SMB Tennis thread (note there is a specific Wimbledon 22 thread)

alexander said:
Just won the first set six-nil. Against the current world #1. In twenty-three minutes.

Crazy stuff.
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Another great win and now definitely through to the semi finals. She will top the group unless Garcia and Svitolina win their final matches in which case she would be second and play Pliskova.

Muguruza vs Venus is the big one tomorrow.
 


The Bridge Lad said:
Another great win and now definitely through to the semi finals. She will top the group unless Garcia and Svitolina win their final matches in which case she would be second and play Pliskova.

Muguruza vs Venus is the big one tomorrow.
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Would like a Caroline - Pliskova final on Sunday. They have played some good matches against each other this year.

The commentators said yesterday that before this season Caroline has never beaten a current world number one. This season she has done so three times, against three different number one players. It wasn't that stat as such that surprised me but more so that the number one slot has passed on to so many players this season, I don't know why but I thought that was a thing that happened in the past couple of months only.
 
Arkle said:
Kyle Edmund into the semis in Vienna. The draw seems to have fallen well for him since beating Ferrer but you've still got to win the matches.
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Yep, last 2 matches were quite favourable. Can't imagine there'd be too many times where'd he'd be an odds on favourite (albeit marginal) to win a 500 quarter final. Cilic taken into a decider here in Basel, really hope Delpo can reach the final here and do well in Paris next week to get that final London spot.

Finally some good results in the women's today and Garcia has booked her semi final spot so tomorrow's semis are:

Pliskova vs Wozniacki
Garcia vs Williams

hoping for an all Caroline rematch in the final.
 
Haven't been following the tennis as much since the US Open but I'm stunned by Garcia's current run of form, think I read she was won 13 of her last 14 matches :eek:
 
The Bridge Lad said:
Fantastic set mate, she did well to win that tie break after losing all those set points.
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And Halep would have been following the match as well I would have thought. Caroline winning means Halep will end the year at #1.

Am kind of wishing Venus will win her semi-final as well. Caroline has never beaten her and with Venus' age she probably won't get many more chances to do so. Especially not if rumours are true about Venus considering packing the game in after Singapore.
 
A bit of 'Sweet Caroline' from the crowd there @alexander after tha opening game.

I was wanting Garcia to beat her yesterday. I don't want her to retire because she is still a draw and big name, but there's something about her that i can't stand.
 
So far so good. Some proper hard-hitting stuff from both players and the long ralley at break point in Venus' serve at the end of the first set was good viewing.

Is this loud grunting thing a new thing for Venus ?

The Bridge Lad said:
A bit of 'Sweet Caroline' from the crowd there @alexander after tha opening game.

I was wanting Garcia to beat her yesterday. I don't want her to retire because she is still a draw and big name, but there's something about her that i can't stand.
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I don't want her to retire either, the game will be poorer without her and her sister. But at thirty-seven and having had a very good year with two slam finals and now this end of season final as well I can see where she is coming from. That and all the new, strong players popping up at the moment the 2018 season could be a bit of a struggle for her. If she wants to finish on a high then today would be perfect for her. But she has played very well this year and would be a big miss.

Edit: That was another very good rally.

Edit II: :cool:
 
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alexander said:
So far so good. Some proper hard-hitting stuff from both players and the long ralley at break point in Venus' serve at the end of the first set was good viewing.

Is this loud grunting thing a new thing for Venus ?



I don't want her to retire either, the game will be poorer without her and her sister. But at thirty-seven and having had a very good year with two slam finals and now this end of season final as well I can see where she is coming from. That and all the new, strong players popping up at the moment the 2018 season could be a bit of a struggle for her. If she wants to finish on a high then today would be perfect for her. But she has played very well this year and would be a big miss.

Edit: That was another very good rally.

Edit II: :cool:
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Really pleased with that win, would have preferred Ostapenko or Muguruza to have won it at the start, maybe Svitolina as well, but I doubt there'd be many who'd begrudge Wozniacki her biggest title of her career after so many years at the top of the game. I was getting concerned when it went from 5-0 to 5-4 but had enough to see it out. I thought it was a good match with some good rallies and great winners, I enjoyed it and the outcome.

As you'd expect with the year end championships, that's pretty much it from the women's side until January. There is the 'Elite Trophy' next week which features the next 12 who didn't make Singapore featuring the likes of Stephens, Mladenovic and Vandeweghe but I won't be going out of my way to see it and then the following week it' the Fed Cup final between Belarus and the USA.

