'22 RG Day 1 OoP & Discussion

[ponchi101]

Not going to look it up, but I said she would be out. Kanepi is a tough opponent to draw in a first round, if you are a player in a slump.
But Jabeur? I mean, sometimes you have to go by form, and she won one and reached the final of the other, in the last two MS1000. I call this a big upset. 18 of us in PeterSkan were completely taken in.

[nelslus]

Mugu is up an early break and I’m falling for the trap that she might catch fire and win the tournament. She’s in the bottom half, so….

....Suliso'd.

[ponchi101]

An actually excellent match for FAA. Had to put it all together, came back from 0-2, and because it is Sunday he gets two days to rest because he started on Sunday. If I were his team, I would order him to not leave the room tomorrow, and room-service everything.
Get back on court on Tuesday.

[martini4me]

I could be deceived, because the on-court microphones are quite forward in the sound mix, and we're quite clearly hearing the sound (and a slight echo) every time a player strikes the ball. But Marino and Gauff seem to be just crushing the ball back and forth to each other. A break each to start, now 2-all.

[JTContinental]

Gauff survives 5 double faults and 9 break points in one game to hold for 3-2

[Deuce]

I could be deceived, because the on-court microphones are quite forward in the sound mix, and we're quite clearly hearing the sound (and a slight echo) every time a player strikes the ball. But Marino and Gauff seem to be just crushing the ball back and forth to each other. A break each to start, now 2-all.

I've noticed the same thing.
The commentator just said that "the acoustics of this court are different from the other courts" - so that's likely part of it.

This is the best I've seen Marino hit in a while (maybe she's more comfortable with the new Head racquet than she was with the Yonex). Gauff needs to start moving her around more - throw in some drop shots, too... because I'm not sure she can outhit her from the baseline with Rebecca hitting this well.
I think this is the first time Marino is playing the main draw of Roland Garros in 11 years. Of course, she was away from tennis for most of those 11 years...

Gauff just broke, though... But then throws in another double fault - 7 of them now, I believe - in 4 service games. But she held.

[JTContinental]

Gauff has Diego Moyano (Kevin Anderson's former coach) sitting in her box. They've been working together since after Miami

[meganfernandez]

Ouch ouch ouch. She looked like a contender for a hour-plus. I was already dreaming... I'd say no shame in losing to Kanepi, but there's a tad bit of shame with the lead and form Mugu had until Kanepi raised her game. Oh well. I'm not in the mood to be hard on players these days. It's a brutal sport and there are a lot of great players out there.

The problem for me is that there is a pattern. Mugu has been wining first sets handily, and then it is not that the wheels fall off; it is the wheels, the engine, the transmission, everything. She falls apart terribly.
And this was quick (meaning the way the match played out). I saw she was up, started doing a couple of things (and, of course, ESPN L. America will rather show a Div4 Peruvian soccer match than actually show women's tennis, so I can't watch the match), and then you guys posted that she had lost. In a blink.
I guess the sole thing she is good for is for YCWJ. She is becoming a solid wooden spoon contender.

Yeah that pattern is problematic. Something in the way she is competing. Maybe belief, maybe losing focus. It’s nice to see that the game is still very much there. Would love to know from her, honestly, what she thinks the problem is, but she doesn’t explain too much, at least not in English pressers.


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Positive outlook from Garbi. Good for her. Things that seem desulatory to fans aren’t necessarily to players. Champions mindset - take away the positives and keep going.




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[ponchi101]

I could take that if she were a 21 yo rookie. But she is a 28 yo veteran, with Slams on her belt. Good for her that she is not talking despair or serious doubts, but the team has to figure out what is going on.
Conchita has proven to be a reliable figure, so I gather they will figure out what is happening. Correcting it will be a separate matter.

[JazzNU]

Not going to look it up, but I said she would be out. Kanepi is a tough opponent to draw in a first round, if you are a player in a slump.
But Jabeur? I mean, sometimes you have to go by form, and she won one and reached the final of the other, in the last two MS1000. I call this a big upset. 18 of us in PeterSkan were completely taken in.

I had Jabeur out in the second round, instead of the first. Her success of late has been impressive, but I thought she was playing a bit too much to peak at RG. I It was also the nature of some of those wins, like the ones against Sakkari and Kasatkina in Rome, that took a lot of effort. But with this unplanned forced break, I like her going on a deep run at Wimbledon.

[JTContinental]

Marino's attitude has visibly shifted since losing the first set, and she's started resorting to hitting terrible drop shots

[ti-amie]

I love reading commentary on matches here.

I expected Kanepi to win and thought that Ons might have played too much coming into this major. That wobbling racquet on that overhead that ended up in the net spoke volumes about mental and physical fatigue to me.

I was surprised that Felix came back to win. I only saw the end of the match. Varillas had gotten quite a bit of attention during his Qualifying play and I'm not surprised that he took the first two sets as Felix can be very, what's the word I want, soft at times, overthinking at other times.
That was really an important win for him.

I have Carlitos vs Londero on. It's been mostly listening so far. I should be able to watch more in a bit.

[ponchi101]

Felix was not playing GREAT tennis in the first two set, but Varillas was. He simply zoned for 90 minutes. Then, Felix kept his level, knew what to do, and Varillas started misfiring, The same shots that were landing 10 cms inside the lines started to land 10 cms out.
I would not read much into the first two sets. The last three showed what he can do, against this level of opponent. Only thing would be to use the extra day of rest properly because, after all, it was 5 sets, but no need to panic.
About fatigue and Ons: she had last week off. I really don't know if that is not enough. And she played that last set to 7-5, so it was not as if the air came out the tires. Plus: Linette has some quality wins. This was just a bad day on court, for Ons.

[Deuce]

Quite a disappointing 2nd set from Marino after playing Gauff pretty much even through the 1st set and hitting really well. Psychologically, I guess she figured (either consciously or subconsciously) that winning 2 sets from Gauff after the hard and exhausting battle of the 1st set was too high a mountain to climb.

I hope she watches the video of the 1st set and takes confidence from that.

Meanwhile, Leylah just steamrolled over Mladenovic 6-0 in the 1st set. Mladenovic played completely uninspired tennis - in front of her home crowd. If this is all she's willing to give, she shouldn't have taken to the court.

[JazzNU]

The problem for me is that there is a pattern. Mugu has been wining first sets handily, and then it is not that the wheels fall off; it is the wheels, the engine, the transmission, everything. She falls apart terribly.
And this was quick (meaning the way the match played out). I saw she was up, started doing a couple of things (and, of course, ESPN L. America will rather show a Div4 Peruvian soccer match than actually show women's tennis, so I can't watch the match), and then you guys posted that she had lost. In a blink.
I guess the sole thing she is good for is for YCWJ. She is becoming a solid wooden spoon contender.

Speaking of harsh....You know you forever confuse me with your Garbine "fandom"