The Bridge Lad
Striker
Anyone been watching the Laver Cup. Final day just starting on SS Arena. 4 matches and it's pretty tight.
Not sure what I think of it.
Not sure what I think of it.
SMB Tennis thread (note there is a specific Wimbledon 22 thread)
- Thread starter The Bridge Lad
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scotch
Striker
Fun competition and chance to see world's best in a team environment. be great if it came to the UK next year
The Bridge Lad
Striker
It's confirmed for Geneva next year and I think the plan going forward is to take it to places that don't see much tennis.
I want to like it and if it attracts the big names, big crowds and media attention then it can't be a bad thing, there's just something I'm not sure about.
scotch
Striker
If the tennis keeps up Like these matches i think it'll win a few fans over
The Bridge Lad
Striker
Can't deny it's been fun watching this evening, very exciting and it's great to see past legends, current legends and future stars all going together for a showcase / festival of tennis.
Still not too sure about the scoring system - although it does make for great twists and turns on the final day and obviously ensures it can't be won outright on the first 2 days.
Would be good if it turns out to be a long term project, but will it be sustained post Federer?
The Bridge Lad
Striker
GB and Argentina were chosen as the two nations to receive wildcards into the new Davis Cup format next November.
Cameron Norrie has just had a great win over Coric to make the QFs in Shenzhen 250 (and has a very winnable match next), while Murray plays Goffin in the last 16 tomorrow.
Only 1 seed of the 16 seeds remain in the last 8 at Wuhan, which is like a Masters 1000 equivalent on the women's tour. QF line up is:
Barty (seed) vs Pavlychenkova
Sabalenka vs Cibulkova
Q Wang vs Puig
Kontaveit vs Siniakova
Great opportunity for one of those to add 900 points and some could make a very late push for the Year End Championships in Singapore with Beijing 1000 to come next week.
Cameron Norrie has just had a great win over Coric to make the QFs in Shenzhen 250 (and has a very winnable match next), while Murray plays Goffin in the last 16 tomorrow.
Only 1 seed of the 16 seeds remain in the last 8 at Wuhan, which is like a Masters 1000 equivalent on the women's tour. QF line up is:
Barty (seed) vs Pavlychenkova
Sabalenka vs Cibulkova
Q Wang vs Puig
Kontaveit vs Siniakova
Great opportunity for one of those to add 900 points and some could make a very late push for the Year End Championships in Singapore with Beijing 1000 to come next week.
The Bridge Lad
Striker
A lot has happened in the past week and a half.
In the women's, Sabalenka won Wuhan 900 last week and Wozniaki won Beijing 1000 earlier today. Home favourite Qiang Wang reached the semi finals of both events to back up her Guangzhou 250 title the week prior and is now up to around 24/25 in the rankings - it will be very interesting to see if she can keep up that sort of form outside of China as that's another future endorsement queen if she can. 3 250 events this week in Hong Kong, Tianjin and Linz - the most interesting thing is the Race to Singapore, the end of season championships. 5 have already secured their places (Halep, Kerber, Osaka, Kvitova, Woznaicki) with Stephens, Svitolina, Pliskova and Bertens all fighting it out for the final 3 places, and all bar Stephens are playing this week. Katie Boulter is playing Tianjin and Harriet Dart playing Linz.
In the men's, Tomic and Nishioka (not Nishikori as he says
) won respective Chinese 250 events last week and Basilashvili (who beat Delpo) and Medvedev (who beat Nishikori) won 500 events today in Beijing and Tokyo respectively. Kyle Edmund reached the semi in Beijing but lost to the eventual winner. It's all about the Shanghai Masters 1000 for the men this week.
Bath will host Fed Cup group matches featuring GB next February, the first time the competition will be played here since the early 90's.
In the women's, Sabalenka won Wuhan 900 last week and Wozniaki won Beijing 1000 earlier today. Home favourite Qiang Wang reached the semi finals of both events to back up her Guangzhou 250 title the week prior and is now up to around 24/25 in the rankings - it will be very interesting to see if she can keep up that sort of form outside of China as that's another future endorsement queen if she can. 3 250 events this week in Hong Kong, Tianjin and Linz - the most interesting thing is the Race to Singapore, the end of season championships. 5 have already secured their places (Halep, Kerber, Osaka, Kvitova, Woznaicki) with Stephens, Svitolina, Pliskova and Bertens all fighting it out for the final 3 places, and all bar Stephens are playing this week. Katie Boulter is playing Tianjin and Harriet Dart playing Linz.
