The Gays and Tennis Part 74-revving up for Roland Garros!

last thread

I wish Shapo would wear shorter shorts.

Looking forward to Tsitsy v Berrettini and Rafa v Shapo!

oooh, Titsy-Berrettini is deeLISH

RBA-Rublev should also be good

^ Agree!

What about Podoroska v Martic?!

Are Ben and Courtney fucking? Or is he gay and she his hag? Why hasn't Chrissy got a new man yet? Is Masha still lez?

[quote] Are Ben and Courtney fucking?

He just admires the form, physicality and athleticism of the male body.

Cames! Long time no see. Us straight folks are so busy all the time with kids and other things straight people do. I look at my lez besties Wendy or Margaret and they just have so much free time to go nude bowling or nude wine tasting or nude wrestling.

Are you still married to your "wife"?

Jim C

Gauff beats Sabalenka in two tight sets. Good win for Gauff because Sabalenka has been playing very well this year.

Berrettini lost in two to Tsitsipas. Berrettini looked tired. I was thinking that the Big 3 were constantly at the top of their game. For a good 10-15 years it was surprising if they were not in the finals of any major tournament. Now, I think we will see lots of guys playing well in one tournament and then disappearing for a while. See Hurzack, for example. Berrettini last week got to the final and today he was moving very slow. We shall see.

Ugh, Shapo up a set and a break against Nadal, and even had chances for a double-break in the second, but then gets broken back twice to lose the second set. All even going into the third. Why do they always let Nadal off the hook? So annoying!

Shapo lost a big opportunity of an upset, but he is doing quite well given his clay season was a bit disastrous till today

Shapo team or Rafa team?

Shapo is looking HAF

Rafa wins after the 3rd-set tiebreak. Shapo made four crucial errors in the tiebreak. However, I am exhausted after watching the match. Now, kai and zverev.

With Shapovalov's loss today he drops to #15 in the rankings, with FAA now in contention for top-ranked Canadian, rising to #17, only 87 points behind Putin's greatest fan.

Happy Victory Day from Shapo

The last game of the first set exhausted me. Had to quit watching for most of the second set.

[quote] Shapo is looking HAF

His blond leg hair was especially delicious today.

I am so pissed that Shapo lost after having a match point. The score could have been 6-3 5-0 40-0 for Shapo and I still would have bet on Nadal taking it.

I don't know what the schedule is but Nadal is going to be tired if he has to play tomorrow.

Zverev is currently shitting the bed against Nishikori. Probably another Nadal tournament win on red clay. Yawn.

Zverev fans behaving and sounding like animals. not a shock.

Matching Zverev's wounded pterodactyl grunt.

Dominic loves his brother.

Zverev won and Nishikori is improving for sure.

I with Thiem will be able to win, i can't stand Sonego's grunting (and it's more the fact of the delay of the grunt what annoys me)

Nishikori once again in his career blows a huge lead lol

so we have another Nadal vs. Zverev clash coming up tomorrow

The scheduling is horrible.

Sonego ousts Thiem

the new best legs on tour

Enjoyed Sonego’s celebratory dance moves!

Anyone else think Adidas's shiny material is horrible, it makes them look soaking wet/greasy/ill?

What happened to the comeback attempt by the fat sow frau Kim Clijsters? Did she give up and go back to cradling mugs and posting constantly on Facebook about her crotch fruit and her "hubs"?

Clijsters will play an exhibition in Atlanta against Sloane Stephens in July

[quote] the new best legs on tour

Best legs on tour:

Shapo team or Misery team?

Yes, R34, and the shirts hang on them like old potato sacks in a sickly shade of grey naugahyde. I can't remember a look that's more unflattering for the ATP players.

R35 she had an injury to contend with. Additionally since her first comeback 10 years ago she didn't want to play on clay as much anyway as she said she always gets hurt on it. She really loves her hardcourts

Who gets hurt more on clay than on hardcourts? Don't understand that.

R40 Federer says the same thing as Clijsters about clay.

Nadal and Halep of course say they get hurt more on other surfaces

I mean I guess on clay you have longer points so that grinds the body down.

On the other hand hardcourts are harder on the body even if points are shorter

so it's all about individual preference

true, R42

I always feel like the clay is easier on my body. You have to glide more over it than on hard courts.

I think grass is the most dangerous. It's easiest to slip on grass

They could never look as greasy as Nadal, although as his hair has thinned he seems a bit less greasy than when he did in his younger years.

I'm crushed for Shapo today. He should have won that match. He and his fucking hot blond leg hair could have celebrated.

Sad for Thiem, too, who is such a fucking cutie. He just seems off. Roland Garros might not be great for him.

Starting to wonder if Zverev will win the French...

RG might see a new champion.... Tsitsipas and Zverev seem ready. However, it is best of five so....who knows. Lately, Tennis players look more gassed than a couple of years ago.

Anyone but Zverev, please. I'd rather even see Novaxx take it, excruciating as that would be.

A. Zverev

Rafa and Shapo.

[quote] Rafa survives Shapo scare! 👻

Me beated another white boy. ¡Vamos!

Arrivederci, Flopos!

F. Zverev

Zverev didn't play that well against Nadal. He looked like he wasn't moving as well and made too many errors. I'd be shocked if Opelka gives Nadal a lot of trouble, so I expect Nadal in the final. It's a toss-up as to which player left on the other side of the draw Nadal will face.

Cripes, both Barty and Halep were up a set but retired, so two of the better clay courters are out.

woman with penis nose can win now, fuck

R56 penis nose?

swiatek

so funny yesterday everyone was saying Nadal would be exhausted today...instead it seemed Zverev was more tired or at least not as sharp.

