2022 In Between Grand Slam Thread

Itssoeasy · 13-03-2022 8:14pm

Raducanu wins the first set 7-6 and there was some unreal shots played in that tie break by both players.

Itssoeasy · 13-03-2022 10:18pm

Raducanu lost in three sets. Had chances to win. Like the second round match she seemed to drop off in the second set.

Floppybits · 13-03-2022 10:48pm

Murray being drop shot to death here.

poppy37 · 13-03-2022 11:29pm

Stamina a huge issue for Radacanu once again, until her fitness improves she’s going nowhere fast. I don’t remember her serve being that bad in the Us Open either.

Great contest at the moment between Tauson and Swiatek.

yerwanthere123 · 13-03-2022 11:39pm

Yes, it was disappointing to see Raducanu lose, especially after serving it. Towards the end she was rolling in first serves at 80-90mph. She's still so inexperienced at this level that hopefully it's just a learning curve. Also had a covid-interrupted off season, so that probably didn't help either. But as has been said so often over the last few months, what she did last year was so unprecedented that we still don't know in reality what her actual level is. But what happened today was largely down to stamina issues as poppy37 said above, so that's something that can be improved upon with work.

Strumms · 13-03-2022 11:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118415189#Comment_118415189

He has been anti vax and said as much, but he softened his approach with more diplomatic language to describe his position due to a public and sporting backlash.

Novax Djokovic as he is known in some circles…

14-03-2022 12:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781317#Comment_118781317

Ever since Covid vaccines actually came out in late 2020, long before the Australia-Gov shafting (where it came out in court that was unvaccinated) he did not declare his vaccine intentions despite constant questioning

He also organised a vaccine drive at the Serbian Open in 2021. Even the simplest of people can figure out that that's not "Anti-Vax"

He said this too in April 2021

“I don’t want to be involved in one team or another. If I say yes or not, I join a team so to speak, and there is a lot of conflict between both sides," Novak Djokovic said at the Serbian Open after being asked for his views on the coronavirus vaccination programme. He also said he would keep his vaccination plans to himself

Djokovic donated over $6 million dollars to the Serbian health service for the fight against Covid.

Did he stipulate that that money could not be spent on vaccines? No he didn't.

He also gave a million euros to Italy for the same cause.

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/tennis/freedom-of-choice-novak-djokovic-refuses-to-be-drawn-on-whether-he-will-have-covid-19-vaccine_sto8288004/story.shtml

Basically he is not anti-vax, as he actively sought not to be on that side

He just doesn't want the vaccine for himself.

That's not actively promoting not getting a vaccine. That's "Anti-Vax" in my book

But he's a very high-profile figure in a sport where constant international travel and visas are a reality.

There are not a few unvaccinated sports stars in the big US Sports (NBA, MLB, NFL) but they don't face the same issues or scrutiny. They may not be able to play in certain states but that's mostly gone now.

There are still 8% of premiership players unvaccinated. That's 40 players there alone. No focus on them.

With Omicron being a mild disease for most, spread happening amongst the boosted and vaccinated alike, the vaccines' most important role is preventing serious illness and death for the at-risk - the likes of super-fit athletes like Djokovic are not a public health risk to anyone

poppy37 · 14-03-2022 12:33am

Iga steamrolled Tauson in the final set. Tauson looked wrecked and fitness a problem there too. I like her game though so hope she continues to improve.

Floppybits · 14-03-2022 3:16am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781272#Comment_118781272

She needs to do an off season with Murray that seems to have worked wonders with a lot of the other English players. I know he had Edmond out with him one year for off season training and he was starting to get results and I think he may have had Norrie as well not sure if Evans has been training with him during the off season. The things these players can learn from something like that is invaluable. Raducanu is still only 19 and dealing with a lot of pressure but seems to be handling it well at the moment and hopefully it doesn't encroach on her practice.

josip · 14-03-2022 10:40am

France dropped nearly all their Covid restrictions today, including Macron's vaccine pass.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/13/france-lift-most-covid-controls-macron-rides-high-polls

Royale with Cheese · 14-03-2022 12:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118782213#Comment_118782213

👌

Got my all day tickets to the second Monday on Phillipe Chatrier there last week.

Girly Gal · 14-03-2022 7:46pm

It's a pity Osaka acts the way she does, she has the talent to be the dominant player of this era and has shown she can win multiple slams unlike most on the tour, however, she seems to not be able to cope with the pressure and for her own sake should probably retire or take a few years off.

Regarding Djokovic I don't think he himself is anti-vax, he just doesn't want to take it himself, there is a difference, however, due to his high profile position, whether he likes it or not, he is being made into an anti vax figure. The perception of the average person on the street would be that he is anti vax.

yerwanthere123 · 14-03-2022 9:56pm

Disappointing loss for Medvedev to Monfils, the serve went to pot in the third set. Have to wonder if the lens he's under as a Russian athlete played any form of role there. Djokovic is back to #1 on Monday, but Medvedev can get it back if he reaches the SF's of Miami.

Alcaraz obliterated RBA 62 60, hope he can make a deep run here. Even a potential SF with Nadal looming but that's still looking too far ahead, neither may get there.

