French Open Tennis and Naomi Osaka

[I P Knightley]

2 hours ago, JamesM48 said:

I like both their styles of play . The baseline power hitting can be incredible tennis due to its rallies and accuracy of placing the ball near the baseline or tram lines . The all forty type in later against the baseline always gives entertaining matches like Fed v Nadal , Navratilova v Evert , McEnroe v Connors or Borg . There’s room in tennis for all those styles . I suppose Fed has proved Himself more on all surfaces , which makes him the greater all rounder player but does it make him the greatest player ? 

Each of them makes a case for being greatest:

 

Federer for the number of slams and the total number of tournaments (and finals appearances) plus his style is the easiest on the eye.

 

Nadal for the number of slams and not just being the clay court one trick pony that I thought he might be in his younger days. While Federer's grace makes the middle aged ladies a bit frothy, Nadal made the sport appeal to younger players. I reckon I've seen more young lads at tennis tournaments wanting to be Nadal than any other player.

 

Djoko could very well go on to have the most slams. He had what must have been the greatest individual season in 2015 when he pretty much bankrupted his sponsor due to the win bonus formula he had and I believe he has the most Masters tournies under his belt. Oh, and the small matter of about 20% more prize money than each of the other two.

 

Each has something about them that stops me from favouring them easily. Federer did it for me with that gold trimmed jacket (I never said I wasn't petty), Nadal and his twitches and pulling his pants out his crack isn't funny any more and Djoko, with his 17 ball bounces and (earlier in his career) his flaking out of matches with "injury".

 

I have a suspicion that Djoko will end his career with a clear record but he'll never be spoken of as THE greatest because the supporters and the media find him the hardest of the three to like.

[JamesM48]

1 minute ago, I P Knightley said:

Each of them makes a case for being greatest:

 

Federer for the number of slams and the total number of tournaments (and finals appearances) plus his style is the easiest on the eye.

 

Nadal for the number of slams and not just being the clay court one trick pony that I thought he might be in his younger days. While Federer's grace makes the middle aged ladies a bit frothy, Nadal made the sport appeal to younger players. I reckon I've seen more young lads at tennis tournaments wanting to be Nadal than any other player.

 

Djoko could very well go on to have the most slams. He had what must have been the greatest individual season in 2015 when he pretty much bankrupted his sponsor due to the win bonus formula he had and I believe he has the most Masters tournies under his belt. Oh, and the small matter of about 20% more prize money than each of the other two.

 

Each has something about them that stops me from favouring them easily. Federer did it for me with that gold trimmed jacket (I never said I wasn't petty), Nadal and his twitches and pulling his pants out his crack isn't funny any more and Djoko, with his 17 ball bounces and (earlier in his career) his flaking out of matches with "injury".

 

I have a suspicion that Djoko will end his career with a clear record but he'll never be spoken of as THE greatest because the supporters and the media find him the hardest of the three to like.

Great summary . Yes what is it about Novak that makes him unlikeable? He has no real personality apart from being abrasive at times . ? I just don’t get the admiration for him as a player either . ? But your right he will probably win most slams of all time as I think Fed is finished now and can only see Rafa win this French and possibly next year . Mind you the so called young guns still have to make a consistent break through . Nadal is my favourite for a variety of reasons . Like I said I like his style of playing . Power play . I know it may sound controversial but Fed style of play has always bored me but I can see the elegance and finesse in it but does nowt for me .  

[jonesy]

24 minutes ago, I P Knightley said:

Each of them makes a case for being greatest:

 

Federer for the number of slams and the total number of tournaments (and finals appearances) plus his style is the easiest on the eye.

 

Nadal for the number of slams and not just being the clay court one trick pony that I thought he might be in his younger days. While Federer's grace makes the middle aged ladies a bit frothy, Nadal made the sport appeal to younger players. I reckon I've seen more young lads at tennis tournaments wanting to be Nadal than any other player.

 

Djoko could very well go on to have the most slams. He had what must have been the greatest individual season in 2015 when he pretty much bankrupted his sponsor due to the win bonus formula he had and I believe he has the most Masters tournies under his belt. Oh, and the small matter of about 20% more prize money than each of the other two.

 

Each has something about them that stops me from favouring them easily. Federer did it for me with that gold trimmed jacket (I never said I wasn't petty), Nadal and his twitches and pulling his pants out his crack isn't funny any more and Djoko, with his 17 ball bounces and (earlier in his career) his flaking out of matches with "injury".

 

I have a suspicion that Djoko will end his career with a clear record but he'll never be spoken of as THE greatest because the supporters and the media find him the hardest of the three to like.

Love Djokovic.

 

Unloved by the Hooray Henry brigade and misunderstood in general in the west.

