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

Born Never Asked said:
He actually looks like he has somehow managed to improve as a tennis player, sadly still think Djokovic will end up beating him though, or he will get an injury that will rob him of another slam win like has happened many times before.
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Nadal has been working on his serve and 1st shot, in an effort to shorten points as he knows he needs to do what federer has done since he came back from injury to prolong his career.
A super aggressive Nadal is not something many players will be wanting to face!
Be interesting if he keeps this style for the French where clay makes it harder to win points with just the serve and 1st shot
 


Just realised that unlike today, the first singles's match starts at midnight rather than 1.30am, so I'll get to watch Osaka-Svitolina before bed - hope the winner of that wins the tournament:


Rod Laver Arena, from 12am
N. Osaka (4) versus E. Svitolina (6)
Not before 2am
S. Williams (16) versus Ka. Pliskova (7)
M. Raonic (16) versus L. Pouille (28)
From 8.30am
N. Djokovic (1) versus K. Nishikori (8)
Women's Doubles Semifinals


Nadal-Tsitsipas will be 8.30am Thursday and the other semi final (probably Djok-Raonic) will be 8.30am on Friday, so a full 24 hours extra rest for the winner of the first semi final. Both finals are 8.30am UK time on Saturday and Sunday.
 
Can anyone see beyond Raonic and Novak?

The Bridge Lad said:
Just realised that unlike today, the first singles's match starts at midnight rather than 1.30am, so I'll get to watch Osaka-Svitolina before bed - hope the winner of that wins the tournament:


Rod Laver Arena, from 12am
N. Osaka (4) versus E. Svitolina (6)
Not before 2am
S. Williams (16) versus Ka. Pliskova (7)
M. Raonic (16) versus L. Pouille (28)
From 8.30am
N. Djokovic (1) versus K. Nishikori (8)
Women's Doubles Semifinals


Nadal-Tsitsipas will be 8.30am Thursday and the other semi final (probably Djok-Raonic) will be 8.30am on Friday, so a full 24 hours extra rest for the winner of the first semi final. Both finals are 8.30am UK time on Saturday and Sunday.
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Quite lucky with those finals, basically the only time that is half kind to us. Probably be a different story when the alarm goes off at 8am on the Sunday though :lol:
 
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Tennis really is a demanding sport. Last Thursday evening, Bouchard was losing to Serena on RLA, 5 days later she's playing (and winning) a challenger match in California.

Session said:
Can anyone see beyond Raonic and Novak?



Quite lucky with those finals, basically the only time that is half kind to us. Probably be a different story when the alarm goes off at 8am on the Sunday though :lol:
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I think Pouille will give Raonic a match as he's playing some good stuff, but can't see Kei having much left in the tank. I'll go for Novak in 3 and Milos in 4.

Djokovic-Raonic and Tsitsipas-Nadal would be 2 decent enough semi finals, on paper.

Are you staying up for the matches @chopsfc007?
 
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The Bridge Lad said:
Tennis really is a demanding sport. Last Thursday evening, Bouchard was losing to Serena on RLA, 5 days later she's playing (and winning) a challenger match in California.
Osaka and most of Novak's game I will see about anything else


I think Pouille will give Raonic a match as he's playing some good stuff, but can't see Kei having much left in the tank. I'll go for Novak in 3 and Milos in 4.

Djokovic-Raonic and Tsitsipas-Nadal would be 2 decent enough semi finals, on paper.

Are you staying up for the matches @chopsfc007?
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The Bridge Lad said:
Tidied ;)

Yeah, I'm staying up for Osaka-Svitolina. Would rather the Serena match was first as I think I'd like Svitolina to win, but Naomi would be a bigger threat should Serena come through later.
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Genuinely think osaka is only one that can challenge williams however Iv got coupon that includes svitolina winning the tournament
 
chopsfc007 said:
Genuinely think osaka is only one that can challenge williams however Iv got coupon that includes svitolina winning the tournament
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I think Kvitova going by her last 3 performances has a chance, but I know what you mean. If Pliskova-Serena was on first and Pliskova somehow won, then I'd want Svitolina to win here, but as it's first, I've got to go for Osaka for that reason. I'd be fine with an Osaka-Kvitova final.

Nadal to win outright is the only bet I've got left. Ended the tournament in profit although I might put a few cheeky bets on the finals.
 
The Bridge Lad said:
I think Kvitova going by her last 3 performances has a chance, but I know what you mean. If Pliskova-Serena was on first and Pliskova somehow won, then I'd want Svitolina to win here, but as it's first, I've got to go for Osaka for that reason. I'd be fine with an Osaka-Kvitova final.

Nadal to win outright is the only bet I've got left. Ended the tournament in profit although I might put a few cheeky bets on the finals.
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Think Iv been betting wrong for years small bets ridiculous odds, if you do a 4 fold of 5/1bets that's over 1000/1
 
Lots of twists and turns here, thought Osaka would have saw that set out, but a couple of unforced errors, another break and back on serve.

