The Tennis Thread

[Soapsuds]

Opleka played Thiem in Madrid last year or the year before and took him to three by just acing him...although Madrid plays faster and the match was on outside court...funny that opelka got injured during the match. Yes Cilic is tough...third round is either Ruud or Tommy Paul again...4th round Stan, Murray or Felix again with his easiest match could be in the Quarter...I don't see monfils doing much.

Edited September 24, 2020 by Soapsuds

[Faulkner]

No doubt a tough draw on paper but in 2020, with those players, he could see a lot of good breaks. He’ll have to be sharp from the jump, so hopefully he’s completely healthy.

[Soapsuds]

I shouldn't complain. He's made both major finals and won one and should've won Australia. After this sh!tty year it was nice to have something to smile about.

Btw...even though I hoped he would've won the French the two years and Australia....I always wanted him to win the Open first. I remember an interview he gave a few years back on how he loved playing in NY. It finally shut up the tennis media. Looking at you Brad Gilbert....LMAO

[Fevuh]

Patty Smyth and John McEnroe were on Today yesterday because she released a new album.  At the end of their interview they briefly talked Tennis and John said he was picking Joker.  

[Faulkner]

 

[Fevuh]

I never even knew there were different balls for different surfaces.  I remember when Wimbledon used white balls and got rid of them because when the grass stained them they blended in with the court.  

 

Oh, and I meant to say my post above - the interview with Patty Smyth and John McEnroe was really interesting.  They did "He said She Said" and asked them question and it was very surprising to me.  They asked who was the bigger hot head.  Patty pointed at herself and John pointed at her without looking over.  She said he is not the person you saw on the Tennis court.  Who cries during a sad movie?  Patty pointed at herself and John pointed at her but Patty said, but he does cry on rare occasions during a movie.  After a fight, who is most likely to initiate 'making up'.  Patty pointed at John and he pointed to himself.  He said I just don't like fighting and our relationship is more important than an argument.  

 

I was very surprised.  He said we're empty nesters now and we're all we've got day to day.  

 

Edited September 25, 2020 by Fevuh

[Soapsuds]

Sebastian Korda and Flab Jack Sock got in the main draw. Flab to play Opelka to possibly meet Thiem in second round. 

 

Bublik is playing Garin and giving him fits....lol....Garin complaining about Bublik underhand serving....LMAO

Edited September 25, 2020 by Soapsuds

[Soapsuds]

1,000 fans/spectators allowed daily while cases increase in Paris. Players not happy about the fans being allowed. I guess they got use to no fans in NY and of course concerned about their safety.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

Not only that but there are different balls for men and different balls for women.

If you think about the four Grand Slams alone, each has a different climate, three of four have different surfaces, the balls shouldn't be exactly the same.

One of mt biggest concerns and pet peeves is the deliberate slowing of the courts over the last decade-- that and the balls has caused an alarm number of seemingly chronic injuries, and the elbow seems to be chief among these injuries in recent years.

[Soapsuds]

Rafa said just today that players could get injured with the tennis balls being used this year at the French Open. It's the Wilson heavy duty ones they are using. 

 

My favorite tennis ball to use was the lightweight Wilson tennis ball.

 

Verdasco can't play yet Paire test positive again and is still in the draw....fishy

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https://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2020/09/fernando-verdasco-wont-play-roland-garros-after-positive-covid-test/90965/?fbclid=IwAR2bnVkzdq2kF8jnvi3B5uBuYCMFcsRmMHfISF0DelkX9dlmJMTgGKW9NDA

Edited September 26, 2020 by Soapsuds

[Soapsuds]

Jeremy Chardy gets on one of the main courts? Why? Just because he's French? He hasn't been relevant for centuries now.

https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/order-of-play?date=2020-09-27

 

Edited September 26, 2020 by Soapsuds

[DramatistDreamer]

From their perspective, the spectators who show up will likely be local people, due to travel restrictions, so I can't really quibble about that. RG is clearly trying to cater to the French spectators whose butts will be in the seats. Also, the French, perhaps more than any other nation, truly have a strong affinity for their hometown players.

Personally, I don't know how much of my attention this tournament will get. The U.S. Open got a fraction of my attention, compared to what it usually gets. Osaka's masked march to the title was one of the only aspects that held my attention.

Edited September 26, 2020 by DramatistDreamer

[Soapsuds]

1000 fans after all and regional fox sports will also have coverage of the French Open. I just checked and it's 4 hours of coverage a day.

Novak and Thiem practicing now on center court.

I haven't seen Thiem smile this much since the last denture swap at shady pines

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Edited September 26, 2020 by Soapsuds

[DramatistDreamer]

 

From what I understand, tournament directors tailor court assignments more for ticket buyers than for television viewers. RG hasn't been as much of a priority on American television since leaving network. The FFT likely gets more money from its own country than it does from the U.S. which has a somewhat diminished presence these days compared to what it used to be.

Regional Fox Sports network doesn't have the type of influence that NBC once did. Eurosport likely has more influence than Fox Sports now and French players are still exceedingly popular, even Chardy, lol, whose wedding and baby's birth photos were all over European sports news blogs.

Edited September 26, 2020 by DramatistDreamer

[Soapsuds]

Goffin upset by Sinner.