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  • Evariste Euler Gauss
    replied
    Time for a dedicated RG thread?

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  • Janik
    replied
    Swan and Watson both won, Katie in two and Heather in three. They will play Wang and Grammatikopoulou respectively tomorrow in q2.

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  • Janik
    replied
    What is going on this week? Well, on the ATP and WTA there are a pair of base level tournaments each (Geneva and Lyon for the Men, Strasbourg and Nuernberg for the Women), but the main thing is really the French Open which looms large.

    But let's start with the more mundane fare first. No British women are playing WTA this week in singles or doubles, but some of the Men are active in Lyon. Or were in the case of Cameron Norrie, who was beaten heavily by Ugo Humbert in R1. As Norrie was the only player playing singles, that just leaves two doubles pairs flying the flag, both with seedings to show their status: #3 K.Skupski/N.Skupski and #4 Bambridge/O'Mara. Both edged through to the QFs with match breaker wins in R1. The Skupski's are currently playing their last-8 encounter, and are a set up on Middelkoop/Puetz.


    However, the main show pre-edition draws more attention. That actually started yesterday with the Men, and that saw both the British hopefuls go out straight away, Jay Clarke losing in three to #17 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and James Ward going down heavily in two to #23 Oscar Otte. The Women are under way today, also with two Brits on the starting grid. However both Katie Swan's first match against #2 Jil Teichmann (a WTA clay court finalist a few weeks ago) and #5 Heather Watson versus Bibiane Schoofs are going on court first thing tomorrow instead.


    The draws both Women would need to negotiate to earn a main draw spot (the Men's ones are now academic) are:-

    Jil Teichmann Sui [2] vs Katie Swan GBr
    Wang Xiyu Chn vs Daniella Lao USA
    Denisa Allertova Cze [PR] vs Kristina Kucova Svk
    Tamara Korpatsch Ger vs Paula Badosa Gilbert Esp [18]

    Heather Watson GBr [5] vs Bibiane Schoofs Ned
    Valentini Grammatikopoulou Gre vs Kimberly Birrell Aus
    Ylena In-Albon Sui vs Romana Oprandi Sui [PR]
    Anna Kalinskaya Rus vs Vavara Lepchenko USA [19]


    Regarding the main draws, Jo Konta is expected to be seeded #26 and Kyle Edmund #29.

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  • Jimski
    replied
    The claim from Djokovic is that he was tired after some long matches and winning Madrid last week. I suspect there is more than a little truth in that. Djokovic is still 13-4 against Nadal since the US Open final in 2013. Even on clay, it's 4-4, and their most recent Roland Garros meeting went Djokovic's way (2015). Also there's always a question mark over whether Nadal even manages to complete a tournament these days, so injury prone is he.
    Last edited by Jimski; 19-05-2019, 19:32.

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  • Janik
    replied
    After Rafa has just won 6-0 and 6-1 sets against him? The 4-6 the other way in the middle makes for a weird scoreline overall.

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  • Jimski
    replied
    Get in. Nadal wins. I was beginning to think Djokovic had some kind of hold on him. (I mean he generally does to be honest. I still make Djokovic favourite for Roland Garros this year.)
    Last edited by Jimski; 19-05-2019, 16:50.

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  • Janik
    replied
    It finished 6-3 6-4. One break in each set proved enough. Konta wasn't without chances, but Pliskova's serve (first and second) was generally too solid. Bit of a damp squib of a match, if truth be told.

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  • Janik
    replied
    First set to Pliskova 6-3. She is putting ~90% of her first serves in, which makes the best server on the WTA pretty tough to play against. Despite that, Jo did have a clear chance to break back at 30-40 in the last game, but put what was basically a sitter into the tape (Pliskova had read which direction Konta was going).

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  • Janik
    replied
    Graphic of the last eight winners of the Italian Open women's trophy flashed up - Sharapova x3, Serena x3, and Svitolina for the last two years. One of these two is joining a significant roll-call. The match is underway, for those tempted to watch.

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  • Evariste Euler Gauss
    replied
    Wahey! Konta just wins her SF vs Bertens from a set down. Go Jo!

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  • Janik
    replied
    Djokovic vs Delpo was (almost) all that could have been hoped. The almost because, in the end, an underdog victory is preferred and this didn't happen. And that despite Delpo having two match points at 6-4 in a second set breaker. It sounds like Delpo will be reliving the first of these in his head - first serve in, short response, Djokovic has to guess a corner to defend and goes backhand but Delpo is going forehand instead. All it needs to do is find the court, but he drags it wide. Ouch. Djoker then saved the second one with a drop shot and won the next two points to level, which was the beginning of the end for JM.

