ILE rolling non-slam Tennis thread

Knew Dasha would pull it off in the end. She's actually tough mentally, like she really relishes the fight!

yeah Gavrilova's fun to watch, and even when Ivanovic saved triple MP twice you never felt Dasha would collapse. Her actual talent level is nowhere near as high as her mental strength though, half her shots look like accidental shanks whether they land in or not and her shot selection gives every impression of being completely random

that second set of murray-nadal was maybe the worst set of tennis Nadal has ever played on clay.

on the other hand, murray winning two clay titles out of nowhere is no joke. Clearly something good happening there. IIRC he had never even made a clay final until 2 weeks ago?

Where are the people crediting him for making astute choices in his coaching team?

also if Kvitova has battled through a 3-set shit-fest from 6-3 3-0 up to win in a tie-break in the third only to lose to god damned Jankovic again I might just have to kill myself. Please, Magda, prevent this.

Petra started last week with 3-set shitfests over Govortsova and Vandeweghe, remember. Though I expect her to lose to CSN in the quarters.

Great to see Goffin with a decent win this year, hopefully that kickstarts him a bit. Though I have no idea wtf Tsonga was thinking tactically in the last four games of the match

Watching Bouchard/CSN. First set: actually pretty good from Bouchard, ramped it up in the TB. Second set: kind of horrible from both, lots of early breaks, Bouchard choked for the match at 5-4, CSN played a glorious classic clay point to save game point at 6-5* and then Bouchard made two cringeworthy wild errors. Third set!

CSN is absolutely determined to spurn every chance Bouchard gives her, nonetheless Bouchard has managed to choke for the match three times across two sets now

What was CSN thinking on four consecutive MPs???

LMAO this match

CSN lost five straight points from *6-2 up in the TB, starting with a DF and continuing with basic errors
Then Bouchard DFed twice in a row
Then CSN finally won the thing

Seriously impressed that Bouchard has managed to _not_ gain points outside the Slams this year given how she did fuck all outside them last year too.

classic murray though to consider withdrawing, play and win his first match, then withdraw

begu played an amazing last few games to push it to a 3d v azerenka

already some really stellar pts & shotmaking in rafa/stan match

has been kinda a vintage display by both guys here

dam nadal played like doo doo in the 2nd

he is NO WAY the fav in the french, he could get upset like 3d round just as easy as win/make finals or w/e

CSN now 4-0 vs Halep, in another three setter, big emotions on her team

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CFIMWS6WgAASPaE.png

4-0 on clay, that is

I guess the only silver lining for Halep is that she definitely hasn't peaked too early. Bad that she couldn't defend the #2 seed though, I would've liked Serena and Maria in the same half at RG.

CSN with the early break. Have been so impressed with the finishing ability on her FH this year, seems like the biggest improvement in her game to me.

Maria ;) An improvement on earlier clay tournaments but mostly only one thing really worked per match. Needs improvement. Working the angles in this match, not enough depth though.

If the winner of FO is Serena or Maria that will be the active player with most clay titles.

novak is really going hard @ feds backhand

amazing break, such a good return of serve to be in that

I'm surprised that Rublev's ranking is still so low, considering that he's winning ATP matches all the time. Is he even going to get into RG qualies?

nevermind, I just read that he declined the WC

lol that Tennis Australia had to hand their women's WC back because there's literally no one they could justify giving it to

I'm surprised that Rublev's ranking is still so low, considering that he's winning ATP matches all the time. Is he even going to get into RG qualies?

― groovemaaan, Monday, May 18, 2015 8:48 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

nevermind, I just read that he declined the WC

― groovemaaan, Monday, May 18, 2015 8:53 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

his ranking only got into Slam qualy range this week, too late for the entry deadline, but as you say he was offered a WC (as the previous year's boys' champion) (I wonder why the girls' champion Daria Kasatkina didn't get this?! they had to scrape the barrel with French journeywomen and she's healthy and playing the Caserta ITF this week) but anyway, Rublev didn't decline but would have had to lose R1 in Geneva to make RG qualies, and he beat Nieminen...

