The Tennis Thread 2013

[spiteface]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Jack

it might look tight, but it isn't really, since every match Rafa plays in the next few weeks is pure bonus gravy. the only way he loses it is if he drops out of every remaining tourney or gets bounced first round, and Nole goes undefeated straight through to the WTFs.

part of me wants Fed to squeeze into the year ender to keep the streak going, part wants not to so he can have more time to regroup and figure out what the hell his plans are now without a coach. sadly unlike the Flames, he can't just suck for a while and be reborn in a couple years with fresh ammunition. Father Time is cruel and evil.

the way novak is playing and winning these asian titles, he still has a chance as rafa has to at least make a few semi finals in basel and paris, and then win 2 matches at the WTF. rafa's chances are better but still novak is not out of the picture... just think back to those us opens in 2010 and 2011.

as for fed... he needs to regroup. forget the WTF, he's won a million of those and really there is not much prestige to that title as it comes at the end of the gruesome year.

[Mango]

Those tiebreakers. Pospisil falls to Hasse: 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 6-2.

[FlamesFanStrandedInEDM]

I see Raonic had a dominating first round victory over Bye. Points are Points

[GirlySports]

You don't get points for beating bye

[FlamesFanStrandedInEDM]

How does that work for defending points then? Say you win your first round one year, next year you receive a bye to the second round, and lose in the second round match.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by FlamesFanStrandedInEDM

How does that work for defending points then? Say you win your first round one year, next year you receive a bye to the second round, and lose in the second round match.

You get 0 and lose last year's points.

[FlamesFanStrandedInEDM]

I always thought it was strange for Byes to count for points, but the person beside me at the Rogers Cup seemed absolutely convinced. Like a charismatic leader of a cult, they had me fooled.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by FlamesFanStrandedInEDM

I always thought it was strange for Byes to count for points, but the person beside me at the Rogers Cup seemed absolutely convinced. Like a charismatic leader of a cult, they had me fooled.

heh

It's happened to Milos twice this year

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/P...onic.aspx?t=rb

Brisbane R16, 0 points
Eastborne R16, 0 points

[Mango]

Raonic defeats Johansson in straight sets to reach the Stockholm QFs.

[Mango]

We've been talking about this a lot in the thread:

Ljubicic believes Raonic will threaten top 5 players soon
http://www.tennisworldusa.org/Ivan-L...colo13833.html

Hard to argue:

"The difference between these top guys and the top guys back then are these guys are so unbelievably consistent," he continued. "You can’t take off any point. When you played Sampras, you felt that in return games he played one or two sets, and on clay he was nowhere near his best. People actually wanted to play against him on clay.

[Resolute 14]

I agree with him. If Raonic can achieve a level of consistency in his return game, he'll be knocking on that top five spot.

[GirlySports]

except he just lost a tiebreak

[polak]

I'm sorry, I don't want to be a debbie downer but I don't buy it. Not until he can reach at least the freaking quarters of a slam.

True top 10 players don't consistently bomb out in the early rounds of every slam, let alone top 5.

Montreal was promising but lets see it translate to something consistent at that level and higher before we start calling him a future top 5 player.

[dash_pinched]

Ugh, Milos just bowed out in straight sets to Paire (who?). Bad time to come up with a clunker.

[Inglewood Jack]

writers and analysts are high on him likely because the 20-23 year old group in the ATP is a barren wasteland of future journeymen, ranging from 4th line grinders (Ryan Harrison) to all out nucking futs headcases (Tomic). In a few years when the big 4 get old and creaky, which future hall of famer do they pass the torch to?

I don't see anything in Raonic that screams multi-slam talent, but he's got fewer roadblocks to success than any of his peers. one lucky draw falls into place and he could position himself to grab a US Open title. Wimbledon should be a target as well, but his grass movement needs a lot of work.

[polak]

He will realistically get what, a 5 year window without the current top 4 dominating? If we assume he doesnt get exponentially better and there are no serious up and comers that dominate at an early age (come on Pewilo!) He could very realistically win a handful but I mean, its not like he is losing to the top 5 in slams now. Hes losing to people who are equal or worse.

Also there is a polish guy in his age group who could very well out pace him (could argue he is nearly there) in progress if he can get his temper under control

[Matty81]

I think Milos ran up the white flag on London. He withdrew from the tournament in Basel for personal reasons at the 11th hour (he was actually in Basel too). I know he hasn't had a break in a while but he's pretty much the only guy in the race taking this week off except Tsonga who has been injured this year and they are 500s, decent points. Would pretty much need to win it all in Paris now and even that might not do it.

Pospisil drew Haase again in the 1st round in Basel, Berdych and his self promoting t-shirts if he is lucky enough to even make round 2.

[GirlySports]

i think that was a good idea. It was a mistake to take the wildcard in Stockholm cause that meant playing 6 weeks in a row. He did it only because Gasquet decided to take the wildcard in Moscow.

The World Tour Final isn't something you can really make a big rush into. Raonic wasn't good enough this year, no GS quarters and no good in Masters other than Montreal.

He needs to do well in Paris then have a good 2014 and deserve his spot in London next year.

[dash_pinched]

Vasek gets revenge on Hasse (6-4 6-4) and next faces Karlovic (who upset Berdych)

http://www.tsn.ca/tennis/story/?id=434830

[Mango]

Peliwo has a new coach. It's Blanco.

Awkward? Nah