Tennis Talk 2024: Vol 6 (Doha, Rotterdam, Buenos Aires, Delray Beach)

I knew he'd say that as I wrote my post, and he did the classic edy reply like I thought. fake Iga Swiatek fan!

well done for not jinxing my dream final btw.

*the dream final.

Pliskova taking out Naomi in two tiebreaks then withdrawing is pretty funny.
She's had a great tournament anyway.

Is she the best player on either tour never to win a slam? SF or better in all slams. 17 WTA titles. World number 1.

Zverev would like a word.

He's in the conversation for sure.

I know Iga has only lost five games in the last two Doha finals but having watched the scary level Rybakina reached when she turned up the heat on Leylah yesterday I think 2.96 is value. Won their last three meetings (really crushed Iga in IW 23) but it's that wild Blinky match in Melbourne that is disguising where she's really at.

Rybakina does blow hot and cold but she could melt formica with the slightest touch right now.

Feb 16, 2024 -- 6:28PM, edy wrote:

Zverev would like a word.

they shouldn't take their frustrations out on umpire chairs

Feb 16, 2024 -- 5:54PM, Journeyman wrote:

Pliskova taking out Naomi in two tiebreaks then withdrawing is pretty funny.She's had a great tournament anyway.Is she the best player on either tour never to win a slam? SF or better in all slams. 17 WTA titles. World number 1.

Mirra Andreeva..

Milosh playing really well. Hope he can stay healthy. Out of current players, another contender for best player not to have won a Slam.

Vavassori is quite the servebot from what I have seen so will be interest to see how Carlos returns.

Feb 16, 2024 -- 9:33PM, SamuelMertensBertens wrote:

Milosh playing really well. Hope he can stay healthy. Out of current players, another contender for best player not to have won a Slam.

market was so slow. I was slow and still got free munnies on Sinner.

Must be so frustrating for Raonic. 2nd retirement this year after that LOOOOONG hiatus. He's playing very well, but his body just won't hold up.

Gabriela Sabatini in the house

We go to a TB after 12 holds. Carlos needs to be careful and not do his usual mugging because this guy he can't break back any time he wants to.

Journeyman spotted in Doha!
https://twitter.com/RelevantTennis/status/1758518017397227835

Carlos then wins the TB 7-1

Trainer TME causes his odds to go from 1.23 to 1.58. Off-court MTO now

Jarry 1.23 a set down and on serve.

TME hasn't even looked that finish, but body language isn't the best.

crazy swings. TME goes 40-0 and fave again.

stabilized a bit, but is gonna go crazy with a break for either player.

TME not interested in rallies on Jarry's serve.

I wish I knew Spanish body language better, think I saw some quitting motions to his coach. But hanging in there for now.

Whatever it is, it's not impacting his serving.

do you think he'll finish the match?

Incredible that, after all that, Etcheverry ends up losing the set and match due to a whiffed overhead near the net.

tapped

so nice when paying attention actually pays off.

Completely passed me by that Delbonis had retired as a pro.

He just had farewell doubles this week at Buenos Aires.

Gulbis and Istomin have also declared their careers finnish.

I'm up for Dubai qualies!
(truth is I wasn't able to sleep (other than a 5 minute sleep) after Buenos Aires, so today could be a struggle).

You, Sir, are a true inspiration!

The lack of posts between 6:02 and now tells the story of what happened

You, Sir, are a true disappointment!

Just kidding. Sleep is important. I also slept after the W35 in Thailand and missed out on the first few hours of Dubai.

Iga/Elena final and Dubai qualies not clashing!

Rybakina MTO (foot). Market not too concerned.

just a wound?

bleeding on the leg says twitter, but it seems to have ruined her momentum a bit.

sorry X

Tennisform
@Tennisform
Leading Swiatek, 4-1 30-30 in Doha, Rybakina takes an MTO after cutting her left shin with her racket on the follow-through from her serve.

She is such a hot head. Just like Rublev.

SamuelMertensBertens • February 16, 2024 10:36 PM GMT
Journeyman spotted in Doha!

It's Rybakina. I'd only do something that risky for Daniela.

Iga will need an additional psychologist if she loses to Rybakina yet again.

Iga's going to take Rybakina to another 40 point tiebreak for the lolz.

The set that never ends.

Good thing Elena's sister isn't in attendance.

Set Iga !!!! NID !!!

So easy for Iga. Rybakina off to the locker room in a hurry in order to cry.

