US Open Tennis Series

[Rudi Skacel]

Murray on at half 6 tomorow, pretty annoying as ill be playing tennis till about 8 but oh well.

 

At least he is on first so if he does win then he will have a longer rest than Djokovic before the semi final

[:shitwine:]

Nadal absolutely dicked all over Robredo last night - 6-0 6-2 6-2.

 

I can't see Gasquet faring much better.

[Jeremy Goss]

Nadal is unstoppable on this form. He will brush aside Gasquet and be fresh for the final whereas our Andy has to come through much harder opponents in Wawrinka and Djokovic.

 

Can see Murray winning tonight but in 5 and then go on to battle it out with Djokovic - with possibly a win however Nadal will be far too strong for either two in the Final.

 

Fully expect Nadal to dominate the slams next year.

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

Some of the tennis nadal played was ridiculous

 

Where is the panda? He was certain he was done and would be wheeled out once a year for the French?

[Boaby Ewing]

Nadal was frightening last night.

 

It wasn't just his power, the accuracy was off the charts too. No matter how hard he was hitting it you expected it to land in.

[redm]

He won, but he wasn't particularly convincing.

 

Looked more like the Murray of 2010/2011 than the last two years. The shots were just that little bit further away from the corners and the baseline than they normally are.

 

He came through it, and still played some amazing shots, but I fear for him in the next three games.

 

Wawrinka is his bogey man and looks to be in great form, Djokovic looks close to his imperial best, and everyone knows how well Nadal is playing.

 

He needs to find something more, otherwise it looks like the post-Wimbledon hangover hasn't quite lifted.

There was a couple of bad line calls he was seething about and that interrupted his game. He can and will lift it for the top players.

 

However, I just can't see how him or djokovic can come through a match v each other considering how demanding they usually are, and then beat the glorious rafa who is on a mission.

 

So basically Nadal and Djokovic are well into annihilation of opponents phase. Hmm.

This concerns me. Murray needs to step up a gear but he might've left it a bit late, Wawrinka could give him a game and a half this evening.

[Sergio Garcia]

From what I seen of Nadal last night he was in destructive form, having seen bits of Novak last match he is getting to that level as well. The bits and pieces I have seen from Murray match last round he is doing enough to get through, some decent shots but nothing more. Needs to step it up a few notches to match Novak and then again to match Rafa.

 

If Rafa can stay fit then he has a real chance of overtaking Feds grand slam record I think.

[Franklin Delano Bluth]

Some of the tennis nadal played was ridiculous

 

Where is the panda? He was certain he was done and would be wheeled out once a year for the French?

 

He playing well, certainly the best player in the world right now. Happy to admit that.

 

You were certain he was going to win Wimbledon, how did that work out?

 

It's all about if he can stay injury free. If he can, then he'll go on to dominate. Don't know how likely that is though.

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

 

 

He playing well, certainly the best player in the world right now. Happy to admit that.

 

You were certain he was going to win Wimbledon, how did that work out?

 

It's all about if he can stay injury free. If he can, then he'll go on to dominate. Don't know how likely that is though.

 

aye an injury proves me wrong. I am certain bolt will win his next race but if he pull his hammy half way through it doesn't made I made the wrong prediction all things being equal.

 

You were unbelievably wrong, just admit it.

[scott_jambo]

Nadal and Djokovic are frightening right now, but Murray will do his best to return every shot they fire at him - he relishes these challenges.

 

Hopefully he can come through the Wawrinka match to see how Murray does against Djokovic/Nadal at their best.

[Franklin Delano Bluth]

 

 

 

aye an injury proves me wrong. I am certain bolt will win his next race but if he pull his hammy half way through it doesn't made I made the wrong prediction all things being equal.

 

You were unbelievably wrong, just admit it.

 

An injury does prove you wrong, deal with it, as they say. You said he'd win, he didn't. You were wrong (wrong about both winners of Wimbledon, actually ) I've said he's the best in the world right now, that is admitting I was wrong. I'm happy to admit I was wrong.

 

If you say Bolt will win his next race, and he doesn't, how in any way are you correct?

[hughesie27]

 

 

 

An injury does prove you wrong, deal with it, as they say. You said he'd win, he didn't. You were wrong (wrong about both winners of Wimbledon, actually ) I've said he's the best in the world right now, that is admitting I was wrong. I'm happy to admit I was wrong.

 

If you say Bolt will win his next race, and he doesn't, how in any way are you correct?

