*Official* Tennis Thread

[Jono]

And when the push comes to shove, Henin-Hardenne has only really dominated against the Williams sisters when they're not at 100%, which is all well and good, but when the push comes to shove she doesn't get the job done on hard courts.

Jono placing too much importance on last year's Australian Open in calling Henin-Hardenne (sp) mentally fragile?

I'm actually referring to clutch points, not her quitting in the final if that's what you're referring to?

But looking back I think I was a bit harsh on her, however I stand by my original point, if you can get on top of Clijsters, Hardenne or Mauresmo they often don't come back and you don't get that aura that they are not out of it until that final point is played. With Serena, is doesn't matter how crap she is playing and how off her timing is and how slow she's moving (compared to her 2002 days of the Serena Slam when she was unstoppable), she's never out of the match.

i didn't say they weren't good players...i said i hated their style of play...there is a big difference....they just whack the tennis ball like they want to smash it to bits, obviously they are exceptional players, otherwise they won't win tournaments and slams and they are good at coming back from the dead in tight matches....i was not even arguing about that....henin-hardenne used to struggle against most power players initially, it took a while for her to adjust and then start playing well against them...by then the sisters had more or less stopped playing regularly....i don't think that intimidation factor is there anymore against them for her and she will compete much better against them if she meets them...and she is not so mentally fragile anymore, in fact she has proved to be quite a feisty player over the past 2-3 years.....

Hate to say I told you so but...

Unbelievable comeback from Serena in the Sony Ericsson Miami final!! She was paying $3.90 after she lost the first set, and without any hesitation I jumped right on. Henin was twice up a break in the 2nd set, and not only served for the match, but had 2 match points and as usual, could not put Serena away. Once again when it comes down to the pressure moments of the match, the clutch points, Henin cannot deliver against Serena.

So happy with that bet... honestly when Serena is on she's unstoppable. Best women's tennis player going around IMO... comfortably, and if she continues to actually give a crap, she'll be no. 1 again in no time.

 

[Simon]

damn serena williams, why does she have to be so good, i guess i can handle it now that Venus doesnt usually go that well, at least it gives others a chance of winning sometimes...

 

[Anil]

Hate to say I told you so but...

don't lie...you absolutely loved bringing that up....

 

[Simon]

Djokovic destroyed Canas, Novak looks like a certainty to be top 8 come the end of the year given his form, hopefully guys like Davydenko, Ljubicic and Robredo who really arent top 10 standard players fall out of it soon...

 

[luffy]

Robredo: Most overated player IMO

 

[Simon]

Robredo: Most overated player IMO

not on clay, if all tournaments we're played on hard court he'd be ranked about 25, if they were all on clay he'd be top 5.

 

[Jono]

To be fair to Robredo as well, he does have his fair share of critics who admit that his ranking his generous. Generally for someone to be overrated, they would actually have to be highly rated by many commentators and experts first, whereas Robredo very rarely gets any attention at all.

Ljubicic is an overrated tennis player for mine, in that suggestions that he would have been more dominant this era had Federer not been around are pretty false. He had a very good 2006, and IIRC a good 2005 as well, but not to the extent whereby he'd be winning tournaments left, right and centre had Federer never played tennis.

All that said, I still have Ivan in my CW tennis fantasy team and he didn't do me too bad this week.

 

[Simon]

Ljubicic and Davydenko are examples of players that have over achieved. Really they have taken advantage of far better players being injured, inconsistent or out of form, neither has really ever claimed a big scalp when their opponent has been at the top of their game, guys like Coria, Haas, Safin, Roddick, Hewitt, Blake and Nalbandian would not be worried having to face either of those two guys if they are in form...

 

[Anna]

Murray 3-1 up in the first set against Sluiter in the GB v Netherlands Davis cup tie.

I've just realised it's being played at the NEC in Brum. Feck, I could've gone

 

[marc71178]

Just hope all the Tennis fans are well out the way come this evening - could be chaos otherwise...

 

[Jamee999]

Just hope all the Tennis fans are well out the way come this evening - could be chaos otherwise...

Are tennis riots common in Birmingham, or have I missed something?

 

[marc71178]

Nope, but there's a gig at the NEC Arena tonight, not ideal planning that amount of people arriving at the same time as that amount leaving!

 

[Simon]

pick up a few dollars from the davis cup over night, had a $12.94 multi from Youzhny ($2.30) vs Gasquet, Johansson ($3.00) vs Nalbandian, Blake ($1.50) vs Robredo and Haas ($1.25) vs Vliegen.

Germany, Sweden and the USA are now all in a strong position, only needing to win one of the remaining three rubbers to make it through to the semis. Russia v France is looking like a good one, Paul Henri Mathieu the Davis Cup specialist beat Davydenko in Russia which is a huge effort then Youzhny beat Gasquet 8-6 in the fifth, im hoping France go through there so then Davydenko might shut his mouth for five minutes...

 

[Jono]

Haha was Blake honestly paying 1.50 vs Robredo? I know Blake has been out of form, but wow.

Youzhny vs. Gasquet must have been an awesome match. The Russia vs. France tie is going to be a thriller. They should send Safin in instead of Davydenko for the next singles rubber. Safin may be playing crap tennis, but at least he won't choke.

 

[Simon]

Davydenko is just rubbish, Mathieu is awesome in Davis Cup, beat Haas in classic match a couple of years ago and has done very well for France when he's played singles...

 

[Simon]

what i found funny is the fact they are calling Youzhny beating Gasquet an upset, i mean Youzhny has won more titles in his career, has won more matches this year, is ranked higher and had home court advantage, how can they justify saying Gasquet should be favourite?

 

[Simon]

Germany and Sweden through, looks like Russia and the USA will follow em tomorrow...

 

[Jono]

Can't believe Argentina copped such a whopping.

USA's team is unstoppable.

 

[Simon]

Nalbandian hopeless out of form, Del Potro is 18, not hard to see how they got thrashed...

 

[Jono]

Nalbandian hopeless out of form, Del Potro is 18, not hard to see how they got thrashed...

Why didn't they play Canas or Chela?