official French Open thread

[cezero]

Serena indeed playing the worst match of the year.

Jeepers.

 

[cezero]

Nothing wrong with using it as a training tool. Just don't want to watch big time matches played on it. Don't want to play on it either. Regular clay I would find much more palpable for both.

Crushed bricks or stone is what clay courts are in tennis. It's been that way for centuries.

It and grass were the main surfaces for a few centuries until the recent advent of hard courts in the past 40 years or so. It's why all majors were played on grass or clay until almost 1980, when the US Open moved from grass to clay to hard courts. Australia didn't change to hard until the mid 80s.

Anyway, I love clay season since it lets fans see the complete game of tennis.

 

[nuraman00]

During the first game of the 3rd set, Monfils was up 40-love.

But FED kept hitting awesome returns, and set himself to win the points. He eventually won that game! Watching those returns, its the most excited I've been for him within a game, in a while. He looked like he was channeling Agassi or Djokovic. Great to see.

FED would win that 3rd set.

In the 4th set, FED got an early break again, and won the set 6-1. I was surprised at how quickly today went. I was thinking it was going to be a long sets 3 -5.

FED referred to his important breaks of Monfils, saying that he was reading Monfils' serve well today.

 

[nuraman00]

Crushed bricks or stone is what clay courts are in tennis. It's been that way for centuries.

It and grass were the main surfaces for a few centuries until the recent advent of hard courts in the past 40 years or so. It's why all majors were played on grass or clay until almost 1980, when the US Open moved from grass to clay to hard courts. Australia didn't change to hard until the mid 80s.

Anyway, I love clay season since it lets fans see the complete game of tennis.

I do like the seeing the strategy of a point unfold, that a clay court point is more likely to display, than a point on another surface.

I remember during a James Blake studio segment, in 2007, or 2008, he talked about how he had to think 3 shots ahead on clay, and know what he was going to do to win the point.

 

[nuraman00]

Because the Monfils-FED match finished quicker than I expected, I'll make some time for Sock - Nadal, and probably the resumption of Cilic - Ferrer, later tonight, on the DVR.

Also, it looks like the Serena match is tight, so I'll have to see how that goes to.

Will watch all of this after work tonight. Woke up early to watch as much as I could of Monfils - FED before work, which surprisingly was the rest of the match.

 

[cezero]

I do like the seeing the strategy of a point unfold, that a clay court point is more likely to display, than a point on another surface.

I remember during a James Blake studio segment, in 2007, or 2008, he talked about how he had to think 3 shots ahead on clay, and know what he was going to do to win the point.

Yeah, it's great, for me anyway.

Grass is my least favorite surface to watch now.

I actually liked it a lot better when it was lightning fast and a lot of serve/volley went out. The consistently low bounce made it exciting. Those times are gone since they changed the grass (homogenized all surfaces, really), and racquet technology allows for hitting those low balls a lot better. It's like watching slippery hard court tennis now. Not my favorite.

 

[cezero]

Okay, so Serena pulled her head out, and played at about 75% for the last 2 sets of the match. Thank goodness.

I'd rather see an American get through who has an actual chance to win a major. That's not Sloane...at least not right now.

 

[Old Lion]

Okay, so Serena pulled her head out, and played at about 75% for the last 2 sets of the match. Thank goodness.

I'd rather see an American get through who has an actual chance to win a major. That's not Sloane...at least not right now.

Stephens game is plenty good enough. Her concentration is for shiit though. Until that changes she wont win.

 

[cezero]

Stephens game is plenty good enough. Her concentration is for shiit though. Until that changes she wont win.

Yep.

All the talent in the world. Just unfocused.

Her backhand and 2nd serve are her biggest liabilities. She's gotten the backhand about as good as it can be over the past several years. It's developed nicely. That 2nd serve is going to keep her from contending for majors, though.

 

[cezero]

Hey, Sock took a set. Good for him.

 

[Old Lion]

I think he can take 1 more. Lets see what he is made of.

Surprised Cilic went out so easy against Ferrer. I know Ferrer may be the 2nd best clay player in the world but that was not even close. Maybe Ferrer finally wins a major?

 

[bksballer89]

I think he can take 1 more. Lets see what he is made of.

Surprised Cilic went out so easy against Ferrer. I know Ferrer may be the 2nd best clay player in the world but that was not even close. Maybe Ferrer finally wins a major?

A miracle would need to happen....like avoiding rafa & Novak

 

[cezero]

I think he can take 1 more. Lets see what he is made of.

Surprised Cilic went out so easy against Ferrer. I know Ferrer may be the 2nd best clay player in the world but that was not even close. Maybe Ferrer finally wins a major?

I was really encouraged by Sock. If he ever chooses to commit to fitness, he could be a top 7-10 player, IMO. Maybe even a little better. That's a big "if", though. Tremendous weapons off the serve and forehand that almost compensate for his mediocre backhand. He has to get trimmer to move better.

Cilic was out for half a year with injury. Only recently started playing regularly again, and clay is his worst surface.

 

[cezero]

supposed to be cold and wet on Wednesday, so a nice day for rafa to take out nole

 

[bksballer89]

Who you guys got in the Men's matches tmr?

I'm going with Kei in 5 and Roger in 4

 

[cezero]

Nishikori in 3 or 4.

I think the Fed match could go either way, so I'm not going to try.

 

[nuraman00]

Nishikori in 3 or 4.

I think the Fed match could go either way, so I'm not going to try.

Yeah, I think the FED match is 50/50. Wawrinka has a better backhand.

I don't know about the Nishikori-Tsonga match. If Tsonga was playing his best, I'd pick him. I don't think he's playing his best. I guess I'll say Tsonga in 5.

I'm rooting for the winner of the FED - Wawrinka match to win the title, even though those chances aren't great.

Rooting for Nadal over Djokovic. Djokovic can get his FO title some other year when there's a surprise Finalist.

I would have been intrigued by either Ferrer vs. Murray, or Murray vs. Cilic. But think it's a bigger statement for Murray to beat Ferrer on clay, since he's never done it before.

If Cilic is healthy, he could be a 2nd tier contender at any major, like Tsonga and Berdych are.

 

[cezero]

Tsonga about to go up 2 sets to none.

I'm happy for him.

 

[bksballer89]

I'm shocked stan dominated fed like that

 

[bksballer89]

Kei a game away from forcing a 5th set