Really uncharacteristic fall by Nadal though. He doesn't trip much

Shocking about Opelka who came in on a 6 match losing streak. Delbonis was a big surprise too

Pliskova despite growing number of double faults per match is winning again though winning ugly

The schedule for Rome is out for tomorrow. At 11am, Novaxx-Tsitsipas and Sonego-Rublev followed by Nadal-Opelka and then at 6:30pm, the winner of the two quarter finals.

Bitches if it's another Rafa-Novak final I'll be rooting for Pete.

Novaxx was a set and a break down.....but then again, until the last ball is called out, you should never dismiss him.

Did anyone see when Nadal fell on his hip and after the set, hiked up his shorts to check out the damage? The photo's not great, but he showed a lot of (very untanned) skin.

I adore Rafa.

Did Daddy Cames Jourier run out on the court to "interview" Rafa when he pulled his shorts up?

Tsitsipas is failing big time.

The big 3 are very good, but they are winning constantly because their rivals alwasy fail when they have the opportunity to win

Tsitsipas' dad is SOOOO fucking hot.

massive choke by Tsitsipas. When they started play today, Djokovic was still uncomfortable and having trouble with Tsitsipas' imposing forehand. Then the set turned when Tsitsipas served at 4-3. He had some chances to win it but couldn't close and got tight. Djokovic then started playing better and took the second set 7-5

I'm so tired of people choking when they play against Rafa and Nole.

I know they are very good, but it's always the same again and again

Yeah, at the very least Tsi had a tie break. He really wilted. Wasn't even like Nole played that great.

Nole will take the third set easy now.

I will never forgive Tsitsipas for forcing me to watch NoVaxxx in full bombastic psycho mode after taking that set, after he explosively shat the bed.

I hate NoVax so much R71. The fact that he's now firmly in Roger and Rafa's league (if not their better) is so annoying. He's great for sure. I just hate him. He's so hard to like, let alone root for.

R70 I'm not that sure of that.

I was expecting the same from Rafa when he faced Rublev, but the russian was able to win.

Anyway Tsitispas showed too many flaws to be a real contender to Roland Garros.

We are waiting too many years for the young players to be a real alternative

Where's a Gunther Parche when you need one??

Code Violation for Satan! Next stop: Involuntary Psych Hold!

What happened R75?

Fuck you, R74. Don't make me open that giant bag of potato chips and then gorge on four Big Macs.

[76 ] - A psychotic racket slam after he got broken - but not into the ground as is usual, it was across the court towards the stands.

FFS Tsitsipas blowing this set too.

Daddy Tsitsipas is hot. Pity his son seems to have inherited his looks from his Russkie mom.

This is so predictable that becames boring

Titsy needs drive a stake through Djokobitch's heart NOW!

Serve for match and two break points. Nothing new under the sun

[quote]A psychotic racket slam after he got broken

boo! hiss!

Pathetic, sorry but it's absolutely pathetic how he lost this match.

And the fact that he physically is unable to hold is difficult to understand, but the guy this is a great idea to play Lyon before Roland Garros.

We'll get more and more GS to Rafa and Nole till the younger ones (Sinner, Musetti, Alcaraz) are able to do somthing because the next gen doesn't have what it's needed

*sigh*

Titsy is the new Grigor.

And Sonego defeated Rublev.

At this rate we are going to have another five years of Nadal and Djokovic

I hope Rublev at least be smart enough to not play next week. I don't know who made these youngsters schedules but he needs to be fired

That is why I call them Journeymen Cause they behave like one

R88 The problem is Tsitsipas is not a journeymen, he is a top player and he has game to win everything but he is not mentally or physically strong

If you travel week in/ week out playing small ATP 250 tournaments even when you are a top 5 player then of course you will not be at your physically and mentally best at the biggest level

This is the problem with both ATP and WTA players for past 15 years and that is why we are stuck with big 3s and Serena

If under 30 players (both in ATP and WTA ) start sorting out their schedule well then we probably don't have to bear another big three champ in a grand slam

And that Serena Williams would not even reach those grand slam finals which she has been choking for past 3 years

Why do folks still keep referring to the Big Three? Gramps Fed is done. Stick a fork in him. He'll be lucky to even win a Challenger tournament at his age. It's basically a Big One, Nadal, now with a strong number two Novaxxx who challenges him in Australia.

They were the Big Three for over 10 years but now Gramps needs to retire. And no, there never was a Big Four despite what the biased Brit media and that delusional, creepy cunt Judy keep repeating.

R91 Do you really think any of the young top players will be able to defeat Federer at Wimbledon?

I don't think so.

Yes, gramps is in his final stages, but the guy was clearly in bad conditions in Australia 2019 and he was able to reach semifinals (and he even got Nole a scare for a good while)

R92, Federer was knocked out in the 4th Rd by Tsitsipas at the 2019 AO. I think you meant 2020 AO when he lost to Djokovic in the semis. But I agree at Wimbledon, Federer will pose a bigger challenge for the younger guys on the tour. Still, I think Federer having taken off so much time will make him more vulnerable than Djokovic or Nadal, even at Wimbledon. Fed will need a good draw to help him out.

It is endlessly frustrating to watch these young guys blow it over and over again against Nadal and Djokovic when they have a good lead. They've got to learn to tighten the screws when they have them down. Take care of your serve if you're up a break, or a double-break. Jeez, it's not that difficult. Hopefully with so many good young players, the draws will be stacked against Nadal and Djokovic. Nadal hates to face 2-3 good players in row. When he has a tough draw, he's often knocked out by the semis, although at Roland Garros that's probably a different story. I hope Nadal gets a nightmare draw at RG.