Grudge match between Kyrgios and Ruud coming up around 2am our time, hope Ruud can rip him a new one.

poppy37 · 14-03-2022 10:21pm

Only caught the last set of Medvedev/Monfils. Monfils was on fire but Medvedev seemed to have given up at that stage. It can’t be easy being a Russian/Belarusian on tour at the moment, very sweet gesture from Monfils to Svitolina at the end, I did it for you. He now plays Alcaraz who is half his age.

I saw snatches of Saville/Mertens, Mertens serve letting her down big time. Saville now plays Sakkari, her live ranking must be in the top 250 at this stage.

Floppybits · 15-03-2022 10:27am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118784933#Comment_118784933

Great to see Nadals response to the Osaka situation. He said that the heckling happens and it shouldn't but that players need to be able to deal with it.

I think Murray said something similar as well.

https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/atp-indian-wells/2022/rafael-nadal-feels-terrible-for-naomi-osaka-but-says-heckling-happens-after-indian-wells-incident_sto8845029/story.shtml

dominatinMC · 15-03-2022 12:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118786987#Comment_118786987

Nadal hits the nail on the head as usual. Osaka needs to step up, or else step off.

Royale with Cheese · 15-03-2022 1:15pm

He also pointed out that being a professional tennis player was a very privileged position to be in. He was as nice as possible about it but completely spot on with everything he said. The likes of Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray are basically telling her to cop on, I would hope she might listen.

Floppybits · 15-03-2022 1:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118787805#Comment_118787805

That's what I was thinking. To me Osaka is one of these people that will never be happy no matter what is done and is using mental health as an excuse for carrying on the way she likes when things are not going her way or if she is having a bad day. Whoever her advisors are they need to take her aside and have a word with her. When you get players the likes of Nadal and Murray basically telling her to cop on then she needs to decide is the tennis life and all that brings both good and bad are for her simple as that and stop playing this mental health card anytime things are not going right, it does a disservice to anyone suffering mental health issues and actually takes away from the seriousness of mental health issues.

15-03-2022 1:51pm

Osaka was making noises about growing up this year but it was mere hot air it seems.

A "has-life-easy" whinger who has been exposed for pulling out the mental health card too often.

Her $40 millions-worth per year Jap sponsors should give her the boot.

Hope that Alcaraz goes on to win Indian Wells.

He has a good chance of getting to the final anways.

Brooksby is a good player that has had injury and other setbacks (missed AO due to Covid) since the US Open - hope that he beats awkward Norrie to set up a match with Alcaraz (if he can beat Monfils).

Itssoeasy · 15-03-2022 7:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118786987#Comment_118786987

Heckling happens at sports where fans are. Would it be better if it didn’t ? Yes, of course it would but in this case telling a tennis player they are playing badly isn’t major in the grand scheme of things.

16-03-2022 1:56am

Djokovic is back to world number 1

Floppybits · 16-03-2022 3:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118789888#Comment_118789888

Sure I tell myself I am play badly in more colourful language. 😀 This whole Osaka thing is ridiculous now and the carry on the other night I think has now turned a lot of folk off her, especially trying to use what happened to the Williams family as an excuse for it which in no way relatable to what happened here. Has a player ever asked to address the crowd in the middle of the match.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear that she has pulled out of Miami over the next week or so unless there is a reason such as either being financial or some sort of contract commitment to play.

yerwanthere123 · 16-03-2022 5:34pm

https://twitter.com/Wimbledon/status/1504028263441653765?t=JtN7sXhtBny5VO6-V13piw&s=19

I think I'm alright with this, but I think for the final they should return to the win by two games format.

16-03-2022 9:58pm

Sinner pulls a sickie in Indian Wells so Kyrgios advances

Could face the arse-picker next in an interesting match assuming he prevails over the giant Opelka.

gmisk · 17-03-2022 12:49pm

I watched the highlights of the Cameron Norrie match...he is on some run of form 11 wins in his last 12 matches..very solid..but I have to say the guy he beat Jenson Brooksby wasn't up to much surprised he managed to beat Tsitsipas in the last round.

17-03-2022 2:28pm

Notable ridiculous second serve kick serve from Alcaraz the other day when he was in the process of demolishing his compatriot Bautista Agut 6-2, 6-0. The same Bautista Agut who recently did Murray 6-0, 6-1.

Both of Alcaraz's serves have come on so much in the last 4 months.

With the variety of game that he has outside the serve he's on his way to being a complete player.

Took care of Monfils in 2 last night.

https://youtu.be/eQmg_veWl4k?t=40

MisterAnarchy · 17-03-2022 5:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118794496#Comment_118794496

Yes, I think the final set should be win by 2 games and if its 10 all then play a normal tie break.

Floppybits · 18-03-2022 12:18am

Kyrgios losing the plot. Ridiculous carry on from him. Wouldn't mind he was playing well no need for it.

18-03-2022 12:19am

Kyrgios had a break up and was playing great tennis in the first set there but let Nadal back in when serving for the set and proceeds to implode

Smashed a racket, 0-6 down in the tie-break and umpire takes a point for obscenities and set to Nadal

Floppybits · 18-03-2022 12:55am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118800087#Comment_118800087

As the commentator said kyrgios was looking for something to get upset about. Seems to have calmed down now in the second set. Nadal not playing well but will still win this.

What a waste of talent kyrgios is.

2022 In Between Grand Slam Thread

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