French Open 2018 - Deuxième Partie

I was surprised to see Goffin lose. I thought he'd win again in 5 as that seems to be his thing.

I kinda expect Wozniacki and Kasatkina to go 3 long sets. It sucks they couldn't have finished today.

Zverev has finally reached a slam QF so he's got that off his back.

Mischa is more of my type.

Was Sascha still flirting with that British journalist during the after match interview?

Who is the cover boy with the nice butt?

He sure was, R2

R3, Domi Cheeks Thiem

In case you haven't been paying attention, R3, OP is fixated on Thiem's ass and has used it to open seemingly the last 20 tennis threads. Couldn't we at least give equal opportunity to some of the other callipygous players, of which there are quite a few?

[quote] OP is fixated on Thiem's ass and has used it to open seemingly the last 20 tennis threads. Couldn't we at least give equal opportunity to some of the other callipygous players, of which there are quite a few?

I usually only start the threads on the majors but occasionally do start some of the Gays and Tennis threads including the most recent one. Lately I've used Thiem's ass in the major threads and sometimes would use Nadal or even Roddick in his prime. In the most recent Gays and Tennis thread I used a pic of Jack Sock's ass, of whom I'm not too fond, just for a change. I got, among others, the following comments:

[quote] Gross...couldn't we have found a better ass and a hotter player than Sock?

[quote] Agreed, R5 --OP is apparently attracted to asses that are too fat and faces that are downright homely. We can do better than Thiem and Sock, please.

So for the French, I reverted to Domicakes Thiem. A lot of posters like his ass and him, while few have shown love for Sock or his ass.

why is there no love for my ass? It's lovable just like me!

R8, that's because Nole you're as thicc as a Darfur Orphan.

Only Pouille can rival Thiem and Sock in the fat ass department.

R10 Have you seen my next opponent?!

Guess who Sascha names as his best friend?

He says Melo is immature and has to be taught everything about life. So I guess Sascha is the top?

(I'm disappointed the Sascha/Melo stalkers hadn't found this video yet).

That was a bit tongue in cheek,OP...nonetheless, suggestions from the top 100: Coric, Tiafoe, Nishikori, Schwartzman, PCB, Chung, Shapo, Ramos-Vinolas, Monfils, Sousa, Struff, Lopez. Of course only two of those are still standing at RG.

R10, you must be short-sighted. Tiafoe can run rings around Pouille, Thiem, and Sock.

Poor lil Diego is getting flayed by Anderson.

For fans of Domi, here's an closer look.

Anderson's tennis is so boring but he is doing well on clay wich is not his best surface. Rafa will crush him next round anyway

Well they had to ruin that Dom vid by bringing the BEARD in at the end.

Kastinkina wasted no time tossing out Woz.

Rafa should crush his opponent so Serena/Maria could be as early as 9am EST

Max M is STACKED.

R12, I posted the link in the other thread, when I asked for reactions on his vehement rejection of Marcelo being like a big brother, haha! I would not neglect my duties like that, come on now.

There was also another where he says playing FIFA with Marcelo (and loving that he always wins) is his evening routine...made it sound like a daily thing almost!

Hoping for a Keys vs Stephens semi, but they'll have to get past some quality pushers.

Keys is so unpredictable and Putintseva superpower is annoy her rivals. I really like Sloane but i doubt she can win here, her last match was impressive but she was struggling before that (if Giorgi wasn't such headcase the story of their match would be very different) I still think the winner will come from the other half of the draw

Anderson is having a lot of trouble to close the match with his serve (and without his big serve he is a very average player)

But Diego Schwartzman is so yummy......mmmmm,, I'd love to pound that li'l fucker

Concertina did a nice job finishing off Woz this morning, and for that I’m grateful. Her serve is abysmal and she’s not great at the net, but she has style and can construct points. She’s probably not going to be able to beat Sloane. Her best bet probably is to be a backboard, return every ball and wait for Sloane to make errors.

There’s some good players left on the women’s side, and I could see any one of about half a dozen of them win the whole thing. My money is on Muguruza for now.

And Schwartzman won the fourth set and start the fifth breaking Anderson's serve

R18, you weren't kidding about Rafa. The Serena/Sharapova match might not start at 9 AM EST, but it'll be close to that.

And now the Schwartzman/Anderson is a break fest. Four games, four breaks. I think poor Schwartzman is going to regret not holding his serve

R25, my dream women's final would be Muguruza v. Stephens. They are 1-1 in head to head, with Stephens winning most recently 6-3, 6-4 in Miami this year, but that was on hard court.

Kevin Pussy Anderson was two sets and 5/3 up. Then Little Deigo complained to umpire about some noise. And pussy Anderson shit in his pants. how can we expect people like Domi and Anderson to defeat big fours when these pussies choked while defeating even lower ranked player like Dego and Kei ?

Oops, make that 9:45 AM EST.

Anderson was not able to hold his (big) serve in the whole fifth set

Little Diego is so cute. Imagine him spreading his legs begging you to fuck him.

Dieghito Dieghito Dieghito

Yikes, Mary Carillo just said on the Tennis Channel that there's a rumor swirling around that Serena has an arm injury that might cause her to default today.

Sharapova must have had her voodoo dolls out.

Nooo I wanted to see Serena whoop her ass again. Hope it's not true.

Serena has withdrawn.

ahahahahahahahahahahahahaahhaha

Serena is a fucking coward. Ape.

Who will save us and stop that shrieking banshee now? Mugu? Halep?

Stay classy, R40.

I knew Serena was hurt yesterday. As soon as I saw their doubles scoreline, it was clear. There’s no way the Williams Sisters lose every game in a third set unless one of them is injured. Hopefully, her arm recovers in time for Wimbledon.

Is it crazy to think Serena was partly worried about losing to Dopapova and didnt want to give her the satisfaction, so therefore she withdrew. Not saying she isnt injuried. I just think she doesn't ever want to give her beatdown streak of this "rivalry" up.

Darn, Muguruza is 0-3 against Sharapova, but the last time they played was four years ago.

Serena says that it's a pec injury and that she'll be having an MRI tomorrow.

R44, that was my first reaction. She wants to protect that h2h.

Nooooooooooo. I so wanted to see that match. Go Serena.

Serena just said that she would have played if she were 60% or maybe even 50%, but today she's not even at that level because she can't even serve.

[quote]Darn, Muguruza is 0-3 against Sharapova, but the last time they played was four years ago.

I don't think that H-to-H will matter much. It was almost 4 years ago, Maria was Top Ten while Muguruza had just cracked the Top 50 a few months earlier. They played in the French and Canadian Opens, and both went 3 sets. Muguruza is a much more accomplished player now.

Having said that, she still needs to get past Tsurenko... which she should, but I've seen crazier results from Muguruza just in the past few months.

Is this where we talk about Rogers Cup?

Maria is trending world wide . So does little Diego

Lil Diego!! 🎾😎👍

Maria Sharapova into her first Grand Slam QFs since the Australian Open 2016, where she lost to Serena Williams in the day she got positive dope test result

Tennis can be ironic.

What about the Laver Cup? Can the World team of Jack Suck, John Isner, Stevie Johnson challenge Roger and Rafa in Chicago?

Serena isn't back at peak performance yet, but she had a great French Open. So much for the doubters thinking she would be done after the baby. I say by the US Open she will be back at her pre-baby play level

Is this where we talk about Laver Cup?

Sharapova is so lucky. Hope someone stops her from screaming her way till the end.

[quote]Is it just me or has John McEnroe referred to the women players as "girls" at least twice?

He called Dominika Cibulkova 'the little girl from the Czech Republic' (she's from Slovakia)

I know this one R59

Well at least we get to see The Fog on Chatrier.

Playing the doubles so she can have an excuse to fake an injury and protect her h2h record against Maria. Cunt!

I don't think she would have risked playing against anyone if she felt injured R62 Remember the French Open is her worst tournament anyway. It means the least to her and she wants to be ready for the Wimbledon later this summer. Why needlessly put her body through the ringer of clay

I think Isner will have the edge today. He has the momentum

I heard McEnroe call the players in the Woz match Saturday “girls”.

What’s the problem with “girls”? I’ve heard the men called “guys” and “boys”.

McEnroe is a lazy commentator. If you listen closely, it's 80% opinion, 20% fact, and a fair amount of the facts are not correct. Which is fine if you want to tune in and hear about what McEnroe thinks about everything, but he offers very little in terms of data, and is sloppy when he does.

I don't mind him. Chris Evert is my favorite though

John McEnroe is the worst. My favorite is Navratilova. She analyzes the play well and often says interesting stuff.

It was 20 years ago today that Monica Seles ended the bid of Martina Hingis to win 4 straight majors, defeating Hingis in the 1998 French Open semifinals, 6-3, 6-2. Hingis would go on to win only 1 more Slam Singles title (1999 Australian Open vs unseeded Amelie Mauresmo).

Navratilova is great but she plays favorites too easily I feel. I tend to have the same favorites but sometimes I wish she would stay a bit more removed

Chrissie has improved, but the #shitchrissiesays hashtag is for real. There's a reason why we still get the mock-Chrissie posts here talking up how great Bouchard is. I'll never forget her talking about how hard Bouchard hits the ball when Kvitova was blowing her off the court in their Wimbledon final.