Nadal vs. Opelka about to start.... I am not sure what to expect.

I think Opelka is so unattractive. This is my version of David and Goliath.

Opelka's ass and crotch are extremely sweaty

Opelka looks like the caveman from the old GEICO commercials.

Since de Minaur shaved off his little Hitler, Opelka now runs a close second to Paire in most objectionable ATP face bush.

Anyone who thinks Fed with his nine and a half toes in the ATP tennis grave is going to get beyond the quarters at Wimbledon is running on nostalgia and delusion.

Where's the sarcastic poster who writes "compelling" by Ben & Courtney after WTA results? Isn't it "compelling" how all the ATP players keep choking against mid-30s Nadal and Djokovic?

Tsitsipas has had a triumph this year with the Monte Carlo victory but he has now had 3 MASSIVE chokes. The first was in Acapulco final against Zverev when he completely collapsed after a brilliant first several games. The second was the Barcelona final against Nadal and again had match points. The third was today. Now maybe he would have won had there not been rain but it's tennis and he'll have more rain delayed big matches in his career

The women's final will be Swiatek vs. shockingly Pliskova. Good to see Iga raising her level as RG approaches

Did Coco cry again after losing to Swiatek?

Sonego showing far more grit against JerkOffItch than Tsitsipas could muster, so far.

[quote] Anyone who thinks Fed with his nine and a half toes in the ATP tennis grave is going to get beyond the quarters at Wimbledon is running on nostalgia and delusion.

Is Mirka stuffing herself with donuts and cookies again? Gramps Fed seems like a prissy, demanding bitch who would make everyone walk on eggshells when he's around. As soon as PEDal tied his record Gramps must have had a massive hissy fit at home forcing Mirka to seek refuge in the cookie trough.

R100 Swiatek has luck, who was her opponnents ? madison keys? terrible svitolina ? kid gauff?please, when she wins tournament there are most good players out of the way, she has always easy draw. I know svitolina is 6th but she was weak today and yesterday with Mugu

R102 I don't know, Tistipsas lost in three sets, Sonego is going to lose in two.

Mental strenght problems are not knew for Tsitsipas, last year lost against Rublev a match he had in the pocket.

Anyway, he didn't choke against Nadal. Nadal was winning the match and Tsitsipas was able to come back. Yes, he missed some opportunities but he didn't choke. Today he served for the match and he failed big time, he was ahead on the three sets.

He is not going to be a threat at Roland Garros. He already has problems to keep it together at long matches but he decided to play in Lyon (by the way that tournament has a tough draw for a 250) and not resting which seems not the most inteligent decision

And Sonego takes it into a third set...

What a pleasant and unexpected surprise.

Nole is starting to hate his guts for sure.

And noone of them have a chance after a well rested Nadal tomorrow.

Not going to happen, but this year Nadal and Nole could be in the same part of the draw

I’m so glad Sonego could take it to a 3rd.

Third set for Novaxx-Sonego. They will be too tired tomorrow.

Opelka is hideous

I really hope Nadal and Djokovic are in the same half for the french. Guarantees they wont be the final.

So funny, I was just thinking Opelka was kinda hot and hairy and then I logged on here! Shows what I know!

Have we found the Sonego nudes yet? Please post if you have them.

R111 That will be funny but i think they will rig the draw. Medvedev is a joke as number 2 on clay (and on grass).

The fact that Thiem is far from his best form doesn't help

well I'm sure as hell not watching the men's Rome final. How boring, predictable and dreadful that both Nadal and Djokovic survived matches in which their opponents had chances to close them out but choked.

I'm hoping for Djokovic, Nadal and Zverev all in the same RG half

In more interesting news, the draws for next week are out. In Geneva, Federer makes his return and is joined by Shapovalov, Ruud, Dimitrov, Garin, Fognini, Fucsovics, Cilic, and Rome semifinalist Opelka. Paire is there for shits and giggles too. Garin vs. Fucsovics is a brutal first round

In Belgrade, a weaker field consists of Pavlyuchenkova, Putintseva, Badosa, Mladenovic, Kovinic, Podoroska and Leylah Fernandez

In Lyon, Thiem took a WC and is top seed along with fellow WC and #2 Tsitsipas, Schwartzman, Goffin, struggling Monfils, Sinner, FAA, Khachanov, Karatsev, Musetti and Korda. Several brutal first rounds here: Sinner vs. Karatsev, Moutet vs. Norrie, FAA vs. Musetti, Korda vs. Herbert, Monfils vs. Harris, Nishioka vs. Humbert and Paul vs. Tsonga.

In Parma there is a nice field featuring #1 and WC entrant Serena, Martic, Gauff, Kasatkina, Anisimova, Sorribes Tormo, Garcia, WC Venus, Stephens and Giorgi. Toughest first rounders seem to be Gauff vs. Kanepi and Sorribes Tormo vs. Pera.

oh and Andreescu announced she is going to play Strasbourg next week. Now who knows what injury or ailment could befall her until then but for now that's the plan

Since she did fairly well in Rome, the Gauff hype machine will be out of control for RG.

Swiatek is such pleasure to watch, a lot of variety combined with power instead of the usual ballbashing

R114 Felix plays against Lorenzo, but Sonego and not Musetti

^ too bad, Felix v Musetti would be a great eye candy

I think Musetti withdraw, he was going to play qualifications but he finally didn't play.

