The 2013 In Between Grand Slam Thread

Elro

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

It's free for the first day, I think. Then you have to subscribe depending on what package you already have. Are you with Sky or UPC? I have UPC but don't seem to have BT sports at all.

It's definitely on UPC alright, it's €19.99 a month on Sky or €16.58 if you pay for a year in advance not sure what it is on UPC. Still not sure whether to get it myself or not, the extra 71 premier league games do make it tempting though.

Tennis wise they'll have the WTA but seeing as that's also on Eurosport anyway it probably isn't worth it if that's all your interested in.

yerwanthere123

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

It's free for the first day, I think. Then you have to subscribe depending on what package you already have. Are you with Sky or UPC? I have UPC but don't seem to have BT sports at all.

I'm with Sky, yes. It's already gone

Elro wrote: »

It's definitely on UPC alright, it's €19.99 a month on Sky or €16.58 if you pay for a year in advance not sure what it is on UPC. Still not sure whether to get it myself or not, the extra 71 premier league games do make it tempting though.

Tennis wise they'll have the WTA but seeing as that's also on Eurosport anyway it probably isn't worth it if that's all your interested in.

Except Eurosport will no longer show any WTA tennis outside of the grand slams from January onwards

Elro

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Except Eurosport will no longer show any WTA tennis outside of the grand slams from January onwards

Oh, that's a shame I hadn't heard anything about it. I wonder what BT's coverage will be like.

RosyLily

No WTA on Eurosport? Frick sake!!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Elro wrote: »

It's definitely on UPC alright, it's €19.99 a month on Sky or €16.58 if you pay for a year in advance not sure what it is on UPC. Still not sure whether to get it myself or not, the extra 71 premier league games do make it tempting though.

When I flick through all the channels I can see it listed but if you try and go to it it says I'm not subscribed, which is weird because I have Setanta and had the ESPN's which I was under the impression they had switched out for BT. But even yesterday when it was supposed to be free I didn't have it.

Elro wrote: »

Oh, that's a shame I hadn't heard anything about it. I wonder what BT's coverage will be like.

I think they've gathered a pretty good team in general but what their actual coverage will be like we'll just have to wait and see.

The other annoying thing about ES losing their coverage is that certain eh ....other methods.... of watching events are being cracked down on too, so if you don't have BT sports you're buggered.

yerwanthere123

Only being able to watch four tennis tournaments a year will be a total balls

yerwanthere123

Also, Sabine has pulled out of the Rogers Cup :rolleyes:

RosyLily

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Also, Sabine has pulled out of the Rogers Cup :rolleyes:

Boooooooooooo!!:(

Roger has pulled out of Toronto.

yerwanthere123

Wonderful win for Stosur against Azarenka. Her first win against her and only her 4th title! What are the odds she'll now lose to Julia Glushko in R1 of Toronto :pac:

Azarenka has now pulled out of Toronto.

yerwanthere123

James McGee is after qualifying for the $100,000 Aptos challenger is California, where he'll play Ryan Harrison in the 1st round! Should be a good indicator of what level he's at.

yerwanthere123

McGee-Harrison match was postponed last night due to poor visibility. It's one set all, to finish tonight! Will be fantastic for James if he can get the win.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Harrison destroyed his racquet after the 1st set, won 4 games in a row after.

It's quite sad really, Harrison is only the #4 seed at this event. He's fallen off the pace big time over the last 12 months. He seems like a nice kid too, I'd like to see him get back up the rankings again, but obviously not this week

RosyLily

I was just thinking, wasn't Harrison the Next Big Thing in American tennis?? Poor chap! Can't be easy having that pressure on your shoulders. Is the match over? Can't find the score online.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

RosyLily wrote: »

I was just thinking, wasn't Harrison the Next Big Thing in American tennis?? Poor chap! Can't be easy having that pressure on your shoulders. Is the match over? Can't find the score online.

Nope, it was called for bad light at 1 set all. Due to be finished today sometime. 3d match after 10:30am local time, so what that is here..... eh...... late, I guess.

yerwanthere123

James McGee wins!
A fantastic win. I know Ryan isn't exactly in top form right now, but still, a fantastic win!!

yerwanthere123

RosyLily wrote: »

I was just thinking, wasn't Harrison the Next Big Thing in American tennis?? Poor chap! Can't be easy having that pressure on your shoulders. Is the match over? Can't find the score online.

