Tennis!

[Farmer Reil]

Soderling, buck the fuck up. I've got money on you. :@ Somehow he went from being a set up at home to on the verge of losing when I got to the pub. :@

Edit: Swerve~! GO SODERLING! You magnificently injured bastard.

Edit: Bastard.

Wait, it's best of five in the quarters isn't it? ¬_¬ *calms down*

Edited June 30, 2010 by Farmer Reil

[naiwf]

RIP to the Federer Era

[EddieG]

Wait, it's best of five in the quarters isn't it?

Any grand slam is best of five, in every round.

[IAceI]

I can see this place is in overdrive with Berdych having beaten Federer and then Djokovic to reach his first ever Grand Slam final.

As much as I'd love a Berdych v Murray final. I'm watching Nadal and he is an absolute animal. I'd maybe be more inclined to expect it from Murray at the US Open, but watching Nadal hit the ball on grass is unbelievable. He's a machine.

[gunnar hendershow]

This may be Murray's best chance to win at Wimbledon, unfortunately he still has the massive hurdle of Rafa to get past. However, this tournament so far, nobody has been better than Andy.

[TCO]

Nadal is going to win this and the final, he's just a freak. The shots he's pulling off are insane, I honestly can't see Murray breaking him in this.

[IAceI]

Problems is, Murray has had a relatively easy draw to be honest. Nadal seems to have ironed out the kinks from the early round problems just in time.

I wouldn't say this is his best chance, I think in future years we're going to see a few Nadal v Murray matches. At 28, nearly 29, it's looking like Federer's years are passing him by now, and I think when it comes to something like that - and this isn't be being overly patriotic - I don't think anyone but Nadal will stand in Murray's way. Yes, a Soderling or Roddick could come in and beat him in inspired form, but I'd say even if Murray loses today. Next year he'll make it to at least Nadal once more (be that the semi finals or finals - and if Nadal is knocked out then I can see Murray taking the title.)

As it stands, I don't want to count out Murray now but I think Nadal is just hitting too brutally for him to get through. Unless Nadal goes off the boil - and what are the odds of that? - I can't see him dropping too many points. The fact he's improved his serve from last year only serves to (pun intended!) make him more of a threat to anyone he faces. As if his game wasn't good enough already.

Like I said; if this was the US Open I'd be a bit more confident in Murray. So if they meet up then, I'll be slightly more optimistic.

What I'd give for Berdych to win on Sunday, but as long as he puts up a fight. I don't want to watch Nadal whip him around the court with ease and waltz to the title. If he is going to take it, Berdych better make him fight - I'd say, "Why shouldn't he? He's just beaten Federer and Djokovic.." - but this is Nadal, and he can make players having a great run look very, very ordinary if he wants to.

Still, c'mon Ti-- I mean Murray!

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Amazing that some people actually tried to say Nadal wouldn't ever win this. Looked great so far and it's just brilliant to see him hitting near his top form. Shame for Murray, but the right and deserving person went through.

Much more importantly though, COME ON SERENA!

[Farmer Reil]

Hmm, do I pluck for the underdog who knocked out the reigning Tennis God, or the massive favourite who knocked out my favourite and the local boy in the last two rounds? Decisions, decisions.

Have to admit though, when it comes to women's tennis I still pick my favourites judged on physical attractiveness. As such, EVERYONE beats the Williams sisters (though Serena beats Venus). Except Lindsay Davenport, naturally.

[Pesci]

Serena's thighs would crush you, man. Her rack saves her a little though.

[Baddar]

So, Nadal won the final as expected.

Murray goes from British superstar to that tennis player from Scotland again until the US Open starts.

[IAceI]

Murray really exceeding expectations given his pre-tournament form, but he gained from a slightly easy draw to get as far as he did.

I'd back him for the US Open though, not vociferously but quietly. He's got the game for that kind of court, it's at the point now where you'd tip him over Federer unless Federer had a great day, Djokovic is hit or miss too, and you'd put him a slight level above the likes of Roddick and Davydenko. Nadal would be his biggest threat (unless someone has a phenomenal fortnight) and Nadal's knees are generally shot at by then.

You have to think which Nadal will we see.

The same Nadal whose knees are wrecked and struggles on the US Open Hardcourt?

Or a Nadal who really, really wants to win this final Grand Slam so he can complete the set - and a man who will no doubt schedule his run up a lot better than he has in the future to ensure he can win this tournament.

Still, I think Murray's time is very soon. And I think this US Open will be the best opportunity he's had yet.

You always have to expect provision for someone to do a Del Potro though, and with Berdych performing well at Wimbledon it's obviously not a rare occurence. Still, I think most people who are dismissing Murray are just those people still hung up on his image from 4 years ago when he said he'd support "anyone but England." He's come a long way from that person. Viva Murray!

[gunnar hendershow]

Surprised we didn't have a thread started yet given there's a handful of tennis fans on the board. What are everyone's feelings on the tournament so far, who do you see winning? On the Women's side we're without Serena (no tears shed here) and Henin (tears shed). The Mens' draw is missing defending champ Juan Martin Del Potro, who dueled Federer last year in one of the best matches I've watched.

I'm going to pick a final four for both draws. It's early enough where none of the big names (Unless you count Baghdatis) have gone down.

Men's

Nadal beating Federer in the final

Murray and Davydenko losing the semis

Women's

Clijsters beating Jankovic in the final

Wozniacki and Azarenka losing the semis

[sahyder1]

Azarenka is out of the tournament. Apparently she got sick during get match today because of the heat.

[gunnar hendershow]

She collapsed during the match due to the heat. It's a shame. I, obviously, thought she could have gone deep into the tournament.

[naiwf]

After seeing Azarenka collapse I have to wonder why some players choose to wear dark blue or black at the US Open. It's been soul crushingly hot here for the majority of the summer, and the humidity the last few days has been brutal. Wearing darker colored clothes certainly doesn't help if you're trying to avoid the heat.

[Sandars]

how's Sharapova doing? and 2 aussie women in the second round??

[naiwf]

Sharapova struggled a bit in her first match (she lost the first set) and I think she'll be playing a winnable match tomorrow. With the heat and Serena and Henin not in the draw she could just as easily lose her next match in straights or win the title without dropping another set. The women's game is that unpredictable right now.

[gunnar hendershow]

Andy Roddick just lost a 4-set match to Serbian Janko Tipsarevic. Roddick won the first set but then started to struggle and was clearly frustrated for the latter part of the match. This is our first major upset of the tournament, but with Roddick's recent form I don't know if you can call him going down early an upset. He's had a dismal year.

Scratch that, it completely escaped me Berdych got beaten earlier today.

Edited September 2, 2010 by damshow

[naiwf]

I'm paraphrasing a post match interview.

Brad Gilbert: "When you were running back, everyone around me was saying hit "The Fed Shot!", but you ended up hitting an unbelievable backhand. Do you have the tweener?"

Novak Djokovic: "No. I have something else between my legs."

*everyone starts to snicker and the camera shows his parents squirming in his box in embarrassment*

Novak Djokovic: "Don't worry, I'm not going to show it to you tonight."

Best post match quote ever? Discuss.