Talk About Tennis 2.0

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Fri May 05, 2023 3:45 pm Carlitos is entering the region of "inevitable".

DUDE. Let go of your Top 3 GOAT PTSD Years already. Take a deep breath. SHEEEESH.

I mean, LOL, Carlitos has won one Slam title so far!! He could end up having a great career. But, truly, we have no idea. He's already dealt with a serious injury issue. He has a lot that he still can, and should improve- most definitely including his serve. I do not see him dominating the way the top 3 did. Let's just enjoy this kid doing his best. Anything can happen.

And one thing does not exclude the other. You are old enough to remember McEnroe in 1984. That year, he was "inevitable". You remember his record.
Borna played an excellent match today; the first set was very high quality, from both. Yet, you (of maybe it was just I) had that feeling that Borna would not win. As well as he was playing, he simply would not.
I am willing to give Alcaraz all the time he wants and needs. Will he reach GOAT status? Who knows. But, right now, let me know how much money you are willing to put on Struff on Sunday.
That is all I am saying.

Saturday, May 06, 2023 Day 13

MANOLO SANTANA STADIUM Starts At 3:30 Pm
F

(7) Rohan Bopanna/Matthew Ebden VS Karen Khachanov/Andrey Rublev
Not Before 6:30 Pm
(1) Iga Swiatek VS (2) Aryna Sabalenka

Madrid-Rome is not even 1 hour of flight away, and certainly the three of them can afford a private jet. Stay in Madrid and practice with them, which will be better than practicing with Gils in Rome.

Only Norrie and Sinner have beaten Carlito this year. Maybe Saint Holger or Djokovic can make a run at him as they haven't met this year yet.

Not a whole lot of players won TMS both in singles and in doubles. Since 1990 (the emergence of Masters Series) there were 22 of them. After Rublev-Khachanov win it is 24.

That was outstanding from Sabalenka, albeit she should have won in straight. She's now in a pole position for #1 ranking, possibly as soon as after RG.

Sunday, May 07, 2023 Day 14

MANOLO SANTANA STADIUM Starts At 3:30 Pm

(1) Coco Gauff/Jessica Pegula VS (OSE) Victoria Azarenka/Beatriz Haddad Maia
Not Before 6:30 Pm
F
(1) Carlos Alcaraz VS (LL) Jan-Lennard Struff

That was a match the WTA needed. If you didn't have a chance to watch it try to find a replay. It looked as if Sabalenka was going to win in straight sets but Iga got a crucial game to level the second set at 3 all. Aryna wobbled for just a minute but it was enough for Iga to steal the second set.

In the third set Sabalenka went back to what she was doing before mid second set - keeping Iga off balance, using the shot clock to stop huge momentum swings to Iga, and in the end it was Iga who was being pulled off court and unable to handle the shots Aryna was sending her way. It was a great match, worthy of a Final, and maybe, just maybe, the WTA has the rivalry it needs.

Swiatek is still the favorite at Roland Garros, but I got the sense at the Australian Open when Sabalenka maintained her composure to close out Rybakina in three sets that she could win the Grand Slam this year. I don't use that term lightly. She has the game to do it, and if she serves well and keeps her nerve, she will be incredibly difficult to beat for anyone on any surface except for Swiatek if they meet in the final at Roland Garros.

Obviously the odds are long for anyone to do it, but I believe she clearly has the best chance of anyone since Serena.

On the Alcaraz topic, Cliff Drysdale predicted he would win 20-plus slams during an ESPN roundtable at Wimbledon last year before he had won any slams. I tend to agree with him. That's asking a ton, but never mind his incredible game. He has that innate quality of playing his best when it matters most time and time again, and that ability does not go away over time.

This point had me on my feet cheering at home.

jazzyg wrote: ↑Sat May 06, 2023 7:44 pm Swiatek is still the favorite at Roland Garros, but I got the sense at the Australian Open when Sabalenka maintained her composure to close out Rybakina in three sets that she could win the Grand Slam this year. I don't use that term lightly. She has the game to do it, and if she serves well and keeps her nerve, she will be incredibly difficult to beat for anyone on any surface except for Swiatek if they meet in the final at Roland Garros.

Obviously the odds are long for anyone to do it, but I believe she clearly has the best chance of anyone since Serena.

Well, being that she is the one who won the slam this year, nobody else has a chance for a Grand Slam this year. So she clearly has the best chance - hard to argue ))