2015 Tennis Thread

[Mango]

It's back!

The Hopman Cup is now under way. Obviously, not the start Genie wanted:

@Tennis_Canada
Genie opens 2015 with a 6-0, 6-4 loss to Safarova. CZE leads 1-0. Vasek vs Pavlasek next. #hopmancup #GoCanada

Any predictions for the Canadians this year? Can their success be replicated?

[schooner]

Cant wait until the Davis Cup tie in March against Japan. Got a nice bonus from work so I decided to splurge and bought my brother and I tickets for the weekend. (Dont remember who, but thanks to the poster in the 2014 thread who tipped me off that tickets were on sale.)

Good luck to the all the Canadians in 2015! Over the past few years this has become one of my favourite sports. Should be a great year!

[Senator Clay Davis]

With how many points she has to defend at majors and how awful she's looked post-Wimbledon, Genie is going to take a big step back this year but it might be necessary to take bigger steps forward in the future. First thing is she needs to find a coach but more than that she needs a lot of diversification of her game. It's too one note and the top players have figured her out. I think her best chance at a major is the French, but frankly I don't see her getting past the 4th round of any major this year.

I do think we'll see Milos finally win a 1000-series event, maybe even early on at Indian Wells. The US Open still seems like the major final he'll reach first and maybe it'll be this year; I think he makes another semi at least though.

And Vasek, well, staying healthy should be his #1 goal. If he can stay healthy the whole year I think he can end up as a borderline top 15 player by the end of the year. Unfortunately it's a pretty big if.

[Resolute 14]

Genie could survive losing the major points by playing much more consistently in tour events, but yup. How long until we start reading "What's wrong with Genie" stories this year?

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Genie could survive losing the major points by playing much more consistently in tour events, but yup. How long until we start reading "What's wrong with Genie" stories this year?

Honestly? I think as early as this month we could see a glimmer of that. Given her success at the Australian Open last year and the high expectations, I think an early exit at the Major could raise some eyebrows from those who may not follow closely enough.

Her run from January to July of last year set the bar very high.

[Inglewood Jack]

Genie takes the almighty Serena to the woodshed!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...ticle22310211/

Serena with the usual "I can play two thousand times better" excuses, without giving any credit to her opponent of course. if you're so lethargic why not order another "miracle coffee" halfway through the match like you did yesterday?

Hopman victories of course aren't as meaningful as Aussie in a couple weeks, but Genie needs some confidence and what better way to get some than bringing down the queen herself.

[Mango]

Brilliant. That's definitely great for her confidence.

Nice to see Vasek beat Isner too. A good day for both Canadians.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Well strong marks to Genie for doing exactly what you should do to a lackadaisical/disinterested Serena: Take her to the woodshed. Nice little jab afterwards too

"Maybe she needed another coffee," said Bouchard, who had never previously beaten Williams. "I know she didn't play her best. I'm happy I just stayed with it and held my nerve. It's a good way to start the year -- gives me some confidence.

[Mango]

Hopman Cup action right now on Sportsnet One: Genie vs Pennetta. Really good atmosphere!

[Mango]

Nice showing by Genie! Her first serve was strong at 73%. She gets by in straight sets.

Vasek is up next. He's taking on Fognini.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Fognini is such a disaster sometimes. Like now for instance, Vasek doesn't even need to play, Fognini wants to go home.

[HitterD]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Well strong marks to Genie for doing exactly what you should do to a lackadaisical/disinterested Serena: Take her to the woodshed. Nice little jab afterwards too

Correct me if im wrong, but im pretty sure Genie has beaten Serena before has she not?

[Inglewood Jack]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Fognini is such a disaster sometimes.

sometimes? he's been a walking embarrassment for the ATP consistently for the past year now. tennis governance generally has no balls to do anything about guys like him though, so he'll continue wasting fan ticket money wherever he shows up.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by HitterD

Correct me if im wrong, but im pretty sure Genie has beaten Serena before has she not?

Not yet:

https://matchstat.com/tennis/h2h-odd...nie%20Bouchard

Are you thinking of Venus?

https://matchstat.com/tennis/h2h-odd...nie%20Bouchard

Unfortunately, because the Hopman Cup is a team event, Genie's win versus Serena won't count in their head to head ratio.

[Mango]

Milos is off to the Brisbane SFs, but it wasn't easy. Groth pushed him to three sets (and two tie breaks).

[Senator Clay Davis]

Brisbane semis are stacked, Fed against Baby Fed and Milos against Nisihkori.

[Resolute 14]

Raonic v Nishikori has the chance to become one of this generation of tennis' great rivalries. Hopefully Milos can take this one. He owe Kei for a couple losses last year.

[polak]

Let's go Milos. If he can get to the finals that will be a great confidence booster going into the Aus Open.

This is the year Milos wins a slam!

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Mango

Milos is off to the Brisbane SFs, but it wasn't easy. Groth pushed him to three sets (and two tie breaks).

Milos didn't break Groth once.

Return game has to improve.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Anyone who has more insight than me, a fairly casual tennis fan, about Genie parting ways with her coach, Saviano, who seemed to invested a lot into her? Will this hurt her progression? How important is coaching in tennis?