2022 In Between Grand Slam Thread

Floppybits

Osaka beaten again early in another tournament. Is her heart really in playing tennis? Is she just entering tournaments now to fulfil contractual obligations.

yerwanthere123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119482067#Comment_119482067

I think she does actually enjoy tennis when playing on hard courts, although she's now finding out the hard way that it's difficult to be a part time player and get good results with it.

yerwanthere123

Raducanu totally destroys Serena, 64 60 in a match where she hit just one unforced error. Granted she didn't need to do that much, but a very high level from Raducanu nonetheless. Serena flounced off court without a word and ignored the requests for an interview and the obvious goodbye ceremony they'd planned for her.

Raducanu faces Azarenka next, another intriguing encounter.

gmisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119471055#Comment_119471055

Raducanu pretty much outplayed her, very solid 6-4,6-0

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119471055#Comment_119471055

I thought the same and was thinking the aftermath of a loss even to Serena could do to her. The negative headlines it would have generated for Raducanu. Was happy to see that she won and won convincingly, Azarenka will be a big test. I think if she wins that won it will do more for her confidence than the Serena win.

rogerywalters

I watched it Serena was awful , but Raducanu was as solid as ive seen since last yr , 1 unforced error is insane levels of concentration , served seemed to come back to. Im heading to round 16 this year in US open gonna try get a night session on Ashe , its safe to say I wont be watching Serena!!

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119483621#Comment_119483621

I saw the first set live out of curiosity as to how much shite the prime video crew would talk. It wasn’t that bad.

let’s see how raducanu gets on next.

I didn’t see it but leylah Fernandez lost her match yesterday, which I’d seen but she was 5-1 40-15 up in the second set and lost.

And Carlos Alvarez won last night which is good.

Williams looked like a lumbering bus trying to get around a twisty racetrack.

It was pretty pathetic.

Once the ball wasn't hit straight back to her she was done.

Lol at the idiots paying over the odds for a ticket to that match.

MisterAnarchy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119484874#Comment_119484874

Once the legs and engine go, there is no point in playing on.

She is right to retire, in the past alot of female players retired in their mid twenties so she has had a very long career.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119484960#Comment_119484960

Williams was still effective until she was older but it's obvious that she has played very little match tennis in the last year (hitting shots way out) as well as the movement (which was never her strong point obviously) that has really really really gone to the point that she can't even get to average shots.

Her serve quality was beyond dire with her only winning 13% of her second serve points.

Return of serve was almost as bad with 25% of points won on the opponent's second serve.

Azarenka even at 33 and not remotely the player she was (and looks like serving pretty poorly herself in the first round and not on a great year) should be in a much better position to take out the "reigning US Open Champion" I would imagine because she will be able to actually move around and also punish Raducanu's not-so-impressive serve and general lack of power.

rogerywalters

Murray with a brilliant set! Maybe there is a point in him continuing, and i am an idiot haha.

Itssoeasy

Murray vs Norrie is 1 set all and 3-3 in the third.

6-3, 3-6, 3-3.

Itssoeasy

Ons Jabeur is through to the next round in three sets against Catherine McNally.

rogerywalters

Was sadly terrible on break points , played way better than Norrie but couldnt get it done. Norrie has zero weapons shots wise.

Itssoeasy

Andy Murray is in pain. What did he yell cost his points/matches towards the end of the match ?

Murray blows his opportunities then double-faults to give Norrie the break-of-serve and Norrie closes out the match on his serve moving Murray around effectively on match point to create the winner.

gmisk

Murray really through that one away lots of missed break points...shame.

Raducanu with an excellent start against Azarenka 4-0 up.

rogerywalters

13 games in a row for Raducanu v williams and Azarenka haha

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119486597#Comment_119486597

It’s not the starts that are raducanus problem. It’s when she gets ahead and then let’s her opponent back into the set and makes heavy sledding of winning that opening set and other sets.

gmisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119486603#Comment_119486603

Definitely has to improve mentally but hey she is 19, plenty of time. She does seem to go through coaches at an alarming rate though which probably doesn't help.

First set 6-0

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119486621#Comment_119486621

I know she’s only 19 and that has to be taken into account but only to a point. Well that was an impressive set from Raducanu. There seems to be less yelling of “come on” when her opponent misses and yeah that going through coaches like a dose of salts won’t work regardless of what sport it is. Consistency is key. The winner of this match will face Jessica Pegula in the next round.

The world number 8 Pegula is waiting in the next round

Realistically even if Raducanu overcomes the auld Azarenka the no-more-than-2-wins at any tournament since September 2021 stat is going to most likely remain

Raducanu looks to be playing better than she has been I'll give her that but that's not too hard considering

Azarenka not up to much here

Looking like Raducanu's highest-ranked win since the US Open

Floppybits

Raducanu 15 games in a row between last night and today's match

rogerywalters

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119486655#Comment_119486655

Hahahaha the auld Azarenka -she had just beat the world 31 in the first round. Shes won 17/26 this year. Shes is the current world no 22. And your favourite player has just spanked her love and two!!!

gmisk

Raducanu sails through 6-0, 6-2 against Azarenka very solid stuff in general, battled well on few break points against her.

Maybe the Daily Mail and the like will give her a bit of a break.

Floppybits

Lovely touch by Azarenka at the end there to give Raducanu a big hug at the net compared to Williams last night.

rogerywalters

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119486685#Comment_119486685

Very reminiscent of that absolutely never missing tennis that won her 20 sets in a row at the Us open.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119486755#Comment_119486755

Azarenka was pretty brutal there today

W 16/ L 9 in singles this year before this tournament for Azarenka which isn't exactly great at all for the year (as I'd already said)

Hasn't been past a quarterfinal in 2022 and that was only a small tournament needing just 2 wins to get there

Raducanu was better than she has been as I'd also already said above

Raducanu still hasn't won more than 2 matches at any tournament since September 2021 - I wouldn't get too excited yet

rogerywalters

Looking like a big upset for Shelton against a ruddlerless rudd. , shelton has some serve

rogerywalters

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119486821#Comment_119486821

Azarenka was very poor i agree. But you go on about Raducanu as if she has very little talent and to be honest you are very very wrong. I think she has a great chance of beating Pegula , world number 8.