I think he has a lot of talent but he needs to strenght his body because he is having a lot of trouble with small injuries

Swiatek beats pliskova 6-0, 6-0. Pathetic

Compelling!

OMG

Swiatek is much better than Pliskova on clay, and she destroyed everyone on last RG (including Halep) but i was not expecting this.

And after a really good week (on a pretty bad year) this is an awful way to end the week for Pliskova

Swiatek won five of his six serves 40-0

patheric weak era for women, swiatek is ok but nothing special, but in fronf ot pliskova she is genius.

plitksova was really weak, 44% first serve for Pliskova

Lots of unforced errors by Pliskova as well.

It’s doubles match.

The two hot Croats are killing it this season in doubles. They're on every time I see a doubles final...and winning.

[quote] ...and winning.

Like me!

Last time in madrit they lost with spanish/argentinian couple. In Hamburg krawietz won with some guy/

Rafa team or Nole team?

Tennis Channel is trying to hype this, as they are expected to, but I'm only going to half pay attention.

It's 'Young' Grigor's 30th birthday!

Is that Cames Jourier's Instagram?

[quote] It's 'Young' Grigor's 30th birthday!

How should we, I mean "he", celebrate?

Djokovic getting upset - again.

ooh, Novaxx was doing so well keeping up but now he's pissed that Nadal has broken him. I'm rooting for Nadal here.

Team Nadal all the way. Praying for a Novaxx complete-out-of-body psychotic meltdown.

Pliskbot double bageled how embarrasing

[quote] how embarrasing

How embarrassing.

Nadal's short's fabric is so thin that you can see Nadal's lil pecker through it.

Rafa!

Clay court King wins. Sorry-not sorry, Novaxxer..

Thank (No)Fuxxx Nadal finally managed to put that psycho away.

R119, it's going to be the toothsome FAA vs. Musetti match after all in Lyon's first round. Sonego has withdrawn.

R114 You were right, Felix will play Musetti. Sonego withdraw and Musetti was not on the qualifying because he got his spot on the main draw.

Interesting first round, Musetti gave Felix a lot of trouble the last time they played

YES I've been waiting for so long to see Pliskova double bageled haha. That makes me very happy. Never liked her or her game. Can't believe she ever hit #1. Swiatek is the real deal clearly

I would love to see a healthy Nadal and Djokovic get double bageled too before they retire but I know the chances of that are almost nil

I wouldn't call a bagel in the last set all that much trouble, R147.

Shee-vie-tek

If Novaxxx or PEDal were getting double bageled they would either take a strategic bathroom break to "refresh" or withdraw with an "injury".

Rafa!!

Rafa team!

disaster for men's tennis this week with 2 mid-30s somethings out-grinding their much younger competition

Love Rafa. I’ve grown accustomed to Fed being gone - but I’ll be sad when Rafa retires.

Novak could disappear tomorrow and I wouldn’t notice...

Novak could disappear tomorrow and I'd dance a jig.

Even with this final i think it's the most interesting RG in ages.

Of course it could end with Rafa winning easily again but i think there'll be more competition this time.

The draws could be very unbalanced given that Medvedev is useless on clay, and there are a bunch of players like Sinner or Ruud that could be tough third round matches

we need to have Djokovic, Nadal and Zverev in the same half at RG

R155, once Rafa retires (assuming Fed is all but gone), I probably won't watch much tennis.

As a teen, I fell in love with the Agassi/Sampras rivalry. When they both dropped off, I was bored with the game for a few years until Rafa came along and could whip the prodigy Fed. Been obsessed ever since. Those two saved the game for me. Fed was fun to hate, but his game was so gorgeous, it was hard to root against him. Rafa just bulldozed his way to win after win. The contrast was utterly fascinating to me.

I just don't think we'll get lucky three times to have another dominant rivalry like Agassi/Pete (which, in hindsight, pales in comparison to Fed/Rafa) and Fed/Rafa. Not just in terms of great tennis, but in terms of interesting players.

Novak is a great, great player, but there's nothing to enjoy (for me) in watching him play. I don't love to hate him (like Fed or Sampras), I just hate him. Normal hate.

Who will take the mantle? Thiem? Nope. Zverec? Don't think so. Maybe Sinner. But then who will be his Rafa? Or his Agassi?

Eh, I'm getting too old to care perhaps.

Why did you hate Sampy, R159?

I mean I'm tired of them winning all the time, too, but the match was fucking amazing. They're both just so fucking good -- power, speed, touch, mental toughness, will. They make impossible shots in every match.

I agree R161 I like Nadal ok (not a fan) but this match was incredible. The third set for was outstanding. It is hard to believe what they are doing. They were both out of this world.

R160, he felt too one dimensional for me: Huge serve, big forehand. Done. I liked Agassi because he was always thinking out there. He had to be smarter because he wasn't as physically imposing as his peers nor did he have that one huge weapon. Admittedly, I tend to find huge servers boring as hell.

And I didn't hate Pete's personality. I quite liked him. I just always wanted Agassi to win and Pete made that very, very difficult!

The only thing stopping Rafa from #21 is a positive Covid test.

Rafa profile coming up tonight on 60 Minutes.

R159 you summed that up nicely. There is no joy in Novaxx game.

And now we move to Geneva and Lyon. Fucsovics vs. Garin this morning.

R167 am I wrong for hoping that they kiss deeply and passionately at the net at the end of the match?

Or they could do the post interviews while they take a shower together....

Why are Granny Vee and Great Auntie Ree wasting their time and energy playing in Tier 8 tournaments like Parma just a week before the start of Garros?