Really hope Del Potro can beat Federer in the Basel final next (although unlikely) to jump into the 8th and final place in the equivalent race to the London finals. The men have the Paris Masters 1000 next week, then it is that U21 NextGen tournament in Milan, then the London finals in mid November.
 
The Bridge Lad said:
Really pleased with that win, would have preferred Ostapenko or Muguruza to have won it at the start, maybe Svitolina as well, but I doubt there'd be many who'd begrudge Wozniacki her biggest title of her career after so many years at the top of the game. I was getting concerned when it went from 5-0 to 5-4 but had enough to see it out. I thought it was a good match with some good rallies and great winners, I enjoyed it and the outcome.

As you'd expect with the year end championships, that's pretty much it from the women's side until January. There is the 'Elite Trophy' next week which features the next 12 who didn't make Singapore featuring the likes of Stephens, Mladenovic and Vandeweghe but I won't be going out of my way to see it and then the following week it' the Fed Cup final between Belarus and the USA.

Really hope Del Potro can beat Federer in the Basel final next (although unlikely) to jump into the 8th and final place in the equivalent race to the London finals. The men have the Paris Masters 1000 next week, then it is that U21 NextGen tournament in Milan, then the London finals in mid November.
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It is a long season alright.

Just had a look at the women rankings. The current top five have all been #1, three of them this year alone. Very little between the players so I guess whoever wins the Aussie Open from the top ten could be number one come 1st February.

Is Konta injured or playing in the Elite Trophy ? Don't much like her but a good run in that would be good for her after a couple of bad months.
 
alexander said:
It is a long season alright.

Just had a look at the women rankings. The current top five have all been #1, three of them this year alone. Very little between the players so I guess whoever wins the Aussie Open from the top ten could be number one come 1st February.

Is Konta injured or playing in the Elite Trophy ? Don't much like her but a good run in that would be good for her after a couple of bad months.
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Yeah, there's very little between the top 6 or 7. Svitolina most titles this year, Woznaicki most finals and match wins, Venus 3 big finals, Mugu Wimbeldon and Cincinatti, Pliskova a few lower ranked wins and latter stages of the last few slams, Halep with the RG runner up and Madrid win. I don't really want to see a Serena situation where it's pure dominance, but I would like a clear number one if you know what i mean and the 'player to beat', I really thought (and hoped) Muguruza would have taken this mantle after winning Wimbledon and then following it up with Cincy, but her Asian Swing has been poor. Ostapenko has backed up her RG win with a solid Asian Swing after a disappointing US Swing, and at only 20 I'm very encouraged she can really push on. It is pretty exciting in the women's division at the moment and there are a few other teens / early 20's players like Sabalenka, Vondrousova, Kasatkina etc all pushing on and either winning titles or making finals, bodes really well for the new year.

Konta was claiming a foot injury which ruled her out of HK and then Moscow and subsequently being an alt in Singapore and the Elite Trophy so her season is done and she is seeking a new coach as well. Had Garcia not have made than incredible run and Konta snaked into Singapore in 8th place who knows if she would have played or not. I think it may be more mental and wanting a new start for the new year, but can't be sure. I do like to see her doing well as she represents GB but she's not even in my top 10 favourite players and had she have been representing Australia like she could have, then she would have just been another Strycova, Rybarikova type player to me, those who are 'there' and solid but no real feelings to them either way if you know what i mean.
 
Delpo lost in his Paris Masters quarter final today to Isner 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 and with it goes his chances of making London, had he have won he would have been there, but not to be despite winning 20 of his last 24 matches stretching back to before the US Open :(. PCB hanging on to that 8th spot despite one win in his last 7 matches and 4 straight set defeats in that period.

Nadal withdrew, so his London participation might also be in doubt so we have Isner vs qualifier Krajinovic in one semi final. Cilic has dropped the first set of his quarter final to wildcard Benneteau and Jack Sock plays Verdasco in the final QF. If either Isner or Sock win the tournament, they are in London, if neither win, Busta makes it and on current form will likely prove to be a walking bye to his opponents.

Not really been following Zhuhai, but Sloane Stephens lost both of her matches, so that's 4 straight defeats and not one set since her US Open victory. Barty plays Vandeweghe in one semi final tomorrow and Georges plays Sevastova in the other.

