The Tennis Thread

[Guest]

Djokovic beat Nadal on clay again today, 6-4, 6-4 for the Rome Masters and he's the first player to beat Nadal twice on clay in the same year. He's now won 37 straight matches to start the year and if he makes the Final of the French Open (six wins to get there), he'll top McEnroe's mark of 42 straight to start a year. Steffi Graf holds the women's record with 45. A French Open title will run his overall winning streak to 46, which would tie the overall open-era mark of Guillermo Vilas.

 

If Djokovic at least makes the Final of the French or if Nadal doesn't win the French regardless of Djokovic's result, he'll also overtake Nadal for No. 1 in the world.

[shnsajax]

Good to see him finally starting to make that next step. I thought it was going to happen over two years ago.

[shnsajax]

Nadal taken 5 sets in the 1st round, though it was a tough 1st round matchup in Isner.

[Guest]

Brutal third round matchup for Djokovic today against Del Potro.

 

They split the first two sets and it looks like the match is being delayed due to darkness until tomorrow.

[Guest]

Djokovic's streak is in serious jeopardy right now. Federer took the first two sets and they're in the third set with Djokovic holding serve in the first game.

 

And of course instead of showing this match live, NBC started at the beginning about 15 minutes ago.

 

ETA: NBC is actually streaming it live online at nbcsports.com.

[shnsajax]

NBC has turned into a complete joke when it comes to sports. As little as I have seen from the French heard that Federer was playing better than anyone. If he could win a 2nd French and against Nadal that might be enough to solidify himself as the best ever.

[Guest]

NBC has turned into a complete joke when it comes to sports. As little as I have seen from the French heard that Federer was playing better than anyone. If he could win a 2nd French and against Nadal that might be enough to solidify himself as the best ever.

 

It's a fitting combination because apparently there are no lights at the French Open so this match will have to be suspended if Djokovic pulls out the fourth set. Nice job by the French making sure they start the first semifinal early enough to get both in today.

[Guest]

And Djokovic's winning streak comes to an end in four sets.

 

Djokovic broke to go up 5-4 in the fourth set but couldn't serve it out to force a fifth and Federer ended up taking it in a tiebreaker.

 

So we get another Federer-Nadal match in the final. I believe if Nadal wins, he'll remain No. 1 in the world but if Federer wins, Djokovic will be the new No. 1.

[Guest]

The French Open is so dumb. They have no lights, even on center court, and they don't use the hawkeye line technology, instead relying on spots.

 

Put lights on center court so big matches don't get postponed mid-match like Del Potro-Djokovic did and like Djokovic-Federer would have if it went five sets, and put in the challenge system like the other majors have.

[shnsajax]

Federer is playing awesome in the 1st set drilling his 1st serves and gets to set point, then proceeds to lose 5 straight games to lose the 1st set 7-5. Mentally he simply can't beat Nadal even when he is better.

[Vanilla Ice]

Federer's backhand is soooo shaky

[Guest]

Federer is playing awesome in the 1st set drilling his 1st serves and gets to set point, then proceeds to lose 5 straight games to lose the 1st set 7-5. Mentally he simply can't beat Nadal even when he is better.

 

Yeah, it seemed like Nadal took Federer's best shot in that first set - he was serving well and really dictating the points - and it wasn't enough. Federer certainly had chances and if a couple points go different, he could have won each of the first three sets. He blew the first set and the second went to a tiebreaker after he had his serve broken a couple times late in the set.

 

This was also a double whammy for Djokovic. Federer prevented Djokovic from getting the No. 1 ranking twice - first by beating Djokovic on Friday and then by losing tonight - plus he ended Djokovic's winning streak.

[bukie]

Wimbledon starts today. Remember last year's Isner-Mahut marathon? Well, turns out they were drawn against each other again in the first round.

[bukie]

Isner downs Mahut in straight sets to cut about 9 hours out of his first round for this year.

[Guest]

Nadal-Del Potro set for the fourth round. That will hopefully be a good match.

[Guest]

Nadal and Del Potro split the first two sets as did Federer and Youzhny, though Federer is up 3-0 in the third. Djokovic and Murray are already through to the quarters.

 

Some major upsets on the women's side with both Williams sisters losing as well as No. 1 Wozniacki.