Granny Vee is probably trying out her new Hurrycane on court.

Serena hasn't been competing for a while and probably wants to get some matches (on clay) under her belt before Roland Garros.

The Parma Tenns Club looks more like an ITF/Challenger venue

Serena needs matches, as simple as that. Roland Garros could open the draw a lot like it did last year with most favourites losing in early rounds.

I wouldn't bet against Nadal on RG, but he needs to improve his level from the beginning, a couple of matches like the one against Shapo and his advantage will be gone.

The draw is going to be important this year, if one of the tops have to play against Karatsev or Ruud or Sinner in early rounds that will probably end in being on court more than desired, and that's a real danger for older players or young that are not that prepared physically (like Tsitsipas)

Serena Williams is playing against Lisa Pigato, number 606 in the world. She is up one break in the first set.

Serena winning easily against Pigeto!!!! OMG, she is totally back at her best and will win #24, #25 and #26 this year to break Billie Jean Evert's Slam record and become the SHEEP of all tennis. Watch out, Rena is back, y'all!!!!! Go USA!!!!!!!

what happened to garin/fuksovic match?

Looks like Garin has withdrawn. Fucsovics will play against qualifier Laaksonen instead

Serena looks huge

She's a mother!!!!!

How DARE you, R178!!! She's a MOM!!! She has a child.

I’m not yet ready to say goodbye to Fed. He’s grown on me in his autumn decline.

The one player I won’t be sorry to see the back of is Djokovic. There is absolutely nothing he does that doesn’t rub me up the wrong way. I’ve tried over the years, I really have, but he was born to play the villain.

I'll be happy to see Nadal go. His OCD tics are annoying as hell, and he whines like a bitch when he gets called for time violations, which actually doesn't happen enough. I also have my doubts, but no proof, about how he somehow can out-grind guys much younger than he is.

I suspect Nadal will get #21 at RG this year. I can't see anyone beating him in 5 sets in Paris. I wish RG would speed up the clay. The whole world is bored of Nadal constantly winning the French Open. It's going to take a rough draw where Nadal has to play several tough matches in a row to wear him out, then maybe a fresher player can take him down.

If Nadal gets #21 at RG, Federer will probably have nightmares about blowing the 2019 Wimbledon final with match points. It's possible, but I think unlikely Fed will get any more Slam victories. He'd need a draw to fall apart like Nadal got in the 2017 US Open.

Rigged draw? We’re on it!

RG has been postponed by one week..It will start on 30 the May instead of 23 rd

Good lord all the comments on Serena's win on various social media are hilarious. Lots of "She's back" or "She's read for RG". She beat a 17 yr old girl just getting on tour. Calm down.

I don't mind any of the big 3 (they are fantastic players) but i want them to be replaced before they decide to retire.

It's not natural the way they dominate right now (the GS) and it's time that to change. They should be one of the alternatives and not the big favourites

R170 Serena can rest next week as RG isn't for another 2 weeks

what we will see is Andreescu playing Strasbourg next week unless something else happens to her

Wcs for Roland Garros:

Men:

Grégoire Barrere Benjamin Bonzi Mathias Bourgue Arthur Cazaux Enzo Couacaud Hugo Gaston Arthur Rinderknech

Women:

Océane Babel Clara Burel Océane Dodin Elsa Jacquemot Chloé Paquet Diane Parry Astra Sharma Harmony Tan

Hopefully, French cuties Gaston and Bonzi can get a bit of a run going again this year.

where in the heck is wawrinka? and what happened to south korean CHung?..

R189 please, no, that french dwarf is annoying

I've noticed at the grand slams that some of the same players keep getting main draw WCs year after year. You'd think after 2-3 chances without a rise in the rankings, the federations would move on to other players.

Did FAA play Musetti today in Lyon?

nevermind I see it's tomorrow

Shapo rap.

[quote] Out now.

Putin hockey.

aww that was cute of Pigato to ask for a selfie after losing to Serena today and Serena obliged.

Musetti just beat FAA in 3.

amazing ( sarcasm), how nearly 35 year old nadal with his exhausting grinding style of play on clay with all of his "injuries" over the years can defeat back to back ON CONSECUTIVE days i might add, sinner, shapavolov, zverev, opelka and then 3 sets with novak and NO ONE bats a eye???

R199, if a Marion Jones scandal (and let's not forget that she never actually failed a drug/PED test) ever hits tennis, the authorities will prevent the truth from ever coming out. The top players are like FloJo. A lot of people know these guys are cheating but play along and act as though everyone is clean.

Cuntapova got caught. Some of the other suspects on the women's side have to be Capriati, Serena, Lindsay and Justine.

I suspect that Sharapova was only caught for political reasons..

Lindsay Davenport??? What on earth makes you think that?

Shapo, Zverev and Opelka are not known as clay court players, or the best competitors, so it is believable.

R201, I’m not so sure. Tennis authorities tried to protect her—she was sent at least five warnings that a substance she was known to take was banned. But she refused to do anything, and flunked the drug test.

Lindsay Davenport? That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. I also don’t believe Serena has ever doped.

Lindsay fucking Davenport a usual PED suspect? You in danger gurl.

Serena out in straights.

Roger blows a big lead in Geneva! Was Mirka grazing in the fields nearby?

Roger lost in the first round. Whoever thinks he's reaching the semifinal at Wimbledon needs to have their head checked.

Ha! They will stuff Roger's quarter of the Wimbledon draw with players picked up from public courts if they have to.

And Roger is going to be one of the top 8 at Roland Garros.

