Talk About Tennis 2.0

ashkor87 wrote: ↑Tue May 07, 2024 5:18 am Folks like Kostyuk, on the other hand, will do well..

That was not one of your better predictions - winning five games against Osaka on clay is not a great result for Kostyuk - good result for Osaka.

skatingfan wrote: ↑Fri May 10, 2024 12:45 am

ashkor87 wrote: ↑Tue May 07, 2024 5:18 am Folks like Kostyuk, on the other hand, will do well..

That was not one of your better predictions - winning five games against Osaka on clay is not a great result for Kostyuk - good result for Osaka.

True, but It is no shame to lose to Osaka- she is one of the truly great players around these days ..

Samsonova's defeat surprised me more...and she is part Italian too!

ashkor87 wrote: ↑Tue May 07, 2024 5:18 am And Swiatek...last year she was injured, else she would have won...it is a conventional, classic clay court, nobody is better on it than Iga. I thought Rybakina would win Madrid because conditions there favor the big servers, but she couldn't pull it off. I don't give Coco much of a shot either, her strengths are mainly foot speed and defense..doesn't matter much on slow clay.
Folks like Kostyuk, on the other hand, will do well..

??

Foot speed and defense are the foundational blocks of clay court tennis.

That is a good point to analyze and debate...foot speed and defence used to be the differentiators on clay but, in my opinion, those days are over. Nowadays, all players are quick enough to reach any ball on a slow surface, and you can't win a point any more merely by returning it .your opponent will smack a winner sooner or later. On slow courts like clay, you still need to WIN the point. - there are only two ways to do that..either with so much power that you can blast winners even on clay, or from the net. That is my theory, anyway.

Swiatek's game is quite unique, it is more like Nadal's..uses heavy topspin to keep her opponent on the back foot, then hits an incredible angle winner...but she still hits winners..

Fri, 10 May, 2024 (Day 5)

Center Court
Starts at 11:00 am

L. Musetti (26) Vs (Q) T. Atmane
Not Before 1:00 PM
I. Begu Vs E. Rybakina (4)
Followed By
E. Cocciaretto Vs C. Garcia (22)
Not Before 7:00 pm
N. Djokovic (1) Vs (LL) C. Moutet
Not Before 8:30 PM
M. Sherif Vs J. Paolini (11)

Grand Stand Arena
Starts at 11:00 am

M. Sakkari (5) Vs V. Gracheva (Q)
Followed By
L. Darderi Vs (28) M. Navone
Followed By
F. Cobolli Vs (24) S. Korda
Followed By
T. Fritz (11) Vs (WC) F. Fognini
Not Before 6:00 PM
USA K. Volynets Vs A. Sabalenka (2)

Pietrangeli
Starts at 11:00 am

D. Collins (13) Vs A. Blinkova
Not Before 1:00 PM
O. Jabeur (8) Vs S. Kenin
Followed By
A. Zverev (3) Vs A. Vukic
Followed By
E. Svitolina (16) Vs S. Errani (WC)
Followed By
F. Cerundolo (20) Vs (WC) M. Gigante

Court 12
Starts at 11:00 am

N. Borges Vs (15) A. Bublik
Followed By
Y. Nishioka Vs (8) G. Dimitrov
Followed By
V. Azarenka (24) Vs M. Linette
Followed By
M. Kecmanovic Vs (5) C. Ruud
Followed By
R. Sramkova (Q) Vs K. Boulter (26)

Court 1
Starts at 11:00 am

E. Mertens (27) Vs K. Siniakova
Not Before 1:00 PM
A. Potapova Vs J. Ostapenko (9)
Followed By
J. Thompson (32) Vs (Q) T. Monteiro
After Suitable Rest
C. Gauff/E. Routliffe (3) Vs (OSE) A. Blinkova/L. Samsonova
Followed By
A. Moratelli/C. Rosatello (WC) Vs H. Guo/X. Jiang

