*Official* Tennis Thread

[vcs]

The first 5-6 games of the 3rd set where they were both taking turns to come back from 0-40 was really thrilling. Sharapova did miss some easy returns there, though she also hit some clutch winners as usual. Thought Bouchard did really well to save BP and hold in the final game.

Bouchard's ball-striking technique just looks dreadful and very unnatural though... I can see why she regularly has days where her shots go miles past the baseline. The only way she can get back near the top is if her movement and defense + mental strength is top-notch. Technically her game looks quite ordinary.

 

[grecian]

The first 5-6 games of the 3rd set where they were both taking turns to come back from 0-40 was really thrilling. Sharapova did miss some easy returns there, though she also hit some clutch winners as usual. Thought Bouchard did really well to save BP and hold in the final game.

Bouchard's ball-striking technique just looks dreadful and very unnatural though... I can see why she regularly has days where her shots go miles past the baseline. The only way she can get back near the top is if her movement and defense + mental strength is top-notch. Technically her game looks quite ordinary.

Technically it is appalling, but it always has been, and she somehow made a slam final and was number 5 in the World. She has occasionally peaked since, beat Kerber, and Konta at Wimbledon which was a shock, but in general it's entirely mental. She takes the ball really early which means if it goes in it causes the opponents problems, but most time she's an UE machine.

Of course she was due to play qualifiers (after having an awful lot of wildcards herself), but there was a last minute pull-out, so she got in against someone in equally hideous bad form first round and that seemed to play her into some form. seems this week was a perfect storm for her, loving the big occasion and the controversy.

I've always thought she's a horrible brat, the not-shaking hands thing still the most bizarre argument ever caused, so this loss hurts, but I fully understand the narrative of her being the truth-teller who slayed the evil doper. Way of the World.

Will say that her saying all the players came up to her to give her encouragement "odd" as if there's one person more unpopular on the WTA than Maria, it's Genie. Halep has already said she's never spoken to her, but meh.

 

[vcs]

Bouchard has definitely let all the off-court adulation go to her head. Basically just a social media + endorsement machine these days, with the odd controversial comment thrown in. Not a particularly likeable character either. Let's see if she can keep up yesterday's form a bit longer. She's had some woeful losses in recent weeks.

 

[Anil]

these articles about bouchard talking the talk and walking the walk vs sharapova after her win don't make sense...she didn't claim that she was going to beat her and then actually beat her on the court...just made an outlandish comment that she shouldn't be allowed to play pro tennis again...a statement which has little merit in itself...no one moves the needle on the WTA tour like serena and maria...with serena indefinitely out, they desperately need maria back and playing well...bouchard is an ordinary player who had a pretty good half season on tour, that's about it...probably a ploy to gain attention and she certainly succeeded...

 

[Anil]

agassi's name floated as potential coach for djokovic

 

[grecian]

these articles about bouchard talking the talk and walking the walk vs sharapova after her win don't make sense...she didn't claim that she was going to beat her and then actually beat her on the court...just made an outlandish comment that she shouldn't be allowed to play pro tennis again...a statement which has little merit in itself...no one moves the needle on the WTA tour like serena and maria...with serena indefinitely out, they desperately need maria back and playing well...bouchard is an ordinary player who had a pretty good half season on tour, that's about it...probably a ploy to gain attention and she certainly succeeded...

Yeah, probably, I would have giving her claims more justification if she'd said it right away. Yet she waits until last month, when she's heading out of the top 60, and Maria's return means she'll stop being the top blonde show-pony for Nike. TBH Nike couldn't have been wildly happy with her results whilst she was heading their campaigns.

In fact with Serena, Petra, Vika all out, and Genie (before this week in terrible form) you can understand why Nike have been falling over backwards at Sharapova coming back. They even signed Vesnina recently presumably hoping for some doubles success, which is scraping the barrell.

Whatever though this match keeps Bouchard relevant for a little while, see if it's a springboard or yet another false dawn.

In the end I think she's no different to a Pavs, Giorgi, Georges, Bartel, Wickmeyer, MLB, Lisicki who are just big-ball-bashers with one way of playing whom occasionally things go right and they get big results. Bartoli did win a slam by doing that though.

 

[grecian]

agassi's name floated as potential coach for djokovic

Interesting I guess, a name from back in the days of silent bans that didn't ruin your reputation, American though so it's allowed I think.

I dunno, whomever gets involved with Nole has to go along with his current mental state, does Andre need that crap?

 

[honestbharani]

Genie is just another Kounikova.. There was excellent article back in the old Sportstar here in India about how folks like Beckham and Kournikova were famous because they were famous, not because they were anything great in their respective sports. There are people like this who get some fame and attention because of their looks and the odd early success in their sport but as they go on, esp. in the Twitter and snapchat age, they just end being a social media personality, that is, famous because they are famous and for no other reason.

 

[indiaholic]

Beckham was not great at his sport?

 

[vcs]

Beckham was not great at his sport?

Agreed, he might not have been a Zidane or a Ronaldo but his work ethic even when past his prime around 2008 was tremendous. Was never the most gifted but he was playing better for England than the hyped midfield superstars of that time. Kournikova was just a glamour model after her injuries. Shame because she was quite talented.

 

[indiaholic]

And genie deserved her hype. Two semi final appearances and a final in 2014. Has regressed since then but she is young enough to make a comeback.

 

[vcs]

And genie deserved her hype. Two semi final appearances and a final in 2014. Has regressed since then but she is young enough to make a comeback.

Yeah, she was very good in 2014. Maybe the fall/concussion she suffered in the US Open plus various other injuries have genuinely taken their toll.

But the off-field attention seeking antics and arrogant comments don't make her particularly likeable. So people aren't going to have a lot of sympathy for her.

 

[indiaholic]

Oh yeah she is not likeable.. But then Maria is not liked by the players, no?

 

[grecian]

Oh yeah she is not likeable.. But then Maria is not liked by the players, no?

The great irony of all this is Bouchard modelled herself on Sharapova. Maria's thing has been since she's a teen not to be too friendly with other players as she feels she can't compete against them, think she was Kirilenko's friend and doubles partner and couldn't cope playing her.

Bouchard has followed suit, fall-out with Laura Robson being quite pronounced, so too muguruza. In the end Genie seems to take it further than Maria with many players saying she's downright rude. Whilst Maria just ignores them, which is kinda rude too, but not insulting.

 

[grecian]

Oh and that is the main reason I can't be having that genie girl, when she's losing she just totally gives it away.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Murray really struggling. He could be very vulnerable early in the French.

 

[vogue]

So, Nishikori withdraws and Djokovic goes through automatically to the semis.
Currently about to watch Cuevas vs Zverev, who is one to watch right now. Hoping for a good match here.

 

[vogue]

Cuevas turned that around to come through to win 2-1. 20 year old losing out this time but he has possibilities

 

[Niall]

Cuevas turned that around to come through to win 2-1. 20 year old losing out this time but he has possibilities

Unsure what impact he will make at The French, but could be very dangerous on the grass.

 

[vogue]

Unsure what impact he will make at The French, but could be very dangerous on the grass.

Think I have watched him before and wondered which surface will suit his game. Could be like Fed on grass and suit him really well.