 

He's full of shit, too, but a great player.

[redjambo]

14 hours ago, jonesy said:

Love Djokovic.

 

Unloved by the Hooray Henry brigade and misunderstood in general in the west.

 

He's full of shit, too, but a great player.

 

Yeah, me too.

[ri Alban]

4 hours ago, redjambo said:

 

Yeah, me too.

Hate the *****. 

[jonesy]

14 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

Hate the *****. 

Love him even more now.

 

Nole, Nole, Nole!

[milky_26]

19 hours ago, jonesy said:

Love Djokovic.

 

Unloved by the Hooray Henry brigade and misunderstood in general in the west.

 

He's full of shit, too, but a great player.

its his gamesmanship with his "medical" timeouts when things are not going well that i dont like. He tries to come across as a cheeky chappie but for me comes across as an idiot

[jonesy]

1 minute ago, milky_26 said:

its his gamesmanship with his "medical" timeouts when things are not going well that i dont like. He tries to come across as a cheeky chappie but for me comes across as an idiot

Fair enough, I get why folk might not like him.

 

I guess most champions end up pushing both themselves and the rules to the limit to give themselves an advantage (pardon the tennis pun).

[Maroon Sailor]

Djokovic going absolutely banzai after winning through to the semi final

 

Hate to see him if he lost 🤣

[Mikey1874]

3 minutes ago, Maroon Sailor said:

Djokovic going absolutely banzai after winning through to the semi final

 

Hate to see him if he lost 🤣

 

Was interesting again when just before that he went tonto and kicked the advertising.

 

He should have had a warning then. That might have been fun. 

[Cade]

Djoko's an antivax, conspiracy theorist prick. 

Nadal is a tourettes/OCD nightmare who's only good on one surface.

Federer is a bland corporate brand where a human being should be.

Murray's a cripple.

Kyrgios is the wank's wank.

 

[fancy a brew]

12 minutes ago, Cade said:

Djoko's an antivax, conspiracy theorist prick. 

Nadal is a tourettes/OCD nightmare who's only good on one surface.

Federer is a bland corporate brand where a human being should be.

Murray's a cripple.

Kyrgios is the wank's wank.

 

 

Murray>Nadal>Federer>Kyrgios>an arsehole>Djokovic

[neilnunb]

That was bizarre from Djoko 🤣

 

Imagine it was because he should have wrapped up the 3rd set so was letting his frustrations out.

[jonesy]

Love seeing some emotion from the players. Well done Djokovic.

[A Boy Named Crow]

6 hours ago, Cade said:

Djoko's an antivax, conspiracy theorist prick. 

Nadal is a tourettes/OCD nightmare who's only good on one surface.

Federer is a bland corporate brand where a human being should be.

Murray's a cripple.

Kyrgios is the wank's wank.

 

All of the above is why I'm happy to watch tennis on a match by match basis I don't have anybody I particularly go for. It's not like a team sport where the players are really irrelevant,  it's all about your team winning. Take the team out of the picture in football, and you're left with a shower of ******s who couldn't give a toss about you...that's tennis all the time!

[I P Knightley]

10 hours ago, Cade said:

Djoko's an antivax, conspiracy theorist prick. 

Nadal is a tourettes/OCD nightmare who's only good on one surface.

Federer is a bland corporate brand where a human being should be.

Murray's a cripple.

Kyrgios is the wank's wank.

 

"...whose strengths make him particularly good on one surface."

 

He's won 78% of matches played on hard and grass courts but 92% of those on clay.

 

Djoko is 80% on clay and 84% on the others;  Federer is 76% on clay and 84% on the others (87% on grass; 83.5% on hard).

 

It's typically the case with Spanish, Italian and, to an extent, French players that they are more successful on clay than they are on hard. They tend to have clay courts in public parks in those countries; definitely to a greater extent than we do. For mortal players from those countries, the stats are nearer to 50-55% (clay) and 45-50% (hard) but you add in Nadal's top level qualities the gap between gets wider. Probably because on hard courts, there are more players who have grown up with it and can challenge whilst on clay, there is a much smaller pool of 'specialists'.

3 hours ago, A Boy Named Crow said:

All of the above is why I'm happy to watch tennis on a match by match basis I don't have anybody I particularly go for. It's not like a team sport where the players are really irrelevant,  it's all about your team winning. Take the team out of the picture in football, and you're left with a shower of ******s who couldn't give a toss about you...that's tennis all the time!

I get this. We support a football team for life, even though the personnel change constantly. I don't get the idea of linking your lot to a tennis player who'll have a career typically maxing out at 12 years (with some obvious exceptions). Imagine being the bloke who, when Borg won his sixth French Open, went out and bought all the Borg kit and flags and sweatbands; got the tattoo etc. only for him to retire less than a year later. It makes no sense.

