The Tennis Thread

[Fevuh]

Well I had a feeling the first women's semi would be a snoozer and I'm betting both will be. 

Edited July 11, 2019 by Fevuh

[Faulkner]

Serena is beating the brakes off of Strycova. Shocker, I know.

 

Halep, grass court specialist.

[Faulkner]

She has a really good shot on Saturday. Halep is a tough customer since she defends so well (à la Kerber), but she’s very beatable for Serena if she maintains form.

[ChitHappens]

 

24 is Serena's to lose.  Halep is good but in form Serena is way better.  If Serena conquers her nerves, this is hers and I will be over the moon.  She says she went to counseling after the USO.  

[Fevuh]

Chrissy threw some shade yesterday about Margaret and I cracked up - said something like, well it's not really a comparison even if Serena were not to break her record - since most of her Majors were the Australian when the field was only 32 or 40 total women and most all of the players were Australian - even good players from other nations didn't go to the Australian back then.  And her 2nd most Slam was the US Open, then Wimbledon.  She was best on grass and 3 of the 4 slams were on grass then and people forget that.  Imagine how many Serena and Venus would have if 3 of the 4 Slams were on grass.  

 

So I looked back on Wiki and she's right...there were years after Billie Jean won the Australian and then didn't even go.  Everyone is Australian in the 60s and even up through the early 70s.    

Edited July 12, 2019 by Fevuh

[ChitHappens]

Chrissy stated before that Court was lucky because many women didn't go to most of the tournies due to the weather.  

 

Margaret Court is fake news and only used so that Serena won't be seen as the greatest.  The world knows the truth but Serena just wants it on paper.  

 

Not sure I can watch tomorrow.  

[I Am A Swede]

I'm not sure it's fair to compare what Margaret Court, or any of the other old greats like Suzanne Lenglen, Helen Wills-Moody or Maureen Connolly, did with what any of the current stars are doing. The circumstances were completely different. All they could do was beat those they were up against on the surfaces they were presented with.

They were all great tennis players, just like Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Steffi Graf were, and like Serena Williams is now.

 

I don't think you can crown anyone in any sport as the greatest of all time, because things evolve and change, and things like training methods and equipment are vastly different now from what they were 25, 50, 75 years ago.

[Fevuh]

I think equipment in Tennis has stabilized - I think the composite materials that came along in the 80's - changed a little more but people like Sampras still used one of the first Wilson pro-staffs all the way through his career, and Roger's is basically still mostly the same.  I can't imagine someone inventing some other material that will replace rackets as we see them today, just due to the size of the court - there can't be a lot more power in the size of the court.  

 

My friends formed a wooden racket league and they love it.  It's kind of sad because it would be boring to watch on TV given everything has to be bigger, better, faster, etc...but it sure does take a lot more skill to use a wooden racket.  I think about baseball and how they allow aluminum composite bats up through college - but if you play pro, they have to use wooden bats because you shouldn't need the technology if you're good enough.  They have to adjust backward.  I wish there was a way to bring something like that back to Tennis.  

[I Am A Swede]

Yes, Nadal is out!! 

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Federer vs Djokovic in the final.

[Toups]

Only caught the last two games of Fed/Nadal match and wow, those were awesome games.  That’s  why the majority of people love watching those two play against each other (on non clay courts).  

[ChitHappens]

Hate I missed it and hate even more that Nadal lost.  

[I Am A Swede]

Wow, did not see this coming. Simona Halep demolishing Serena Williams.  

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[Faulkner]

I mentioned the Kerber final. This was almost exactly the same, except that Halep was even better. Great mover and defender. Serena came in not really tested by an elite player. 

 

If Serena is still making finals, she’ll still have chances.

[Soapsuds]

The big fat cow of Serena has lost.....bwahahaha...retire you old cow..lol.

 

Congrats to Simona!

[Faulkner]

Simona is no longer a one-major wonder.

Edited July 13, 2019 by Faulkner