The Tennis Thread

[DramatistDreamer]

In addition to Garbiñe Muguruza taking the Ladies Singles, Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez take the Men's Doubles.  Big day for Spain, taking two titles over legendary American players Serena Williams and the Bryan brothers.

[Soapsuds]

Not surprised Serena lost. She seemed injured and Muguruza is a good player. Serena is running on fumes. As soon as she gets 22 she is gone……just like Steffy did at the French Open….I see Serena maybe playing one more year and thats it.

 

Poor Thiem…..I thought he was going to win it all….now we are left with boring rope a dope tennis as many describe it with Murray and Novak…..I really hope Murray takes it just because Novak is the worst of two evils….LOL.  I can't stand Novak and how he continues to try to be popular with no success….he should have been disqualified anyways..when he almost hit the linesman with the tennis ball…he brushed it off after the match….heard he got angry….and then his behavior with the umpire and moving him away from the court…..some say it was pushing but since he is number 1 they are letting it slide again and saying it wasn't…whatever… Novak has the been the worst #1 the ATP tour has had…..he cries and yells because fans don't see him as more popular than his opponents 

 

 

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/why-sean-mcenroe-changed-name-160006453.html

 

 

Edited June 4, 2016 by Soapsuds

[Jonathan]

Congrats to Djoker!  GOAT.  4 majors in a row and finally a career slam!  Well deserved!

[Soapsuds]

Blah can't stand him. I was hoping Murray would win. Hey at least the French now love him because the rest of the world doesn't ……LOL

 

He may have all the grand slams now but he will never have what he really wants….to be just as popular or more popular than Roger and Rafa….it will never happen.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Soapsuds

[DramatistDreamer]

Sharapova got a 2 year ban, backdated to January 2016

 

Decision in the case of Maria Sharapova

 

 

 

I can't say that I'm surprised, I knew it would have to be somewhere in the middle because of the profligacy of use of meldonium among the Russian athletes.  It was clearly part of a state sponsored system of doping but since the drug was only banned as of January 2016, I doubted the stiffest penalty would be implemented.  I guessed correctly (albeit to myself, because I tend to shy away from speculation).  

 

Don't ask me what this means for her endorsements or her career.  Serena has already surpassed her in an area she once led for 11 years, the $$$ race.

Edited June 8, 2016 by DramatistDreamer

[Soapsuds]

Tennis Channel had the breaking news this morning. By the time the ban is lifted Serena will probably no longer be playing. Maria might as well just retire. 

 

As for tennis….Stefan Kozlov beat pathetic Stevie Johnson in a tune up grass court tournament. Stefan is in the quarters…good for him.

[DramatistDreamer]

Sharapova has announced that she is planning to appeal.  I read an article where an anti-doping agency insider said that they believe that a reduced ban is highly unlikely.  It's also interesting that the ITF requested a 4 year ban, realizing this, I think leniency has already been showed.  

 

The report makes her look pretty bad, not just negligent.  The fact that she took extra doses before matches of "special importance" makes it look like she was taking it specifically to enhance her performance.  Most athletes that have illnesses and are being treated for them, usually disclose these illness and/or any medication that they are prescribed with the ITF.  When Roger Federer was diagnosed with mono years ago, he disclosed it with the ATP/ITF, when Venus Wiliams was diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome, she disclosed it with the WTA/ITF.  When Serena Williams had that pulmonary embolism and had to take blood thinners, she disclosed it with the WTA and ITF.  Same with Heather Watson when she had her bout with glandular fever and Laura Robson with mono and Ross Hutchins, Viki Duval and Alisa Kleybanova were all diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, they all disclosed it with the ITF and their respective tennis associations.  

 

If Maria had a heart issue and was prescribed this medicine, why keep it a secret only between her father, Yuri and then in 2013 with her agent?  Why not disclose it with the ITF and the WTA?  And why was her agent monitoring the anti-doping list, not her doctor, physio or trainer?  Aga Radwanska and other players say they always share the list with their doctors.  The entire account given by Sharapova and her agent that was in report left me with more questions than answers.  I don't think that the ITF was buying what Sharapova was selling though.

 

By the way, there is a rumor that Varvara Lepchenko served a 'silent ban' for the use of meldonium.  She was asked this question outright during the French Open and refused to comment.

Edited June 8, 2016 by DramatistDreamer

[Soapsuds]

Tennis Channel was discussing it today and they mentioned how Maria didnt put on paper that she was taking meldonium. She is lucky she only got 2 years. I don't know why she is appealing it.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

 

Exactly, thank you!  In the midst of the shallow defenses, her not disclosing this medication that she took for 10 years, makes it look like she has something to hide.  