In the men's, Tomic and Nishioka (not Nishikori as he says
) won respective Chinese 250 events last week and Basilashvili (who beat Delpo) and Medvedev (who beat Nishikori) won 500 events today in Beijing and Tokyo respectively. Kyle Edmund reached the semi in Beijing but lost to the eventual winner. It's all about the Shanghai Masters 1000 for the men this week.Bath will host Fed Cup group matches featuring GB next February, the first time the competition will be played here since the early 90's.
The Bridge Lad
Striker
Great win for Katie Boulter earlier today over the seeded Maria Sakkari at WTA Tianjin, should just about put her in the top 100 for the first time - she certainly will be if she can back that up with a win in the 2nd round vs a qualifier.
Edmund also through to the 2nd round at the Shanghai Masters.
Edmund also through to the 2nd round at the Shanghai Masters.
And, of course, we had the latest chapter in Kyrgios wasting his talent.
The Bridge Lad
Striker
It's pretty hard to get behind him when he's acting like that. He's 23 and a half and still going on like a teenager - certainly doesn't seem to get on with Shanghai. Bar Brisbane and a couple of grass events, he's done pretty much nothing this year, bar tank and retire from matches of course. At least their are a few other decent youngsters coming through, including his compatriot ADM who I think is ranked ahead of him now.
Yeah, De Minaur is now ranked 33 and on an upward curve, while Kyrgios is at 38 and going downwards.
The Bridge Lad
Striker
Speaking of upward curves, Jack Draper is coming along very nicely since the Wimbledon boys runners up. He won 2 futures events in England and then went to Nigeria for a couple of 25k events. He reached the semi final there last week, won his 1st round match today and has a match with a 14 year old British wildcard next (no idea how or why this lad got a WC). He's the only 16 year old in the top 1000 and is #574 in the live rankings. He's obviously not beating world beaters, but 14 wins from 15 is good going and he's not 17 until the end of December.
The other young lads are doing well too. Aidan McHugh (18) also reached a GB futures final the other week and is at 730 and George Loffhagen has reached the odd 25k QF and is at 803. These are/were all pretty good juniors as well so the future is looking good.
The Bridge Lad
Striker
Katie Boulter made the quarters in Tianjin so will officially break into the top 100 for the first time when the new rankings or out on Monday.
Edmund also through to the quarters in Shanghai. Faces A Zverev next.
Good stuff.
Edmund also through to the quarters in Shanghai. Faces A Zverev next.
Good stuff.
The Bridge Lad
Striker
Boulter was up an early break in the decider against Pliskova in Tianjin yesterday but ended up losing 6-3 in the third, still a great week for her - a career best win and will be up to a career high of 95 or 96 in Monday's rankings depending on what happens in Linz. Pliskova faces Caroline Garcia in the final tomorrow.
Wang Qiang continues her unbelievable Asian run to make the Hong Kong final. She beat Svitolina first today in a match that was carried over from yesterday because of the rain and then beat Muguruza 6-7 6-4 7-5 (was 1-4 down in the decider) later to make the final. She's 16-2 now since mid-September and faces 18 year Dayana Yastremska in tomorrow's final.
Camila Giorgi has just made the Linz final and faces either Petkovic or Alexandrova (who are about to start) in tomorrow's final.
Edmund lost 6-4 6-4 to A Zverev in the Shanghai 1000 quarter final yesterday and the German went on to lose 6-2 6-1 to Djokovic in the semi final this morning. Borna Coric beat Federer 6-4 6-4 a little earlier to set up the final with Djokovic tomorrow.
Wang Qiang continues her unbelievable Asian run to make the Hong Kong final. She beat Svitolina first today in a match that was carried over from yesterday because of the rain and then beat Muguruza 6-7 6-4 7-5 (was 1-4 down in the decider) later to make the final. She's 16-2 now since mid-September and faces 18 year Dayana Yastremska in tomorrow's final.