I agree with that, sometimes it feels like she must be watching other matches. But other times she seems witty. I remember her seeming annoyed at how much money players got for winning tournaments now compared to what she got. She said what she got isn't even enough for dinner at Nobu.

Its they got paid nothing to what players get now.

I meant right that I agree they didnt get paid nearly as much.

Is Delpo the hottest player on tour? I wonder if he has a hairy back and ass.

Delpo is probably the hottest. I used to be VERY into Andy and his perfect muscles. But his time seems to have passed

Not sure if Delpo is the hottest, but he's definitely in the running. And the thing that makes him all the more hot to me is that, according to everything I've read or heard about him, he seems like such a genuinely nice, decent guy.

Zevrev will overtake Delpo as he gets a little older and fills out a bit, but I don't know who else is real competition for him. I find Isner really hot, but I can see why many people wouldn't because he has a unusual look with how lanky he is

Which Zverev, R79?

Sascha of course

Borna

Bartoli just said that she's not surprised that Garcia is losing to Kerber because Garcia doesn't play well against the defenders and she doesn't play well against the players that can hit winners against her

R83 So mostly everyone?

Easy win for sexy hairy beast Delpo. I bet he is super aggressive in bed.

yay Del Potro straight setted Isner out of the tournament. This partially makes up for his disastrous Miamii Open match earlier this year

Garcia normally beats the players should, mostly unranked or low ranked ones. She can't beat the top women though.

Delpo was playing well, great form throughout. I'm happy for him

Sharapova with her never-ending luck. Hopefully Muguruza can take her out in the next round (assuming she wins today). If Garby can't, we'll have to rely on the winner of Halep/Kerber. Now Kerber has a decent record against Sharapova, but Kerber usually sucks on outdoor red clay for some reason (she's won Charleston and indoors Stuttgart though). Halep is obviously a good clay courter but she struggles against Sharapova despite having won the last 2 times. IMO she only beat her in Rome because Sharapova ran out of gas.

Glad Isner is out and Delpo still in.

I have high hopes for Muguruza she will be the dominant number 1 player soon enough

I like Isner and Delpo both, but Delpo deserved this win. I expect Isner to have the edge in the grass season

lol Tsurenko just retired after going down 0-2

so at least Muguruza will have almost as much of a rest as Sharapova

how weird that one advances due to her opponent's withdrawal and the other gets a quick retirement

Muguruza v. Sharapova should be a really interesting match. They haven't played each other in four years, so it's tough to predict how things will go. Anybody know how the London bookies are viewing that match-up?

Im afraid Muguruza is going to lose to that shrieking doper.

Muguruza really should have beaten Sharapova before but choked. The good news is that Muguruza is not a fan of Sharapova and will be motivated to get that first win.

I really want Muguruza to knock her out!

Cilic is getting fogged 🌫🌫🌫

In the tiebreaker, Fognini hit an amazing one-handed backhand passing shot while sliding past the doubles alley.

Is any woman on tour a fan of Sharapova? She seems to attract a lot of enemies

I lover her R100

R101 R.I.P. to your taste.

👅👅👅

R100 this is hilarious but Bouchard said she was in the beginning. Then Sharapova was cold/rude to her when they met and Bouchard was further turned off by the meldonium scandal.

There's another player, Diatchenko, who said she was too but she never got past journeywoman status.

[quote] I lover her R100

He asked about women, Carlo.

Doper vs Douche still grinding on.

Fog’s mind wandered for a minute and now Cilic is up a break. Fog was playing well until then.

Nadal vs Delpo semi coming up, hopefully.

He's had his lesser moments, R78...

Nice to see Cilic pull it out against obnoxious grandstander Fognini.

The good news for Del Potro is he's gotten to the QF conserving energy. I don't think he's dropped a set yet. Cilic's weakest surface is clay so Del Potro should be able to get by him.

That was a great day, R70. Happy anniversary, Monica!

Delpo will win easily against Cilic. He has a 10-3 h2h record against him and also won all of the last 7 encounters. Delpo will also reach rank no.4 if he wins tomorrow.

[quote] Happy anniversary, Monica!

Giggle.

Delpho team

Delpo team

Oracle of DelPo

I miss Misery’s thighs

I hope you're right, r113. And, in addition, I don't expect there to be a lot of long rallies in the match, so maybe Delpo can conserve a lot of energy for Nadal, who should be able to get by Scwharztman without too much difficulty.

Delpo is way better on clay than Cilic. And in my opinion he could give Nadal a scare. Nadal is winning very easily but he showing some weakness losing his serve, that's not a problem with the cakewalk draw he has but against Delpo could be a different story. I'm not happy with Garbiñe only playing two games, everybody says more time to rest but the truth is not always goes that way. I remember Nole being very dominant all clay season a bunch of years ago, he had a wo in 1/4 round and then tanked against Federer in semis. Garbiñe was not playing well before this tournament, but she wasn't playing well before Wimbledon last year either. She is motivated and on a good day nobody can stop her on clay (unfortunately she only has good days from time to time)

[quote] I miss Misery’s thighs

So do I. I don’t miss his face however.

Zverev vs. Thiem...another 5 setter?

Yeah, r122, I could easily see that match going five sets, with some tiebreakers.

Little Diego got angry. So adorable.

Love Monica Seles! Happy anniversary!

[quote] Love Monica Seles! Happy anniversary!

Giggle. Thanks.

That match was a total blast from the past. Out of the blue Monica was not the good player that came after the stabbing, she was the old Monica, the one who played to kill. Martina generally was good against Monica but that day she was on the showers before even know it

[quote] she was on the showers before even know it

Also known as the den of lesbian conversions!

I can't remember, r127, was that the French Open right after her father had died? I remember she was dressed in a black outfit then and was playing lights out.

Yes, it was that year. I remember i was making some time waiting to watch Arancha's match, and suddenly i realized that Monica just finished Hingis. The previous year match was great too (and i'm pretty sure Majoli still be slamless if Monica was her rival in that final)

Darn, the French Open website still hasn't posted the order of play for tomorrow. How am I supposed to plan my day?

Sasha Zverev will not miss an opportunity to cuddle a bit with 2 French guys

What bullshit!

What are you referring to, R133?

I don't get it either?? And R132 's link doesn't work

I assume R133 IS R132 and he was saying its bullshit his link didn't work the first time

Right R131? May day is all about that, too.

Order of play

And a link to that Mahut/Herbert interview Sascha joined for a bit...very cute and they were complimentary of him after he left! He really seems to have a thing for older men, haha!

Well Herbert is cute.

Damn, Chatrier has a nice line up tomorrow!

So Serena preferred to withdraw than get beaten by Sharapova?

Ah yes, R70, Monica's destruction of Hingis in the 1998 semis was one of my favorite French Open matches ever. The look on Hingis's face during the match was priceless. Monica was playing like the Monica of old when she took her out, and Hingis had no answers. Unfortunately Monica followed it up by laying an egg in the final against Sanchez-Vicario. But that was Monica post-stabbing. She just couldn't string enough victories in Slams together to win another one.

Didn't they lose the dubs yesterday 0-6 in the 3rd?

R142 , I hope Monica is happy. She had a tough road there for a while.

Totally agree, R144. From everything I've read about Monica, she really is happy. I get the sense that Monica is one of those people who looks on the bright side, despite everything that happened to her. Compare that to some of the sullen whiners who bitch about their careers and how it was oh so hard, like Capriati.

Isn’t she married to a billionaire?

Yeah R146.

R142, that French Open semi in which Monica blasted Hingis off the court is one of my favorites too. Another favorite is the 1999 French final, when Hingis was well on her way to her first French title only to implode against Graf. And then the awards ceremony with Hingis totally losing her composure was just icing on the cake. Yeah, I'm not a huge Hingis fan.

Thiem v Zverev. Hmm. Sascha has more talent, but has got to be tired. Thiem has bad nerves. Ima say Sascha.

As much as I loved Monica blowing Hingis away in 1998, nothing matches the sheer joy of watching Graf turn around that 1999 final. The French crowd turned on Hingis, and Graf ultimately ran away with the three-setter, all followed by a petulant Hingis leaving the court and having to be escorted by her mother back on the court after the French booed her insolent ass. Glorious!

Totally agree, r150. That final is one of my all-time favorite matches. And just to add some context, when Graf was injured the previous year and was struggling to make a comeback, Hingis said some bitchy things implying that Steffi was over the hill. So that French final was some delicious karmic payback.

Pre-stabbing, Monica owned Steffi...

Can someone in Production please tell commentator Ted Robinson (and most of the others) to speak in complete sentences??? Please use VERBS!

"Isner serving well."

"His best today 136mph."

"Cilic and Fognini in their third set."

James Blake sounds so much more educated than his counterparts.

Yes, r152, and that's why Gunther Parche stabbed Monica.

Hard to believe he served no time for that attempted murder.

The wood - mahogany.

Prior to the stabbing, Monica had won 7 of the previous 8 consecutive grand slams. (she would’ve won Wimbledon had they not shamed her into silence). Has another player achieved that? Federer?

Monica never set foot in Germany again.

Cilic and Fognini's VPL is massive in this match. I thought Cilic had a semi and that was huge! DAMN!

