Tennis 2024

[selectivememory]

Some crazy matches this morning. Most notably, Swiatek barely scraping through against a peaking Collins. Tough tournament for her so far, former champ and then former runner-up in the first two rounds, and probably not getting much easier from here.

Anyway, I'm going to sleep now, but hoping when I wake up Zverev will be out.

[BlodwynPig]

Ooh, Burel and Dodin through. Already feels like best French all round performances in GS in last decade

[selectivememory]

Oh, good win for Burel over Pegula, who is usually a safe bet to make the second week of a major. Just seen Humbert's got a decent win over Zhang too. Definitely a good showing for the French today!

Rybakina a break down in the final set. Would've been a lot of people's favourite going into this tournament, so this would be a bit of a shocker.

Emma out, but I did expect as much. Needs to work on her match fitness and she'll be fine I think.

[selectivememory]

The quality of this Rybakina match is all over the shop. Trading breaks back and forth, Blinkova with a second chance now to serve for it.

Another young Frenchie doing well. Cazaux 2-1 up over Rune, with a break in the fourth set!

[selectivememory]

This is one of the craziest tie breaks I've ever seen. 18-18, both have had multiple match points. Both hitting amazing winners and absolute howlers. Great stuff.

[selectivememory]

Rybakina GONE

That was truly insane stuff. Felt like Blinkova had choked it away multiple times.

[Deanjam]

Norrie 2 games away from beating Ruud. Should've wrapped it up in straight sets really, but he messed up a lead in the second set tie break. Good performance though.

[selectivememory]

Haven't been watching that one, but hearing he's playing quite aggressively? Hope he can carry this form into the next round anyway, because he's probably going to have to play Zverev, and that man needs to be dealt with ASAP.

[Deanjam]

Yes, he's been going in to the net a lot in this match. He definitely needs to be more attack minded if he wants to beat the top players, because he's such a dull player normally.

[Deanjam]

Just wanted to share this lovely picture of Zheng Qinwen being surprised by Li Na after her win today.

[selectivememory]

Iga in another massive scrap, this time against talented Czech youngster Noskova. Draw has opened up for her with both Rybakina and Ostapenko going out, but questionable whether she's going to make the later rounds to be honest. Been about as tough an opening week of a slam for a #1 that I can remember.

If she does lose, we're probably looking at either Azarenka, Svitolina or Zheng as a finalist. 

[selectivememory]

Just wanted to share this lovely picture of Zheng Qinwen being surprised by Li Na after her win today.

Yeah, saw the clip of that. Was very sweet. 

[Deanjam]

This would be a big missed opportunity for Swiatek. A set up against a player she thrashed in their last meeting, with her side of the draw opening up.

[selectivememory]

Yeah, though Noskova is playing a lot better and I think is highly rated and expected to be a very formidable player in the next few years. And Iga has been a bit vulnerable to these big ball-bashers. Collins took her to the brink as well in the previous round.

Definitely a lot she needs to work on in her game if she's going to rack up the major titles outside of Roland Garros.

[selectivememory]

Zheng as the 12th seed the highest-ranked player left in that half of the draw, and it's not even the quarters.

Been a bit of a chaotic slam so far. Slight US Open 2021 feel.

[Deanjam]

Zheng as the 12th seed the highest-ranked player left in that half of the draw, and it's not even the quarters.

Been a bit of a chaotic slam so far. Slight US Open 2021 feel.

Quite fancy Azarenka to make the final. Could potentially face Ukrainian players in the next two rounds, which will be fun.

[selectivememory]

Would be very cool to see her win another slam. Definitely one of the best players not to win more than two in their career. Did have the misfortune of being at her peak during one of Serena's dominant spells.

Not quite Sabalenka's to lose yet, as she has Anisimova next who has a great record against her, but after that, feels like her best tennis should beat anyone else left in the draw. Big opportunity for Coco as well to at least make the semis.

[Deanjam]

Enjoyable match between Rublev and De Minaur. Not always the best tennis on display, but very dramatic. Rublev slowly unraveling as only he can.

[BlodwynPig]

Embarrassment for Mannarino.

[selectivememory]

Rooting for ADM, even though he'll have no chance against Sinner in the quarters. Good to have an Aussie interest still in the tournament, and also I am just bored of seeing Rublev lose in slam quarters.

Sabalenka and Gauff on course for a semifinal match-up then, which should be a banger if they're both as in form as their scorelines suggest.

[selectivememory]

Embarrassment for Mannarino.

His game is just never going to cause Djokovic trouble unfortunately. I really enjoyed his win over Shelton in the previous round though.

edit: oh, wait, I just saw the scoreline! I thought it was just a routine straight set loss, didn't realise he got bagelled twice. That is poor for a fourth round in a major.

[lankyguy95]

Matches are too long and too brutal now. There's plenty of quality and athleticism on show, but every major development in the last 20-25 years, in strings, in racquet head size, in court speed/consistency, really has gone the way of baseline power hitting and long matches.

[selectivememory]

I do find women's tennis far more watchable and interesting than the men's these days, partly because, with a few exceptions, most competitive men's matches seem to be these protracted baseline slugfests.

[Deanjam]

Enjoyable match between Rublev and De Minaur. Not always the best tennis on display, but very dramatic. Rublev slowly unraveling as only he can.

Well, I cursed this one good and proper.

edit: oh, wait, I just saw the scoreline! I thought it was just a routine straight set loss, didn't realise he got bagelled twice. That is poor for a fourth round in a major.

Oddly, he didn't play too bad in parts. Djokovic was just ruthless.

Matches are too long and too brutal now. There's plenty of quality and athleticism on show, but every major development in the last 20-25 years, in strings, in racquet head size, in court speed/consistency, really has gone the way of baseline power hitting and long matches.

The sport has largely destroyed serve and volley tennis, and the one handed backhand is on the endangered species list. Two of the most beautiful things in the game lost.

[BlodwynPig]

Make the courts bigger

[Menu]

I do find women's tennis far more watchable and interesting than the men's these days, partly because, with a few exceptions, most competitive men's matches seem to be these protracted baseline slugfests.

Me too. I wonder when the broadcasters will also start to realise this.

[Deanjam]

Quite fancy Azarenka to make the final.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Fool me. Has she ever played worse.

Sad for Svitolina retiring. We only really got the opening game to judge by, but Noskova looked good before Elina's injury.

[Deanjam]

Norrie taking Zverev to a fifth set. He's playing very well at this tournament. Showing a bit more than I've seen from him in the past. Much more aggressive.

[Deanjam]

And, of course, he gets broken right at the start of the fifth. Lol.

[Deanjam]

And Norrie breaks back. Double lol.