 

Like you, I'll watch a lot of matches not really caring who wins as long as the competition is good. I'll want Djoko to beat Nadal this time but only because winning the same Grand Slam tournament 14 times is just silly.

[A Boy Named Crow]

30 minutes ago, I P Knightley said:

 

I get this. We support a football team for life, even though the personnel change constantly. I don't get the idea of linking your lot to a tennis player who'll have a career typically maxing out at 12 years (with some obvious exceptions). Imagine being the bloke who, when Borg won his sixth French Open, went out and bought all the Borg kit and flags and sweatbands; got the tattoo etc. only for him to retire less than a year later. It makes no sense.

 

Like you, I'll watch a lot of matches not really caring who wins as long as the competition is good. I'll want Djoko to beat Nadal this time but only because winning the same Grand Slam tournament 14 times is just silly.

The missus and her pals mostly consider themselves Nadal die-hards.  From time to time I ask them what they'll do when he retires. It seems they haven't thought that far ahead.

[neilnunb]

Mixed doubles

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/57428410

 

😎

[I P Knightley]

1 hour ago, neilnunb said:

Mixed doubles

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/57428410

 

😎

No time spent on pausing to check that headline before pressing "Enter"!!

 

[Last Laff]

pavlyuchenko finding it tough to get rid of Zidane here.

[Maroon Sailor]

8 minute toilet break for Krejcikova

 

She must have had the fish

[I P Knightley]

9 minutes ago, Maroon Sailor said:

8 minute toilet break for Krejcikova

 

She must have had the fish

Hahaha!

 

I wish that the commentators would have that sort of a discussion! 

 

So, Annabel. Eight whole minutes already. What's your take on that? 

 

Well, Marcus, it's at most a minute walk to the cludgie so she must be in there 'shouting at the Germans.'

 

By which you mean?

 

Hunnnnnnn, hunnnnnn. The poor lass must be giving birth to MeatLoaf's daughter. 

 

Indeed. Greg, is something that players work on in training? Is there ever an ideal time during a match to go and drop the kids off at the pool?

 

The top coaches think of everything, Marcus. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that her bag has snacks of liquorice, bran muffins and espresso shots. A risky strategy when wearing whites but its the tiny margins that win matches. 

 

And here she is; back and walking a bit like John Wayne. So we'll go back to the commentary box. 

[ri Alban]

9 hours ago, I P Knightley said:

"...whose strengths make him particularly good on one surface."

 

He's won 78% of matches played on hard and grass courts but 92% of those on clay.

 

Djoko is 80% on clay and 84% on the others;  Federer is 76% on clay and 84% on the others (87% on grass; 83.5% on hard).

 

It's typically the case with Spanish, Italian and, to an extent, French players that they are more successful on clay than they are on hard. They tend to have clay courts in public parks in those countries; definitely to a greater extent than we do. For mortal players from those countries, the stats are nearer to 50-55% (clay) and 45-50% (hard) but you add in Nadal's top level qualities the gap between gets wider. Probably because on hard courts, there are more players who have grown up with it and can challenge whilst on clay, there is a much smaller pool of 'specialists'.

I get this. We support a football team for life, even though the personnel change constantly. I don't get the idea of linking your lot to a tennis player who'll have a career typically maxing out at 12 years (with some obvious exceptions). Imagine being the bloke who, when Borg won his sixth French Open, went out and bought all the Borg kit and flags and sweatbands; got the tattoo etc. only for him to retire less than a year later. It makes no sense.

 

Like you, I'll watch a lot of matches not really caring who wins as long as the competition is good. I'll want Djoko to beat Nadal this time but only because winning the same Grand Slam tournament 14 times is just silly.

Mind you said Nadal would never over take Federer. 

[Maroon Sailor]

Pavlyuchenkova v Krejcikova

 

It's not kova til it's kova

 

 

[JamesM48]

21 hours ago, Cade said:

Djoko's an antivax, conspiracy theorist prick. 

Nadal is a tourettes/OCD nightmare who's only good on one surface.

Federer is a bland corporate brand where a human being should be.

Murray's a cripple.

Kyrgios is the wank's wank.

 

Take it you don’t like tennis ? 

[JamesM48]

The women’s game has took a real dive again . Hardly any characters of interest . Once Queen Serena goes it’ll be even worse . Loath her or like her . 

[Mikey1874]

Think Djokovic v Nadal which is 2nd semi final will be 7pm.

 

Which puts them in the window for 11pm crowd evacuation. 

[I P Knightley]

17 hours ago, ri Alban said:

Mind you said Nadal would never over take Federer. 