Court 2
Starts at 11:00 am

W. Koolhof/N. Mektic (7) Vs R. Haase/S. Tsitsipas
Followed By
B. Shelton (12) Vs P. Kotov
Followed By
L. Tsurenko Vs A. Kalinina (30)
Followed By
T. Griekspoor (23) Vs (Q) F. Passaro
Followed By
G. Olmos/A. Panova Vs (4) D. Schuurs/L. Stefani

Court 13
Starts at 11:00 am

A. Pavlyuchenkova (20) Vs S. Sorribes Tormo
Followed By
C. Tauson (Q) Vs A. Kalinskaya (23)
Followed By
C. Dolehide/D. Krawczyk (8) Vs (OSE) S. Stephens/M. Vondrousova
Followed By
A. Shevchenko Vs (16) K. Khachanov
Followed By
E. Hozumi/M. Ninomiya Vs A. Muhammad/A. Sutjiadi

Court 4
Starts at 11:00 am

A. de Minaur/A. Popyrin Vs (6) K. Krawietz/T. Puetz
Followed By
Z. Zhang Vs (19) A. Mannarino
Followed By
D. Yastremska (32) Vs L. Siegemund (Q)
Followed By
Y. Hanfmann Vs (29) A. Tabilo
Followed By
L. Fernandez/A. Rus Vs M. Niculescu/A. Parks

Court 6
Starts at 11:00 am

L. Glasspool/J. Rojer Vs J. Murray/M. Venus
Followed By
L. Bronzetti/L. Noskova (OSE) Vs (WC) A. Abbagnato/A. Zantedeschi
Followed By
H. Watson/Y. Xu Vs X. Wang/S. Zheng
Followed By
J. Bilardo/G. Ricca (WC) Vs S. Gille/J. Vliegen
Followed By
A. Danilina/I. Neel Vs (9) H. Chan/V. Kudermetova

Kerber playing amazing! She was not known for clay court prowess, except at Stuttgart..

Rybakina has pulled out...allergies?

Always willing to put theories to the test...
1. Paolini is quick, up there with Coco and Iga.Not particularly useful on a slow court ..lacks big guns so should not do well
2. Pavlyuchenkova and Keys are powerful and slow..should do well at the Italian...

There goes Pavly already...SST is one of the best returners on the tour, and a great junk player..

NIce to see Kenin back - she is really very good on clay, or any surface, for that matter. beat Jabeur convincingly..

ashkor87 wrote: ↑Fri May 10, 2024 1:17 am That is a good point to analyze and debate...foot speed and defence used to be the differentiators on clay but, in my opinion, those days are over. Nowadays, all players are quick enough to reach any ball on a slow surface, and you can't win a point any more merely by returning it .your opponent will smack a winner sooner or later. On slow courts like clay, you still need to WIN the point. - there are only two ways to do that..either with so much power that you can blast winners even on clay, or from the net. That is my theory, anyway.

Nadal and Borg, the two greatest male players on clay ever, and Evert, the best female player, won on clay because of fantastic footwork, stamina and getting the ball back one more time than their opponents.
Graf, a 6 time RG champ, did hit a lot of winners. But her defense on clay (and everywhere else) was superb. And she got the ball back one more time, almost always.

Sat, 11 May, 2024 (Day 6)

Center Court
Starts at 11:00 am

I. Swiatek (1) Vs Y. Putintseva
Not Before 1:00 pm
H. Hurkacz (7) Vs (PR) R. Nadal
Followed By
J. Draper Vs (2) D. Medvedev
Not Before 7:00 PM
C. Gauff (3) Vs J. Cristian (LL)
Not Before 8:30 pm
L. Nardi Vs (10) H. Rune

Grand Stand Arena
Starts at 11:00 am

M. Arnaldi Vs (21) N. Jarry
Not Before 1:00 PM
D. Kasatkina (10) Vs N. Osaka
Followed By
L. Noskova (29) Vs Q. Zheng (7)
Followed By
S. Cirstea (28) Vs M. Vondrousova (6)
Not Before 5:00 pm
S. Tsitsipas (6) Vs J. Struff

