I'm admittedly excited to see if Federer and Nadal will play doubles, which is the first time I've been excited about anything to do with Fedal in years.
― Roz, Thursday, 21 September 2017 09:38 (seven years ago) link
This Nadal/Berdych doubles pairing will be interesting, pretty sure they used to hate each other.
Anyone else watching this? Loving the team reactions tbh, a bit like watching Davis Cup but with players you don't normally expect to interact with each other.
― Roz, Friday, 22 September 2017 19:53 (seven years ago) link
I take this back btw, all the Fedal shipping posts/gifs on tennis Twitter are getting on my nerves.
― Roz, Friday, 22 September 2017 20:11 (seven years ago) link
its reasonably fun..world really needs this pt as w/e singles matchup they structure tmorrow arent v favorable
― johnny crunch, Friday, 22 September 2017 21:33 (seven years ago) link
berdych is p decent @ the net
― johnny crunch, Friday, 22 September 2017 21:34 (seven years ago) link
this is what it looks like when a mortal swiss player (chiudinelli) fights off retirement
― johnny crunch, Monday, 23 October 2017 21:00 (six years ago) link
Fed withdraws from Paris, which was always on the cards, but it means the race for #1 is essentially over. Unless Rafa gets a season-ending injury in round one.
Bit of a shame, as, with the return of Djokovic, Murray, Wawrinka and Nishikori next year (plus the likely Slam-level breakthrough of Zverev et al), I can't see Fed defending all those early-2017 points. So this was likely his last shot at #1. But I think I said that in 2012. He could potentially end the year with just four defeats, eight titles and a six-win streak over Nadal and still be only #2. Can't quite recall how the old pre-1990 rankings used to work (specifically the minimum tournament divisor), but I'm pretty sure he'd have #1 in that system.
― Michael Jones, Monday, 30 October 2017 11:38 (six years ago) link
I've come round to the idea that year-end #1 for Nadal at 31 is the greater achievement anyway (I'm sure you are all relieved, it's been a journey). He's played the full mandatory schedule, risking injury and fatigue, not just cherry-picking like Fed. Fed's only regret at this point is probably not that he skipped the clay-court season but that he played slightly *too much*. Pulling out of the Montreal final (or Montreal altogether) and he might have made the final at Flushing Meadow. I wonder if he'll refine this into his 40s, so he basically just sits out 48 weeks, takes wildcards at Halle, Wimbledon and Basel, and wins them all.
― Michael Jones, Tuesday, 31 October 2017 10:59 (six years ago) link
https://deadspin.com/look-at-god-1819922487
― k3vin k., Tuesday, 31 October 2017 16:01 (six years ago) link
^was watching that live
― johnny crunch, Tuesday, 31 October 2017 16:49 (six years ago) link
krajinovic is doing his best novak impersonation, into the qtrs of paris
― johnny crunch, Thursday, 2 November 2017 16:13 (six years ago) link
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2017/11/03/rafael-nadal-pulls-paris-masters-could-miss-atp-world-tour-finals/
― johnny crunch, Friday, 3 November 2017 13:38 (six years ago) link
isner is tough indoors
semi of isner v kraj ~
star power esp w rafa now withdrawn is really lacking, everyones gonna be pulling for benneteau
― johnny crunch, Friday, 3 November 2017 16:04 (six years ago) link
benneteau !
― johnny crunch, Friday, 3 November 2017 20:47 (six years ago) link
RIP Jana Novotna
― the Hannah Montana of the Korean War (DJP), Monday, 20 November 2017 16:35 (six years ago) link
monfils is insane
― johnny crunch, Thursday, 4 January 2018 19:38 (six years ago) link
mo v de minotaur is fun
― johnny crunch, Friday, 5 January 2018 01:21 (six years ago) link
sebastian kordas 1st tour match... looks great tbh
― johnny crunch, Tuesday, 13 February 2018 03:21 (six years ago) link
must take after his mother then (boom tish)
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Tuesday, 13 February 2018 11:40 (six years ago) link
fed's path to #1 is Bemelmans > kohlschrieber > stan (probably)
― johnny crunch, Tuesday, 13 February 2018 16:05 (six years ago) link
actually n/m ~ he only has to *get to* the semis match vs stan
― johnny crunch, Tuesday, 13 February 2018 16:07 (six years ago) link
nnng scratch that, was right the first time!!
― johnny crunch, Tuesday, 13 February 2018 16:12 (six years ago) link
Funny that he's decided to play here - think the first footage I ever saw of Federer was his QF vs Kafelnikov in Rotterdam in '99. On...TransWorldSport or something, C4 Sunday morning? Ah, Kafelnikov - now there's a guy who wouldn't let 32 defeats in a year, six of them in a row, stand between him and the #1 ranking. He would scoff at this cherry-picking approach to schedule. Play all of the tournaments, two at a time if possible.
― Michael Jones, Tuesday, 13 February 2018 18:05 (six years ago) link
lol & a clearly not 100% back yet stan goes out to tallon griekspoor 1st rd btw; a def theme of roger's re-ascendancy is draws being p accommodating/fortuitous
― johnny crunch, Tuesday, 13 February 2018 20:54 (six years ago) link
kevin anderson 6-1 1st set over nishikori in 21 minutes, only dropped 4 pts on serve o_o
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 18 February 2018 01:06 (six years ago) link
Poor Goffin - match vs Dimitrov was warming up to the level of their O2 final, when an attempted volley ricocheted off his frame full into his eye. Couldn't continue.
