ILE rolling non-slam Tennis thread

djokovic looks so average

fabulously entertaining match from Monfils and Federer. No clowning from Monfils and spectacular shotmaking from both.

fed looking good

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/16/sports/tennis/applebees-a-suburban-staple-for-cincinnati-masters-players.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

haha Gulbis really did a 180 on Cincy. I remember him saying that it was the most boring stop on tour.

I never really thought that this was the only suburban Masters event but I guess it is. Indian Wells is sort of suburbanish right?

fucking ugh @ Halep never getting over the finish line vs Ma$ha

Did anyone see Stan btw, how did he lose to Bennetau after winning 6-1?

ivanovic went into a coma mid 2nd set

fucking ugh @ Halep never getting over the finish line vs Ma$ha

― lex pretend, Saturday, August 16, 2014 1:00 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

seriously getting pissed about this, finish her off already

i went to new haven qualifiers today - p fun, saw nicalescu lose, she plays like unless she can win the pt on a sic slice drop shot shes not interested in winning the pt @ all, respect

this is bzarre

yea this is turning into a slopfest

holy shit

class running forehand. just tuned into this at 5-5

(3rd set)

that ivanovic winner is like the only 1 shes needed to hit in the last 8 games

Maria's been supbar all season, even hustling through the clay courts. Her RG final vs Halep is the most impressed I've ever been with her, not nbecause it was her game at its best, but because she upped her level from truly shabby to meet in-form Halep - that was a great career moment, but coach or herself it's been a grimey year. Some miracle of willpower will have to happen to make a dent in the USO.

Ivanovic pulled a bullshit mid-game MTO and Sharapova called her out, it seems? Ivanovic has done this before at the Doha YEC. Really shameless gamesmanship.

(I watched Serena/Woz, first set Serena seemed determined to match Woz in the pushing stakes but thankfully decided to get it together. Mini-choke at the end but very straightfoward otherwise.)

Thought Ferrer was about to have his Vitas Gerulaitis moment here ("no one beats David Ferrer sixteen times in a row!") but Fed completely on top in the decider. So far.

Ha - on a challenge, by a millimetre. Federer's 80th title.

Ferrer played about as well as he can in the first 2 sets.

those wacky Cincy trophies smh

Rafa out of the USO, not that unsurprisingly

It is very odd to think that the favourite is probably...Federer. Nadal out, Murray shit, Djokovic still honeymooning mentally

yea hes def the favorite

Can see Fed being 'surprised' on the way though.

The most open major...in an era?

When is Jelena Ristic due to give birth, anyway? Or has it happened and I didn't notice?

If Djokovic/Murray regain enough form to reach the SF/F, I wouldn't count them out against Federer.

I intend to put a largeish wager on Djokovic because he's not particularly interested in The Narrative.

hard to see Nole being the wreck he's been over the last few weeks, maybe could be vulnerable before the SFs but i don't trust the rest of the field to take advantage. now would be a great time for Murray to stop being shit

When is Jelena Ristic due to give birth, anyway? Or has it happened and I didn't notice?

If Djokovic/Murray regain enough form to reach the SF/F, I wouldn't count them out against Federer.

― lex pretend, Monday, August 18, 2014 1:28 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Jelena is between 7-8 months and is at home in Monte Carlo which explains some of Djoker's distraction level I'd imagine.

Nole is slightly better than even money and Federer is 3.5-1 to win the open which seems about right.

The guy I truly don't see winning is Murray.

cibu not heading into the open too well

Cibulkova went 24-7 from January to April, then she lost that insane match in the KL final to Vekic and since then has gone 5-9.

Yeah, if Ristic hasn't given birth yet then I don't expect Djokovic to snap out of it at the USO.

wow some really terrible line calls in murguruza/peng

man giorgi is so frustrating

Venus/Lucic is such a special final. Mirjana's first final since Bol 1998. Insane to think they were teen prodigies together.

And a very special outcome. Mirjana!!!

yesterday's final really got me thinking about how Venus/Mirjana finals should've been one of that generation's finest rivalries. And how their respective families and teams really shaped their talents into such divergent careers. If Mirjana's dad had been the Richard Williams type...

Bencic was absolutely stellar in thrashing Sweta today. She can put that BH exactly where she wants to with such consistency, and she can conjure up angles wt full stretch. FH is much improved, as is the second serve.

Also, this tennis handshake happened. BZS, never change

http://i.imgur.com/0avw8v7.gif

impressive serving from vaidisova in her first comeback match

Rumours are swirling that Li is going to retire. NOOOOOOOO!

sad but 100% expected tbh

it was in the offing as soon as that chinese academy took carlos back really

Vaidisova's temper hasn't changed!

Na's retirement confirmed

Not surprising but still :(

Ashleigh Barty's also retired (or "taken an indefinite hiatus") at just 18. That does come out of the blue, though it's not as if she ever showed a great deal of drive about her career anyway. All those WCs wasted, lol. She was on the way to a great doubles career though. I expect she'll be back in a few years.

Oh god, I just realised that Li's last ever point was THAT DF down MP after the overrule. What a very...Li Na way to end a career. Also very Li Na: ending her career on the first day of the tournament created for her.

I saw her last ever match in person!