Diego Barbiani @Diego_Barbiani
Swiatek longest sets played

1. 7-6 (10-8) vs Rybakina, 90 minutes, Doha final 2024
2. 7-6 (9-7) vs Haddad Maia, 87 minutes, Roland Garros SF 2023
3. 6-7 (5-7) vs Zheng Qinwen, 85 minutes, Roland Garros R4 2022

classic Rybakina
https://twitter.com/tennis_gifs/status/1758893050871353773

(I know some of you can't see videos from this account)

Damian Kust
@damiankust
Buenos Aires and Rio are basically the same event, besides the category. Other than WCs and qualifiers, seeds would have been identical if not for Etcheverry's withdrawal and the only "new" players in Rio are Garin, Ramos-Vinolas and Barrios Vera (last two lost in BA qualies).

Lame.

I'm reporting Betfair stream muggery and I get roses and blushing faces back.
https://twitter.com/Carambasson/status/1758932823782609109

Martina sounds nice

She's an absolute moron

She still forwarded your problem to the relevant people. It's not like she answered "Tough luck, but here is a flower for you!"

Feb 17, 2024 -- 4:35PM, edy wrote:

Iga will need an additional psychologist if she loses to Rybakina yet again.

that Daria woman's control over Iga is quite creepy to witness at times

It's a hibiscus and not a rose btw.

#edyTheFlowerExpert

It tells you the emoji name when you hover over them on X.

do you think Daria tells Iga when she can pee and poop?

Feb 17, 2024 -- 7:42PM, wisewords wrote:

do you think Daria tells Iga when she can pee and poop?

no

#edyTheSmartXUser

Iga probably just likes having a female confidant who can help her navigate young womanhood and professional tennis, with Iga and her mum being estranged.

I read this a few weeks ago. I still find it a little bit creepy, but if it works for Iga..

(about the lack of Mum being around)

Feb 17, 2024 -- 7:37PM, edy wrote:

She still forwarded your problem to the relevant people. It's not like she answered "Tough luck, but here is a flower for you!"

I've had tough luck but here is a flower for you answers on other days.

Feb 17, 2024 -- 7:42PM, wisewords wrote:

#edyTheFlowerExpert

yeah wow!

Can you give girls hibisci on Valentine's day or would they get mad?

Feb 17, 2024 -- 7:43PM, edy wrote:

Iga probably just likes having a female confidant who can help her navigate young womanhood and professional tennis, with Iga and her mum being estranged.

oh no Is it because Iga is (likely) lesbian?

No, I don't think she is estranged from her mum over sexuality.

it could be. Poland not the most gay friendly country.

Iga is from woke Warsaw, so maybe her mother is woke too and they are estranged because Iga is not lesbian. Woke people can be strange like that.

....I think it was probably about tennis and Iga's mother not sharing the vision of a pro tennis career that the father dad and didn't agree with the ressources put into it when Iga was a teenager. Somewhat speculation though since Iga doesn't really talk about it.

In most of these tennis players in lesbian relationships there is a bi person in them really. They aren't on the butch hard lesbian end of the scale who puke at the thought of being with a man. Like, Kasatkina would absolutely enter a relationship with Rafa in an instant if circumstances allowed it. Girl flushes and goes into instant state of heat when she crosses his path.

Iga would too with Rafa. But not into nice guys like Carlos or Hubi.

oh I read that wrong. Maybe not a relationship. More like a one-off.

Jarry won almost as many return points in this tiebreak already as he had done throughout the six regular return games of the set (3 vs 4).

1st set Jarry, class !

Carlos 1.1 SMASHED to smithereens !!!

excellent stuff from Jarry.
Carlos's slump continues. No title since Wimbledon.

Markets confidence in him there was scary at times. Though I did trade out when I saw the second double fault when serving for it

I'm up for Dubai! And Doha qualies later!

yikes Mirra!

The Dubai streams keep stopping for me on nando's today. You too?

yes. But I'm often having these problems. But now that you say it, worse than usual today.

Yeah, it does happen on other days with other events as well, but today at Dubai it's really bad.

A grim 72 hours all round in Dubai for the Andreeva sisters but on the bright side they can explore the shops!

Rotterdam turned into Eurovision.

LVG in the house!

Delray finals moved to tomorrow.

I see Shuai Zhang drew an....ideal opponent to end her losing streak in Dubai. Nobody beats a Shuai Zhang 9 consecutive times and all that.

Sabalenka got herself an entire set of shiny veneers.