You might be thinking of someone else

 

I reckon I said that (if I said it) at a time when Nadal appeared to have broken himself and his legs were about to fall off. Absolutely hands up to have been wrong on that, though. I mean, ferchrissakes, how many apparently strong challengers have come through so very, very close in the time that Fed, Rafa and Djoko have been around only for the wax on their wings to melt?

* Murray

* Stan

* Delpo

* Cilic

* Berdych

* Tsonga

* Raonic

I've probably tipped them all at some point to break into the winner's circle but, each time they get close, the top 3 just step on the gas.

 

My revised opinion is that it's only old age that's going to see the next lot take over (Zverev, Tsitsipas, Thiem, Medvedev, Felix A-A, etc.) None of them shows any sign of having that all-conquering ability that the other three have had.

[rudi must stay]

On 09/06/2021 at 22:59, Cade said:

Djoko's an antivax, conspiracy theorist prick. 

Nadal is a tourettes/OCD nightmare who's only good on one surface.

Federer is a bland corporate brand where a human being should be.

Murray's a cripple.

Kyrgios is the wank's wank.

 

 

Federer is a funny guy. He has had a tough personal life and lives with a smile on his face. They are all fine in my opinion, they all have so much talent and that makes the sport very interesting. But the key thing for me is they are all well mannered and respectful, and that includes Novak, push comes to shove in defeat he's respectful.

[rudi must stay]

20 hours ago, JamesM48 said:

The women’s game has took a real dive again . Hardly any characters of interest . Once Queen Serena goes it’ll be even worse . Loath her or like her . 

 

No characters but plenty ability in the woman's game 

[Maroon Sailor]

1 hour ago, rudi must stay said:

 

Federer is a funny guy. He has had a tough personal life and lives with a smile on his face. They are all fine in my opinion, they all have so much talent and that makes the sport very interesting. But the key thing for me is they are all well mannered and respectful, and that includes Novak, push comes to shove in defeat he's respectful.

 

Not a great fan of Djokovic but getting kicked out the US Open last year was harsh when you think about it. She didnae half milk it. She went to hospital FFS 

 

[neilnunb]

Djoko breaks in the 3rd set. Come on. 🙏

[neilnunb]

Opened my gob too early as Nadal breaks back 🤣😐

[Maroon Sailor]

How many times does Djokovic bounce the ball before he serves?

 

Ridiculous 

 

12 or 13 times is the answer - must be a superstition

 

 

 

 

Edited 18 hours ago by Maroon Sailor

[neilnunb]

2 minutes ago, Maroon Sailor said:

How many times does Djokovic bounce the ball before he serves?

 

Ridiculous 

 

12 or 13 times is the answer - must be a superstition

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less than Nadal!

[Maroon Sailor]

1 minute ago, neilnunb said:

 

 

Less than Nadal!

 

What is the point of it ? Just serve !

[neilnunb]

Just now, Maroon Sailor said:

 

What is the point of it ? Just serve !

 

 

It is superstition with Nadal, same with how he delicately places his bottles etc.

 

2 bounces at most.

 

It's ridiculous Djokovic got pulled up first for it. Even the commentator said the time Nadal takes between 1st and 2nd serve gets on his tits. 😁

[I P Knightley]

18 minutes ago, Maroon Sailor said:

How many times does Djokovic bounce the ball before he serves?

 

Ridiculous 

 

12 or 13 times is the answer - must be a superstition

 

 

 

 

It varies and seems to depend on the scoreline. 

 

 

15 minutes ago, neilnunb said:

 

 

Less than Nadal!

Fewer.

 

 

But he doesn't wipe his nose, right ear, nose, left ear, pull his pants out his crack... so it probably evens out. 

[neilnunb]

Djokovic has certainly had his chances tonight. Got a bad feeling Nadal is getting on top though.

[Maroon Sailor]

Tie Break for the 3rd set

 

Won't beat the curfew

 

What a French farce that is

 

 

[Maroon Sailor]

It's a tennis match and a half this

 

Incredible stuff

[Maroon Sailor]

Rafa misses a dolly

[Maroon Sailor]

Djokovic wins the tie-break

 

Leads 2-1

[neilnunb]

Come on Novak!

[neilnunb]

They are letting the crowds stay beyond curfew? 😷😁

[jonesy]

Scintillating stuff. Watched the first half of the Italy match, but have stayed hooked on this. Some great shots. Great to see these guys still  in their prime. Astonishing ability and dedication.

[neilnunb]

Novak's to lose now 

 

 

[I P Knightley]

Although I disapprove of the clay courts, I have to admit you do get some decent match ups going on. 

[Maroon Sailor]

If Djokovic was to win the French this year I think it will mean more to him than when he won his only title here when Nadal had to withdraw during the tournament

[Maroon Sailor]

Rafa is toast