JL1985 said:
ITF Women's event in Sunderland this week, anyone going down for a look?

http://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/tournaments/women's-tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1100040940
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I did notice that earlier in the week and might have gone if both semi finals were on the Saturday and the final Sunday. As it is, a 10.30 start will be pretty tight. Looks an evenly matched final with Freya Christie and Maia Lumsden, both are ranked around 500+ and both 19. Christie has dropped 200 odd places in the rankings this year but is the slight favourite at 4/6 (Lumsden 11/10). Have you been down mate?
 
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The Bridge Lad said:
Delpo lost in his Paris Masters quarter final today to Isner 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 and with it goes his chances of making London, had he have won he would have been there, but not to be despite winning 20 of his last 24 matches stretching back to before the US Open :(. PCB hanging on to that 8th spot despite one win in his last 7 matches and 4 straight set defeats in that period.

Nadal withdrew, so his London participation might also be in doubt so we have Isner vs qualifier Krajinovic in one semi final. Cilic has dropped the first set of his quarter final to wildcard Benneteau and Jack Sock plays Verdasco in the final QF. If either Isner or Sock win the tournament, they are in London, if neither win, Busta makes it and on current form will likely prove to be a walking bye to his opponents.

Not really been following Zhuhai, but Sloane Stephens lost both of her matches, so that's 4 straight defeats and not one set since her US Open victory. Barty plays Vandeweghe in one semi final tomorrow and Georges plays Sevastova in the other.



I did notice that earlier in the week and might have gone if both semi finals were on the Saturday and the final Sunday. As it is, a 10.30 start will be pretty tight. Looks an evenly matched final with Freya Christie and Maia Lumsden, both are ranked around 500+ and both 19. Christie has dropped 200 odd places in the rankings this year but is the slight favourite at 4/6 (Lumsden 11/10). Have you been down mate?
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Great coverage as always bridge lad. I'm amazed that Jack Sock can make the World tour finals, his form for a good 6 months has been terrible.

Every year I say I'm going to go down and watch but I've still not been. It's so badly advertised. It was only because I seen a march on bet365 that I knew it was on.
 
JL1985 said:
Great coverage as always bridge lad. I'm amazed that Jack Sock can make the World tour finals, his form for a good 6 months has been terrible.

Every year I say I'm going to go down and watch but I've still not been. It's so badly advertised. It was only because I seen a march on bet365 that I knew it was on.
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Yeah, Sock's done nothing in the slams, this potential Paris win would be about 40% of his total points for the year with the rest largely coming from 2 early in the year 250 wins and a decent Sunshine Double showing. I know you do like PCB, but his form since the US Open has been terrible and he has been getting well beaten by much lower ranked players, I'm not sure if he is injured or just lost confidence, but he'd struggle to win a set on current form in London. Think it would have been much better for the tournament if Potro had made it as he is in great form, can beat the best as we saw in New York so would be a legit threat and contender rather than making up the numbers and is also very popular. There is a slim chance he can still make it, but that would mean Nadal withdrawing and neither Isner and Sock winning the Paris tournament. Sock has just lost his first set on the tie break.

I probably do want Isner to win this, just so there is more of a threat at London, but that would 100% rule Delpo out of it and if Nadal did withdraw then we'd basically be just swapping Delpo with Isner and PCB keeping his place, so I'm not sure what i want :lol:. Wish Nadal could make a decision before Sunday's Paris final, ha.

RE: Sunderland, I wasn't aware it was on until i was randomly looking at the remaining ITF tournaments last week and saw it. Had a Katie Swan or Katie Boulter entered then I might have been more tempted to go.
 
Laura Robson won that Sunderland ITF a few years back if memory serves me right.

Greatest moment in tennis history on Sunday if Benny finally wins a title. Fingers crossed.
 
Sock through, so tomorrow's semi finals are:

Isner vs Krajinovic
Sock vs Benneteau

Nobody would expect that line up in a 1000 event, but everyone has their own story and it will be extremely interesting. Benneteau in his final tournament before retiring and in his home country, a random qualifier in a semi, then if either Sock or Isner win they will qualify for London. Imagine a Sock-Isner final for a shootout for that final WTF spot. I hope Isner wins first and then we are guaranteed an intriguing final no matter who joins him.
 

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