - 1 against Pliskova to lose her Qtr final in the 2019 Aust open.

 

She was woeful against Kerber in the 2018 Wimbledon final 

 

She was woeful against Halep in the 2019 Wimbledon final.

 

She has won no majors since the Aussie in 2017.  

 

Ash Barty will beat Serena on any surface now.

Osaka will beat Serena on any hard court surface now.

 

Time she retired gracefully.  Unfortunately Serena never does anything gracefully.

 

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by metal beat

[stevoz]

16 hours ago, Lazz said:

Great win for Ash Barty, but the standard especially towards the end of the match was literally quite poor and oh so slow. A fit Serena would have obliterated both of them.

 

Err, don't think so. Ash can dismantle anyone at the moment. Her all round game is unmatched. Serena is past it.....but if fit, would be one to maybe push Ash but no way would she 'obliterate' her.....she would be dismantled like everyone else has been in the last 2 years by 'The Party'. 

[Lazz]

You guys remove your blinkers. Cheekyboy, yes i am hard to please. I.m not contradicting myself. It was a weak spectacle but i do hope the standard will improve. The money they win/earn the public needs a great spectacle and entertainment value. Osaka is the one to watch atm, but alas she is taking a break. The standard was well below many great Wimbledon finals. steveoz, you obviously are a one eyed "Barty party fan" good on you. 2 slams, doesn't seem like much dismantling.

[cheekyboy]

27 minutes ago, Lazz said:

You guys remove your blinkers. Cheekyboy, yes i am hard to please. I.m not contradicting myself. It was a weak spectacle but i do hope the standard will improve. The money they win/earn the public needs a great spectacle and entertainment value. Osaka is the one to watch atm, but alas she is taking a break. The standard was well below many great Wimbledon finals. steveoz, you obviously are a one eyed "Barty party fan" good on you. 2 slams, doesn't seem like much dismantling.

Hello Lazz,

 

Read your own post, because you did contradict yourself, but if you can’t see that, I’m probably wasting my time responding.

 

I think Ash Barty is a great ambassador for the game and embodies so much that Serena Williams is not about the game. I’m definitely not a one eyed supporter of Barty or any other current professional tennis player, male or female for that matter. I watched the ladies final for the tennis and I was hoping Ash would win, but I wouldn’t have been disappointed had Pliskova got up.

 

Anyhow, you seemed to have got your panties in a knot over nothing, so just enjoy the tennis for what it is and if you find it boring, just watch something else.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

Edited July 19, 2021 by cheekyboy

[metal beat]

24 minutes ago, Lazz said:

You guys remove your blinkers. Cheekyboy, yes i am hard to please. I.m not contradicting myself. It was a weak spectacle but i do hope the standard will improve. The money they win/earn the public needs a great spectacle and entertainment value. Osaka is the one to watch atm, but alas she is taking a break. The standard was well below many great Wimbledon finals. steveoz, you obviously are a one eyed "Barty party fan" good on you. 2 slams, doesn't seem like much dismantling.

 

but you did contradict yourself.   the majors Serena has played the last 4 years have been much poorer in tennis quality than the final of Wimbledon. 

 

  Osaka can only play on hardcourt, not grass or clay - hence her pulling out of both.

[Lazz]

I think you meant 'ambassador for the game', i don't wear panties, and i have nothing against Ash. And yes I just switch over. cheers.

[cheekyboy]

36 minutes ago, Lazz said:

I think you meant 'ambassador for the game', i don't wear panties, and i have nothing against Ash. And yes I just switch over. cheers.

Again, I think you must be referring to me, but you don’t quote me. Anyhow, I used the term ambassador for the game and that is what I wrote!….….perhaps you’re thinking of some other post?

I was going to say something about the panties, but I have found the strength to refrain.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

Edited July 19, 2021 by cheekyboy

[zippi]

An 18 year old from Denmark (Rune) causing Novak major issues in the 2nd set of 1st round in US Open.

[zippi]

Scratch that - Rune now actually taken the 2nd set and levelled the match at 1-1 through a tie-break. Not expecting an upset, however didn't expect a dropped 2nd set to an 18 year old ranked in the 150-200 range.

 

edit: he's actually got some towels and sundry items in the blue IKEA bag. Apparently Rune's first match in a major ie. first 3 out of 5 sets match in the career. And the kid is now cramping badly in the legs. Not looking like he'll see this match to the end unfortunately.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2021 by zippi

[cheekyboy]

Yep, Rune is a really nice looking tennis player with a big future. Djokovic didn’t play a great 2nd set at critical times, but all credit to Rune and a pity his condition let him down early in the 3rd.

 

Just watching De Minuar playing Fritz and Alex is in all sorts of trouble, being broken 3 times in the 2nd set and this looks like it will be blot to Fritz for a 2 sets to love lead.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

 

Edit: Alex can’t hold his own bowl, but just managed to break Fritz for 5 - 1 down in the 2nd.

Edited September 1, 2021 by cheekyboy

[cheekyboy]

Well folks, just watched Barty lose the first set of her 3rd round match to the American, Rogers., 6/2. One of the worse sets of tennis I’ve seen her play and she’ll need to tidy her game up a lot in the second set, otherwise she’s outa there.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

[cheekyboy]

Well folks, Ash has managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory again and having served for the match twice in the 3rd set and dropped her bowl on both occasions, she needed to hold at 6/5 down and force a breaker, which she was able to do. I was expecting a nervous game from Ash in the breaker and really it was hard to pick who was the tighter……..sadly, no US Open title for Ash this year.