As always, let’s keep our discussions civil.

[Quote] As always, let’s keep our discussions civil.

Who's out of line?

VPL is a crucial part of a player’s on court presence!

The Brazilian chair umpire in the Nadal/Marterer match was sporting quite a bulge himself.

James Blake sounds half asleep and mumbles. I think he's a pot smoker.

Lindsay Davenport is the best by far. Tracy Austin is worst. Paid by the word - I can leave the room and I still hear her yammer the same sentence five minutes later.

James is really monotone. He's gotten a bit better, but still. I actually like the Bill Macatee / Tracy combo. Bill is articulate and I kind of enjoy hearing Tracy trip over her tongue.

Bill and Tracy used to date in the 80's.

And yes LOVE Bill McAtee - he never made it about himself unlike the overrated creep DICK Enberg. Enberg with his cornball soliloquies over ivy growing at Wimbledon.

I have a bad feeling TC is going to cream its pants over Tippy the Turtle's match and ignore Sascha and Domi. So all I can say is that Tippy's match better not go 3.

UGh Tennis Channel coverage. Who in their right mind would want to watch John Isner over Fabio Fognini? I get the American thing but entertainment should count too.

yeah I know R168. If there's an American playing, they'll show that match, regardless of its turditude.

who is Tippy the turtle?

Madison Keys

Bill Macatee is adorable. Did you guys know how old he is? 62 and still boyishly handsome.

Zverev is going to lose today. For sure Thiem will choke in the third set to give this some emotion but Sascha is making the same mistakes that he made in previous rounds and Thim is a better clay courter

I exactly wanted to say same thing R173

Thiem team

A. Zverev

zverev is weak. just a pretty boy...he aint even that pretty.

Hope Keys closes this out.

Zvereve taking a bathroom break and injury time out

B. Zverev

Tippy! 🐢🐢🐢

Extremely impressed with Madison and Sloane. These girl are big tournament players and not countrywomen like some other top players

At least Thiem has beaten Nadal on clay before and might give him a tough match if they meet in the final.

If Nadal has to win yet another RG he should at least be made to work for it.

R183. It will be Nole Vs Rafa. I "declared" that couple of days ago when Nole demolished Nando in round 4

I highly doubt Nole can beat Thiem unless he chokes massively. The truth is Zverev is doing really well except at GS, but Nole just won his first GS at his age (and didn't won the second till three years later) and Federer even had to wait a year to win his first. Time is on his side and clay is not his best surface

Props to Sascha for not retiring.

C. Zverev

R185 Choking massively in a slam semi is well within Thiem's skillset though

it's painful to watch Zverev - he's not even pissed

[quote]unless he chokes massively.

Unfortunately that is what going to happen .

It has already almost happened in Montecarlo but at that time Nole was too unfit mentally to take advantage of that . but now he is back

It will be boring grind-fest final between Rafa and Nole with Rafa as winner

Now watch Zverev pull a Delpo (last year's USO) on Thiem here..

zverev ks is too obsessed with his hair. Cut it and he will play a lot better. He's too concerned about his image and branding. That's how it is these days sadly.

yes his hair is massive obstacle, that's why he's third in the rankings and amassed the most points so far in the race to London

what is theme eating?

Nice embrace at the net between two cuties

Bartoli or Mirka?

Djokovic down 5-2 and in early trouble. Only he or Thiem can beat Nadal, unless Delpo or Cilic pull off some miracle. I'd rather see Djokovic still in play for the title. As R183 said, if Nadal is going to win yet another French title, he should at least be made to work for it. He sure hasn't had to so far this year, or really last year either.

I don't think Nadal is invincible this time. If Delpo stars his match focused and Nadal have a so so day on serve (and he has problems in previous matches) it could be a interesting match. I don't mind Rafa or Nole winning, or Roger winning Wimbledon, but i want to watch new faces and i want to see them being challenged. I'm a little tired of this second rate versions of them winning without a problem. I know they are legends but they are very far from their peaks.

Marco!! 🇮🇹🇮🇹

Ugh Marco is playing so great and I have to do some urgent shopping . See you guys in an hour

My Prince of Clay

ESL can you pick me up some eggs?

Thx!

Sloane!!

Girl is playing FINE. 👍

I am glad Sascha played on, but I hope he didn't do any further damage to the hamstring. He has about two weeks to Halle, so I hope he can recover well till then.

Marco!!!!

Check it outto!!!

Sloane!!!! 👍👍🇺🇸😎

Hillary's revenge. Keys beats Putin's daughter and Sloane takes out Kasatkina.

I think the US really is on the cusp of a new streak of dominance we haven't seen for years

Wow, is Sloane really playing that well? it would be great if she could back up her USO win with a French Open title.

Djokovic is down 2 sets to zero. I doubt he'll make a comeback. Thiem may beat Nadal but he'd have to play crazy well and have Nadal a bit off. Delpo may be our only hope, and he still needs to get by Cilic first.

R208, as long as Coco's not a part of that dominance. I'm good with that :). But Granny Venus looks ready for the home now.

I don't hate Coco so much. I get why she rubs some the wrong way. I'm hoping for Taylor Fritz to surge

Sloane looked fantastic- precision, power, patience and movement. Go Sloane!

I kinda want Sloane in the final more than Keys.

I'm impressed that Keys was consistent enough to straight set the tenacious and resourceful Putintseva and that Sloane destroyed Kasatkina. Kasatkina won comfortably over Sloane at Indian Wells this year so I wasn't sure what to expect.

Zverev needs to find a way to get through slam draws more comfortably. He had too many long matches so no wonder he wasn't 100% today. Thiem will be well rested for his semi.

Cecchinato is looking great. Too bad he only started playing so well this year.

Nadal v. Thiem. It's a battle for the best hot ass cup.

Sweet Cakes v The Famous Ass

another MTO for Nole

If Djokovic wins in 5 will he be too worn out to give Thiem much trouble?

Novak always looks rode hard and put away wet.

Nole looked like a wizened old man when he changed shirts.

Cecchinato is really imploding for someone who was up 2 sets.

Novak raging at the ballboys again. What is this 2015?

At least the journalist from Yorkshire can still make Sascha smile, haha!

Just watching the scores, this match has entirely turned around. Can someone explain if Novak raised his level or Cech choking? Or both?

Cech placed on this match going five, so he's tanking to make that happen.

Cecchinato is choking, but he is also getting weird interaction with the chair. He's been given a point penalty for arguing; he had a point given to Djokovic with the explanation, "Yeah it looks in, but I see it just out." Cecchinato doesn't look ready to deal with it, and the crowd has turned on him, too.

Nole always show his true colors whenever he is lagging . He should have be given warning for treating ball kid like that . Pussy umpire

Nole was injured right? He took MTO during 2nd set just like he did against RBA when he was in trouble . He doesn't look injured right now

GIVE ME THE TOWEL!!!!! TOWEL!!!

His pride was injured

Novak acts like a spoiled brat when things arent going his way. He's rude and the least sportsmanlike of the big 5.

Djokovic also did one of those boob-pushing play to the crowd things to fire them up...after a Cecchinato error late in the second set.

He's so not classy.

I was hoping becoming a father would cause Djokovic to treat the ballkids more politely but obviously not. He's still too thin. I hope Thiem kicks his ass in the next round and I'm not even a huge Thiem lover

I think Djoko still looks extremely good. I would in a heartbeat. But I agree the childish antics aren't cute

I hope the Italian beats him today.

I commented yesterday that Djokovic's boob-pushing thing was him being humble. After today's behavior with the ballboy, I see that I was wrong. Those of you who commented that he's an ass were correct.

Djokovic is my least favorite of the dominant players. It goes Nadal>>Murray>Wawrinka>Federer>>>Djokovic, both based on game and personality.

I know Wawrinka isnt that good anymore but he's won three majors in the last few years which is more than most other guys have won.

Is Murray even still a player? Sometimes I feel like he just hasn't admitted publicly he is retiring

Apparently he's coming back for the grass season.

Where the hell has this Italian player been? Never heard of him until this tournament.

He never won a grand slam match before this. I also read he only won 4 tour level matches.

I do give Djokovic a lot of credit for hitting those amazing volleys at 5-6 and 6-6 in the tiebreak. A lot of players wouldn't have been able to control them

The Italians lay low, enjoy life, and show up once in a while if it feels right.

Cecchinato has also been suspended for match fixing before but succesfully appealed his ban

What was the Italian's ranking before RO?

Nole is done. He is broken mentally

The douche is defeated!

Djokovic out in four. Another threat to Nadal falls, although I watched some of this match and I don't think Nole is really a threat to Nadal at this point.

Cecchinato looks like a hotter version of Gasquet. Better face and body

Marco!!!!!

What an amazing tie breaker!!! 😳

Nole wouldn't have beaten Nadal.

Thanks for that gif, OP. I get a little chub whenever this thread gets bumped.

The Italian won more prize money in one tournament than his entire career. He also reaches a career high ranking after this. What a week for him!

[quote]What was the Italian's ranking before RO?

#72 He won the Budapest tournament earlier this year

Cecchinato played one hell of a match. I couldn't believe he came back in the 4th set. He was trading ground strokes with Nole and was going head to head, toe to toe.

[Quote] Cecchinato looks like a hotter version of Gasquet.

