Tennis

[LoneWolf]

I'm a casual fan really. I wouldn't seek out French, US and Australian opens on TV, couldn't really tell you who won those in any given year. I pretty much just watch Wimbledon.

What tennis is like to me, moreso if you're actually backing someone, is a really long football (soccer) penalty shootout. It can be that intense throughout a match especially when you're talking about breakpoints, set points, tie-breaks and obviously match points - all these different times in a match that have you almost curled up in an effeminate ball on your chair with the nerves.

You hit the nail on the head about the womens game, thats what I was getting at. Williamses excepted there is no one who you can say is any more than a one or two slam wonder - and no one that dominates for any long period, they win one and then not another one for another 2 years or something. And they all have 'ova' at the end of their names making them virtually indistinguishable!

I remember the Agassi comeback years. I loved Agassi, wished he'd won more Wimbledons.

I follow the Men's Tour, but don't really watch until the Quarterfinals of any given tournament that's on TV.

I also like the level of concentration that is required to play, there's a certain appeal to me on how efficient the game is played.. and how early you have to start learning how to play to be a pro.. I learned to play at the age of 21, and boy, it's really hard and you really have to put in the time.

Re: Women's Tennis.. Yeah, hehe.. It'll be interesting to see if Sharapova can bounce back & reclaim the 'top dog' status. I remember last year, Caroline Wozniacki was World #1 almost all year but hasn't won any Grandslam.. What's up with that?! :impatient

Brings back memories of Marcelo Rios (Chilean), who was the Men's Tour World #1 at a point in time but he never won a Grandslam.. Now how does he compare to Albert Costa, Thomas Johansson & Juan Martin Del Potro (one-slam wonders)? Who's better, the player who reached #1 or the player who was good enough to string 7-straight wins in a Grandslam tournament to win it?

Do you play, dev?

 

[a-dev]

I don't, never did, except for a bit of fun in the back garden at Wimbledon time. I joked to my brother after the final the other day ''I think I'd like to be a tennis player when I grow up''. Oh wait, I'll be 30 next month.

Speaking of one slam wonders whatever happened to Richard krajicek? Well, dunno about the rest of his career but his name is a curiosity on the Wimbledon winners list. I know Ivanisevic only got the one win himself but he had been a finalist a few times.

 

[LoneWolf]

I don't, never did, except for a bit of fun in the back garden at Wimbledon time. I joked to my brother after the final the other day ''I think I'd like to be a tennis player when I grow up''. Oh wait, I'll be 30 next month.

Speaking of one slam wonders whatever happened to Richard krajicek? Well, dunno about the rest of his career but his name is a curiosity on the Wimbledon winners list. I know Ivanisevic only got the one win himself but he had been a finalist a few times.

Ah ok.. Lol. We both got interested late.

Can't remember how his career went, but he just faded away.. Pretty much like Albert Costa after he won his only Slam (French Open), and Gaston Gaudio.. But Gaudio was a consistent 4th Rd./QF in the French Open before winning, and he beat the then-King of Clay, Guillermo Coria. Remember him? He had a run of 4-5 Claycourt tournament titles, therefore getting the blessing of 'King of Clay'.. This was before Rafa.

Goran was just unlucky that he was playing in a time when Stefan Edberg, Pete Sampras & Andre Agassi were really great.. He could've won more Wimbledon titles during his prime. It's fitting that he at least got a record (only Wildcard to win a Grandslam title).

 

[a-dev]

Ah ok.. Lol. We both got interested late.

Can't remember how his career went, but he just faded away.. Pretty much like Albert Costa after he won his only Slam (French Open), and Gaston Gaudio.. But Gaudio was a consistent 4th Rd./QF in the French Open before winning, and he beat the then-King of Clay, Guillermo Coria. Remember him? He had a run of 4-5 Claycourt tournament titles, therefore getting the blessing of 'King of Clay'.. This was before Rafa.