It seems that pretty much every American who can string together a few wins on the junior circuit is labelled the "next big thing". The pressure can destroy the players. Look at where Donald Young is now :eek:

RosyLily

Fantastic stuff from McGee!!! Delighted for him.:D

Exactly. Seems like everyone is the next Sampras/Serena/Agassi. Just shut the hell up!! The USA have had an unbelievable run of world-class players. Connors, McEnroe, Ashe, Sampras, Agassi, Roddick. Not to mention the women's players they've produced.

I think it'll be barren few years in Men's Grand Slams for the Americans.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

First time since computerised rankings came in that there's no US men in the top 20. And it looks like they're all heading in the wrong direction too.

I think what Harrison needs is a proper coaching set up. He's gone through something like 5 in 3 years.

Still, great win for McGee. Hopefully he gets a few more this week.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

McGee lost his next match today. Guess the 3 setter against Harrison took it out of him.


Meanwhile.... Raonic vs Delpo is a big old drama. First Milos took a 12 minute Medical Time Out and then broke Delpo right after. Now he's just touched the net but the umpire awarded him the point. Delpo is not impressed.

RosyLily

I wasn't impressed either tbh. I can understand wanting to keep the point and get one up but, to me personally, it's not good sportsmanship. Raonic clearly hit the net with his foot. Just concede the point and move on. I don't think Raonic has endeared himself to the locker room.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

He was lucky he was at home in Canada when it happened. Any other country he'd have been booed off the court.

yerwanthere123

It was unsportsmanlike yes. Will I hold it against him? No. It was one point.

Controversy aside, he's in the semi's now and should be guaranteed of a final place. He really needed something to revitalize his career a bit so hopefully this week will do it.

yerwanthere123

Cirstea's amazing week continues, into the Rogers Cup final! I'm happy for her, I've always liked her game. And so what if she'll be decimated by Serena in the final! :pac:

the_monkey

Hmmm ... Nadal wins a hard court masters with a dodgy knee ... and he's not doping ????


BS ...

I smell EPO

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

How many times The_Monkey?

You clearly have a personal vendetta against Nadal, and you still have no proof other than he's good at tennis. Drop it.

the_monkey

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

How many times The_Monkey?

You clearly have a personal vendetta against Nadal, and you still have no proof other than he's good at tennis. Drop it.

indeed, shame, he's gotta be favourite now for the US Open....

yerwanthere123

Maria loses to Sloane! Didn't see it but from what I can gather online Maria played a horrible match, so I guess it's not too worrying. Although she will now go into the US Open having played just a single match since Wimbledon

And how does Lisicki's first match since her wonderful Wimbledon go? Why, a three-set loss to Jelena Jankovic of course! :pac:

RosyLily

Roger has gone back to his old racquet. Probably for the best.

yerwanthere123

Marion Bartoli announces retirement!! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

bradlente

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Marion Bartoli announces retirement!! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jECd8HgdpOo

WaterLily.

What!?! :eek::eek:

I love watching her play she is such a unique and exciting character, women's tennis will really miss her! Hopefully she just ends up taking a break then returning.. But if it is for good, what a way to go. Just after winning Wimbledon, I mean it literally doesn't get any better than that!

RosyLily

I'll be sad to see her go but she's going out on the ultimate high. Wimbledon Champion!! It doesn't get much better than that!

One of the most unusual players on the tour and she will be sorely missed. There'll never be another quite like her again.

RosyLily

Just curious, who'd open up Centre Court proceedings instead of Marion? Sabine? 2012 champ Serena? Or whoever's #1 at the time?

yerwanthere123

And no Tsonga at the US Open

RosyLily

Aga Radwanska has pulled out of Cincy due to the death of her grandfather. Li Na gets a w/o to the SFs.

Roger vs. Rafa #31 takes place late tonight.

RosyLily

The Sharapova-Connors partnership is over already.

Matt Cronin ‏@TennisReporters
Now it's official: here's a statement from Sharapova on splitting with coach Connors Split: "Not the right fit for this time in my career"

Thought it would last longer than 1 match!

yerwanthere123

RosyLily wrote: »

The Sharapova-Connors partnership is over already.

Matt Cronin ‏@TennisReporters
Now it's official: here's a statement from Sharapova on splitting with coach Connors Split: "Not the right fit for this time in my career"

Thought it would last longer than 1 match!

Something must have happened there... a big blow-up perhaps, it doesn't make sense otherwise!

yerwanthere123

Djokovic loses to Isner! And will face the lovely Delpo in the semi's! A good day.

Fed versus Nadal to take place later... Nadal will destroy him And Murray out to Berdych... not hugely surprising.