 

Surely you have to give a bit leeway if a player gets injured?

 

[Rudi Skacel]

Sounds abit like what the person on here said during the Wimbledon thread that he was correct about Murray never winning a Grand Slam untill he won one.

 

Who was that again?

[shaun.lawson]

So it's a three horse race between far and away the three best players in the world. Great for the rest of the tournament.

 

But to repeat what I said after Wimbledon: however much Murray has improved under Lendl's expert tutelage, he has never reached the level of either Nadal or Djokovic at their best, and he never will. To also repeat: Wimbledon represented the zenith of his career. He is now a fulfilled sportsman no matter what; and nothing will ever quite match him ending a 77 year long wait.

 

This makes it unlikely he'll win many more Slams - and as I said at the time, I think he has an Australian Open title (next year's one, probably) in him, but that's your lot.

[Maroon Sailor]

 

 

This makes it unlikely he'll win many more Slams - and as I said at the time, I think he has an Australian Open title (next year's one, probably) in him, but that's your lot.

 

 

Everybody should now put money on Murray dominating the Slams for the next 2 or 3 years !

 

 

[Harry Palmer]

Sounds abit like what the person on here said during the Wimbledon thread that he was correct about Murray never winning a Grand Slam untill he won one.

 

Who was that again?

 

Dusk Till Dawn?

[Gavsy Van Gaverson]

So it's a three horse race between far and away the three best players in the world. Great for the rest of the tournament.

 

But to repeat what I said after Wimbledon: however much Murray has improved under Lendl's expert tutelage, he has never reached the level of either Nadal or Djokovic at their best, and he never will. To also repeat: Wimbledon represented the zenith of his career. He is now a fulfilled sportsman no matter what; and nothing will ever quite match him ending a 77 year long wait.

 

This makes it unlikely he'll win many more Slams - and as I said at the time, I think he has an Australian Open title (next year's one, probably) in him, but that's your lot.

 

 

You just can't help yourself can you!

[shaun.lawson]

 

You just can't help yourself can you!

 

Moi?

[Boaby Ewing]

To also repeat: Wimbledon represented the zenith of his career. He is now a fulfilled sportsman no matter what; and nothing will ever quite match him ending a 77 year long wait.

 

This makes it unlikely he'll win many more Slams - and as I said at the time, I think he has an Australian Open title (next year's one, probably) in him, but that's your lot.

 

Are you not projecting a wee bit?

 

Watching Murray in the flesh a couple of nights ago I felt the same to a degree, but then I wonder it's whether it's because the monkey is off our collective backs now.

 

I enjoyed the game, and was still up for it when the sets were close - but I didn't feel an ounce of what I did last September at Flushing Meadows, or even watching the Wimbledon final in a London boozer a couple of months back.

 

But does Murray feel the same? We don't know. Personally, I doubt it. He's well schooled in tennis's history and knows he's still got a lot to prove to be considered one of the all-time greats. He might get to enjoy the big tournaments a bit more now, unless the press inevitably turn on him after he slips up a couple of times.

 

Edit: Should say there's obviously a difference between watching a final and an early round anyway. If he somehow makes it through to meet Nadal in the final I'd imagine I'll be up for it again. We'll see.

[I P Knightley]

 

 

But does Murray feel the same? We don't know. Personally, I doubt it. He's well schooled in tennis's history and knows he's still got a lot to prove to be considered one of the all-time greats. He might get to enjoy the big tournaments a bit more now, unless the press inevitably turn on him after he slips up a couple of times.

 

 

I guess you're talking about the wonderful, supportive British press here but globally, I don't sense that the media get on Del Potro's back for failing to back up his early promise with anything beyond his US Open win.

 

If the super soar away sun were to start getting on Murray's back, he's probably trained to be able to ignore that, see the bigger global picture and keep his focus on the slams. I'm not sure he's at all bothered about number 1 status, wanting to get his name on more slams. If that is his focus, it's natural that the nerves will affect him more for those tournies but in a good way - keeping the pressure on.

 

Signed

 

A prominent internationally successful sports psychologist.

[The Merse]

 

So it's a three horse race between far and away the three best players in the world. Great for the rest of the tournament.

 

But to repeat what I said after Wimbledon: however much Murray has improved under Lendl's expert tutelage, he has never reached the level of either Nadal or Djokovic at their best, and he never will. To also repeat: Wimbledon represented the zenith of his career. He is now a fulfilled sportsman no matter what; and nothing will ever quite match him ending a 77 year long wait.

