Went to Cinci for the women's SF yesterday. Grounds are pristine, and the staff are friendly and committed to putting on a good show.
Pliskova d Muguruza was even less competitive than the score line suggests. Muguruza's play was sloppy and indifferent to the outcome. The majority of her shots that stayed in the court landed halfway between the service box and the baseline, which allowed Pliskova to set up and crack winners at will. When Muguruza missed, she sent the ball sailing feet past the baseline: She reminded me of Capriati whenever J-Cap came out flat and unable to keep the ball in the court. She had no plan B, and Pliskova was unfazed by springing the upset.
Kerber d Halep was odd. It's impressive to see how Halep generates power off her forehand, because she is even more slight in person. She lost the match be cause she kept pulling the trigger too soon and over-hit when she did. Particularly after the rain delay, she was struggling to find the range on her shots. She rallied late, but Kerber was too consistent to let the lead slip. Kerber's backhand looks incredibly awkward in person: it's not like the capoeira dance move Jack Sock does on his, but it's an unnatural-looking shot. She definitely played more of a defensive match, but she used some surprise power and changes of pace off her forehand side to crack some winners. She'll need to do that today to beat Pliskova.
― jon_oh, Sunday, 21 August 2016 17:37 (seven years ago) link
pliskova 4-0!
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 21 August 2016 18:24 (seven years ago) link
could watch pliskova all day. such an effortless game
― groovemaaan, Sunday, 21 August 2016 18:50 (seven years ago) link
So Serena is now guarantee to tie Graf's record of consecutive weeks at #1. Kerber's still within striking distance, but stoked for Pliskova today!
― jon_oh, Sunday, 21 August 2016 19:49 (seven years ago) link
long piece on nick k
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/28/magazine/tennis-us-open-electric-infuriating-nick-kyrgios.html
― johnny crunch, Thursday, 25 August 2016 16:22 (seven years ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ct7R_o1UAAEVWH6.jpg
― abcfsk, Tuesday, 4 October 2016 14:41 (seven years ago) link
I'm the biggest Sharapova fan around but as I said when this thing first rolled out obviously some blame should be placed on her. The celebratory mood over a punishment that is still being executed and still will affect next season is a bit much. I think the CAS marks a solid line between negligence and intentional 'doping' - while maintaining that negligence is still the player's responsibility. Even though the ITF is rightly criticized for _their mangling of the whole process.
A final ruling is good to have, anyway, and I hope for some more years of tennis.
― abcfsk, Wednesday, 5 October 2016 12:23 (seven years ago) link
goffin is just a difficult matchup for cilic but that match gave me a whiff of cilic as berdych-ish, abt the worst thing i could say abt a ~top level player
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 8 October 2016 15:28 (seven years ago) link
just when u it seemed nick may'ev been maturing
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/2016/10/12/kyrgios-booed-during-listless-effort-in-shanghai/91935680/
― johnny crunch, Wednesday, 12 October 2016 13:23 (seven years ago) link
I was just coming in here to mention that Mischa Zverev is outstripping his kid brother for once! Older Zverev took out Granollers too and now plays Novak in the QF - only his second ever last-eight appearance at this level (Rome, 2009 being the other), and as a qualifier ranked 130-odd.
Younger Zverev lost to Tsonga 7-5 in the 3rd, last 16.
I do wonder just when Mischa started losing regularly to Sascha on the practice court. Maybe only in the last year or so.
― Michael Jones, Thursday, 13 October 2016 11:47 (seven years ago) link
sock/zverev is p fun to watch
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 22 October 2016 15:26 (seven years ago) link
i know he's a petra fan and that he doesn't seem to be posting much but i'm sure lex of all people would have enjoyed niculescu's play in the final y'day. v v cool to watch.
― pandemic, Sunday, 23 October 2016 10:03 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=matjqiSKupY
#TeamSveta
― ¶ (DJP), Wednesday, 26 October 2016 18:57 (seven years ago) link
big win for struff !
― johnny crunch, Wednesday, 2 November 2016 23:53 (seven years ago) link
Cilic maintains his recent form to take out Nole. Murray, two wins from #1, wins first set over Berdych from 1-6 in t/b. Up a break in the second now.
― Michael Jones, Friday, 4 November 2016 20:06 (seven years ago) link
Raonic tears a quad, Murray gets #1. It would compound the sense of anti-climax if he proceeded to lose in two tie-breaks to Bloody Isner tomorrow.
We are going to have another WTFinals where everyone is knackered, aren't we? Can we parachute Roger in? I'm sure he's better now.