Love that Fed's #1 again but, aside from lucky draws, I do feel like he's been treated like #1 ever since he came back. Never gets messed around by schedulers, gets to play most outdoor matches under lights where there's an evening session (no struggles in 41C Melbourne heat for Roger), etc. He's played all four matches in Rotterdam *at exactly the same time*. Who gets to do that?
I assume he's skipping Dubai now; if he beats Dimi tomorrow I don't think Rafa can overhaul him by winning Acapulco while Fed is idle. (No idea if/when Rafa is playing again; Djokovic returning for Miami/Indian Wells, I'm guessing?)
― Michael Jones, Sunday, 18 February 2018 01:19 (six years ago) link
yea goffin seems a lil snakebit
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 18 February 2018 01:20 (six years ago) link
nishi always comes back in these matches
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 18 February 2018 02:29 (six years ago) link
fed goat
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 18 February 2018 15:37 (six years ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DW7itMLXUAEwoKM?format=jpg&name=large
― johnny crunch, Monday, 26 February 2018 03:32 (six years ago) link
@josemorgado 3h3 hours ago
OUT of Indian Wells
#2 Nadal (also OUT of Miami)#7 Goffin#12 Wawrinka (also OUT of Miami)#21 Murray (also OUT of Miami)#36 Tsonga #37 Gasquet
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 3 March 2018 00:33 (six years ago) link
kvitova 18 double faults, advances
― johnny crunch, Friday, 9 March 2018 22:31 (six years ago) link
1st main draw win for auger-aliassime, next plays raonic
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 10 March 2018 04:09 (six years ago) link
First set tie-break between Marterer and Karlovic a couple of nights ago: first 27 points went with serve. I’m guessing it ended on a DF. Was thinking that all these wildcards that Tiafoe seems to get wasn’t really doing him any good - needed a solid run of Challenger-level wins - but then he went and won Delray Beach ATP250 from a ranking of 91. And now first round defeat here, so reversion to the mean.
― Michael Jones, Saturday, 10 March 2018 10:27 (six years ago) link
serenas def not completely herself yet but also still looks damn good, considering
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 11 March 2018 00:58 (six years ago) link
vs venus next rd, shd be a great match
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 11 March 2018 01:01 (six years ago) link
novak struuuggling v taro daniel, who i like but has no real weapons
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 11 March 2018 21:59 (six years ago) link
& now not running for balls, rip
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 11 March 2018 22:06 (six years ago) link
this fed/delbo set is p hi level
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 11 March 2018 23:10 (six years ago) link
Wait, when did Nishikori pull out? Bemelmans suddenly dropped into the L64 draw as a lucky loser (and the qualies finished on...Wednesday?), and then lost to Mayer anyway.
Djokovic - 61 UEs? Ugh.
― Michael Jones, Sunday, 11 March 2018 23:18 (six years ago) link
yea kei pulled out like ~6 hrs ago, illness
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 11 March 2018 23:34 (six years ago) link
id guess djoko wont play miami now, hes just not match ready at all yet imo
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 11 March 2018 23:35 (six years ago) link
caroline dolehide 6-1 over halep set 1 o_o
― johnny crunch, Monday, 12 March 2018 00:06 (six years ago) link
fascinating match, lest of all cuz dolehide has the uh ample chest that halep once did before the surgery
― johnny crunch, Monday, 12 March 2018 00:56 (six years ago) link
corics results thus far are eye-opening
6-0/6-2 // 6-0/6-3 // 6-1/6-3
― johnny crunch, Tuesday, 13 March 2018 01:21 (six years ago) link
Finally Coric comes up short in a bit of epic vs Fed. A set and 4-2 up, and later twice a break up in the decider. But Roger chugs on, 17-0 for the year. Look forward to highlights of that.
I've been wondering after which round I should state the bleedin' obvious about Kasatkina being The Real Deal, and now it's too late, cos it's too Real. But so is Osaka and I think she'll win.
― Michael Jones, Saturday, 17 March 2018 20:33 (six years ago) link
so osaka has arrived
― johnny crunch, Wednesday, 21 March 2018 22:18 (six years ago) link
It's getting to the point now where Paire can beat Novak in straights and no one even notices. Kokkinakis though! So Rafa gets to be #1 through the spring until such time as he loses a match or pulls out of an event. Only 4680pts to defend, no pressure. Fed not bothering with clay again. Meh.
― Michael Jones, Sunday, 25 March 2018 10:45 (six years ago) link
wow @ danielle collins
― johnny crunch, Thursday, 29 March 2018 00:38 (six years ago) link
I realise that Rafa on Spanish clay in Davis Cup has always been utterly invulnerable, but, still, the crushing of Zverev suggests he's Back-Back-Back. (He's now 24-1 in DC singles; sole defeat being his first ever rubber: vs Jiri Novak on indoor carpet in Brno in 2004).
Suddenly those 4680pts look sort of defendable.
― Michael Jones, Monday, 9 April 2018 10:47 (six years ago) link