Pietrangeli
Starts at 11:00 am

P. Badosa Vs D. Shnaider
Followed By
J. Shang (LL) Vs (WC) S. Napolitano
Followed By
B. Haddad Maia (12) Vs M. Keys (18)
Followed By
F. Auger-Aliassime (18) Vs (Q) B. van de Zandschulp
Followed By
M. Giron Vs (4) A. Rublev

Court 12
Starts at 11:00 am

A. Davidovich Fokina (30) Vs (Q) H. Medjedovic
Followed By
A. Kerber Vs A. Sasnovich (Q)
Followed By
R. Carballes Baena Vs (9) A. de Minaur
Followed By
J. Munar Vs (27) C. Norrie

Court 1
Starts at 11:00 am

T. Seyboth Wild Vs (25) T. Etcheverry
Followed By
T. Paul (14) Vs A. Karatsev
Followed By
A. Fils (31) Vs (Q) A. Muller
S. Errani/J. Paolini Vs (2) N. Melichar-Martinez/E. Perez

Court 2
Starts at 11:00 am

C. Eubanks/J. Peers (Alt) Vs S. Bolelli/A. Vavassori
Not Before 12:00 noon
M. Melo/A. Zverev Vs A. Bublik/B. Shelton
Followed By
D. Koepfer Vs (22) F. Tiafoe
Followed By
S. Baez (17) Vs D. Lajovic

Court 13
Starts at 11:00 am

S. Hsieh/E. Mertens (1) Vs (WC) A. Kalinskaya/E. Vesnina
Followed By
L. Kichenok/J. Ostapenko (6) Vs A. Bondar/C. Bucsa
Followed By
S. Korda/J. Thompson Vs (3) R. Ram/J. Salisbury
Followed By
S. Gonzalez/E. Roger-Vasselin (5) Vs N. Lammons/J. Withrow
Followed By
M. Arevalo/M. Pavic Vs S. Doumbia/F. Reboul

Court 4
Starts at 11:00 am

R. Matos/A. Molteni Vs A. Mannarino/P. Martinez
Followed By
A. Behar/A. Pavlasek Vs (8) H. Nys/J. Zielinski
Followed By
M. Kato/N. Kichenok Vs S. Kenin/B. Mattek-Sands
Followed By
M. Andreeva/V. Zvonareva (OSE) Vs M. Linette/S. Zhang
Followed By
S. Aoyama/A. Krunic Vs (5) K. Siniakova/T. Townsend

Translation:

Fortunatamente il gesto sembra non intenzionale. È scivolata la borraccia dallo zaino di questo. Forza Nole!
#Djokovic
Translated from Italian by
Fortunately the gesture seems unintentional. The water bottle slipped from this guy's backpack. Go Nole!
#Djokovic

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Fri May 10, 2024 4:12 pm

ashkor87 wrote: ↑Fri May 10, 2024 1:17 am That is a good point to analyze and debate...foot speed and defence used to be the differentiators on clay but, in my opinion, those days are over. Nowadays, all players are quick enough to reach any ball on a slow surface, and you can't win a point any more merely by returning it .your opponent will smack a winner sooner or later. On slow courts like clay, you still need to WIN the point. - there are only two ways to do that..either with so much power that you can blast winners even on clay, or from the net. That is my theory, anyway.

Nadal and Borg, the two greatest male players on clay ever, and Evert, the best female player, won on clay because of fantastic footwork, stamina and getting the ball back one more time than their opponents.
Graf, a 6 time RG champ, did hit a lot of winners. But her defense on clay (and everywhere else) was superb. And she got the ball back one more time, almost always.

True, but that was then.The game has changed a bit in the last 10 years or so ..Nadal is different, his power and spin set up the winner