I loved Gasquet and think he's one of the most handsome players ever but I'd agree will you. Cecc is very very handsome.

That return that the Italian made to win the match was incredible. I held my breath as the ball just floated in.

*love

Best match of tournament!

wow, they are showing jim courier on tv. he looks...like he did something to his face. botox. why do men do this to themselves? they look so weird.

and since when do the players bring out a kid when entering a court? what is that about?

i like thieme's haircut.

R261 - I heard the funniest thing a few days ago. Before one of the matches, they showed the players in the hallway right before coming out onto the court. The commentator (Mary Carillo, I think) said, "And this is where they pick up their complimentary small child." I LOL'd for an hour.

Pro soccer matches do this, too. It's a way to promote/support local sports groups, and of course it's a good photo op.

Props to Djokovic for being a good loser. Must have been tough to lose that match, especially when you were up 5-2 in the 4th set, but he gave Cecchinato a nice congratulatory hug.

That hurts. He didn't lost against a next gen player, or a consistent veteran, he lost against a journyman who probably will follow Tennys Sandgren footsteps in the following GS. But it doesn't matter because Thiem was going to kick his ass in semis anyway. Yes, Thiem is still a choker but right now he is simply too good for Nole. And frankly he is probably the one with more chances to give Nadal a fight (i'm starting to think that Nadal's cakewalk could end being a problem the day he'll face a tough rival and the match was not one sided). I can't see an american domination on the wta. I love Sloane but she is not that consistent, right now she is challenging her inner Muguruza and playing well at the GS (which was almost the opposite she was doing before her injury). And Madison is in the brainless ballbasher league and has a big problem of choking at the big matches (of course in a good day she can beat anyone). Sloane has an inmaculate curriculum at finals, but even with that i think the favourite will be the one who reach the final in the other half of the draw. And i think this is the tournament of the change. I can see Thiem or Zverev being real contenders in the next GS

I'd love to see a hard-fought, sweaty 5-set final between Nadal and Thiem.

I have a semi Thiem can choke on…

[quote]Wow, they are showing Jim Courier on tv. He looks...like he did something to his face

Jim wants to look pretty for young Grigor ;)

Djokovic says he doesn’t know whether he will play grass season.

He actually said that, r269? Not that be won’t but that he thinks he won’t? What a fucking churlish thing to say. He is the worst.

I agree, R265, that Sloane just hasn't proven herself consistent enough, nor has Keys. Keys is more like a Davenport. She can beat anyone, but she has a terrible problem of caving during a match. Sloane is, as you wrote, more like Muguruza now. She can show up for a Grand Slam, but she's not consistent day in day out. Who is, though, nowadays on the WTA?

I would love for there to be a changing of the guard on the ATP tour. We did have an incredible generation of players in Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, but it's time for some new stars. I'm not sure what's going on with Zverev. He's really struggling at the Slams in 5 set matches. He wore himself out before facing Thiem. Also, Zverev and Thiem both played way too far back today. They're going to have to learn to step in to take it to the next level.

Shows the pathetic state of the ATP that this nobody Marco Something can get to the semifinals of a major. #ATPinCrisis

Andy's back practicing.

really gutted for Nole. He's my favorite player. Showed such fight!

R273 He looks so thin... Gaunt even

Nole looks like a Darfur orphan. I loved when he squated mid court and freaked out and told the crowd to shhhh...what a drama queen. Granted the crowd was obnoxious and cheering for him but it is his own fault he got distracted and shanked the ball. What a baby. The crown seemed to be rowdy and cheering for more tennis. Both players had a ton of support.

Andy needs to grow out his hair too.

Thiem’s butt looks delicious. I’d like to taste it. That’s all.

^ the line starts behind me, bitch

Madison Keys confirms this her last tournament with Lindsay Davenport as her head coach, but said it’s more of a title change.

"She's no longer going to be ‘the' head coach, but I will always have a relationship with Lindsay.” LD will still help

Well I sincerely hope lil Diego isn't too gassed to make it a proper fight. Tomorrow's matches look great.

the French love of jeering always cracks me up. Often they boo for the stupidest and smallest of reasons but it's still funny to watch. I especially love when players who crave to be loved like Djokovic or Azarenka get booed. I'd love to see Federer get some too but he's treated like a king everywhere

Some thoughts on Djokovic:

Once he won the French Open to win four straight majors, he was spent emotionally. That French title was a huge goal for him, and he didn't have another goal established for what to achieve once he ticked that box. While I think his injuries are legit, his biggest problem now is between the ears. Honestly, I think he'll go deep in Slams and get back in the Top Ten, but I don't see him returning to No. 1, or winning another Slam. You can compare his career dip to McEnroe in '85-'86, or Wilander after winning the '88 US Open.

I get why people don't like him, but I will forever be grateful for his willingness to make some changes in his game when he started to stagnate, which led to his dominance for much of 2011-2016. The sport was stuck in a wash, rinse, repeat cycle of Federer and Nadal winning everything between 2005-2010, and Djokovic burst through the two of them to inject some life in the sport. If we had a 14-year stretch of Fed/Nadal winning everything, I'm not so sure I'd be watching.

I also think he doesn't get enough credit for (1) being a very good loser - watch his congratulations to Wawrinka in both the Slam Finals he lost to Stan. He was gutted, but very congratulatory to Stan. Even the glorious Fed, who is given every sportsmanship award in the ATP, can be cold if he loses to a player he doesn't much like (e.g. Djokovic or Murray). And (2), winning four straight majors. When Serena did it, it was praised by the press as the "Serena Slam", but with Novak, the accomplishment is barely mentioned.

Novak is the Jan Brady of tennis.

I very much agree with you, r283. I can understand a lot of the antipathy toward Djokovic -- yeah, the ingratiating things he does can really be annoying. But I'm not sure why so many people refuse to give him his due props. He came of age during the era of Federer-Nadal dominance -- two of the all-time greats. But instead of settling for being #3 or 4, he took on the monumental challenge of unseating those two. And not only did he achieve that seemingly impossible goal, becoming #1 also winning four straight majors, he also now possesses a slight edge in head-to-head matches against both Federer and Nadal.

100% agreement, R283 and R284!

Great post R283. It's almost superhuman what he did, and now we are seeing the toll it took. I actually think Seles was a similar phenomenon. There's something fragile in their psyches that I can relate to.

Coincidentally, r286, both Seles and Djokovic were born in Serbia.

Do the fans realize how stupid they sound when they do that ridiculous hollering chant?

Yes, R287! Though I'm not sure that's it.

Good observations and analysis, R283 and R284. I completely agree with the assessment that Djokovic really did something extraordinary in 2011. He overtook Nadal and Federer who had been dominating, particularly Nadal who had won 3 of 4 Slams in 2010. Federer owes his current edge over Nadal to Djokovic, who had the better of Nadal from 2011 on (Nole is 19-9 over Nadal since 2011, 5 of those wins in Slams). He stepped up and changed the course of tennis history. It was the last time we saw a dominant #1, particularly in 2011, 2014, 2015 and the first half of 2016. I thought when he won the French in 2016, he may win the Calendar Year Grand Slam. Alas, I think he was beset with legitimate injuries, but he was also mentally worn out. About 6 years is as long as most can really dominate. When the injuries forced him out of the game, he just wasn't able to bounce back mentally.

I agree with your comments. He is an incredible competitor. However, I think it was something else on top of reaching the pinnacle that really messed with his head. Still it does explain all the guru stuff. He spirit was gone.

Yeah, what's the backstory with Pepe Imaz?

someone close to him died. maybe that's why...

Seles, too.

He's shook.

[quote] I think the US really is on the cusp of a new streak of dominance we haven't seen for years.

In the WTA? How about Serena’s dominance?

It's early but Serena hasn't proven she will come back to dominate like she used to.

Heats ou...oh, fuck it.

Hearts ou...oh, fuck it.

R35 was correct.

[quote] and since when do the players bring out a kid when entering a court? what is that about?

It’s been done for several years. I think they call them “mascot children”. I recall at a tournament a year or two ago (US Open perhaps), they showed a scene similar to what R263 described, an announcer yelled out to the players “Grab your mascot kid on the right as you exit!” The kids are thrilled and smiling in awe of the players, and the announcer spoke about them like props, which they are.

I disagree re equating Seles and Djokovic. Seles always conducted herself like a champion. Djokovic, berating ball kids and excoriating the crowd, conducts himself like a bipolar meltdown waiting to happen.

I agree, R302. There’s no way he should have treated ball kid like that. Bad behavior should be called out wherever and whenever it occurs whether it’s Djokovic to ball kids or Serena Williams to an umpire.

Seles was such a classy competitor, who was treated so badly by circumstance, the WTA, German courts and her fellow competitors. I think it was only Gabriela Sabbatini who treated her well. Her father getting cancer was the coup de gras.

Coup de gras?

Oh, dear.

[quote] I think it was only Gabriela Sabbatini who treated her well.

Figures.

^Not true. Seles & Martina became close after the stabbing.

....

I’m on Thiem team.

D. Zverev

Wimbleton

"Coup de gras" is my new favorite line. Coup de (foie) gras for lunch!