 

This makes it unlikely he'll win many more Slams - and as I said at the time, I think he has an Australian Open title (next year's one, probably) in him, but that's your lot.

 

Stating Federer was going to win this tournament really renders your opinion worthless to be honest.

 

[Boaby Ewing]

I guess you're talking about the wonderful, supportive British press here but globally, I don't sense that the media get on Del Potro's back for failing to back up his early promise with anything beyond his US Open win.

 

If the super soar away sun were to start getting on Murray's back, he's probably trained to be able to ignore that, see the bigger global picture and keep his focus on the slams. I'm not sure he's at all bothered about number 1 status, wanting to get his name on more slams. If that is his focus, it's natural that the nerves will affect him more for those tournies but in a good way - keeping the pressure on.

 

Signed

 

A prominent internationally successful sports psychologist.

 

All true, though it's natural to want to be 'liked' by your home press.

 

The pre-Wimbledon stuff he was doing showed that (even if it was partly about making sure he could cash in fully after the win).

 

I wish he would bring back the Saltire wrist bands just to wind up the Little Englander crowd.

[AWM]

judy murray ?@judmoo 21s

007 in our corner 2day. Shweet. #usopen2013

 

[:shitwine:]

 

 

 

Stating Federer was going to win this tournament really renders your opinion worthless to be honest.

 

[Sergio Garcia]

Stating Federer was going to win this tournament really renders your opinion worthless to be honest.

 

 

He tipped JDP before Federer as well.

[rossthejambo]

Why anyone takes Lawson's tennis predictions even remotely seriously after tipping Tipsy last year, amongst many other howling predictions, I'll never know.

[The Merse]

Murray v Wawrinka has potential to be a real good match.

 

Come on Andy!

[scott_jambo]

What is Shaun on about? If Nadal is injured again then Murray and Djokovic will be in a 2 horse fight for every slam for the next 2-3 years.

[shaun.lawson]

He tipped JDP before Federer as well.

 

Sorry, no I didn't. Everyone has the right to change a tip before the start of a tournament; and JMDP had been so wobbly all summer that it clearly wasn't going to be him. The comical thing is I stopped tipping him for basically the same reason as (with zero confidence, as I stated above), I started tipping Federer.

 

Why anyone takes Lawson's tennis predictions even remotely seriously after tipping Tipsy last year, amongst many other howling predictions, I'll never know.

 

Please stop making things up Ross. It's entirely unbecoming of you.

 

"Lawson's tipped the world number 8 to reach a surprise semi-final! He's mad! Mad I tell you!"

 

Quite amusing the way I'm always accused of trolling when, in fact, the trolling invariably comes in my direction, from all over the place.

[Sergio Garcia]

Sorry, no I didn't. Everyone has the right to change a tip before the start of a tournament; and JMDP had been so wobbly all summer that it clearly wasn't going to be him. The comical thing is I stopped tipping him for basically the same reason as (with zero confidence, as I stated above), I started tipping Federer.

 

 

 

Please stop making things up Ross. It's entirely unbecoming of you.

 

"Lawson's tipped the world number 8 to reach a surprise semi-final! He's mad! Mad I tell you!"

 

Quite amusing the way I'm always accused of trolling when, in fact, the trolling invariably comes in my direction, from all over the place.

 

First line of the paragraph you say you didn't tip him, later in the paragraph you say you stopped tipping him.

 

So you did tip him then.

[shaun.lawson]

First line of the paragraph you say you didn't tip him, later in the paragraph you say you stopped tipping him.

 

So you did tip him then.

 

A tip changed before the start of a competition doesn't count as a tip.

 

That's why bookies tend to close their books on certain things when they do.

[rossthejambo]

 

 

 

 

Please stop making things up Ross. It's entirely unbecoming of you.

 

"Lawson's tipped the world number 8 to reach a surprise semi-final! He's mad! Mad I tell you!"

 

Quite amusing the way I'm always accused of trolling when, in fact, the trolling invariably comes in my direction, from all over the place.

 

I never said tip to win, so I'm not making anything up. What round did he go out in again?

 

[shaun.lawson]

I never said tip to win, so I'm not making anything up. What round did he go out in again?

 

Oh no! Tut tut! Surprise semi-final tip fails to make surprise semi-final! This has never happened in the history of the world!

 

He then confirmed why I'd fancied him to be a surprise semi-finalist when coming painfully, horribly close to being a surprise semi-finalist in the very next major.

