*Official* Tennis Thread

[Slats4ever]

with the packed schedule these guys play and most of them solely focussing on the grand slam events it's no wonder... TBH I don't imagine many of the players outside the Spaniards or Federer give two hoots about the French and all would rather be 100% right for the biggest event of them all in a few weeks.

 

[Simon]

i dont agree there Ian, look at the rankings and you'll see at least half of the top 100 in the world are mainly clay court specialists. even the top 10 with Nadal, Davydenko, Gonzalez, Ljubicic, Nalbandian and Federer are all very strong clay courters.
Outside of Nadal and Federer the French Open is probably the most competitive grand slam.

 

[Cloete]

i dont agree there Ian, look at the rankings and you'll see at least half of the top 100 in the world are mainly clay court specialists. even the top 10 with Nadal, Davydenko, Gonzalez, Ljubicic, Nalbandian and Federer are all very strong clay courters.
Outside of Nadal and Federer the French Open is probably the most competitive grand slam.

But that's also a reflection of the large number of clay couty ATP events, isn't it?

 

[Jono]

with the packed schedule these guys play and most of them solely focussing on the grand slam events it's no wonder... TBH I don't imagine many of the players outside the Spaniards or Federer give two hoots about the French and all would rather be 100% right for the biggest event of them all in a few weeks.

Packed schedule? You're kidding right?

Tennis players play a lot less nowadays then they did 20-30 years ago.

 

[luckyeddie]

Packed schedule? You're kidding right?

Tennis players play a lot less nowadays then they did 20-30 years ago.

Henman does.

Ist round v A.N. Other (L)
Ist round v A.N. Other (L)
Ist round v A.N. Other (L)
Ist round v A.N. Other (L)
(etc)

 

[Simon]

But that's also a reflection of the large number of clay couty ATP events, isn't it?

yeh in a way, but these guys (except for Gonzalez) are all among the best in the world imo and they all prefer clay...

 

[Slats4ever]

i dont agree there Ian, look at the rankings and you'll see at least half of the top 100 in the world are mainly clay court specialists. even the top 10 with Nadal, Davydenko, Gonzalez, Ljubicic, Nalbandian and Federer are all very strong clay courters.
Outside of Nadal and Federer the French Open is probably the most competitive grand slam.

the elite are only the top 20 and at the end of the season there are ever only 3 or 4 clay court specialists amongst the top 20....

Currently there are lots there cos Clay is what is being played at the moment...

 

[Slats4ever]

Packed schedule? You're kidding right?

Tennis players play a lot less nowadays then they did 20-30 years ago.

nope they play a lot more nowadays I think you'll find!! The fitness training and general training is far more intense nowadays also... Do some research before you make claims.

 

[Simon]

the elite are only the top 20 and at the end of the season there are ever only 3 or 4 clay court specialists amongst the top 20....

Currently there are lots there cos Clay is what is being played at the moment...

umm how do you work that out when the rankings are equally based on events in the previous 12 months?
The powerhouses of tennis (America, Australia and Britain) are no longer the top dogs anymore, countries like Spain, Argentina, Russia, Czech Republic, Croatia etc... are going to be the top tennis nations for the next 15-20 years after that the Asian countries will without doubt take over, the womens game is already starting to see some very good asian players come through.

 

[steds]

The powerhouses of tennis (America, Australia and Britain)

I thought we were always ****?

 

[Simon]

naa years ago britain were always one of the 3 top nations, France were also to an extent but not quite in the early years...
basically the four grand slams are played in Australia, France, England and America because they represent the major tennis nations, or at least they did.

 

[Jono]

nope they play a lot more nowadays I think you'll find!! The fitness training and general training is far more intense nowadays also... Do some research before you make claims.

How many doubles matches does Roger Federer play? What about Lleyton Hewitt? What about mixed doubles?

Top stars decades ago used to play singles, doubles and sometimes mixed doubles as well. They used to play a doubles final and singles final on the same day.

And name me one sport, just one, that has a fitness and training regime which is actually less intense nowadays than in the past. By claiming tennis training has gone up a notch you are proving absolutely zilch.

 

[Anil]

Roger vs Rafael II - Who will prevail?

nadal did have some luck in his part of the draw, but the guy is still so amazing, i didn't expect him to last 3 rounds and here he is, in the finals....will he upset the federer grasscourt juggernaut? seems impossible....but is roger shaking just a tiny bit at the thought of facing a guy who has now beaten him five straight times, even on a court he now owns? i was reading jon wertheim's mailbag on cnn the other day and he said he watched the french final and he distinctly saw the fear in federer during that match...if nadal believes he can win and if federer has a tiny little doubt that he might lose, that might be enough to cause a stunning upset on sunday.....what do you guys think?

 

[GIMH]

My Tennis knowledge is limited, but, it is Wimbledon and you can't miss it in the papers, on the Tv, and now, at Cricketweb, well, I think Federer will be simply too good for him. The day Federer loses his title, I bet ya it's to someone unseeded

 

[Pothas]

Nadal has been quite brilliant this tournament, he has become a very good grass court player very quickly and has an increadible self belief. Federer though has been playing some of the greatest tennis ever seen these past two weeks and he should come through id guess in 4 sets. Both of them are miles ahead of anyone else and im not sure where the next winner of a major title is going to come from who isnt one of them. Baghdatis is great and has a lot of talent so maybe him or Ancic, Players like Nalbandian and Ljubecic are very good but will they be able to win one of the grandslams, im not sure. Hewitt and Roddick dont like doing it at the moment, Safin certianly has the talent to win more grandlams but his careeer seem to be going downhill.

 

[age_master]

Federer easily. Clay is the only thing that makes them them even close.

 

[Pothas]

Federer easily. Clay is the only thing that makes them them even close.

Not True

Nadal has beaten Federer on hard courts as well. Nadal admitadly does not have the genius of Federer but he is an increadble player at just 20 and has an amazing will to win which i would rekon is stronger than federers. Having said that Federer doesnt normaly need that and im still backing him to win

 

[Simon]

Federer should win, but do not under estimate the power of self belief. Nadal honestly thinks hes going to wni every match he plays and given his talents hes got every right to. Im expecting Feds to win but i doubt he'll do it as easily as he did in the semi...

 

[oz_fan]

Federer goes into the final as the clear favourite but Nadal will fight for every point and should be able to win at least one set. Federer though is just too good on grass and I think he can win in 4 sets.

 

[Buddhmaster]

Not True

Nadal has beaten Federer on hard courts as well. Nadal admitadly does not have the genius of Federer but he is an increadble player at just 20 and has an amazing will to win which i would rekon is stronger than federers. Having said that Federer doesnt normaly need that and im still backing him to win

I think you can tell how badly each of them want it by their post match reactions. They are both overjoyed at every win, even over lesser opposition.