I agree with Djokovic having done something extraordinary as [283] points out. It was something to see. However, and I think here comes the bipolar part, he was never liked it and provided for a very strange spectacle. I still remember the booing after Andy Rodick, Federer shouting at his parents, how Fedal were always presented as great ambassadors of the game whereas Djoko was always considered low class and somewhat unfit to play the game, as brilliant as he was. Djoko, to me, is almost a full Elizabethan drama in itself, with Lady Macbeth (that video where she got mad), strange parents, and handsome brother....I feel bad for him.

Is this where we talk about Coup de Gras?

[quote] I still remember the booing after Andy Rodick, Federer shouting at his parents

Who booed at or after Roddick, and why was Federer shouting at his parents? What did he shout?

[quote] Lady Macbeth (that video where she got mad)

Which video?

The thing that set me against Novak from early on was his family. There was something obnoxious and ungracious about them. All of their aggressive cheering and taunting left a bad impression.

[quote] and handsome brother.

Which one is the handsome one?

Lil Diego!

Shouldn't Fed, as gracious and classy as he is, said something to umpire about Novak's parents rather than yelling at them?

Garbine is playing some very good tennis . Maria is very tense

Does Muguruza usually shriek this loudly when she plays, or is it only because she wants to match Sharapova's volume?

Shes started to become loud the last few years.

Coup de grass, also known as Wimbledon

Sharapova looked absolutely impotent against Muguruza. It was like a Serena beatdown.

Damm. Masha got smoked!

I love that it was a beatdown!

***SLAP***

Buen trabajo, Garbi! took out the trash

Sharapova is 1-2 inches taller and Muguruza is about 5-10 lbs heavier. Muguruza has a bit more weight of shot, moves better and is a much better volleyer. Sharapova at her best is the more consistent ball striker and has a stronger mentality.

Muguruza played well today and Sharapova was quite error-prone. Some of that had to do with Sharapova trying to be the aggressor and just couldn't control the ball but some of it was nerves. Poor serving from the doper. Good riddance. Evil has been vanquished

Damn! I didn't even have time for my bathroom break!

Interestingly, 10 years ago Sharapova lost 1-6 2-6 in the SF to Ivanovic and the match looked a lot like this. She just lost to slightly stronger fellow big woman who basically bullied her around the court

Muguruza did everything better than Sharapova did, and she exposed all of Maria's weaknesses. It was quite a comprehensive beatdown.

meanwhile over at Lenglen, Kerber is up a set but down a break against Halep. This could be a long one like their AO meeting

Yes, r330, that's exactly what the match looked like because neither Muguruza or Ivanovic are that great movers, but they were still able to take control of the court and overwhelm Maria.

anyone know why ESPN gave up on RG? I'm not mad because I prefer the Tennis Channel but it's interesting. ESPN goes out of their way to air the AO but I think RG is more popular? I wonder how poor Chrissie is doing now that title favorites Bouchard (first round qualies) and Sharapova have lost

I like Kerber but really want Halep to finally have a breakthrough.

Serena beats Maria with power and superior movement. Garbine did it with just power alone.

I was impressed that Muguruza didn't start choking when she lost her serve at 6-2 1-0. Sometimes losing momentum after having an early lead in a set can frustrate her but she shut Sharapova out after that with 5 straight games

Now that Sharapova is out I’m largely indifferent to who wins on the women’s side. I wanted both Serena and her leave before the finals. I wouldn’t mind seeing Help or Mugurutha take it all or Stephens winning a second major or Keys also winning one.

R337, I, too, was afraid that Muguruza might start to get nervous, but instead she stepped on the gas pedal and rolled right over Maria. Maybe her dislike for Sharapova helped her to refocus.

Halep and Kerber now going 3!

1st set Kerber 7-6(2)

2nd set Halep 6-3

Maria hits hard, but her strokes can go off when pressed, especially her forehand.

E. Zverev

I'm super excited to see who pulls it out. Muguruza is now the fav but Sloane and the winner of Kerber/Halep can't be counted out. Keys has also looked good. They'll give her more trouble than Sharapova did.

R340 As expected

Muguruza was the one who said "I forgot about her" last year when asked about Sharapova returning following the doping ban lol

Dieguito!

Moya still looks mighty fine.

Yes. Yes, I would.

so happy the cheating russian cunt lost in straight sets!

The first two games of Nadal v. Schwartman took 18 minutes.

Why is Hillary Swank in Schwartzman’s box?

Dieguito breaks!

Schwartzman is on fire. He’s so fast and lethal on either side right now.

Does Schwartzman have any relatives that the family in Argentina substitute talk about much?

Halep through. Good for her. She will have her hands full these next two matches.

[quote] She will have her hands full these next two matches.

Fuck you!

Little Diego !!!

Lil Diego takes the first set!

I can almost forgive him taking out Porna.

Schwartzman takes the 1st set from Nadal with some gutsy play.

Rafa will sure win this match however he is already taking medical assistance in case something unexpected happens so he can pull out at the verge of defeat just like he did at AO

Diego vs Italian final hype!

Ben R just retweeted this tweet. Is he a homosexual ?

[quote]Is he a homosexual?

I think so, he's also a big fan of the Eurovision Song Contest

Compelling, R361.

[quote] Nadal v. Thiem. It's a battle for the best hot ass cup.

Haha. I beet white boy at both ass and tennis. ¿No?

¡Vamos!

Lil Diego breaks in the 2nd!

Rain break

Lil Diego is a set and a break up and then play gets suspended because of the rain... I hope he doesn't lose momentum

Aaarrgghh! Diego has all the momentum then a rain break. How lucky is Nadal? Meanwhile, Cilic and Delpo locked at 5-5 when the rain came.

The conditions still favor the Argentine though. We'll see what happens.

Schwartzman seems to have come back from the rain delay a bit cold. I hope he can pull it together quickly because, previously, he was playing such fearless, aggressively sharp tennis.

Nadal is such a lucky asshole!!! Ughhhh

Damn, Schwarzmann is really piling on the unforced errors now.

Shwartzman up a break 3-2 before the rains, then loses three games in a row after the rain to go down 5-3. Yes, R371, Nadal is a lucky asshole!

maybe this second rain delay will help Diego

I'm surprised Del Potro is having such a tough time with Cilic

Frustrating.

F. Zverev

When are they at last getting a roof in Paris?

Yeah, R378, this really highlights why Roland Garros needs a roof. I know they wanted to build a new stadium on the outskirts of Paris, but it was not successful, so they had to overhaul the existing site which involved legal complications. I think they're shooting for 2019 for a roof, but 2020 is more likely.

wow that sucks for the men's matches today. Play suspended until tomorrow. That means the winner of Thiem/Cecchinato will have plenty of extra time to rest for the final. Nadal/Schwartzman and Del Potro/Cilic will have to finish their matches tomorrow and then come right back for SF friday.

They need lights instead of a roof. Completely stupid - and typically stupid of those French Fog Fags.

Mixed Double final between

Dabrowski/Pavic and Chan/Dodig

Djokovic losing that tie break to Cecchinato - wow. I telling you, he's shook!

Djoko is mental. He's lost the belief. His strokes and serve seemed back at the Aussie Open and then he got close to the end he couldn't handle it. He is one of my faves - Murray is the other - and they are both done. Murray pulled out (surprise, surprise) of the Netherlands grass tune up. Murray just doesn't want to play anymore and he's afraid to say it. Djoko is just afraid to play period. God I hate Roger Federer with a passion and if he wins Wmby again it will be a horrible indictment on the men's game.

[quote] Murray pulled out

Typical.

Djokovic started to dominate after winning the Davis Cup. His confidence suddenly rose and he was able to win Australia. Then he defeated Nadal in very close matches and he became unstoppable for a while. He won his first GS very young but he needed three years to win the second. he was a good player, but he needed that extra confidence to challenge Rafa and Roger. After winning RG he lost focus and injuries made very difficult to regain his level

I like Misery personally. I wonder what he'll do, he's so young. I don't see him coaching or starting and academy!

So do I, R387. I like his efforts of the court and his vocal support of changing the name of Margaret Court Court.

Another Murray fan here. I also loved when he hired Amelie Mauresmo as his coach.

Misery!

Andy is a natural to be a BBC commentator- likely pushing Tim Henman out of the way. Also - Davis Cup Captain.

I'm fine with Murray as a person but his game and on-court personality/antics annoy the hell out of me so I can't root for him

[quote]Murray pulled out

I warned him not to!

G. Zverev

I always suspected the Murray-Mauresmo coaching relationship was more about publicity and making Murray look like a social change agent than about actual coaching. It's possible that Mauresmo could be a great coach, but how often does an elite player take on someone with about 6 months of coaching experience? (2 months with Llodra, 4 months with Bartoli)

And after splitting with Murray over two years ago, Mauresmo hasn't coached since.

[quote]God I hate Roger Federer with a passion and if he wins Wmby again it will be a horrible indictment on the men's game.

Nadal winning RG this year will be a horrible indictment on the men's game.