Azarenka/Woznkiacki match should be interesting later, the last time they played a full match was almost three years ago - Tokyo 2010!

WaterLily.

I used to get so excited at the prospect of a Nadal/Federer match but recently they've been so one-sided I love Rafa and nobody can deny that he has been nothing short of outstanding this year; but I just wish we could bring back the Wimbledon '08 type battles we used to see between them!

Also I wish Murray hadn't lost, especially if Nadal does beat Federer I would have loved to see a Nadal/Murray SF because they haven't played each other in ages, it's got to be nearly 2 years or thereabouts and Murray has improved hugely in the past year or so.


I was rather shocked about the whole Sharapova and Connors situation, I have to say I was confused about it in the beginning but I still expected it to last longer than a match!!

WaterLily.

By the way does anyone know, is the US Open only shown on Sky Sports or would Eurosport have it as well?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

WaterLily. wrote: »

By the way does anyone know, is the US Open only shown on Sky Sports or would Eurosport have it as well?

I think ES have the women's only? Am I remembering that right? And they don't show the night sessions much.... Sky show mostly men's but do show the women when they feel like it, i.e. when Laura Robson is playing.

Why is Tsonga out of US Open?

RosyLily

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I think ES have the women's only? Am I remembering that right? And they don't show the night sessions much.... Sky show mostly men's but do show the women when they feel like it, i.e. when Laura Robson is playing.

Why is Tsonga out of US Open?

Recurrence of the knee injury he picked up at Wimbledon afaik.

yerwanthere123

WaterLily. wrote: »

By the way does anyone know, is the US Open only shown on Sky Sports or would Eurosport have it as well?

Eurosport has live coverage only for the first four rounds, after that it's highlights only the next day. They show both the men's and women's matches, however they don't have the rights to any matches on Ashe or Louis Armstrong Stadium, meaning they're basically left with the crap matches. I'd recommend getting Sky for the US Open, well worth it for their brilliant coverage

MisterAnarchy

After a great set and a half Federer is imploding against Nadal .
Sad to see him almost throwing in the towel in this match .

MisterAnarchy

Federer only has himself to blame after that defeat to Nadal.
After playing good aggressive tennis up to near the end of the second set he lost it completely serving at 4-5 in the second.

He then lost 4 games in a row playing some dreadful shots,it looked like all the confidence was drained from him and he was feeling sorry for himself ,he wasnt even moving towards the ball at times .
He then woke and actually played some good tennis but by then it was too late.
He could have beaten Nadal and broken the hoodoo but alas it will go on.
Roger played very well except for the 4 games he completely lost the plot.

RosyLily

Disappointing for Federer but he has to look at the positives from the match. First part of the match was like the classic Fed-Nadal matches of old that energise the crowd. Love it!

He's just got to keep his head in it for the entire match and not just for a set and a half. Cannot be doing that, especially against a player of Nadal's caliber.

KINGVictor

RosyLily wrote: »

Disappointing for Federer but he has to look at the positives from the match. First part of the match was like the classic Fed-Nadal matches of old that energise the crowd. Love it!

He's just got to keep his head in it for the entire match and not just for a set and a half. Cannot be doing that, especially against a player of Nadal's caliber.

The problem however is he will fall to Number 7 when the new rankings are released on Monday. I am not too sure if the USO will follow the latest rankings for the seeding process; If they do, then it could be quite problematic for him tbh- it means he might have to face the top 4 in other to win- that is a tall order.

I am quite impressed with Nadal's performance. If he wins the Cincinnati Open, then he becomes Number 2.

Additionally if (being the operation word) he wins the US Open and Novak fails to progress past the QF then Nadal could be Number 1 .Phenomenal for a guy that was Number 5 in the rankings 2 months ago.

smurfs5

Really enjoying this Isner-Delpo match.

Delpo has been my favourite player for some time and is producing some exquisite tennis, just a shame that he seems to become a bit inconsistent when it is his opponent who is in the ascendancy.

I'm hoping he still has something left in the tank to stage a late comeback. 4-2 final set now.

Johnmb

KINGVictor wrote: »

The problem however is he will fall to Number 7 when the new rankings are released on Monday. I am not too sure if the USO will follow the latest rankings for the seeding process; If they do, then it could be quite problematic for him tbh- it means he might have to face the top 4 in other to win- that is a tall order.

No difference being number 5 or number 7 seed, either would mean he may have to beat 3 of the top 4 to win. US Open generally sticks to the rankings.

yerwanthere123

Ugh Delpo loses to Isner