[metal beat]

Credit to Shelby, she did not miss a ball in the last 5 games.  Never ever seen her play so well. Crowd certainly helped her.

 

 But Barty certainly should not have lost and proves, Barty still is not as rock solid mentally as she needs to be. 

 

Oh well, she can go home now and see her family as the clear #1 female player in the world. 

Edited September 5, 2021 by metal beat

[zippi]

Barty loss notwithstanding - the Women's Singles is producing some fascinating tennis and definite future superstars of the game.

 

Emma Raducanu is an 18yo qualifier that hasn't dropped a set against formidable opposition and is in the semis.

Leylah Fernandez just turned 19 this week and has dispatched the likes of Kerber, Svitolina and OSAKA and is now in the semis.

 

Maria Sakkari is one set up currently against Karolyna Pliskova in the quarters  and looks dominant. Had a very close match against Andreescu on Tue, but apparently they alwayus do cause the games are so similar. She's also seen off Kvitova earlier. Maybe it's cause she's playing currently and just turned out to be the player I saw playing the most, nevertheless at the moment Maria seems un-Sakkari-toppable. Very aggressive and intense playing, no hesitation, almost like a Nadal of the women's singles. Scoreline looks very close, however Pliskova is being outplayed big time.

[zippi]

And sure enough Maria Sakkari wins 6-4 6-4 without ever facing a break point on her serve - serving so well she had a run of 22 straight points won on serve. That's 5 and a half consequtive service games without dropping a point. Next level confidence.

[zippi]

Disclosure: MAJOR SPOILERS in the post....

 

Leylah Fernandez just broke such formidable Sabalenka for 4-2 in the 3rd. A titanic struggle and Fernandez just turned 19yo 4 days ago.

 

edit: Sabalenka breaks right back after 0-40 lead, Fernandez levelling 40-40 and then Sabalenka breaks at first Adv.

 

So 4-3 in the 3rd Sabalenka to serve.

 

Sabalenka holds for 4-4, and Fernandez holds even more convincingly for 5-4.

 

And now 40-0 and triple match point. Fernandez takes the first one home.

 

OMG.....such power for a tiny player Fernandez, coupled with lightning court coverage, creativity, touch and rock solid composure. Well deserved finals berth!!!!

 

 

Edited September 10, 2021 by zippi

[mrbuzzardstubble]

Go Emma! 6-1 and 3-2 up with a break.

[cheekyboy]

Great to see the young Canadian, Fernandez, come through to the final, albeit helped a little by a very nervous Sabalenka when trying to hold serve to get that last set to 5 all. Fernandez is such a clever player and I heard them in commentary comparing her to Seles and that may be true given Monica was a lefty too, but she reminds me more of Martina Hingis with her court craft and  how good she reads the game for someone so young.

And now Radacanu at 18 and and a qualifier has powered her way into a Grand Slam singles final. So refreshing to see this in women’s tennis, regardless of who wins the final.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

Edited September 10, 2021 by cheekyboy

[zippi]

53 minutes ago, cheekyboy said:

So refreshing to see this in women’s tennis, regardless of who wins the final.

It will be a cracker of a final regardless of the winner.

  

53 minutes ago, cheekyboy said:

Fernandez is such a clever player and I heard them in commentary comparing her to Seles and that may be true given Monica was a lefty too, but she reminds me more of Martina Hingis with her court craft and  how good she reads the game for someone so young.

Fernandez is only a baby in the world of tennis, however I can see there's more talent there than either Monika or Martina - this is some next level stuff. And being from ex-Yugoslavia - I was among those that worshipped Monika Seles in late 80's before most in the international world of tennis even heard of her and Hingis is such an icon with achievements and domination over such a long stretch with heaps of talented opponents in a pretty even field.

 

In the end it will depend on how the talent is moulded and used - time will tell, however clearly titanic potential.

 

And Radacanu is right there as well at even a few months younger and looking at the scorelines - not a set dropped, so arguably even more accomplished. I didn't get to see the match against Sakkari but woah!!!! 6-1, 6-4 !!!!! Awesome going against such an in-form Sakkari. 

 

So looking forward to this final.

[ Are guys even playing this year?  ]

 

 

Edited September 10, 2021 by zippi

[cheekyboy]

54 minutes ago, zippi said:

 

 Fernandez is only a baby in the world of tennis, however I can see there's more talent there than either Monika or Martina - this is some next level stuff. And being from ex-Yugoslavia - I was among those that worshipped Monika Seles in late 80's before most in the international world of tennis even heard of her and Hingis is such an icon with achievements and domination over such a long stretch with heaps of talented opponents in a pretty even field.

 

In the end it will depend on how the talent is moulded and used - time will tell, however clearly titanic potential.

 

 

With all due respect, I think your memory of Seles and Hingus is a little on the short side if you feel Fernandez at 19 is showing more talent than Monica and Martina. Seles won the French Open at 16 and she won 8 of her 9 grand slam singles titles as a teenager. If it had not been for some nutter trying to help Steffi Graf's career by stabbing her, I think she would have won at least another 10 grand slam singles, but unfortunately we'll never know.

 

Maritna Hingus was the youngest ever world No 1 and she won the Australian Open only a couple months past her 16th birthday. Injuries to her legs in her early 20s saw her singles career cut short, but she had an outstanding record as a teenager that will probably stand for a very long time. I hope Fernandez has the right people around her to nurture that enormous talent though and she does remind me of Hingus in the way she plays the game. I think it will be a cracker of a final and I'm looking forward to watching it.

 

Cheers,

 

Keith