It's not exactly the same. Nadal is clearly the best player on clay ever. He won RG a lot of times playing far from his best, and now (or at least before the tournament) he was playing at a very good level. Mentally he is the toughest player on tour and that on clay and with his great deffensive play is a must. Maybe Federer is the best on grass, but he never was as dominant as Nadal on RG (nobody was as dominant as Nadal on RG) and he was way more vulnerable even in his best days. There are a lot more players who can challenge him on grass. The problem with atp is there is a lost generation of players. There are good bunch of new ones who are promising, but the generation of players (25-30 years old) never step up and challege Roger-Rafa-Nole or even Murray. So we have now legends who are in good shape again and very young ones without the experience. At least there'll be no more complains about the low level of the wta because oldies can dominate the circuit (to be fair Nadal came for almost all his injury breaks winning without a problem, only lately he is getting more trouble to reach his top level)

Obviously they are legends in the sport and their best is far better than other guys most of the time but I'm just ready for a guy that's not Federer or Nadal to win a slam.

Nole/ Little Marco match was best match in this year tournament . In fact best in last three years .Last RG match I have seen such which was as high quality and entertaining was during 2015 final when Stan totally outhit hot favorite Nole

Diego collapse is complete

Now no one will stop Nadal unfortunately.

Nadal is very solid in terms of mentality. Thiem could have a chance against him if he starts dominating the match (he defeated Nadal a couple of times on clay). But he showed a lot more vulnerability than he used. His serve was broken even in matches he won very easily. And having an easy draw sometimes have negative effects when you have a tough match. I think Delpo has more chances to challenge him than Cilic, but Marin defeated him in Australia (yes, he retired but he was going to lose anyway). Some years his level was very so so and he didn't need to move a hair to win (other years he was extremely dominant) but i think he better play very well from now on if he really wants to win (and i'm pretty sure he really wants to win)

Cilic also wilted just like Diego . He won second set and 3/1 in third set . Was putting pressure on Juan's serve for a 4/1 lead and then boom lost straight five games quickly. I thought winning a grand slam gives some confidence to deal with these moments but this is not the case with Cilic

I just saw Nadal’s game here at Roland-Garros. I want to tell you his ass looks even more delicious live. And the voices he has during the game are very hot. Sexy hot guy.

But what about his face ?

The sounds coming from the Halep and Muguruza match are already almost unbearable and unwatchable.

Maybe he can borrow the bag you use for yours, Orka?

Yes, both are players that became louder and louder every year, wich is a pity because their games will be way more enjoyable without the screaming

Muguruza is now getting a beat down

I love the way Halep is moving around as Muguruza serves. It’s distracting as hell. And it’s exactly what Muguruza does to her opponents.

[quote]At least there'll be no more complains about the low level of the wta because oldies can dominate the circuit

I'm a fan of women's tennis, but while I've been critical of the ATP players unable to break through, I'll continue to be critical of the WTA when it's warranted. Right now, their No. 1 player is someone who not only has failed to win a Slam, but has won only ONE MINOR TITLE in the last 12 months. (Shenzhen). In Halep's last seven Finals, she's lost six of them, and she's 5-9 vs. Top Ten players in the last 12 months. And yet, she's No. 1. Which isn't her fault, because the players who have been able to win when it counts (Muguruza, Stephens, Ostapenko) end up playing like crap the rest of the time, so they can hardly claim to be the best.

I don't need a number one player to win almost every match like we've seen with Graf, Seles, and Serena. But some consistency would be nice, and a real attempt to show up for matches. I mean, right now Halep leads Muguruza 5-0 in the first set. When these two played in Cincinnati last year, Muguruza won 60, 61. Are these results - between the best in the world - good for tennis?

It's just the level they are bringing on the day of play. Good? Bad? To me its neither. I think it's just what it is.

The point system rewards consistency, which Halep has. But as a #1, she hardly intimidates her opponents, like a Williams, Graf, Seles, or Martina.

With Halep there's always the posibility of a good choke but unless Garbiñe start to hold her serve this will be done very fast

[quote]The point system rewards consistency, which Halep has. But as a #1, she hardly intimidates her opponents, like a Williams, Graf, Seles, or Martina.

Oh, I get how the rankings work, and why Halep is No. 1. And while I think the rankings should count all results (average points for all events played) instead of the "best of" method that lets you discard bad results, it's quite possible Halep is No. 1 either way.

My problem is with the product on court. When your US Open champ (Stephens) loses her next eight matches... not good. When your reigning French Open champ (Muguruza) was breaking down in tears during on court coaching sessions in early 2017... not good. When there's constant harping about the grunts the top women make... not good. If I'm a WTA executive, I'm taking a long hard look at our product, and making some changes to the sport, before it gets completely marginalized like boxing, horse racing, and LPGA golf.

Help!

When Garbiñe is on the mood to win matches don't go this way. Unless Simona really tanks she is going to win (to probably lose the final)

Good news for Madison and Sloane. Help could have defeated both of them in semis . But there is no way she can win the final regardless of opponent

Madison or Stephens? For whom American gays are rooting for ?

Why so you think that, R418?

If Halep can keep calm, she has a great chance in the final. The whole stadium will be rooting for her.

ATP players born in 1990s to beat one of Big Four at Grand Slams:

Raonic (Federer)

Dimitrov (Misery)

Kyrgios, Pouille (Nadal)

Thiem, Chung, Cecchinato (Nole )

I like the Americans and as an american I usually root for them, but I really hope Halep finally wins this.

because she has a tendency to tank in GS finals. In terms of game she is probable the best on clay, but she has to prove that on saturday. If she was able to beat Garbiñe she obviusly can defeat Madison or Sloane. I'm pretty sure Simona prefers Madison in the final, she had even more problems to hold her nerves on the US Open and her game suits Simona better. Garbiñe needs to be more regular, it's good to up your level on GS but it's a miracle she reached semis after that disastrous clay season

Tennis channel in the us is gonna have a 2hr program on rafa. called Strokes of genius. premieres july 1 8pm

H. Zverev

Speaking of Zverev just few hours ago he presented his luscious ass to us. He also wished Domi to win . Lets hope Melo is there to comfort him in his tough times

Haha. A. Zverev doesn’t have A. luscious ass. It’s A. flat one.

Stephens needs to close this match now on her second attempt serving for it or else things could get really messy out there.

I love Sloane but i want Halep to win. To be honest i think Sloane having two GS is a little too much

[quote] To be honest i think Sloane having two GS is a little too much

Why?

Because she has zero regularity. Yes she won every single final she reached but the problem is what she does when she doesn't reach the final wich is basically lose in every first or second round. I wouldn't mind her winning two, three or even more GS but i would love her to prove she can play well with some regularity first. Sorry but i miss the 90's when you needed to be tough mentally to win a GS

Stephens has all the talent and physical gifts she needs to win Grand Slams. Like the rest of the WTA, her issue has always been mental toughness. Or should we say consistent mental toughness? It must be this new generation's thing for both WTA and ATP. On the ATP, you have someone supremely talented like Kyrgios who can only get up for playing the big stars. His ability to concentrate ebbs and flows. Same with the women in the same generation. There are no myopically focused players like Evert, Navratilova, Graf, Seles (pre-stabbing), or even Hingis before the big hitters came along and made her obsolete.

I'd say the Williams sisters were somewhat precursors to this. Both Serena and Venus have had good years and bad ones, although Serena is the mentally stronger and more consistent of the two sisters. But Serena's 23 Grand Slams have been spread out over 19 years. Evert's were over 13 years, as were Navratilova's and Graf's. Evert went 13 years in a row where she won at least one Slam. Graf and Navratilova went Slamless for about 3 years before they won their last ones.

Rafa was so fucking lucky that the rain stopped him from losing the 2nd set yesterday. I hope a miracle would happen so Delpo can beat the crap of him.

^out

I. Zverev

I'm looking forward to the women's final. Halep is now 0-3 in slam finals, having lost in 2014 RG to Sharapova, 2017 RG to Ostapenko and 2018 AO to Wozniacki. I wonder if she'll be nervous again. Based on the h2h she is the favorite as Sloane hasn't beaten in her a few years.

Sloane should be able to relax a bit knowing she already has a slam and that she has nothing to lose against Halep. I wonder if she'll start feeling pressure because of her perfect 6-0 finals streak though

Obviously Del Potro will have to try to shorten points against Nadal. The fact that he can hit 2 handed backhands again should give him a bit of a chance. Del Potro is 1 of the players who can hit winners when returning serve and Nadal does not have a big serve. If he can make Nadal nervous and try to go for too much, he's got a shot. Nadal is at his best when he can just roll his serve in without worrying about the return coming back to him. It's why he's prone to getting swatted off court every now and then by a big hitter.

On the other hand, Del Potro will tire out by the end of the second set if Nadal can make most points long grueling rallies.

ugh...

I don't get the Thiem love. He is pretty average. There are so many players on tour who are better looking than him.

Such as, R440?

R439, his better half is his ass.

[quote] Sloane hasn't beaten in her a few years.

See? Lesbianism everywhere you turn.

R40 I wouldn't fawn over Dominic if he had just average looks. Also the ass is a hell of a bonus.

What ass, R444?

Apparently close-set eyes and a long face with pop-out ears constitute good looks...

Elfin

The Big Four is an obsolete GS term, R422--Djokovic hasn't been in a GS semifinal since 2016, and Murray has only been in one GS semifinal since 2016.

Sadly no, R427. He is back in Brazil and then playing s-Hertogenbosch. Let's hope he makes a quick stopover in Monte Carlo to cheer Sascha up.

