*Official* Tennis Thread

[Anil]

murray played in the big 3 era (as in played with three players at their peak who can legitimately be ranked 1, 2 and 3 all-time) and managed 3 slams (plus numerous slam finals), 2 olympic golds, a whole host of other big titles and the no: 1 ranking. fred perry has more majors but i think murray has to be considered britain's greatest tennis player of all time...inarguably. somehow always felt he had more natural talent than a djokovic or a nadal and could have been a much more attacking, more stylish player but that he suppressed his natural instincts to play a more mechanical, defensive style to achieve better consistency/results.

 

[vcs]

His forehand just wasn't good enough at any point to become an attacking player who looks to dictate points. 2nd serve was also a notable weakness, relatively. Both were at their best around 2012-13 when he was working with Lendl.

 

[vcs]

Weirdly, he seemed to get more power on it on the dead run when he was stretched to hit a running pass (like Sampras).

 

[Anil]

His forehand just wasn't good enough at any point to become an attacking player who looks to dictate points. 2nd serve was also a notable weakness, relatively. Both were at their best around 2012-13 when he was working with Lendl.

sure, agreed that he had weaknesses but his dour style didn't really make up for those gaps either...at least not against the top players. whenever i think about murray, the 2012 wimbledon final against federer comes to mind first somehow. For a set and a half, he played beautiful, attacking tennis and outplayed federer who was actually playing very well himself but couldn't sustain it and lost in 4. the 3rd and 4th sets, he had totally switched back to his usual defensive tennis...i was pleased because i wanted federer to win but remember wondering why he couldn't always play like that...

 

[vcs]

Federer's set point to win set 2 of that match is one of my favourite points of his, ever. Federer just kicked it to another gear after the roof and the rain break, IMO. The indoor conditions gave him a little bit of an advantage as well.

 

[Anil]

Federer's set point to win set 2 of that match is one of my favourite points of his, ever. Federer just kicked it to another gear after the roof and the rain break, IMO. The indoor conditions gave him a little bit of an advantage as well.

yes the rain break and the roof helped him regroup (and i think negatively impacted murray) but it was also a very different murray in the 3rd and 4th sets for whatever reason...

 

[Anil]

picks for the aussie open? for me, i can't see anyone stopping novak from winning his 7th here and 15th overall...federer is not playing nearly well enough, nadal will be too rusty and none of the youngsters have shown yet that they have it in them to break through and win one of the majors...

 

[Ausage]

Im only a casual tennis fan but my god Tomic and Kyrgios really have to be among the biggest douchebag **** combos sport has seen. Just, ugh.

No wonder Lleyton is putting his faith elsewhere.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

picks for the aussie open? for me, i can't see anyone stopping novak from winning his 7th here and 15th overall...federer is not playing nearly well enough, nadal will be too rusty and none of the youngsters have shown yet that they have it in them to break through and win one of the majors...

yup.

Women's a bit open but I fear another reign of terror by Serena is starting

 

[Anil]

if serena is healthy, she has to be the favorite in every tournament she enters, that's a given but you are right, it is very open right now...

 

[social]

Im only a casual tennis fan but my god Tomic and Kyrgios really have to be among the biggest douchebag **** combos sport has seen. Just, ugh.

No wonder Lleyton is putting his faith elsewhere.

Pretty obvious that Tomic has issues

Kyrgios seemed to be getting his stuff together but can’t help himself and IMO is a far bigger waste of talent

 

[Burgey]

I wonder if Kyrgios might have a few issues himself tbh. It's never really a great idea to speculate about such things based on observatiosn from afar, but there are times I see him sitting court side between games and he looks a genuinely tortured soul.

 

[social]

Stayed in the same hotel as Kyrgios last year and he couldn’t have been nicer to my 7yo daughter

By all accounts, Bernard has been a train wreck for years

 

[OverratedSanity]

I wonder if Kyrgios might have a few issues himself tbh. It's never really a great idea to speculate about such things based on observatiosn from afar, but there are times I see him sitting court side between games and he looks a genuinely tortured soul.

Hard to say, but I feel this is definitely true for tomic. The stuff with his dad is extremely disturbing, must have had a tough childhood.

 

[Niall]

Barty

Maria

 

[vcs]

Oof, Nadal is pulverising Berdych. Didn't expect such a massacre.

 

[vcs]

If Federer makes the semi (not expecting him to beat Tsitsipas and Cilic/RBA back to back), he could be in for a hammering at Nadal's hands.

 

[mr_mister]

Tsitsipas has successfully defended 12/12 break points tonight. Poor Federer

 

[OverratedSanity]

Federer's forehand has been dreadful. Unless his level improves dramatically he's done for here.

 

[vcs]

Tsitsipas has just outplayed him in the key moments. Don't think Federer has been all that poor.

Though it is starting to fall apart for him now.