Her agent's ridiculous excuse that he didn't go on vacation due to his marital problems and therefore didn't look at the list of banned substances, as he usually does while on vacation (who does that??) does not pass the smell test.  Every other player said that the send the list to their doctors to look over to make sure. Belinda Bencic said she looks over her list and shares it with her doctor. Federer made a solid point yesterday when in an interview, he said that it is important that every player take personal responsibility for what goes into his/her body.  Sharapova made her press conference in March where she said she takes full responsibility, she messed up and I hope she is held accountable and they won't lower the ruling any further. 

 

I think that WADA believes that 2 years is lenient, especially since the ITF petitioned for a 4 year ban.

Edited June 11, 2016 by DramatistDreamer

[DramatistDreamer]

[Soapsuds]

Flavia looks gorgeous! She looks so much better than Berdych's trashy wife did with her underwear wedding dress..…LOL. 

 

That would have been a great wedding to attend. 

 

And Dominic Thiem is looking great again this week!

Murray has hired Lendl again as his coach. I am sure somewhere right now Tomas Berdych is yelling and screaming…LOL

Edited June 13, 2016 by Soapsuds

[Soapsuds]

Thiem wins again!

 

[DramatistDreamer]

Thiem has transitioned from clay to grass seemingly without missing a beat.  Wow!  Congrats to him on winning Stuttgart, his game is definitely on fire!

 

How long do you think Lendl and Murray will last this time?  

 

Part of me feels a little sorry for Tomas.  I do think him initially taking on Dani Valleverdu was to try to entice Lendl to join his camp somehow.  I wonder why Lendl won't even consider Berdych.  Speaking of Berdych, yes, I remember that awful dress Ester Satarova wore for the wedding.  People are allowed to wear what they want and I'm no traditionalist but that dress was so unflattering in every conceivable way!  The woman looks like a model yet found a way to do the seemingly impossible- have a model physique and yet look terrible.

 

The rain is definitely not falling in Spain but it seems to be falling all over the other grass court tournaments elsewhere.  So many rain delays over the weekend and I read that today was no different, except for the women's tournament in Mallorca.  Process this one, Mallorca birthplace of the king of clay, Rafa Nadal as well as Carlos Moyá (Flavia's ex, by the way), one time French Open champ-- now home to a grass court tournament.  I heard both Moyá and Toni Nadal were there for the kick-off.  The tournament site looks beautiful though.

[Soapsuds]

He is doing great!  There was an article today about Federer and how this might be the end for him because of his two loses against Thiem and his injures this year. 

 

I'll say maybe 2 years with him. Did you hear what McEnroe said about Berdych during the French? He pretty much blasted him on not really wanting to win a major. I wonder if Berdych heard about it. And who is his new coach? I laughed when Mary Carillo said she had no idea who the man was coaching him….and Lyndsay Davenport said the same thing….LOLOL  He is a mystery man. I also noticed that once Valleverdu left….Berdych started wearing his wedding ring on his finger instead of his shoe lace. I found that odd and maybe telling?? And he started playing the tennis he should have been playing except in the Quarters where he ran out of gas...

Edited June 13, 2016 by Soapsuds

[DramatistDreamer]

I am loathe to count out any player, especially someone who has experienced winning as much as Federer.  Federer hasn't played a complete match in quite some time and a red hot Thiem is probably the player someone would least like to face after such a long layoff.  I remember when one journalist years ago, claimed that Serena would never win another major- hey, I bet some are saying that again this year.  About 5-6 years ago, one journalist even claimed that unless Serena got a breast reduction, it would curtail her chances of winning another major.  I just can't take some of these journos seriously!

 

Even though I felt a bit bad for Berdych, I can't think too much about him because he has been treading water, at best, since he made the finals at Wimbledon years ago. It would be one thing, if after basically underachieving for years, he then started to find his game and rise, like, say, Agassi but it's beginning to look as if Berdych has already peaked and even though he's still in the Top 10, he's stagnated and even falling backward at times.  Hey, it would be nice if someone could actually consistently challenge Djokovic (and I mean win matches against him on a regular basis).

And why the no-name coach?  Is he serious?  You don't need a celebrity coach or anything but gosh, couldn't  he try to find a Swedish coach that's free?  What's Peter Lundgren doing these days?  He steered Federer and Safin to Major titles-- has Berdych tried giving him a call?