Camila Giorgi has just made the Linz final and faces either Petkovic or Alexandrova (who are about to start) in tomorrow's final.
Edmund lost 6-4 6-4 to A Zverev in the Shanghai 1000 quarter final yesterday and the German went on to lose 6-2 6-1 to Djokovic in the semi final this morning. Borna Coric beat Federer 6-4 6-4 a little earlier to set up the final with Djokovic tomorrow.
Session
Midfield
Nice run from both. I've been given a ticket for the O2 so was hoping Kyle might have sneaked in if there were a couple of pull outs, but that's gone now. Novak back to looking unplayable again.
The Bridge Lad
Striker
Well, Djokovic did add the Shanghai title to his growing collection since Wimbledon beating Coric 3 and 4 in the final - that's Wimbledon, Cincy, US Open and Shanghai within the past 3 months and is indeed looking unbeatable again and @Benjamin's worst fears look like they are coming true. 27 wins from his last 28 matches, the last 10 in straight sets.
Garcia beat Pliskova to take the Tianjin title. Giorgi beat Alexandrova to take Linz and Yastremska beat Wang in Hong Kong - all 3 women's finals in straight sets.
Still a few more weeks on the men's tour to go and there's 250 events in Moscow, Antwerp and Stockholm this week but it's the final week of the women's tour with a premier event in Moscow and an international event in Luxembourg. Stephens officially joins the 4 current slam holders + Kvitova in the Singapore Year End Champioships and 2 of Svitolina, Bertens and Pliskova will join them. The latter two are playing in Moscow and if both reach the semi final, they will qualify and Svitolina will miss out. Anything less and she will make it.
What day are you going? I'm always a bit put off by the singles-doubles combo as I've not really got any interest in the latter and would be disappointed if I had something like Cilic-Anderson and a doubles match. I will definitely try and go before 2020 though as I reckon it'll definitely move to a new venue after that.
Assuming there's no withdrawals, the current top 8 look nailed on.
Garcia beat Pliskova to take the Tianjin title. Giorgi beat Alexandrova to take Linz and Yastremska beat Wang in Hong Kong - all 3 women's finals in straight sets.
Still a few more weeks on the men's tour to go and there's 250 events in Moscow, Antwerp and Stockholm this week but it's the final week of the women's tour with a premier event in Moscow and an international event in Luxembourg. Stephens officially joins the 4 current slam holders + Kvitova in the Singapore Year End Champioships and 2 of Svitolina, Bertens and Pliskova will join them. The latter two are playing in Moscow and if both reach the semi final, they will qualify and Svitolina will miss out. Anything less and she will make it.
What day are you going? I'm always a bit put off by the singles-doubles combo as I've not really got any interest in the latter and would be disappointed if I had something like Cilic-Anderson and a doubles match. I will definitely try and go before 2020 though as I reckon it'll definitely move to a new venue after that.
Assuming there's no withdrawals, the current top 8 look nailed on.
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Session
Midfield
I'm going on the Tuesday early session, quite looking forward to it, never been before. I'd rather it have been 2 singles matches, but I guess 2 doubles matches as a package wouldn't be too appealing. Good line up, a lot better than last year.
The Bridge Lad
Striker
Results in Moscow earlier today means the Singapore YEC line up in complete:
*Halep (French Open)
Kerber (Wimbledon)
Wozniacki (Australian Open, Beijing)
Osaka (US Open, Indian Wells)
Kvitova (Madrid)
Stephens (Miami)
Svitoliva
Pliskova
Bertens as first alt and still 3 in contention to be the second alt. Nice to see that the 4 slam winners are all there and the winners of the 8 biggest tournaments of the year.
*Halep pulled out of Moscow this week and has issues with her back, so I wouldn't be surprised if we saw an alt have some involvement here.
*Halep (French Open)
Kerber (Wimbledon)
Wozniacki (Australian Open, Beijing)
Osaka (US Open, Indian Wells)
Kvitova (Madrid)
Stephens (Miami)
Svitoliva
Pliskova
Bertens as first alt and still 3 in contention to be the second alt. Nice to see that the 4 slam winners are all there and the winners of the 8 biggest tournaments of the year.
*Halep pulled out of Moscow this week and has issues with her back, so I wouldn't be surprised if we saw an alt have some involvement here.
