*Official* Tennis Thread

[Anil]

Fit (and focused) Djokovic is the biggest threat to Fed, obviously (BTW, Federer is also the biggest threat to Djokovic and was the only one who could challenge him in his dominant run, along with beast-mode Wawrinka).

Nadal and Del Potro come next.

Then, Murray, Wawrinka and in-form big hitters like Raonic, Cilic etc.

Then finally Tsonga, Dimitrov, Berdych, Nishikori etc.

That's how I see it.

you forgot an important player in this list, donskoy...where would he slot in? i consider him a master manipulator using mind-control to make federer beat himself...

also i don't know what your basis is for putting delpo so high up...threat for me means federer at his best can be beaten by these players...for me that shortens the list considerably...

djokovic at his best is capable of doing it, so obviously is nadal and murray (at his absolute best) as well, pre-injury delpo did it in the u.s open final and was capable (i doubt it now though)...stan has the talent but he is at a psychological disadvantage against him for multiple reasons..but the rest don't really stand much of a chance against him at or near his best...

the thing is he has not been close to his best all that often in recent years and that kind of provides an opening for a lot of players, an even wider list than what you mentioned...

 

[vcs]

LOL Donskoy is the GOAT. What a ridiculous choke that was from Federer to lose that one.

He's going to have these inexplicable defeats at this stage, we can't expect 2005-06 Federer to come back and win 40 straight matches and make finals every week.

I put DelPo in because he can take the match off Federer's racquet (at his best). So can Nadal and Djokovic at their respective best. I never got that feeling when Federer played Murray, even when he used to lose, I always thought the match was Federer's to win or lose. In recent times, he's struck the perfect balance between attack and defence against Murray.

 

[vcs]

Anyway, Fed is slated to play Del Po in the 3rd round at Miami, so we should soon find out how well DelPo is playing.

Will be happy no matter who wins that match.

 

[Anil]

jono missing especially from the tennis thread feels weird...did he finally quit cw and get a life?

 

[vcs]

Kohli isn't making runs these days.. let's hope he makes a double in the next game and Jono'll be back with a vengeance.

In any case, clay court season is coming so Nadal should start winning and he'll be back..

 

[honestbharani]

If they are making the courts faster, I wont bank on any of the current players defeating Fed at his best. But on the regular slower tracks and on clay, the usual suspects still can easily beat him - That's Rafa, Novak, Sir Murray and Stan and Del Potro now and then.

 

[vcs]

**** me, the toes on that thing's hind legs creep me out.

Who knew Haas was still playing BTW

 

[indiaholic]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/mar/20/andre-agassi-life-after-tennis-steffi-graf


“When people didn’t have my nuanced take on him they just represented him as abusive. But my dad was clear. He said: ‘Andre, I know how I’ve lived and I know who I am and who I’m not. If I could do everything all over again I would change only one thing – I wouldn’t let you play tennis.’ I’d pulled the car over when he said: ‘I would only change one thing.’ I said, ‘Wow, why’s that Dad?’ He said: ‘Because I’d make you play baseball or golf so you can do it longer and make more money.’ I got back on the freeway with a chuckle.”

 

[vogue]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/mar/20/andre-agassi-life-after-tennis-steffi-graf


“When people didn’t have my nuanced take on him they just represented him as abusive. But my dad was clear. He said: ‘Andre, I know how I’ve lived and I know who I am and who I’m not. If I could do everything all over again I would change only one thing – I wouldn’t let you play tennis.’ I’d pulled the car over when he said: ‘I would only change one thing.’ I said, ‘Wow, why’s that Dad?’ He said: ‘Because I’d make you play baseball or golf so you can do it longer and make more money.’ I got back on the freeway with a chuckle.”

Interesting guy. Need to read his book I feel. Admire what he has done in the education field.

 

[Anil]

nadal into the semis in miami...

 

[vcs]

Hope we see another Fedal here. Win or lose, not too much pressure on Federer, for a change. He can come out swinging freely.

Federer is in the tougher half though, will have to get past Berdych and then one of Zverev/Kyrgios who have a good chance of upsetting him. Nadal has Fognini (who did beat him a few times in a row a couple of years back, including at the US Open), but that is an easier proposition.

 

[Niall]

Berdych v Federer is a matchup that for sheer boredom is up there with Simon v Murray, enough please.

 

[vcs]

He sucks in general against the top 3, but he has a better chance against Federer compared to against Nadal or Djokovic.

 

[vcs]

Another Donskoy match in the making here.

Berdych has played well TBF, but that game by Federer serving for the match..

 

[Anil]

he barely survives...this won't do especially if his next match is against krgyios...

 

[vcs]

Helps that Berdych is a choker as well. DF'ed matchpoint down.

IW and Miami have similar court-speed but Fed's shots don't really have the same penetration here. I think Indian Wells is at an altitude, so the balls tend to fly quicker compared to Miami's humid climate.

 

[Anil]

Helps that Berdych is a choker as well. DF'ed matchpoint down.

yeah he just refused to let federer lose, kind of an anti-donskoy in that regard...

 

[Anil]

i predict nadal vs kyrgios in the final...

 

[Anil]

turning out to be quite a match...i still maintain the kyrgios will prevail...

 

[Anil]

another great escape...holy ****! and now to the 3rd edition of fedal this year! can he come back from two such gruelling matches?