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

Charmless Man said:
Unfortunately I just can't get into tennis outside Wimbledon. It's weird because objectively I know it's a brilliant spectator sport and love watching it (especially when Federer is playing well). I don't know why.
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There will be loads like this I reckon, I'm kind of the same. I usually don't watch much but did get involved a fair bit over the past fortnight. It's probably a mix of patriotism and the fact it's hard to escape it - news, huge live coverage, radio so it feels more important. I do intend to watch a bit of the US tournament but can imagine my interest won't be as high.
 


Session said:
There will be loads like this I reckon, I'm kind of the same. I usually don't watch much but did get involved a fair bit over the past fortnight. It's probably a mix of patriotism and the fact it's hard to escape it - news, huge live coverage, radio so it feels more important. I do intend to watch a bit of the US tournament but can imagine my interest won't be as high.
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I just find it weird that I'll go out of my way to watch Rugby and Cricket, but won't with tennis. Even though I enjoy the sport as much.
 
The Bridge Lad said:
Crowd is certainly a massive contrast to Wimbledon. I also like it as the general 9-5 worker can get to see a lot more of it and it does have a sort of End of Slam Season feel to it which makes it a bit more special IMO. I'd love to go back to New York and I'd also like to go to this (although I've not even been to Wimbledon yet).

Sky vs Eurosport is a tough one. As far as coverage goes, Sky's is far superior, not many will deny that (although Eurosport is still decent), however Eurosport is available on most Sky packages and you don't need a sports subscription. At the moment i have Sky but not Sky Sports and unsure if i will upgrade for the new season, i might, but at least now i am guaranteed to see it, although i suppose if it was on Sky Sports then I would likely upgrade for that month at least. There are normally loads of top quality ESPN streams available anyway, basically like watching Sky Go on your laptop, so we should be able to watch any match we want pretty easily.



Just had a quick look and W/C 28th August, there is just Barrow vs Fylde on the start day (Mon 28th), then midweek it is just Checkatrade Trophy games although it is the return of the World Cup qualifiers on the Thursday through to the Tuesday.
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Never been to Wimbledon (or even seriously contemplated it to be honest) but been to the French, Australian, Olympics and Davis Cup.

There's something about Wimbledon I just don't fancy.
 
Just found out that I'll actually be in Toronto with work on Thursday 10th and Friday 11th August, so might look into staying around and going to The Canadian Open that weekend. No idea on pricing or how to go about getting tickets though.
 
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I am enjoying BT's WTA coverage since Wimbledon. A few results over the weekend:

Kiki Bertens beat Anett Konteveit in 3 sets to win the Gstaad Open
Home favourite Irina Begu beat Julia Goerges in straight sets to win the Bucharest Open

This week BT are showing the Nanchang Open where Brit Harriet Dart lost in the first round in straight sets to the local Wang Qiang (the only person to take a set of Venus at Wimbledon until Muguruza). This was Harriet's first ever match at a main WTA tournament.

BT are also showing the Swedish Open which although has had withdrawals still has a pretty strong field with the likes of Wozniacki, Garcia, Sevastova and Bertens

Ferrer, Isner and Rublev have won the post Wimbledon ATP tournaments. Men's tournaments this week include The German Open (on Sky Sports) which features Bedene and also the Atlanta Open which features Edmund - Eurosport have the rights to this one but only from the Quarter Final stage which i think start on Friday.

Wozniacki on tomorrow at 1pm Danish time @alexander
 
The Bridge Lad said:
I am enjoying BT's WTA coverage since Wimbledon. A few results over the weekend:

Kiki Bertens beat Anett Konteveit in 3 sets to win the Gstaad Open
Home favourite Irina Begu beat Julia Goerges in straight sets to win the Bucharest Open

This week BT are showing the Nanchang Open where Brit Harriet Dart lost in the first round in straight sets to the local Wang Qiang (the only person to take a set of Venus at Wimbledon until Muguruza). This was Harriet's first ever match at a main WTA tournament.

BT are also showing the Swedish Open which although has had withdrawals still has a pretty strong field with the likes of Wozniacki, Garcia, Sevastova and Bertens

Ferrer, Isner and Rublev have won the post Wimbledon ATP tournaments. Men's tournaments this week include The German Open (on Sky Sports) which features Bedene and also the Atlanta Open which features Edmund - Eurosport have the rights to this one but only from the Quarter Final stage which i think start on Friday.

Wozniacki on tomorrow at 1pm Danish time @alexander
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Oh, nice one, cheers.

On a slightly separate note. I was reading an article earlier on about Wimbledon. I have forgotten her name but according to the piece a lass took part this year in the women's draw. She didn't get too far but what struck me was that she is born in this millenium. How crazy is that. Won't be long before we will see the same happening with SAFC as well am sure and a lad born this millenium is playing for us. I felt very old all of a sudden reading that article.
 
alexander said:
Oh, nice one, cheers.

On a slightly separate note. I was reading an article earlier on about Wimbledon. I have forgotten her name but according to the piece a lass took part this year in the women's draw. She didn't get too far but what struck me was that she is born in this millenium. How crazy is that. Won't be long before we will see the same happening with SAFC as well am sure and a lad born this millenium is playing for us. I felt very old all of a sudden reading that article.
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Anastasia Potapova. Born in 2001. Last year's junior champion, got a qualifying wildcard and won through. Retired hurt against experienced German Tatjana Maria (porn star name) when a set down in round 1. I've inferred this from google. It is weir, like Tony Adams being the first 66 world cup player to play for England or Roy Keane being the first younger than me manager of Sunderland.
 
alexander said:
Oh, nice one, cheers.