Thiem is no more than average looking. That nose and those ears are not sexy

Elfin

who is thieme's better half? another tennis player? she's ugly.

Mladenovic

Puig!

Sloane!

I think DelPo has a good chance of stopping Rafa. Like Soderling, he can overpower him. He gave Rafa a straight sets beatdown at the Open when he won that title.

Latisha Chan (formerly known as Chan Yung-jan)/Ivan Dodig have won the Mixed title.

It's the second Slam title for both of them (she won US with Hingis last year, he won Roland Garros with Melo in 2015)

Help always crushes Sloane. But I hope Sloane can pull it out as Halep is a dreadful number one.

Isn't Sloan 6-0 in finals?

R458, see R437.

[quote] Isn't Sloan 6-0 in finals?

Fuck you!

Thanks R359. Sloane has more talent but poor Halep works so hard. She reminds me of Arantxa. I guess I'd be happy with either, but I really want to see Sloane's best game.

Watch Sloane win RG and then lose the next dozen matches like she did after winning the US Open.

at least Sloane rebounded faster after winning Miami than she did with her other titles though. She might be getting more comfortable as a top player finally. She did win both her Fed Cup clay matches and some matches at both Rome and Madrid. Her losses to Vandeweghe and Putintseva were shameful though

[quote] Strokes of genius.

Strokes of genius? I’ll watch.

[quote] Isn't Sloan 6-0 in finals?

I’ve thought about 6-0 once. Or twice.

Poor Jana. At least she did finally win it.

J. Zverev

Rafa!

Puig!

I want Help to win, her victory will be like the best pent up orgasm ever. Then we can get back to regularly scheduled programming.

I think Darren Cahill is a hot daddy.

[quote] I want Help to win, her victory will be like the best pent up orgasm ever. Then we can get back to regularly scheduled programming.

Quite.

K. Zverev

I'm pretty surprised by Halep's win today. I had Mu-girth-a penciled in to win the whole shmegegge this year. Surprising how severely she crumbled. Help! looks like she's on course to win her first major, but she and Sloane are both choke-y enough that this final is really going to be a toss-up.

Prediction: Madison Keys will never win a major.

Predictions 2-4: Kerber, Serena, and Sharapova will never win another.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Chrissie should be penciling in Sloane for the win. Sloane and Madison are Chris Evert Academy alumnae.

Benoit Paire?? and what is this two guys holding hands emoji means ?

If Thiem were just a guy on the street all the Thiem trolls on these tennis threads would think he's just okay.

Anyone think Delpo has any chance against Nadal?

I think Delpo has won the majority of the last five meetings, so yes.

God will give Rafa another rain delay if he gets in trouble as happened in the Quarterfinals and in Rome.

Delpo will need to get a lot of patience. He also needs to be ready (sometimes the real Delpo disappears fast) to get his backhand pounded for hours. It takes a lot of patience to beat Nadal....and skill. But patience. I think Nadal in four.

[quote]Prediction: Madison Keys will never win a major. Predictions 2-4: Kerber, Serena, and Sharapova will never win another.

Prediction 1: disagree. Keys is going to be a multiple-slammer

Prediction 2: disagree. Kerber’s got a couple more, at least.

Prediction 3: I’m afraid you’re right about this one.

Prediction 4: I’m happy to say I think you’re right on this score. I’ll also add that she’s going to have one of those “but she’s a healthy sportsperson!!!” type heart attacks when she’s in her early forties. The entire DL Gays and Tennis thread contributors will be “Right, saw that coming,” and “Goodbye to old trash.”

Keys will always be a threat to win Wimbledon and sometimes will make a run for the USO and AO. Clay is her worst surface but she got to the SF. With that kind of power you can't count Keys out. She has the hardest on average groundstrokes on tour.

I think Keys is boring to watch. Sloane is a much more interesting player.

Go Cecchinato! Go DelPo!

Saw Keys play in Stanford a couple of years ago. She SLAMS the ball but has no strategic mind at all. It's bash, bash and then panic when she's thrown a curveball. With her serve get to the NET! Why does no one coach any of those broads to serve and volley? Do people forget Vinci taking down Serena by playing a mix of that game with junk? The women's game is BORING. Think I'll stick to women's golf with lovely South Korean bots.

I don't think the big hitter turned Hingis obsolete. It was a combination of several things. First she rose too soon and too fast. She was showing hints of her talent, she was winning tittles, she was trying to go into GS territory and suddenly she finds that Conchita and Arantxa in one of their worst years, Monica Seles without focus on the game and with weight problems and Graf injured. She didn't have to fight to get her number one, her rivals suddenly were Pierce (wich always was a very irregular player), Davenport (who didn't became a real threat till she lost weight the following year) and Jana Novotna, supertalented and superchoker. She didn't develop a mental strenght that you get when you have to fight for being the best. During the rise of the Williams, Hingis was able to compete against them, and she even was able to defeat them, the problem was her physical condition, she became exhausted too soon. In some of their matches she was able to compete till the third set when she ended too tired to fight. Some of her finals were a disaster in terms of being focused on the game at the beginning of the match. She had heavy loses in the first set against Serena, Capriati or Davenport. When she started to play well she was already very far on the score. She was unable to improve her fitness. I heard a lot of times that she was not able to compete against big hitter but that's not true. Her game, even with her very weak serve was good enough to do it. Her lack of strong mentality showed in RG. Clay was her best surface (and the worst of most of the big hitters) but is the surface that you need more focus and strong mentality to end the matches because is slower and the points are longer. Right now there are more players with a game outside the William's style (a lot of big hitter are basically bad copies of the sisters) but even with more variety, nobody seems to be a player with the killer instint that the young Monica Seles had, or the cold determination of Graf.

Why is Domi hitting his groundies from Austria?

Thiem Team!

You make some good points about Hingis, r487, but I disagree with your basic premise that big hitters didn't make her obsolete. I remember the first time I watched Hantuchova play Hingis. This was in the finals of the 2002 Indian Wells. Hantuchova blew Hingis off the court with pure power. There was nothing Hingis could do to neutralize that power because she was always on the defensive and couldn't deploy her strategic genius. That was when I thought to myself, hmmm, the game is passing Hingis by because, if Hantuchova could hit right through her, then other players with equal power but more consistency (and better movement) would be able to do the same, even more so. (Interestingly, Hantuchova had a 3-2 H2H edge over Hingis.)

L. Zverev

Yes, but Hingis 2002 was not the same. But that time she was not the dominant player (even if she failed in most GS she was the clear number one during late 90's) by the time she was crushed by Hantuchova she suffered already a good bunch of defeats and Venus was the dominant player (and on the verge of the beginning of Serena's domination). She could develop a game to defeat heavy hitter like Henin did, but she didn't (i don't know if it was injuries or the fact that she couldn't really get better physically). Sometimes very good players became so obsessed with their game that they can't evolve (wich explains why Roger Federer never changed his strategy against Nadal, when Nadal was able to do it against Djokovic). The late 90's beginning of the 00's is a very interesting time on women's tennis (at the time it was a pure boredom in the male circuit)

Marco had in his raquet to complicate the match for Thiem but he lost three consecutive points. Frankly, i doubt Dominic will choke now (in fact i will be pleasantly surprised with Marco if he is able to continue giving trouble to Thiem)

Sweet cakes!

Domi cakes!

R492, when Hantuchova crushed Hingis in 2002, Hingis was just 21 years old so she definitely had youth on her side but she just couldn't (or wouldn't) adapt to the power hitters. So I really think the power hitters made her obsolete.

Obsolete! Obsolete!

Thiem!

Hingis - venus Williams h2h 11-10, Hingis vs Serena 6-7, Hingis - Capriati 5-4, Hingis- Davenport 11-14. She clearly was able to compete against ballbashers, most of the matches were tight. Her athleticism and mental strenght were the keys of her decline. And Monica Seles was 21 when she came back and she was not the same player. Hingis got used to win very easy and when things got toughter was unable to compete (or at least was unable to defeat three ballbashers in a row). But her game was not obsolete, with some changes (the same that Justine Henin did) she could be a threat. Anyway, it doesn't matter anymore. She had one of the most beautiful games but she was a complete bitch during her prime (i know she was only a teen but people booed her at RG for some reason)

I'm spanish but i wouldn't mind Delpo giving Nadal a scare

Dominic Thiem, 24, replaces Milos Raonic as the youngest active man to reach a Grand Slam final and is the youngest rolandgarros finalist since...Nadal in 2010?

Y’all can just go ahead and retire the ‘any random letter’ .Zverev thing along with the lame Puig shit. So basic. Let’s remember that some of the actual witty cunts on DL like tennis too. Thanks!

Hingis couldn't stop the power players, and it was just getting worse. The women coming up in the 2000s were all ball bashers. Hingis couldn't handle their power. I like the Hantuchova 2002 match as an example. You could see it in Hingis's face. I saw similar looks from Hingis when Davenport was on game or one of the Williams sisters was on her game. Hingis's only hope was for the power player to be off. Hantuchova in 2002 blew Hingis off the court. When Hingis came back in the mid-2000s, she made the Top 10, but she knew she'd never be #1 again. The game had passed her by.