I was interested in seeing how another WC, Corentin Moutet, did. Youngest player (and only 1999-born) in the ATP top 1000, and apparently quite a character, judging from this report from last week's Bordeaux challenger:

I don't know what/who started it (According to Moutet it's Haase of course) but at 58:30 Moutet shouts Allez on Haase's DF. Then he encourages himself again after another DF. When Haase wins the game he lets out a huge Allez :lol: (59:20). After that before starting his service game Moutet talks to Haase and tells him "shut your mouth you're ranked 90 in the world you're 27 there's nothing to brag about"

(Moutet lost 2 and 2 to Berrer, tough draw though)

oof Rublev should've had Cilic there, he was playing so well up til 5-5 in the TB

the amazing thing about Rublev to me is that while most other teenagers who break through to the ATP look v well-developed physically (from Nadal to Kyrgios and Tiafoe), Rublev doesn't just look young but could probably pass for an U14. And yet generates so much easy power.

Jankovic's retirement against Stephens has finally gifted Sloane her first semi-final since the AO 2013.

the most anticipated draw in tennis history?

the amazing thing about Rublev to me is that while most other teenagers who break through to the ATP look v well-developed physically (from Nadal to Kyrgios and Tiafoe), Rublev doesn't just look young but could probably pass for an U14. And yet generates so much easy power.

― lex pretend, Tuesday, May 19, 2015 6:03 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

he's explosive in the way only the best prospects are. Live arm.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/frenchopen/11622372/French-Open-2015-Rafael-Nadal-makes-a-mockery-of-the-rule-book.html

it is so very hard to like Nadal these days

Thiem officially the youngest current ATP titlist, awesome fighting final against Mayer in Nice. Penultimate point >>>>>>>

Stosur won Strasbourg, can't believe it's her first red clay title!

Thiem is really close to figuring it out. Needs to hit his forehand a little flatter imo (and maybe stop running around his backhand so much-- it's great so just use it!)

I still think about that Stosur-Schiavone final a lot.

I'm super excited about this RG. The combination of expectations, pressure and opportunity that Djokovic has will make for great drama. I think his level of play is actually a little overrated too, Rome was a dip in his level I thought.

And hopefully something fun happens on the Women's side. A CSN slam?

Bouchard loses R1 in 's-Hertogenbosch from 4-0 30-0 up in the third set to Shvedova, who was playing the RG doubles final on clay two days ago. It continues.

Tomic is so much fun to watch on a grass court, he's toying with Haas right now

tomic gave nadal some problems but mostly nadal double faults/tomic aces is why that was even a match

Camila <3

She really cut down on the double faults in her last two matches, I hope this is the sign of a new strategic approach.

GOAT winning speech too

Ana Konjuh wins her first title, becomes the youngest WTA titlist since 15-yr-old Paszek seven years ago and the youngest player to hold a title now. Really impressive match - Niculescu totally discombobulated her in the first set but unlike so many other young players, Konjuh adjusted to the weirdness pretty calmly and was dominating by the end.

some ridiculous points in this mayer-johnson match

hilarious MLDB/Ivanovic match, Ivanovic lost the final set TB on the most floptastic DF I have ever seen

Siniakova's upset over Petkovic last night was an excellent match, love Katka's game

super-interesting interview with Giorgi's dad

http://www.spaziotennis.com/2015/06/sergio-giorgi-i-love-brilliant-madness-cannot-stand-commonness/

there's a new ATP challenger/WTA itf pro tournament happening in my home town this week!
never knew what to make of papa Giorgi but that's great. like the stuff about using other sports to prepare and him defending Errani & Schiavone

Ilkley?! Some good names left in both draws, I'd be tempted to pop down.

wish i could but i'm not at home rn. apparently cats keeps running on the courts <3

Federer beats Karlovic in two in Halle semi without ever having a b-p and only forcing deuce once. Grass court tennis LOL. Kei withdrew hurt vs Seppi :/

Simon currently trying to pull off the same trick vs Anderson (32 aces and counting) at Queen's.