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
Medvedev's sixth grand-slam final, but the first where he doesn't have to play Djokovic or Nadal.
Medvedev's sixth grand-slam final, but the first where he doesn't have to play Djokovic or Nadal.
Murray’s first 10 slam finals were against Djokovic or Federer. He managed to win 20% of those, then won again when he finally git to play a less-accomplished opponent.
Medevedev’s first 5 slam finals were against Djokovic or Nadal. He managed to win 20% of those, then …
Also, Stan Wawrinka’s first 3 slam finals were against Djokovic or Nadal. He managed to win ALL of them.
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.
He still didn't play typical joker in sets 3 and 4. Made lots of mistakes. Looked sick or something.
Sinner is a pretty big favorite against Medvedev. I wanted to bet Sinner but not at those prices.
Djoker done. 3 more majors tops
Medvedev’s first 5 slam finals were against Djokovic or Nadal. He managed to win 20% of those,
Medvedev should have 2 already. He should have beat Nadal in Australia 2 years ago. That was just shocking.
Anyway hope he wins tomorrow. Afraid all these long matches might catch up to him though.
Sabalenka just too much.
I don’t see Medvedev beating Sinner.
Yet another underwhelming women’s tournament and final. Really is garbage that they get equal money.
Even if we ignore the number of sets played, a ticket to the men’s final is almost double the price of a ticket to the women’s final. Really wish some of the men would insist they should only have to play best of 3 sets.
Yet another underwhelming women’s tournament and final. Really is garbage that they get equal money.
Even if we ignore the number of sets played, a ticket to the men’s final is almost double the price of a ticket to the women’s final. Really wish some of the men would insist they should only have to play best of 3 sets.
Would be better if the women had to play 5.
Sinner may end up with more majors than Alcaraz.
Sinner is the Lamar Jackson of ATP. Decided that strength and conditioning is worth the effort. Lack of conditioning cost him the semi against Alcaraz in the 2022 USO when he had match point in the 4th set and proceeded to melt away.
In his previous condition no way he comes back to beat Medvedev, who usually gets stronger in 5 setters.
It's just an 250 but Bublik won Montpelier while losing the first set of every match. First time that's ever happened in any ATP tourney.
Shocking loss for Djoker at Indian Wells.
Play suspended due to bee invasion. Utterly insane.
Looked like the queen flew into/onto the cable cam and the rest of the colony followed along.
Sinner started strong but melted in sets 2/3.
He took a fall returning a short ball in set 3, but way too many unforced errors. Alcaraz playing tactical mixing up return speeds and minimizing unforced errors.
After his R32 win, I heard world #9 Alex de Minaur say that his R16 opponent, world #57 Fabian Marozsan, would enter the match as the favourite.
Marozsan won 6-4 0-6 6-1.
I would love to know what makes a top 10 player say that an opponent whose career high is his current #57 would be a favourite. Doesn’t seem like a winning mindset.
Danielle Collins into the Miami Open final! Plays Rybakina.
Alcaraz out to Dmitrov, Sinner goes #2 if he makes and wins the final.
Dimitrov and Collins were excellent last night.
Collins dropped the first set in her first-round match.
Her next 12 sets: 6-1, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2
I like Rybakina but hope DC wins in her final year on the circuit.