On a slightly separate note. I was reading an article earlier on about Wimbledon. I have forgotten her name but according to the piece a lass took part this year in the women's draw. She didn't get too far but what struck me was that she is born in this millenium. How crazy is that. Won't be long before we will see the same happening with SAFC as well am sure and a lad born this millenium is playing for us. I felt very old all of a sudden reading that article.
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Aye, certainly makes you feel old. Think it will be this person you mean:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anastasia_Potapova

Just turned 16 in March, but retired in her last 128 round game in the second set.

Mind, CiCi Bellis was just 15 and a half when she reached the 2nd round of the US Open in 2014. Crazy.
 
Arkle said:
Anastasia Potapova. Born in 2001. Last year's junior champion, got a qualifying wildcard and won through. Retired hurt against experienced German Tatjana Maria (porn star name) when a set down in round 1. I've inferred this from google. It is weir, like Tony Adams being the first 66 world cup player to play for England or Roy Keane being the first younger than me manager of Sunderland.
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That is a future pub quiz question waiting to happen right there.

Like who was the English ref when Denmark played Germany and the match had to be paused because the pitch watering sprinkling system went off.

The Bridge Lad said:
Aye, certainly makes you feel old. Think it will be this person you mean:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anastasia_Potapova

Just turned 16 in March, but retired in her last 128 round game in the second set.

Mind, CiCi Bellis was just 15 and a half when she reached the 2nd round of the US Open in 2014. Crazy.
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It really is crazy.
 
Novak Djokovic out for the rest of the year with an elbow injury.

US Open all to play for in the men's now, could be a breakthrough slam for one of the young guns.
 
Safc_Number10 said:
Novak Djokovic out for the rest of the year with an elbow injury.

US Open all to play for in the men's now, could be a breakthrough slam for one of the young guns.
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Shame for the tournament with such a big name not participating but likely for the best, he's not been himself for a while.

Hopefully a chance for a younger player to go deep now as you say who might have got knocked out to him in the earlier rounds, although if it's just your Cilic's, Berdych's or Querey's taking the now vacant semi final slot then it will be disappointing.

Might also put more spotlight on the women's draw with Kvitova and Azarenka continuing their return and especially the higher profile Sharapova coming bank as well.
 
The Bridge Lad said:
Shame for the tournament with such a big name not participating but likely for the best, he's not been himself for a while.

Hopefully a chance for a younger player to go deep now as you say who might have got knocked out to him in the earlier rounds, although if it's just your Cilic's, Berdych's or Querey's taking the now vacant semi final slot then it will be disappointing.

Might also put more spotlight on the women's draw with Kvitova and Azarenka continuing their return and especially the higher profile Sharapova coming bank as well.
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Even without Djoko, there's still Federer, Nadal, Wawrinka, possibly Murray (no idea how fit he'll be) to get past. The young hopes will mostly be Thiem, Zverev, Pouille, maybe the amusingly named Jack Sock.

Women's will be wide open. Any of the top 10 (and more, top 20 maybe?) can make a reasonable claim for having a chance then, like you say, three big names are back (Kvitova is top 20, of course). Didn't realise that Pliskova was now number 1 in the world (another who's there without a slam win).
 
Arkle said:
Even without Djoko, there's still Federer, Nadal, Wawrinka, possibly Murray (no idea how fit he'll be) to get past. The young hopes will mostly be Thiem, Zverev, Pouille, maybe the amusingly named Jack Sock.

Women's will be wide open. Any of the top 10 (and more, top 20 maybe?) can make a reasonable claim for having a chance then, like you say, three big names are back (Kvitova is top 20, of course). Didn't realise that Pliskova was now number 1 in the world (another who's there without a slam win).
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Aye, was confirmed once Konta beat Halep in the quarter finals. She has had an excellent 2017 so far but probably just needs that elusive slam to give her that extra credibility. Bar Wimbledon her slam performances have been very good for a while now and was a runner up in New York 12 months ago after doing most of the hard work in the semi finals - crazy how often that happens.

Really excited about the women's side to be honest, there's easily 12 in the mix who you could make a case for and wouldn't be shocked at all if they won it. Konta's best surface as well so hopefully she goes deep again.

Keep forgetting Stan won the men's last year.
 
Pliskova is the worst number one in history by an absolute mile if we're being honest. She's reached the second week of a Grand Slam three times.
 
MarcoG said:
Pliskova is the worst number one in history by an absolute mile if we're being honest. She's reached the second week of a Grand Slam three times.
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Safina and Jankovic push her close IMO, even Wozniacki to an extent. It does appear that she has been elevated by default - Serena pregnant, Vika coming back from pregnancy, Kvitova injured and Kerber badly out of form, but on the other hand she is #1 not based on what she did 2 or 3 years ago but on her form from late 2016 through to now, which has been largely very good and includes a slam final, a semi and a quarter plus 3 Premier titles in 2017.

It's more highlighted by that very early Wimbledon exit and at the moment (without Serena) there's no real outstanding candidates on the women's tour, just a largely very well matched field which has resulted in a lot of exciting tournament / matches and new slam winners over the past 2 years and honestly, to me personally, it's the best the WTA has been for some time. I love an open field even if it is largely filled with 'very good' over 'excellent' players.
 

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