    Tsitsipas-Nadal is the pick of a good Semi-Finals day. Have to back Rafa to make his first clay court final of the season(!) though. As for Konta, beating Bertens on clay is a tall order even for the best on dirt. Which Jo, however much she has improved in 2019, isn't. Her main hope is Kiki is running on fumes after playing six matches to win Madrid last week and two on Thursday here. However, she had a day off yesterday thanks to Osaka's withdrawal. So, nah, I don't rate Konta's chances very highly at all.

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  • Janik
    replied
    Konta won in three versus Vondrousova. That puts her at 32 in the rolling list for next week, with no-one else able to move past. So she will be seeded for Paris, seeing as those use next Monday's rankings as the last set to be published before the draw is announced. Yes, OK, Jo has been seeded in the French Open before and still hasn't won a match in it, but having that again really can't hurt.

    In other news, the after effects of the rain continued with two of the eight QFs being forfeited. And not just any old players not playing, but World No.1 Naomi Osaka and the most famous and well supported player ever Roger Federer not taking to the court. The tournament organisers doubled the ticket prices just before they announced Federer was playing (which the player himself criticised). In the end he only appeared on one day of the event. How to Make Friends and Influence People is not planning an additional chapter on this particular episode.

    Semi line up for tomorrow is just waiting the Djokovic/del Potro QF, which is about to start now that Maria Sakkari has seen off Kiki Mladenovic. The winner of that will take their place amongst the following:-

    Women's

    Bertens [6] vs Konta
    Pliskova [4] vs Sakkari [Q]


    Men's

    Djokovic [1]/del Potro [7] vs Schwartman
    Tsitsipas [8] vs Nadal [2]


    On the Doubles court, Edmund/N.Skupski (the only British or half-British pair to survive R1 and then only be default) topped #4 seeds Mektic/Skugor in R2 but then lost to #5 seeds Marach/Pavic in the QFs.

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  • Janik
    replied
    Originally posted by multipleman78 View Post
    The ball boy was priceless when Kyrgios chucked that chair today. The ballboy picked it up and placed it back down where it had come from right in his face, daring him to throw it again.
    The ball girl was even quicker to react. 1 second after the chair throw and just as the Umpire says "referee to court" she races up to Kyrgios to offer him his towel. Then the ball boy collects the chair and puts it carefully back where it belongs 'Your professionalism may have gone astray, but ours is solid as a rock'.

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  • Janik
    replied
    The longest day is over after Petra Kvitova's jacks it in against Maria Sakkari. She had had treatment the game before but didn't appear notably impaired. It looked more like a 'forget this' decision, which got her the bird from the crowd.

    We have our QF line-ups, then.

    Men's

    #1 Djokovic vs #7 del Potro
    Schwartzman vs #6 Nishikori
    #8 Tsitsipas vs #3 Federer
    Verdasco vs #2 Nadal

    Set counts today
    Djokovic: 4 versus Shapovalov and Kohlschreiber - games lost in those? 7!
    del Potro: 4 versus Goffin and Ruud - 6-4 6-2 6-4 6-4
    Schwartzman: 4 versus Ramos-Vinolas and Berrettini - 1 breaker; Berrettini should have been fresh for the later match and Schwartzman still won
    Nishikori: 5 versus Fritz and Struff - recovered from a set down against Struff, and also survived a set two breaker
    Tsitsipas: 4 versus Sinner and #10 Fognini - Italian killer! 3,2,4,2 games conceded
    Federer: 5 versus Sousa and Coric - 9-7 in a deciding set breaker in the fifth set of the day
    Verdasco: 6 versus #5 Thiem and #11 Khachanov - the Thiem one was an epic, 7-5 in the third. Khachanov was fresh for the latter. He must be wondering how he could lose from such a situation...
    Nadal: 4 versus Chardy and #14 Basiliashvili - 6-0 6-1 6-1 6-0!!! Nikoloz Basilashvili is a top 20 player, who was fresh, and still this happened to him. Rumours of Nadal's death may have been greatly overstated.

    Tips for tomorrow
    Djokovic (tie of the day), Schwartzman (likely fresher and playing at least as well anyway), Tsitsipas (has beaten Federer when his opponent's prepartaion has been ideal; it isn't this time) and Nadal (heavy, heavy favourite with today only a minor extra factor in that)


    Women's

    #1 Osaka vs #6 Bertens
    Vondrousova vs Konta
    Azarenka [WC] vs #4 Pliskova
    Mladenovic [Q] vs Sakkari [Q]