Imagine if Medvedev and Roger are in the same part of the draw, put in the other Rafa, Nole and Tsitsipas and you'll get one of the most unbalanced draws ever

Monfils broke his dry spell today with a straight-set win over Thiago Seyboth Wild. Good to see him smile on court again.

Rafa looked so, so cute on his 60 Minutes interview.

He looked so young and cherubic. 😍😍

Did 60 Minutes just rerun his interview from 2019? That's all I can find online.

😯.

Was it an old interview?

Apologies if it was ☺️

Still a great interview whether this year or not.

I hope FAA and Musetti had hot mansex in the locker room after their match.

Sinkova def Serena

R199, Rafa on steroids? That old chestnut? Please.

nice comeback win for Sloane today over in-form Kasatkina

R218.... not steroids per se, but perhaps E.P.O.?....

R218, steroids are not the only PEDs athletes use. Doping in sport is very sophisticated these days and the cheats are two steps ahead of all the testers. With organizations of certain countries like Russia or Spain it's essentially state-sanctioned doping at all levels.

I'm someone who thinks that pretty much all top tennis players use PEDs. Roger, Rafa, Serena, all of them.

I agree, R222. They are all cheats. No top-level athlete is clean anymore.

I adore Rafa.

Waw out of RG!fuvk

Why, R225?

Another win for Musetti and Stricker

impressive week out of nowhere from Stricker. Cilic and Fucsovics in straight sets? wow

R226 Former champion Stan Wawrinka has pulled out of the French Open after failing to recover sufficiently from an operation he underwent on his left foot in March, his team said on Tuesday.

Coric also had surgery (on his shoulder) so it will be a while before he returns

me three, I think they all cheat too, in all sports.

R228 Stricker won a challenger a month ago but then he got injured.

He is really really good

shame about Wawrinka and Coric. It's always less fun when any top 50 player is sidelined from big events.

Good win for Sinner against Karatsev today in Lyon. Sinner got bageled in the first set, but came back to take the second and third 6-4, 6-4.

swiss legends will retire together?

Good God Fed was ugly back then.

did fed get a nose job or did his face and nose grow into each other? yes his nose is still a tad too big, but not as obvious as this photo...

stan was a cutie back in the day...

speaking of missing players where the heck is CHUNG...

Thank you, R229.

Stan is SMOKIN at R235

He's got Momma's mussy steaming like an espresso machine in Paris!

When will that overrated cunt Misery retire? The Brit press will be so over the top when that happens and there will be references to the bullshit Big Four theory as though he was anywhere in the league of Gramps, PEDal or Novaxxx.

Gasquet's looking very nicely packaged front and rear in silky tight blue shorts against Schwartzman.

R240...well it could be worse the british press could be trying desperately to find their next great british star... you know over the top praise and over the top coverage and so on (cough cough coco gauff!)...

Oh heavens (R 242) you were possibly referring to me? One feels I was the next Dorothy Round or Kitty Godfree, and my career didn't exactly play out that way, did it?

R242, at least Coco still has a realistic shot at winning majors a few years from now. The Brits, desperate for any notable players, since Fred Frickin Perry or Virginie Wade are just obnoxious. They used to talk about Tim Henman as though he was an all time great. And the Misery hype is beyond belief, made worse by that creepy, psycho mom of his.

Damn! Thiem lost to Norrie in two quick sets. What's wrong with Thiem?

Not sure why some keep acting like Gauff isn't a real talent. She's already had a very solid career at such a young age. The hype for Murray and Robson when they first hit the pro tour was huge too. It happens with teen phenoms.

Gauff just routined the also-hyped Anisimova 6-3 6-3

Stephens back into a SF for the first time in ages with a 6-3 6-0 beatdown of Errani

Andujar becomes real crowd villain this week in Geneva as he not only beat Federer in 3 but today ended the run of Stricker in 3

Shapovalov def. Cecchinato in a 3 setter postponed from yesterday

R245 Thiem is still searching for his form and motivation

Tsitsipas def. Paul 6-1 6-4

Nishioka def. Monfils in a third set tiebreak

[quote]Andujar becomes real crowd villain this week in Geneva as he not only beat Federer in 3 but today ended the run of Stricker in 3

Purty Pablo!

Thiem seems to be crashing and burning this season.

Thiem always had this type of results, it's nothing new. The problem is this year he is not having the other type of results, he didn't play a lot of tournaments and his level was sub par in all of them

"The BNP Paribas Open, initially planned for March 2021, has been re-scheduled for October at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the tournament announced Thursday"

andujar i LITERALLY male model material.. he is very "purdy"!

the issue i have with coca gauff, for one she "deserved" for the tennis channel to show her match instead of the NUMBER #1 player in the world novak's match?..

the media is so so desperate for coco to be the next american superstar and lets' face it, let's be brutally honest, the fact she is black is EVEN BETTER in their minds! the successor to serena and venus!....

never mind, the media and the so called "tennis experts/commentators" seem to have selective amnesia! do none of them remember names like evert, austin, jaeger, hingis, seles, capriati, graf, serena herself all who were CHAMPIONS ALREADY at coco's age!..

and no, i don't want to hear the whole "but more competition now and the game is more physical and more players and deeper" blah, blah, blah..

I actually root against Coco...due to the media obsession.

Another shocker. Sinner lost to Arthur Rinderknech, in three sets. It was actually a good game and the French delivered in the end. 6-7, 6-2, 7-5.

And Coco is sponsored by Barilla (which is an absolute no, no.....)

Domicakes is concerned.

You've lost your mind if you think Anisimova has been hyped the same way Gauff has.