Henin adapted her game and started to hit the ball bigger, in addition to her variety. Pre-first retirement, Hingis was 2-0 against Henin. When Hingis came back in the mid-2000s, she was 0-2 against Henin. Hingis was never going to have the power. She was able to compete against the power players in the late-1990s and around 2000 because some were still inconsistent. Power players take longer to get their games under control.

I do agree with one statement above about the circumstances when Hingis came to #1. Graf was out injured, Seles was dealing with injuries and weight issues, Sanchez-Vicario and Conchita Martinez had started their fade, and the power players hadn't matured yet. Hingis was a bit lucky. If Graf had stayed healthy or she had to face an in-form Seles on a consistent basis, I think Hingis would not even have 5 Slams. But even when Hingis was dominating, look at the matches Hingis lost. Iva Majoli just went for broke in the 1997 French final and routed Hingis. A power player who was on could even beat Hingis during her dominant phase. Then power players became the norm. Exit Hingis.

It's interesting to compare Henin with Hingis. How was one player able to adapt to the new era of power hitters, while the other wasn't? I think it goes back to some of what r487 said. Henin got herself into tip-top shape while Hingis didn't. In particularly, Henin's core strength was incredible, which is why she could flatten out her strokes and improve her serve. Also, Henin forced herself to play in the "red zone," really going for her shots. Hingis never did develop any comfort with playing on the edge.

Nadal one set up. It just looks exhausting to play against him.

Nadal’s forehand used to be good.

Did anyone see the first set? Was it Nadal playing well or is Delpo just not up to the task today?

Delpo hurt what seems to be his hip early on in the match

Delpo played very well until the very last game.

Nadal had two break points and converted the second one. There have been some incredible plays by both. And yes, it seemed as if Delpo had done some damage while changing directions but he seems fine.

And how big would that cock be?

And Nadal just broke at love. Up 2-0.

This will be over fast. Fuck, not another Nadal French Open!

[quote] Iva Majoli

That’s a name I hadn’t thought about in a long time. A long time.

[quote] Henin's core strength was incredible

No, Henin’s core strength was that she could see dead people.

Nadal up 5-0 in the 2nd. Is Delpo hurt?

He seems to be running fine.

From the French Newspaper "L'équipe"

6-1 NADAL ÉCRASE TOUT !

Le public présent dans le Court Central est abasourdi par la domination de Rafael Nadal. L'Espagnol joue de mieux en mieux au fil du point et même la puissance de Del Potro ne suffit pas à le déborder.

Third set: Nadal broke again. Up 4-1. He will serve now.

This was a lot easier for Nadal than I ever imagined. I do not get it.

Thiem is our only hope, but I don't give that much hope since he plays about 900 yards behind the baseline. He's going to have to be playing well and hope Nadal is a bit off.

r447 is that his boyfriend?

I meant r477

Nadal's quest for his next RG title is just so COMPELLING!

so glad thieme won and not that italian cheating cunt.

I think Thiem could give Nadal a scare if he controls his nerves at the beginning of the match, but a little choke and he'll be toast. The only thing that plays in his favour is that he defeated Nadal on clay before so he knows he can do it, but on 5 sets is a different story.

And Cory Gauff reached the final of a GS again. In terms of results she is the most impressive junior player in a good while (of course there are a good bunch of impressive juniors that weren't unable to translate that in pro success while there are others, and Garbiñe is a good example, with less than great junior results who have great pro careers). Maybe with talking about Hingis and Seles i get nostalgic of teen prodigies

Junior Wimbledon Champion 2012

Misery Federer Wimbledon final

Who won the French Open boys’ title. Asking for a friend.

R521 You miswrote BORING!

Zzzzz

Any predictions for tomorrow? I think it'll be Stephens in three sets.

I’m largely indifferent to the women’s final as I just wanted Serena and Maria out.

I think it'll be Halep in three

Looking at the semis i think Simona learnt her lesson, but Sloane is incredibly good at finals. If Simona doesn't choke i think she is the favourite, she is the best player on clay (but that didn't help against a newbie like Ostapenko last year, not even with a clear advantage). I like both, but i hope Simona wins this time, there are a good bunch of worst players with GS and she lost her three finals

Hey now, R552! "Cunt" is a really bad word this month according to Republicans in the States. Better lay low until July 1.

[html removed]

Damn. R533 was supposed to reference R522.

The "deleted HTML" was simply (just kidding) in brackets.

Sorry, folks.

Cecchinato could have just as easily beaten Thiem today. I wonder how he would have done with Nadal?

Qualie draws out for everyone's favorite long-named 's-Hertogenbosch. Tomic and Dustin Brown have drawn each other. That could be a first round in the main draw. wow

Wow is right.

This can’t go on.

Dustin Brown's ranking fell because he suffered an injury during the post-AO indoor season and hasn't been able to get a main draw win since his comeback. Tomic of course has been "working" his way up the rankings. Brown is currently #149 and Tomic #206

main draws for the grass events tomorrow

Dustin Brown is always funny to watch.

And Cecchinato against Nadal would be a bloodbath. He is a journeyman having two good weeks that's all. And i highly doubt he would be able to contain the nerves against someone so solid as Nadal. If Thiem loses the first set in the final i think he'll be toast. If he is able to be in the lead he will have some chances but Nadal is probably the worst rival for a player with problems to end his matches. He is like a wall and mentally he is really solid (he always was but right now it has even more merit after a couple of years where he was more vulnerable and suffered way more loses)

Nole.

Stephens is just too patient and calm for Halep. Bad matchup for Simona.

Quality of first set was quite high which is rare in WTA

Why Roger is playing ATP 250 Stuttgart ?

This is a really good final. Very high level of play.

Who has the edge in the final set? I think Halep does.

The intensity of the match is there but I don’t think the quality is very high.

R546, Physically Help has , since she is a better athlete and SS seems little tired however mental factor is also big factor which is questionable for Help

I disagree. Not the best quality but they've had some really good rallies and shots. One of the best matches of the tournament.

Bartoli is behaving like cheerleader for Help . But I can understand that . Help has sympathy support on her side. My support too . Even many American gays on this board are rooting for Help

I'm american and really like Sloane. But I'm also a Halep fan and want to see her finally breakthrough and win one of these.

Halep's grunt is a major turn off.

Will this be a bagel set?

Not as bad as Sharapova's grunt, which is far more shrill and high pitched.

Sloane, can I have that bagel, please? Sloane, please?

R554, yes I agree. But Maria always had the same grunt, Halep's arrived only two years ago.

Sharapova doesn’t grunt. She shrieks. It’s gamesmanship and it’s cheating. I recall Navratilova complaining about Seles. Said it affected her ability to hear the ball on the opponent’s raquet and so affected her ability to time her return shot. If you manage to track down video of Sharapova beating Serena Williams to take the Wimbledon crown you’ll notice she barely makes a sound in comparison to the row she makes now.

Sloane, can I have the breadstick now?

It won't be a Novatna set.

Help!

Help is so 5 minutes ago...

Help celebration of winning french open was quite mild compare to her celebration two weeks back when she defeated Maria in QF of Italian open . Just watch the clip on youtube

The breast reduction finally paid off! I'd still hit what's left of it.

Wow did Marion Bartoli ever get fat!

On Monday, everybody is finally gonna fall in love with WTA rankings because Top-4 ranked players are all the reigning Grand Slam champions.

Arantxa is handing the trophy

The 2017 Roland Garros champion Ostapenko is the 2018 Roland Garros Wooden Spoon winner

For those who are not aware of wooden spoon . Player who cam last in this tournament win wooden spoon

I'd prefer they just the player speak rather than an interview. Bartoli makes this worse.

Arantxa looks so much better now.

This will be Sloane Stephens’ first career concession speech (previously 6-0 in finals).

Wasn't Marion Bartoli supposed to make some sort of comeback? How come she's fat as a cow then? I know she never thought "thin", but still.

I though being Fat was socially unacceptable in France.

R569, And she is looking very relaxed too. I think she getting lot of dick these days which she never got in her youth

Bartoli looks Mirka fat.

Will Now I finally get some decent sponsors?

Arantxa had full body plastic surgery after she retired.

[quote]Arantxa looks so much better now

Arantxa used to be called "la patata" by male players back in the days, due to her being way way less fit than, say, Miss Forehand.

New thread. Now with more poll.

R577 She was just following the trend....as Krajicek's would say, 75% of them were "lazy fat pigs" anyway

Don't get me started on that subject R579!

Remember how Conchita was such a bed patata that she used to use a cane to switch off the light across the room so that she wouldn't have to leave the bed?

And how she had hot sex with Gigi F.? But of course ,this one is strictly off the record...

Why don't the doubles players have mascot kids? Are they not worthy of their own little slaves?

Gigi F is dating an LPGA player now. That's like the ultimate lesbian experience.

R582 Doubles players should walk on court holding hands with each other

R544 LOTS of money.

R544,

Stuttgart has great offerings at their concession stands.

As is "Help"....

What, R587? Help me.

Pavic is very cute.

Herbert/Mahut won the doubles title.

A. Zverev

B. Zverev

C. Zverev

D. Zverev

E. Zverev

F. Zverev

G. Zverev

H. Zverev

I. Zverev

J. Zverev

K. Zverev

L. Zverev

Puig!

Fuck off, Zverev troll.