The Tennis Thread

[Soapsuds]

I didn't even bother watching the finals. I wasn't thrilled with the players in the finals.

[Faulkner]

[Faulkner]

[Faulkner]

What a disaster from Carlos after serving for the third set. Lord.

[I Am A Swede]

Yes! Alcaraz did it! 6-1 and 6-2 in sets four and five clinches the title!

[Faulkner]

[Soapsuds]

The girlfriend abuser loses another final two sets up.

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I'm soooo happy!

The looks Sasha was giving Carlos during the end of the match were evil.

Edited June 9, 2024 by Soapsuds

[Soapsuds]

@DramatistDreamer

NBC will no longer be covering the French Open.

TNT has the rights now.

I wonder who'll they will get as commentators.

Wish they get Bill McAtee again. Loved him with John and Mary during their run on CBS with the US Open.

[Soapsuds]

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[Soapsuds]

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[DramatistDreamer]

Since they’re not even trying anymore, NBC just needed to let what little coverage they were providing go. It’s so shabby.
Honestly, I don’t know whether this is a step up or a lateral move at this point. I read that TNT is making some changes with their NBA coverage and many are unhappy about this. I don’t know about any of these television outlets and their commitment to tennis. It sure doesn’t seem like anyone is talking about ‘growing the game’ like they used to.

As for the men’s and women’s finals-

I watched most of the first set of yesterday’s women’s final and between the diminished confidence of Paolini and the unbearable commentary, my attention started to drift to what was going on outside. A beautiful Saturday morning, with clear, bright sunny skies and moderate breezes…and I was out of there!

Today’s match was at the very least, more intriguing if predictable. Never for one moment did I think Zverev was in any danger of winning that match…not even when Alcaraz called the trainer. When Mary Carillo, of all people, stated that Zverev was composed (or some such description) and that he seemed unfazed and not panicked, I nearly did a spit take. Then my next thought was that, “yeah sure his on court demeanor is calm, but off court, he will take it out on someone). What a disaster in the commentary booth are Carillo and McEnroe! Of tennis doesn’t want to drop behind pickle ball, they’ve got to come up with a more sustainable approach than this.

[Soapsuds]

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Tennis Channel will no longer cover the French Open and are left with no majors since ESPN has the other three majors.

[DramatistDreamer]

I’ve never cared for Tennis Channel’s coverage so I can’t honestly say I’m sorry. TC has raised their production values from where they were originally but the standard still seems less than ideal. TC gives Challenger scale values, so maybe they’ll focus on that tour and pickle ball, of course.

I forgot to mention that, I actually missed the end of the men’s final but when Alcaraz won that fourth set, I pretty much knew that he’d only close the door on Sascha in the final set.

I do wonder who TNT will get to do commentary. I am almost afraid to find out. 

[Soapsuds]

Not surprised... I didn't bother watching it.

French Open coverage featuring the Iga Świątek-Jasmine Paolini women’s final averaged a mere 0.49 and 756,000, down sharply from Świątek-Karolína Muchová last year (0.6, 1.04M) and the least-watched singles final ever at the event. Even coverage of the delayed October final in 2020 averaged more viewers. (Keep in mind NBC’s figures are for the full five-hour telecast.)

But I did watch the men's final.

In tennis, the five-set Carlos Alcaraz-Alexander Zverev French Open men’s final — the final French Open match on NBC for the foreseeable future — averaged a 1.0 and 1.62 million, up from Novak Djokovic-Casper Ruud last year (0.9, 1.56M) and the most-watched in three years. 

 

 

 

Edited June 12, 2024 by Soapsuds

[DramatistDreamer]

Lord, I forgot that the French Open had pushed back their tournament to the fall in 2020. I don’t remember who even won that year.

Tennis has become predictable, even in its unpredictability (i.e. the WTA results). I will say, I do find Paolini’s personal story very compelling and except for that final, I enjoyed watching her play, despite who she plays double with (I am glad that Coco and Katerina won the title, and believe it or not, this was Coco’s first major title in doubles). I don’t want to disparage anyone’s game, it obviously works for her but Swiatek’s game has never been very interesting to me and that’s okay, that’s life. As much as I like Coco and the person she is, I don’t always enjoy her tennis either. I wonder whether tennis as a sport will continue to lose ground (I am paying far more attention to cricket these days than tennis and not because of the U.S. team, cricket is part of my heritage, lol) or will something happen to revive it. There have been times when the sport seems to retreat from prominence, then you have an era full of interesting people with some swag with big game bringing more attention to tennis.