Talk About Tennis 2.0

Owendonovan wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 11:41 pm I don't think former champions should be meeting in the first round ie. Azarenka/Kenin.

Echoes of Charlie Passarel years ago, saying that the tournament director of ALL tournaments should have the right to veto at least one match during the draw.
I agree. Just flip them with somebody else.

Owendonovan wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 11:41 pm I don't think former champions should be meeting in the first round ie. Azarenka/Kenin.

I agree in principle but if both former champions are not highly ranked how do you give them a draw worthy of a former champion?

I have absolutely no problem with any draw, as long as it's done honestly.
When you give anyone the power to pick and choose who plays who (and who doesn't play who), you're opening up a box that will result in lots of problems.
Random is random, and is by far the best system - there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

I agree random is the fairest I just wish I could believe it always is random. I'm not a man of faith, I'm more suspicious though not conspiratorial. I like Ponchi's suggestion of 1 veto match, or something to that effect.

Wow. I was just watching Point Break, and after they featured last year's first-round match between Badosa and Tomljanovic, I Googled Ajla (to find out how it is she speaks with a native American accent) and was hit with a bunch of news stories that the two of them had just pulled out. Such a coincidence of timing.

I wonder at what point Raducanu will pull out...

Ok. So Badosa was not treating Adelaide as just a warm up. She was seriously injured.
Truly bad luck.

Looking at the poll..the way people have voted, looks very sensible to me...

martini4me wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 3:35 am Wow. I was just watching Point Break, and after they featured last year's first-round match between Badosa and Tomljanovic, I Googled Ajla (to find out how it is she speaks with a native American accent) and was hit with a bunch of news stories that the two of them had just pulled out. Such a coincidence of timing.

In what way does she speak with a native American accent? She most definitely does not, it's quite apparent she's not from the US when listening to her. She did live here when she was a teen for a few years, and her English reflects that, but nowhere near a native accent.

@patrick..any specific 'other' or just 'other'?

Just other no specific player

I decided against OTHER this time because the favorites looked good before the tournament. But OTHER includes, at the moment, Bencic, who has a chance.
I will not be surprised one bit if OTHER takes it.

FYI they haven't posted the OOP on the AO website yet. I think we can safely say that it will be the top half of the draw, but will wait until midnight PST before I make that call.

I had called Samsonova a contender, but I think the court is too fast for her, here...