Goran was just unlucky that he was playing in a time when Stefan Edberg, Pete Sampras & Andre Agassi were really great.. He could've won more Wimbledon titles during his prime. It's fitting that he at least got a record (only Wildcard to win a Grandslam title).

I have to say I don't know those names. Your knowledge of tennis history is clearly better than mine. I really only started taking an interest roundabout 1999 actually and of course limited to Wimbledon as I mentioned. I have vague memories of Wimbledons before that time though. Everyone was aware of the domination of Sampras in most of the 90s.
Looking at the Wikipedia winners list I'm surprised to see Sampras and Agassi only sharing one final in '99. I could have sworn they had more Wimbledon finals than that. Maybe I'm thinking of semis/quarters/other tournaments maybe.

I remember the year Ivanisevic won finally - that was Tim Henman's best ever chance of winning it for Britain because Sampras was out (beaten by a young Federer I think). Henman was beating Goran but a rain delay allowed Ivanisevic back into the match and he took it. I was simultaneously gutted but pleased at the same time. Kinda like the final the other day. I wanted Federer to equal Sampras but who knows if Murray will ever get to the final again, he was fortunate not to have to play Nadal who has always beaten him at Wimbledon.

 

[LoneWolf]

I have to say I don't know those names. Your knowledge of tennis history is clearly better than mine. I really only started taking an interest roundabout 1999 actually and of course limited to Wimbledon as I mentioned. I have vague memories of Wimbledons before that time though. Everyone was aware of the domination of Sampras in most of the 90s.
Looking at the Wikipedia winners list I'm surprised to see Sampras and Agassi only sharing one final in '99. I could have sworn they had more Wimbledon finals than that. Maybe I'm thinking of semis/quarters/other tournaments maybe.

I remember the year Ivanisevic won finally - that was Tim Henman's best ever chance of winning it for Britain because Sampras was out (beaten by a young Federer I think). Henman was beating Goran but a rain delay allowed Ivanisevic back into the match and he took it. I was simultaneously gutted but pleased at the same time. Kinda like the final the other day. I wanted Federer to equal Sampras but who knows if Murray will ever get to the final again, he was fortunate not to have to play Nadal.

Yeah, I really can't remember but Sampras & Agassi probably had more US Open Finals match ups.

I agree.. Goran's year was the best year for Tim to have won. He would've matched up quite nicely with Pat Rafter (who Goran beat in the Finals) had he defeated Goran. For a time, I liked Tim Henman's game.. He even reached a French Open Semis in the 2000s despite conventional knowledge saying a serve-and-volley type of player will have little success in the French Open.

Andy will get another shot at any of the Grandslams, but he really has to step up his game a notch. I mean, he is older than the Djoker, but Novak has won several 'slams already. His time for greatness is running out.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I like the idea of not knowing who's going to win the women's tourneys. If you only cheer for the top 1 or 2 athelete's you're kind of a bandwagon follower. Like people who only know who Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods are but couldn't name 10 other atheletes in the sport.

 

[LoneWolf]

I like the idea of not knowing who's going to win the women's tourneys. If you only cheer for the top 1 or 2 athelete's you're kind of a bandwagon follower. Like people who only know who Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods are but couldn't name 10 other atheletes in the sport.

As a fan, you would like that when watching 1 tournament.. but if you follow the tour, you'll be like "Where's the consistency?" because almost everyone is a 'One-slam Wonder'.

Who said I am a bandwagon fan?
My favorite player is Roger Federer (started following him since I first saw play him in the 2002 Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia), but I also follow/followed the following tennis players:
- Paradorn Srichaphan (when he was still playing)
- Tommy Haas
- David Nalbandian
- Juan Carlos Ferrero

Roger started dominating the ATP Tour for the past decade, but really sucks that he has a losing record with Rafael Nadal.. That point (his losing record against Rafa) is always an argumentative topic whenever the subject of Federer being the Greatest Tennis Player of All-time is brought up.