[Guest]

Federer through in four sets.

 

Nadal hasn't broken serve at all yet is up 2-1 thanks to two tiebreaker wins. Del Potro has the only break of serve, in the second set, and then served it out. Unsurprisingly, it's on serve at 2-2 in the fourth set. This has been a really good match so far and I'm hoping for a fifth set.

[shnsajax]

Federer down 4-3 (and a break) in the 5th to Tsonga after winning the 1st two sets.

[Guest]

Looks like we're sailing towards a Nadal-Djokovic final.

[shnsajax]

Looks like we're sailing towards a Nadal-Djokovic final.

 

I'm not counting out Murray just yet, especially if Nadal is around 90%.

[Guest]

Looks like we're sailing towards a Nadal-Djokovic final.

 

I'm not counting out Murray just yet, especially if Nadal is around 90%.

 

I know he's young but I'm starting to think that Murray's just not going to be at the level of Djokovic/Federer/Nadal. He's good enough to make the quarters and semis of the majors routinely and stick in the top-5/10, but he hasn't taken that next step like Djokovic did. I put him in the same group as Roddick, who only won a major because he came up in the time between when Agassi/Sampras were great and when Federer/Nadal started dominating.

 

Maybe Murray will prove me wrong and make the leap and win a couple majors but it's going to be tough. He's the same age as Djokovic and only a year younger than Nadal. And if Del Potro continues his recovery and returns to previous form (his last two major losses were in four sets to Djokovic and Nadal), he's a year and a half younger than Murray.

[shnsajax]

Looks like we're sailing towards a Nadal-Djokovic final.

 

I'm not counting out Murray just yet, especially if Nadal is around 90%.

 

I know he's young but I'm starting to think that Murray's just not going to be at the level of Djokovic/Federer/Nadal. He's good enough to make the quarters and semis of the majors routinely and stick in the top-5/10, but he hasn't taken that next step like Djokovic did. I put him in the same group as Roddick, who only won a major because he came up in the time between when Agassi/Sampras were great and when Federer/Nadal started dominating.

 

Maybe Murray will prove me wrong and make the leap and win a couple majors but it's going to be tough. He's the same age as Djokovic and only a year younger than Nadal. And if Del Potro continues his recovery and returns to previous form (his last two major losses were in four sets to Djokovic and Nadal), he's a year and a half younger than Murray.

 

He's beaten everyone in minor tournaments, just not in a major. Wimbledon is his best chance to win one getting to play at home. He's played well this tournament, and Nadal has struggled just enough to question him. The crowd for a Murray/Djokovic final would be awesome.

 

I do think he only has 2-3 majors in him at the most.

[Guest]

He's beaten everyone in minor tournaments, just not in a major. Wimbledon is his best chance to win one getting to play at home. He's played well this tournament, and Nadal has struggled just enough to question him. The crowd for a Murray/Djokovic final would be awesome.

 

I do think he only has 2-3 majors in him at the most.

 

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be surprised to see Murray break through and win a couple majors. I just haven't seen him make the leap yet like some other guys have. Plus he's stunk in all three major finals so far and hasn't won a set. The 08 US Open against Federer, I'm more than willing to give him a pass for since he beat Nadal in the semis, it was his first major final and Federer was still Federer (it was his fifth straight US Open win). Then he lost to Federer again in the 10 Aussie Final and never really threatened. He made the 11 Aussie Final and got worked over badly by Djokovic in a match that, from the start, he never really seemed like he had a shot to win.

 

He'll probably luck in to one or two (like Roddick) when he plays really well for two weeks and the combo of Djokovic/Nadal/Del Potro are either injured/off their game a bit/get upset earlier. Nadal is already at all-time great status and Djokovic seems like he's going to be Nadal's chief rival over the next 3-4 years and could get up there in terms of majors.

 

And I agree, I'd love a Murray-Djokovic final just for the crowd excitement, though I wouldn't mind Djokovic-Nadal.

[bukie]

Sharapova has 8 double faults in 6 service games...and leads 6-4, 2-0. Not a very pretty match.

[jersey cubs fan]

Sharapova has 8 double faults in 6 service games...and leads 6-4, 2-0. Not a very pretty match.

 

But Sharapova is in it, so it is.