Both will have too significantly raise their games to have any chance should Serena come through. Pretty much all on Naomi's racquet and she has too much power, but making far too many errors.

First set Osaka, 6-4.
5 breaks in a row.
 
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Session said:
Still can't believe that Serena match. One of the strangest things I have seen in tennis.
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It was absolutely astonishing. Serving at 5-1 and had match point and then foot fault called and then the rolling of the ankle. She still had match points after that, but one of the biggest turnarounds I have seen. I was ready to just fast-forward that final game.

Pleased she isn't winning the title here, but I do feel a bit sorry for her - this will hit hard. I'm hoping for an Osaka-Kvitova final and that would also decide the #1. Naomi is the provisional #1 as it stands, but Pliskova also in contention.
 
The Bridge Lad said:
It was absolutely astonishing. Serving at 5-1 and had match point and then foot fault called and then the rolling of the ankle. She still had match points after that, but one of the biggest turnarounds I have seen. I was ready to just fast-forward that final game.

Pleased she isn't winning the title here, but I do feel a bit sorry for her - this will hit hard. I'm hoping for an Osaka-Kvitova final and that would also decide the #1. Naomi is the provisional #1 as it stands, but Pliskova also in contention.
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For all Collins has had an amazing tournament, you'd have to strongly favour Kvitova against her. She's yet to lose more than 5 games in a match. The other semi looks pretty even - Osaka maybe slightly favoured by having an easier quarter final.

In the men's draw, you'd have to think Djoko vs Nadal is most likely.
 
Arkle said:
For all Collins has had an amazing tournament, you'd have to strongly favour Kvitova against her. She's yet to lose more than 5 games in a match. The other semi looks pretty even - Osaka maybe slightly favoured by having an easier quarter final.

In the men's draw, you'd have to think Djoko vs Nadal is most likely.
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Collins is a very strange one. I was saying to Chops the other day how I thought once her Indian Wells and Miami points dropped off in March, she'd fall to around 60/70 and would fluctuate from like 50-70 depending on the odd run here and there, so I am very surprised by this run and she's beat some very good players. I do quite like her intensity and the no f***s attitude, but I'd rather this came after she was a bit more established on the tour. They played a tight match a couple of weeks ago in Brisbane, but yeah, I think Petra will win something like 3 and 2.

I didn't actually know the Novak outcome, but saw elsewhere that it was 6-1 4-1 retired, so I'll not bother watching that :lol: and Pouille is like 10/1, so it would be a monster upset if he pulls it off, but really can't see it - quite surprised he beat Raonic tbh. Not sure who I want to win the other match, probably leaning more towards Nadal, but I definitely want the winner of that match to take the title.
 
The Bridge Lad said:
It was absolutely astonishing. Serving at 5-1 and had match point and then foot fault called and then the rolling of the ankle. She still had match points after that, but one of the biggest turnarounds I have seen. I was ready to just fast-forward that final game.

Pleased she isn't winning the title here, but I do feel a bit sorry for her - this will hit hard. I'm hoping for an Osaka-Kvitova final and that would also decide the #1. Naomi is the provisional #1 as it stands, but Pliskova also in contention.
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What's the criteria for number 1?
 
Session said:
What's the criteria for number 1?
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It's very interesting. Whoever wins the title out of Osaka, Pliskova and Kvitova will become #1. If Collins wins the title then Osaka gets it. Kvitova has 2 Wimbledon's but she's never been #1 and she's defending a lot of points in the next couple of weeks, so this may be her best opportunity to finally get there (#2 is her career high). Pliskova is one of those 'slamless #1's', like Wozniacki and Halep were this time last year, so it would be nice for her to get that monkey off her back. Naomi will surely get multiple opportunities in her career.
 
The Bridge Lad said:
It's very interesting. Whoever wins the title out of Osaka, Pliskova and Kvitova will become #1. If Collins wins the title then Osaka gets it. Kvitova has 2 Wimbledon's but she's never been #1 and she's defending a lot of points in the next couple of weeks, so this may be her best opportunity to finally get there (#2 is her career high). Pliskova is one of those 'slamless #1's', like Wozniacki and Halep were this time last year, so it would be nice for her to get that monkey off her back. Naomi will surely get multiple opportunities in her career.
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Cheers, not totally clued up on all the defending points stuff :lol:, but it does sound good how the winner becomes number 1. You staying up for the matches?
 
Session said:
Cheers, not totally clued up on all the defending points stuff :lol:, but it does sound good how the winner becomes number 1. You staying up for the matches?
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If they started at 12 or 1 maybe, but 3am start is far too late. I'm working from home tomorrow, so I'll have them on in the background and hopefully avoid the results. Probably watch Nadal-Tsitsipas in peace once I'm finished.
 

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