The ATP/WTA Tennis thread
The cluster**** to the AO seems to have been resolved, and we're ready to fire up the hype for 2021.
I'm running a season-long tennis PEEHS and we still need runners, thread here: https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/46/sp...
Now let's preview the 2021 season!
The Big 3
Spoiler
Noted anti-vaxxer Novaxx Djocovid is fresh off his record tying 6th year end #1 ranking. His prospects for a 7th look pretty good. However, there's a vaccine on the horizon. What happens if the ATP makes vaccination mandatory for players? Will this be Novaxx's kryptonite?
Spoiler
Noted old man Roger Federer is a year older, again. Fresh off of two knee surgeries, will he recover in time for AO? Will 2021 finally be his final year? Many have been saying "Federer is done" every year for 5 or 6 years now. Eventually they'll have to be right, right?
Spoiler
Noted butt-picker Rafael Nadal is fresh off his eleventy billionth Roland Garros title. How many more does he have left?
The Challengers
Spoiler
Noted bird-flipper Daniil Medvedev is fresh off his SE thread title year, which was going rather poorly until he won his last 10 matches, earning titles at the Paris Masters and world tour finals, and breaking the thread title curse. Can he continue the fine form into 2021?
Spoiler
Noted shirt-puller-upper Alexander Zverev is fresh off an embarrassing US Open final performance. Does he have a major in him or is he the next Todd Martin?
Spoiler
Noted hair highlighter Dominic Thiem is fresh off his first major title at the US Open. Can he beat Nadal at RG? Is he the guy who will retire the GOAT era?
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Noted One Direction cover band member Andrey Rublev is fresh off a stellar year in which he won 5 ATP titles and surged into the top 10. How much higher can he go?
Spoiler
Noted long haired Greek guy Stefanos Tsitsipas is fresh off a disappointing year with 3rd round exits at 2 of the 3 majors. Will he step it up in the big tournaments in 2021?
Young Guns On The Rise
Spoiler
Brandon Nakashima, 19, ranked #166. Won his first challenger title in Orlando last month. Solid all court game, coached by Pat Cash. The future of USA mens tennis.
Spoiler
Carlos Alcaraz Garfia, 17, ranked #141. This hugely talented Spaniard is coached by Juan Carlos Ferrero. He started 2020 ranked #490 and crushed his first 14 matches in futures. Then shocked the world with a win over veteran clay mug Albert Ramos at the Rio 500 event. He followed that up with 3 challenger titles and 1 runner up. He's a lock for the NextGen finals.
Spoiler
Lorenzo Musetti, 18, ranked #128. The 2019 AO junior champ. He burst onto the pro scene at the Rome Masters where he took advantage of a wildcard to qualies by winning 3 matches to get to the main draw, then beat Wawrinka and Nishikori, both in straight sets. He followed that up the very next week with his first challenger title, beating 4 top 100 players.
But there's one young gun whose ginger curls stand out above the rest. He's still a teenager, yet won his first ATP title at his last tournament of 2020. He's scored wins over Goffin, Tsitsipas, Zverev, and De Minaur. He's the only teen in the top 100 and currently ranked #37.
Our 2021 thread titleist: Jannick Sinner
Spoiler
Rafa beating thiem right now
Well Rafa has already withdrawn from the Aussie Open. Word is he’ll come back for the clay season and then retire after the French Open. Sounds about right.
I asked one of this forums Mods to update the thread title. Did not hear back.
Collins sure did choke that match away.
I’m surprised Danielle lost that. I’m an Iga fan but I give her little chance of winning this AO. My money’s on Coco.
WOW WOW WOW
Blinkova d. Rybakina 6-4 4-6 7-6 (20)
Match tiebreak over 30 min!
The longest tiebreak in Grand Slam singles history.
This is always true, but she's rarely played her best in the biggest matches. She should beat Coco in straights. I'm just not confident she actually will given all of her mental game issues. It kinda feels like a potential career turning point...like if she cruises in this match she might just win 5-6 majors in the next 2 years or something.
She's lost 16 games in 5 matches in Melbourne 😮
At this stage, it would be a big upset if Sabalenka lost to Coco.
Just when Hurkacz thinks he has a chance, Medvedev turns it up a notch and closes him out, with a drop shot on match point no less.
Sinner leads Djokovic 6-1 6-2.
Comparable to the 2020 French Open final when Rafa lead 6-0 6-2.
This match is 100% over. Sinner is not Tsitsipas.
Yikes
Sinner = Italian last name?
was even more shocking to see that he had won 2 out of 6 matches lifetime vs. Djokovic (was expecting 0 out of 6)
Sinner’s two wins were late last year, ATP Finals and Davis Cup.
Wow, Djokovic saves a match point and does what he almost always does, wins tiebreakers.
If he wins this, then WOW. My money’s still on Sinner but we have a match now, and no one plays better with their back against the wall than the GOAT.
I guess that recent mojo has worn off as he blows a match point in the 3rd set tie break...Sinner has repented and will be given a proper burial.
also on USA ESPN feed they have Nick Kyrgios as a guest host and he is coming across as the most likeable guy ever. FWIW.
Sinner leads 4-1, just far too strong and consistent on serve.
But finishing Novak is easier said than done. Will Jannik show any nerves?
After almost 3 1/2 hours, Sinner serves his first double fault when serving for the match. Follows it up with his 9th ace.
Match point #2. And he converts.
Novak’s first loss at the Australian Open in a semi final (10-1) or final (10-0), but #25 will have to wait.
Obviously, I still believe Novak has 1 or more grand slam titles to come.
Jannik can reach a career high ranking of #3 if he defeats Zverev in the final.
well how about that...
Sinner gave a great post-match interview...impossible not to root for him in the final.
Rooting for Medvedev now. He’s been so good for a while I feel like he should win at least two majors.
Can someone give me the cliffs on Djoker/Sinner? Was Djoker hurt or something, or did Sinner just flat out beat him.
Can someone give me the cliffs on Djoker/Sinner? Was Djoker hurt or something, or did Sinner just flat out beat him.
He flat out beat him, although Djokovic kinda beat himself too, he played like absolute **** esp in the first two sets. If he was playing his A-game it would’ve been a great match but I think I would’ve favored Sinner still. His level was very high.