[:shitwine:]

Away from the Lawson show, this 10th game is never-ending

[:shitwine:]

First set Wawrinka

[scott_jambo]

Oh no! Tut tut! Surprise semi-final tip fails to make surprise semi-final! This has never happened in the history of the world!

 

He then confirmed why I'd fancied him to be a surprise semi-finalist when coming painfully, horribly close to being a surprise semi-finalist in the very next major.

 

So he didn't make it to the Semi's in the next major either?

Shaun, Murray is going to be competitive for the next 4-5 years, why throw another wild prediction in the vain hope that one of these days you will be right and you can do the wee face. Unfortunately all your predictions are so way off the mark that even if one does come off, everyone will view it as a case of a clock being right twice a day.

[Sergio Garcia]

Thought he was going to manage to get out of that game there. Needs to calm it a bit.

[shaun.lawson]

Unfortunately all your predictions are so way off the mark that even if one does come off, everyone will view it as a case of a clock being right twice a day.

 

First three majors this year: winner correctly tipped every time. And no, not after tipping anyone else either; winner correctly tipped, every time.

 

Then I went a bit nuts for this one, but oh well. I hate going for bookies' favourites all the time, because it's boring.

 

Next year, at the World Cup, folk on here will shout the odds for all sorts of teams who won't win it, but might be surprise packages (ie. semi-finalists). Of those teams, at least one will be a surprise; but most will crash and burn. It doesn't make someone dumb if they don't happen to nail that surprise team.

[:shitwine:]

 

 

Oh no! Tut tut! Surprise semi-final tip fails to make surprise semi-final! This has never happened in the history of the world!

 

He then confirmed why I'd fancied him to be a surprise semi-finalist when coming painfully, horribly close to being a surprise semi-finalist in the very next major.

 

Was this not around about the time you criticised people for selecting a 'predictable' semi line up because you preferred some shocks, only to then select the top 8 seeds to qualify for the QF's at this years Wimbledon?

[shaun.lawson]

Was this not around about the time you criticised people for selecting a 'predictable' semi line up because you preferred some shocks, only to then select the top 8 seeds to qualify for the QF's at this years Wimbledon?

 

Sure was.

 

But awfully sorry: I'm not having that Britain's first winner in 77 years was somehow entirely expected. If it was, far, far more folk on here would've expected it, wouldn't they?

 

But speaking of him: it's like watching the clock get turned back a bit at the moment. This is like pre-Lendl Murray at times.

[I P Knightley]

Linky?

[The Merse]

Stan the man playing very well.

 

Can Murray find another gear?

[Sooperstar]

 

 

Surely you have to give a bit leeway if a player gets injured?

[Sooperstar]

 

 

Surely you have to give a bit leeway if a player gets injured?

 

A player who has known injury concerns? Nah. That should be taken into account before making predictions.

[Tommy Wiseau]

Tennis threads rule of thumb:

 

Tommy Wiseau - listen to this man

 

Anyone in Uruguay or pretending thereof - don't listen to this man

 

 

[shaun.lawson]

Tennis threads rule of thumb:

 

Tommy Wiseau - listen to this man

 

Anyone in Uruguay or pretending thereof - don't listen to this man

 

:lol:

[:shitwine:]

 

 

Sure was.

 

But awfully sorry: I'm not having that Britain's first winner in 77 years was somehow entirely expected. If it was, far, far more folk on here would've expected it, wouldn't they?

 

But speaking of him: it's like watching the clock get turned back a bit at the moment. This is like pre-Lendl Murray at times.

 

The Murray thing isn't my issue - it was why you made a massive deal about picking favourites for a tournament before then picking favourites for the tournament. Murray was maybe not entirely picking the favourite (he was at least 2nd favourite), but Djokovic winning his 3rd consecutive Aussie open and Nadal winning his 8th French in 9 years was hardly startling.

 

[The Merse]

Looking bleak for Murray.

[shaun.lawson]

The Murray thing isn't my issue - it was why you made a massive deal about picking favourites for a tournament before then picking favourites for the tournament. Murray was maybe not entirely picking the favourite (he was at least 2nd favourite), but Djokovic winning his 3rd consecutive Aussie open and Nadal winning his 8th French in 9 years was hardly startling.

 

Entirely agree with that.

[Gavsy Van Gaverson]

Murray looking like he'll have do it the hard way and win it in 5 sets if he is to.