    Set counts today
    Osaka: 4 versus Cibulkova and Buzarnescu - all of them 6-3! Also confirmed as top seed for Paris after Halep's loss
    Bertens: 6 versus Anisimova and Suarez Navarro - the Anisimova match was likely draining, 7-5 in the third. And then to go the distance vs Suarez Navarro...
    Vondrousova: 6 versus #3 Halep and Kasatkina - the win against Halep on clay was the signature one of Vondrousova's career so far. Reportedly Marketa looked pretty wobbly on her pegs at the end against Kasatkina.
    Konta: 5 versus #7 Stephens and V. Williams - could have been just four if Jo hadn't blown a 4-0 lead in the opening set with Stephens. That aside a comprehensive day. She did looked drained by the end, though.
    Azarenka: 1.5 versus Muguruza - Vika is wondering what all the fuss is about. Though she did also play two sets of doubles later on, but that serves as useful court time to prevent undercooking!
    Pliskova: 5 versus Tomljanovic and Kenin - had to fight back from a set down against Kenin.
    Mladenovic: 5 versus Bencic and Barty - no sign of ill-effects from the three-setter against Bencic when she took down Barty for the loss of just five games.
    Sakkari: 4.5 versus #14 Kontaveit and #2 Kvitova - back-to-back scalps should mean tired but happy in the Greek camp. Might pay for the Kvitova one lasting over two hours and finishing late, though.

    Tips? Osaka (Bertens worn down by this week and last), Konta (ah go on then! did seem the fresher of the two as well), Azarenka (got lucky with the rain on Tuesday) and Mladenovic (tough call, that one).

    Leave a comment:


  • multipleman78
    replied
    They put the old man on twice today. Surely they should have forced one his opponents to pull out as it's a bit unfair on Rog to have to play twice. He came through in the end but i am sure he will be toast tomorrow. I find it remarkable he is still so competitive on clay.

    As for Kyrgios, one thing i liked in his interview was his destruction of Djokovic's victory celebration. It is cringeworthy and Kyrgios said that if he beats him next time then he will do it after the match. That would be fantastic.

    The ball boy was priceless when Kyrgios chucked that chair today. The ballboy picked it up and placed it back down where it had come from right in his face, daring him to throw it again.

    Leave a comment:


  • ursus arctos
    replied
    Perhaps he needs a different approach, or to step away from the sport for a while.

    His issues appear to go well beyond tennis.

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  • Janik
    replied
    He had been doing so for a long while, both imposed as part of punishments by the ATP and organised by himself/his team in presumable recognition that this is holding him back. It seems to have helped at times, but then he regresses again. In retrospect, his willingness to pick fights with not just peers but his most notable colleagues was probably a sign that he was off the rails again (similar talk has previously been followed by on-court instability). When he is more introspective, things seem better. Even if this introspection is often rather negative.


    On more upbeat matters, Konta beat Venus 2 & 4, which is impressively quick. A very good day's work, and one hopes a very good night's sleep to follow before taking on Vondrousova or Kasatkina for a Semi-Final place.

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  • ursus arctos
    replied
    He hasn't been ok for quite a while.

    i hope he gets help.

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  • Sporting
    replied
    I hope he's ok...in that I hope he is really okay.

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  • Janik
    replied
    Here we go, until it gets deleted:- https://twitter.com/andreopines/stat...14769237860352

    Nick Kyrgios said: "I'm f*cking done"
    He may be closer to the truth than he realises...

    Leave a comment:


  • Janik
    replied
    As per Ben Rothenberg's twitter:-

    So. Nick Kyrgios gets a game penalty after getting broken for 1-1 in the third by Casper Ruud for unsportsmanlike conduct, then throws a chair onto the court, then packs his bag and walks off, then gets defaulted from the match. Eventful 24 hours for him.

    Rotherberg has a pinned tweet at the top of his timeline of the interview with Kyrgios yesterday when Kyrgios had a pop at Djokovic and Nadal.

    Way to back up your point, mate! No way do the top guys think you are an irrelevant joke. Oh no.

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  • Janik
    replied
    But more on Nick Kyrgios. According to the reported results, he has been defaulted against Casper Ruud. So, what happened there, then?

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  • ad hoc
    replied
    Not looming any more

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  • Janik
    replied
    Konta has a pretty good record against Venus (including her first Tour title in Stanford), though IIRC that has begun to go south in recent meetings. Today would be a good time to move it back the other way again.
    Jo is probably looking like needing two more wins if she is going to be seeded in Paris. Still a huge ask (Halep looms ominously, which is an impressive trick for someone 5'6").

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  • Janik
    replied
    And wins 6-1. She broke from 40-15 down in both of Stephens last two service games at 1-3 and 1-5. That is a bit of an "Oh, Sloane!" moment.
    Couple of remarkable statistics from the match:-
    Stephens behind her second serve in set 2: 0% (0/7)
    Konta behind her first serve in set 3: 100% (10/10)

    Jo's second top ten win of 2019. The previous one? Beating Stephens in Brisbane!

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