The Brits pretty much bought Johanna Konta's nationality just like they did Greg Rusedski's. I'm a Brit and that really pisses me off - why can't they work on developing local talent? Big deal if you don't have a top star, work harder to find and develop good players - there isn't that development and encouragement of talented kids of all classes at grassroots level. I find it sweet that Konta clearly isn't going to be a slam winner and doesn't have any charisma either.. that was a bit of a waste of money.

r257.. WHO RUNS the brits player development?

here in the u.s. we have guys like patrick mcenroe and jimmy arias!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! enough said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....

p.s. first time since 1973 ATP that the u.s. doesn't have a single male player in the top 30! beyond shameful and embarrassing!...

Djokovic mentioned years back that the UK approached him to change nationality for money but he decided to stick with Serbia. I'm so glad he didn't take that up.

First match I saw with Coco (vs Venus at Wimbledon) I was like “Aww! Baby Venus!”

Then the hype. Constant hype. Was it at the AO or US open where they asked every player (male or female) what they thought about Coco after their matches? It was fucking insane. Like Serena’s a MOM type hype.

After that I was not only NOT a fan - I couldn’t watch her.

What sucks R260 is that it's not Coco's fault. She actually seems like a pretty sweet girl. I actually do think she has the game to win a Slam or three. So I root for her, but tepidly as of now.

I know r261. It’s not her fault at all - totally the media hype to blame. It’s a shame.

Shapo legs n azz

Eye candy SF in Geneva:

Andujar v Ruud

Shapo v Cuevas (despite the beak)

[quote] Shapo legs n azz

Correction: Shapo blond, hairy legs n azz

Fed and dull MJ Ferrnandez's hubby have a big piece of Coco, hence the push to have the WTA follow ATP guidelines in tournament status, etc. Coco's annoying parents are the worst in decades.

Coco's parents are obnoxious trash but there is something else that is fucking annoying about the players' entourage. In a lot of matches, especially at the Slams what the fuck is with the entourage standing up to cheer after every fucking point won? Especially in the final set. Is the player so fucking needy and pathetic that his coach and girlfriend need to stand up and cheer after every fucking point?

Fat milch cow Mirka is especially guilty of this.

Mirka could use the exercise, bitch

I NOW respect CHRIS EVERT even more! NOT ONCE did she look up in the stands for support or her "team" to yell and give her approval or whatever! she once said when asked about this (paraphrasing here) that she would feel it's a sign of weakness and besides it's ONLY her on the court and ONLY she can figure it out and ONLY she can motivate herself.....

today's players look and act like grade schoolers with their CONSTANT bitching, CONSTANT screaming and pleading at their box and so on! I would be embarrassed If i was grown man or woman professional athlete needing this much support from my "team"....

and of course players in the past didn't need a damn towel wipe off after EVERY single point (i'm pretty sure they did sweat!), they didn't need to decide which ball they wanted to use to serve with, they didn't take bathroom breaks of 10 minutes! they didn't bring their entire lives in a humungous bag onto the court with them, and of course when they grunted it was from sheer effort, NOT on every single swing of the racket and not every single point!...

by the way, is the FRENCH OPEN going to use you know modern technology to call lines or is it still the umpire decided which mark on the court is in or out? RIDICULOUS! and amateurish!

[quote] i'm pretty sure they did sweat!

Are you quite certain of that?

Maybe they sweat more now? Global warming...

Speaking of players who yell at their box for support, does anyone think that Nick Kyrigos is ever going to play again?

R272 Let's hope! I find his two-match streaks so compelling.

Vale team or Vacherot team?

Riffice team or Habib team?

my future husband is into the Lyon SF

Gauff is a good player. She has a lot of potential. I agree with the above poster who said the media hype isn't her fault. But I also agree her parents are a bit obnoxious. I fear, like Capriati, way too much pressure is on Gauff's shoulders to be the family breadwinner. She's too young for that kind of pressure.

I hope she realizes her talent and comes into her own. I'm not sure yet if she's got Slam potential, but time will tell. She certainly wants it, which is more than I can say for a lot of the WTA players who have the talent but not the desire or mental capacity to bring it consistently (Stephens, Muguruza, Keys, etc.).

Keys does not deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Stephens or Muguruza. Madison is a middling talent who has been overrated because of the US media's desperate search for the next great American player. Stephens and Muguruza are in a different league altogether when it comes to talent.

Keys is like the Ashley Harkleroad. One or two good results followed by endless hype and then nothing. And dull and uncharismatic as hell, just like her frau coach Davenpork.

Casper won

And Karen too. On his birthday. Gasquet looks rough.

Simona Halep is OUT of Roland Garros

r275, can I borrow him for 3 minutes and 10 seconds? There's something I need to do.

Wow, R277, hate Keys much? Her career stats are much, much better than Ashley Hackleroad, who had one career final and never past the 3rd round of a Slam. Keys is a former Slam finalist, and has gotten to the semis of two others (French and Aus Open) and quarters of Wimbledon. She's won five career titles, been in the Top 10, and she recently just beat Stephens at the Italian Open. Check your stats before making such a comparison.

Keys is talented, but she's a head case. That describes so many on the WTA now, Stephens and Muguruza included. Both of them occasionally show up for a Slam win or final, but then go away for months/years at a time. She's injury prone, too, like Andreescu.

Nick Kyrgios was playing basketball the other day and I also read he is in a reality show called Australian Ninja Warrior.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Kyrgios will play the grass-court season commencing in June, most likely returning at the Stuttgart Open.