― Michael Jones, Saturday, 5 November 2016 15:01 (seven years ago) link
crazy that andy got to #1, good for him
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 5 November 2016 15:08 (seven years ago) link
― Michael Jones, Saturday, November 5, 2016 11:01 AM (five days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
hoping for some gd matches but ya defcant believe bautista agut is the final alternate lmao
― johnny crunch, Thursday, 10 November 2016 14:29 (seven years ago) link
also the murray group is much harder than novaks
― johnny crunch, Thursday, 10 November 2016 14:30 (seven years ago) link
3.5 hrs for this murray/raonic match
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 19 November 2016 17:45 (seven years ago) link
murray hit some great angled serves and v good service returns late in that tiebreak
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 19 November 2016 17:54 (seven years ago) link
i like kei a lot but i wanna see novak/andy in the finals tbqh
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 19 November 2016 20:47 (seven years ago) link
this looks like it'll be a quick one
― k3vin k., Saturday, 19 November 2016 20:56 (seven years ago) link
lol yup
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 19 November 2016 21:19 (seven years ago) link
so happy for andy finally getting to #1 btw ^_^
― k3vin k., Saturday, 19 November 2016 21:27 (seven years ago) link
what an epic comeback for delpo
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 27 November 2016 18:02 (seven years ago) link
ivo/delbonis for the cup !
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 27 November 2016 18:03 (seven years ago) link
Cilic - Delpo was a bloody great match, best 5 setter I've seen in ages. great standard of tennis, great drama, great Maradona reaction shots. Cilic should've really won given his high level in the first 2.5 sets, wouldn't call it a major choke though.so much love for JMDP
― cerealbar, Sunday, 27 November 2016 19:10 (seven years ago) link
kinda bummed out Karlo is losing this. otoh Argentina deserve a Davis Cup
― Ludo, Sunday, 27 November 2016 20:16 (seven years ago) link
yeah felt badly for ivo.. so hes retiring?? was that his last match ever?
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 27 November 2016 21:43 (seven years ago) link
oh i guess not... thought i heard the commentators say something abt it but i think it was just something abt coming back to the national team cuz of coric being injured
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 27 November 2016 23:20 (seven years ago) link
Horrifying news. Petra attacked in her home, sustained knife wounds to her left hand: http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/38379952
― Roz, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 13:57 (seven years ago) link
hopefully it won't derail her career cf. chakvetadze
― groovemaaan, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 14:29 (seven years ago) link
surprised that nishi changed his shoe deal from adidas to nike!
1st legit tragedy of 2017, my current cable provider is in a dispute and isn't carrying tennis channel!!
― johnny crunch, Tuesday, 3 January 2017 17:25 (seven years ago) link
what a way to lose a davis cup tie!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38876048
― arron banksy (cajunsunday), Monday, 6 February 2017 18:39 (seven years ago) link
Pretty much how Henman started his top-level career (ball girl on that occasion), so expect the kid to get over it and go top 5...
(So much worse if the match vs Edmund had actually been tight)
― Michael Jones, Monday, 6 February 2017 19:19 (seven years ago) link
oh man the video of this
― ornate orchestral arrangements (DJP), Monday, 6 February 2017 19:30 (seven years ago) link
great win for qualifier pierre hughes hebert over thiem @ rotterdam
― johnny crunch, Friday, 17 February 2017 22:43 (seven years ago) link
also good revenge for goffin to knock out dimitrov
basilashvili v ebden is an entertaining watch but im sure the memphis open would prefer some players anyones heard of lol
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 18 February 2017 00:23 (seven years ago) link
raonic could be v tough when he can bend his 2nd serve enough to charge the net behind it
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 25 February 2017 00:51 (seven years ago) link
damn i didnt realize ruud was still alive in rio
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 25 February 2017 00:54 (seven years ago) link
into the semis!
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 25 February 2017 01:17 (seven years ago) link
some great shots by delpo to break querrey & serve for the match
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 25 February 2017 02:41 (seven years ago) link
wow delpo breaks raonic @ 5-6 and a set down w some prayer backhands
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 26 February 2017 02:49 (seven years ago) link
raonic has played really well but i would win this tiebreak or momentum wld really swing
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 26 February 2017 02:50 (seven years ago) link
really impressed with Ruud's game, though the SF was rather sad - I tuned in as he was leading 6-2, 4-4, then he held after an absolutely epic (like, at least 10 deuces) service game that felt totally decisive - and it was, just the other way, because he didn't win another game in the match
elsewhere it was funny to see Wozniacki making Svitolina look like an all-out basher in Dubai
― lex pretend, Sunday, 26 February 2017 16:30 (seven years ago) link
yep i saw that ruud hold, then ran out to the store and returned when he was down 0-5 3rd set o_o
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 26 February 2017 17:40 (seven years ago) link
sock wins delray w/ milos withdrawal
novak decides to play acapulco, will play delpo in 2nd rd if both make it
― johnny crunch, Monday, 27 February 2017 01:00 (seven years ago) link
v impressive by donskoyfirst loss by fed to a player outside of the top 100 on hardcourts since 2000
― johnny crunch, Thursday, 2 March 2017 00:37 (seven years ago) link