 

[a-dev]

Didn't see any of the matches but I heard Andy Murray won the US open. ****ing delighted!

 

[intothevoid]

I saw the last 4 hrs of the 5 hr epic. I was supporting the Djoker but Murray was sensational and deserved the win!

GREAT match.

 

[SixMillionDollarMan Guy]

Got to see the last set. Nice for Murray to win it. First Brit to win any major since 1936.

 

[ebor]

Stoked to see win the Scotsman win his first Major. Now for Wimbledon to rename "Henman Hill," "Murray Mound"

 

[a-dev]

Now that he's got the first one out of the way heres hoping he can get more. I really hope Wimbledon does not elude him forever.

 

[LoneWolf]

Congratulations indeed for Andy Murray.. It's about time he won his 1st Grandslam

He is on a roll! Olympic Gold Medal, then the U.S. Open.

 

[Solidus]

Yeah great game by Andy Murray! I'm a huge fan of Djokovic, but I was cheering for Murray this time - another British grand slam win was long overdue (the last one was in 1936 right?).

Now if only the U.S. can have someone good to pick up where Pete Sampras left off .

 

[xjamiex]

I'm not a fan of either Murray or Djokovic (Federer, Nadal, Del Potro, Ferrer are my favourites) but what a heck of a match that was!

I was laughing pretty hard all game at Murray's foul mouth and Djokovic getting all pissy

 

[thecorsair]

I'm not a big fan of tennis but it's nice to see Murray win a Grand Slam tournament as the hype generated by Henman fans was an embarrassment as he never looked like a credible contender.

For me "Tiger Tim" was "Tiny Tim" and "Henman Hill" was "Losers Lump"

Murray has reached 5 Grand Slam finals, won one and got an Olympic gold medal....which may not put him among the all time greats but by British standards he's doing great and he's still young enough to add some more titles.

I don't mind his potty mouth.....John McEnroe was always amusing when he went off on one!

 

[civiclx]

What tournaments has everyone been to?

I've been to the 2005 US Open and the SAP here in San Jose a few times. SAP was cool but had a freaking blast at the USO. Wed had day and night session tickets so tennis is all we saw when we were there. Didn't think I could handle watching 10 or 12 hours of tennis a day but it was great.

What tournaments have you guys been to?

 

[LoneWolf]

Sounds fun. Thanks for sharing.

Unfortunately, I live in a basketball-crazy country (Philippines), and we don't have any ATP/WTA tournaments here.

I watched the Semifinals of the 2001 ATP Tennis Masters Series in Sydney, then a couple of days in the 2012 Australian Open.. The Center Court tickets are crazy expensive, so I only got the Ground Pass.

Was able to snap up a couple of photos of Andy Murray & Daniela Hantuchova while practicing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[civiclx]

Sounds fun. Thanks for sharing.

Unfortunately, I live in a basketball-crazy country (Philippines), and we don't have any ATP/WTA tournaments here.

I watched the Semifinals of the 2001 ATP Tennis Masters Series in Sydney, then a couple of days in the 2012 Australian Open.. The Center Court tickets are crazy expensive, so I only got the Ground Pass.

Was able to snap up a couple of photos of Andy Murray & Daniela Hantuchova while practicing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Grounds passes were what people were suggesting for the US Open during the first week. We ended up going through this tour company called Steve Furgals. It was such a blast and the best part was watching everything going on on the side courts. The Tuesday night session was the first session for us. It's the year that Roddick went out in the first round in three straight tie breaks. Earlier that day we saw Wesley Moodie playing Fernando Gonzalez on an outside court and Wesley walked right by us. I guess it was between sets and he had to use the restroom.
Saw Ferrer walking through on the grounds and stopped to pose for pics with a couple women.
It was seriously a blast.

Do you have any pics from the AO? I bet that must have been a blast!

 

[civiclx]

Anyone watching the Federer-Nadal Indian Wells match? Really hoping Fed wins this one