Kyrgios admitted after his Australian Open exit that he wasn't interested in playing at events where fans aren't allowed.

"I don't know how I'll [play if I] have to quarantine overseas in tournaments," he said.

"For me personally, I'm used to playing in front of packed stadiums.

"I'm not gonna force myself around the world when the time is not right where I have to quarantine for a week and then play.

"I don't know. I'm not too sure what lies head. That's just not me. I just don't think it's right. I'm not gonna force myself to play."

Next up Nick announces his new partnership with Bernie Tomic on OnlyFans.

Shapo / Ruud will be good.

Ruud, please please please

R282 Keys is not Hackleroad (who was hyped basically because she is beautiful) but she is not Stephens, and to be fair Stephens is not on Muguruza's league either. Keys is a very effective ballbasher but unfortunately for her she is unable to control her nerves on the big matches

Muguruza is inconsistent, she has few titles, but she is a two GS champion, 2 GS finalists and she was number one, so even for a little time she was regular enough to get there. And unlike Stephens, Muguruza always comes back, a little more luck and her Australian Open this year could end very differently (she was on the verge of defeating Osaka).

Stephens can play amazingly and effortless, but her best tennis only appears once every few years.

Gauff's hype is not her fault, the fact that there's no american male player to hype makes it even worse but she has an inmense potential.

People tend to hate hyped players (i read a lot of hate for Sinner, Musetti and Alcaraz who is one victory from become a top 100 player) but they are not responsible for the hype in most cases (even if in Gauff's case it's pretty obvious that her parents enjoy the spotlight)

Madison Keys = Pam Shriver without the doubles titles and the secret lesbian lovers

Shapo team or Ruud team?

Shapo team; he's hot AF!

of course Rudd, Shapo makes me sick

I want to fuck both of them

R291 = Shapo blond leg hair troll. :)

Ruud is perfect.

Shapovalov is a Putin-loving, wannabe rapper who screams homophobic epithets on court.

On IG I follow a feed called sportsbubblebutt and my patience has been fully rewarded by this posting of our beloved Domicakes in bikini briefs:

Is Dom a top or a bottom? Has Daddy Cames Jourier had him yet? How did Gaygor deal with being over the hill and being dumped by Cames on his 30th birthday?

Carlos Alcaraz will be the youngest player on the top 100 next monday after defeating Facundo Bagnis 64 64 at the Oeiras challenger final

for my fellow "old-timers" was tim mayotte gay? i know he was hairy tall and handsome that's for sure! i remember watching him win the NCAA's championship and him wearing those very short white shorts and NOTHING underneath but a jockstrap! as the match wore on and his shorts because soaked with sweat, it was CLEARLY see-thru to where you could make out jockstrap straps AND his ass skin! utterly erotic and obscene but hotter than hell!....

thanks R296 for that domicakes in bikini underwear clip! whew! that's fine! he should just wear this in matches! laugh! oh to be a fly on the wall of the locker room and see who else wears bikini underwear and whose ass is spectacular!...

and so who was the person FILMING thiem in his undies?

R299, agree with you about Tim Mayotte. Back when he was still playing I had a huge crush on him. He seemed perfect: tall, hairy, handsome, a good sport and nice. What the hell, I probably would still do him today even if he hasn't aged well.

At the time I never read anything about his girlfriends so I used to hope that he was gay. He is married now and has kids.

Shapo is hawt.

Deal with it, Mary.

R301..oh, i didn't know he was now married with kids... bud collins nicknamed him both "the springfield rifle" and "gentleman tim"...

he was very nice as well. i remember getting his autograph as he sat in the crowd watching another match going on and he was very nice and thanked me, even though looking back i was probably some dumb kid bugging him while he was trying to pay attention to the match going on...

oh and by the way, i saw his NCAA match on TV not in person! i can't even imagine seeing him IN PERSON wearing his see thru white short shorts! OH LORD!

A 30 second Google search shows that Tim Mayotte has been married (to a woman) for 25 years, works on a volunteer basis with the Harvard tennis team, and is a liberal Democrat. See his Twitter.

Shapovalov reminds me of an unfortunate cross between Scooby Doo and Bam Bam.

My crush back in the Mayotte days was Derrick Rostagno, who beat Mayotte en route to the '88 USO quarters and was one unluckiest match point net cord away from beating eventual champion Becker at the '89 USO. He was the quintessential California dude, living in the back of his old VW van as he drove around the country, wearing puka shells while he surfed.

These days Rostagno is practicing LA law and as far as I can Google, looks like he never married.

Thanks for that blast from the past, r306. I'd completely forgotten about Rostagno, his hippie van, and his laid-back vibe. Seeing him now, he looks like he could be Joaquin Phoenix's doppelgänger.

[quote] and so who was the person FILMING thiem in his undies?

It was from a documentary.

The weird thing about my crush on Tim Mayotte was that a decade later I had a similar crush on another American player who was also tall, hairy, handsome and a good sport. And he had the same initials as Gentleman Tim. Todd Martin.

Tim has aged better than Todd though. Todd looks old enough to be Tim's dad now.

Todd "Unibrow" Martin was never attractive.

Shapo's blond leg hairs look particularly delicious today against the red clay.

Shapo is beat and a Putin apologist

Todd Martin is my hero.

Todd Martin looked old when he was young, but his tennis was great to watch. I don't know where I heard it, but he was apparently also a show-tunes buff and performed at the piano.

Coco haters get ready to seethe, she took home the title today.

[quote]It was from a documentary.

In Bed With Mladonna?

This thread has been paywalled. Thanks to OP of the new thread linked below.