Tennis Talk 2024: Vol 14 (Madrid)

someone else can maybe clarify/correct.

it was an off court MTO so those are tricky to judge. Then Daniil had the trainer on later and said I am so so scared and then market go so so scared too.

Feli must be seething about the men's SF line-up!

funny how this happens to the most sexist tournament overall while the top WTA players have all gone deep.

uh oh

Rome will have 1/10th the WTA crowds imo. Apart from when the Paolini plays and when the other Italians all lose first round.

they will love Emma imo.

real Emma or fake Emma?

Ryba was 2 points away from winning today. Aryna was a huge fighter and wouldn't give in until the very last point had been played. Iga's probably going to beat her up on Saturday though but let's see!

I don't really want to be unfair and mean to her, and it is of course always possible she was legitimately injured, but I think Martincova just did a bit of a sulk retirement.

She was down 0-6,0-1 when she retired. The somewhat peculiar thing: She had not taken a medical timeout, nor was she imo visibly injured and, best of all....she had already switched sides after the first game of the second set, taken the balls to serve ....to then drop the balls and wander to the net.

May 2, 2024 -- 7:11PM, wisewords wrote:

were you worried about your favourite Emma today?

Worried about her today.

Bouchard is meant to play a professional tennis tournament again next week - the W60 in Zephyr Hills.

The WTA125 Saint-Malo matches will apparently be played/finished indoors today.

hey edy, were you worried about your very favourite Arantxa Rus earlier?

Yes, very much so.

did she make you blue?

so blue!

did Aryn make you last night?

Stearns tanked out of the stinky WTA Saint Malo

oh no, blue epidemic!

quick, think wisewords! what to say...

Carina Witthöft dog ears!

oh no

Werder Bremen didn't relegate!

Werder can even still reach an international cup. If Leverkusen wins the DFB Pokal, then 8th spot would be enough for Conference League qualification from what I know. Werder is only 2 points behind the team currently occupying that spot in the Bundesliga table.

Theoretically Werder can also still reach the Champions League, but in practice it would need a miracle.

market sure buying this Jiri MTO!

Felix's voodoo tactics getting him to a Masters 1000 final!

did they hear about your nickname for Felix and they weren't very pleased so decided to do something about it. RG final next

Indian Wells is really the only 1000 that can get away with spreading itself across 2 weeks. This is just dragging on except without any actual tennis as everyone's injured.

I hope Montgomery's looking back on what she achieved this week. She got within 2 games of putting out Sabalenka who has then gone on to beat Rybakina and DRC to reach the final. She could be a dark horse for the French Open if we ever get there.

I'll see you when you get there, if you ever get there

See you when you get there!

Garbine (and Daniela) in the house!

Phorum so dead for this WTA Big 2 final

Don't post much on this forum but what a fantastic final that was between Iga and Sabalenka. Awesome !!

I'd hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain!

fully agree Col! that was a great advert for women's tennis

May 2, 2024 -- 11:34PM, wisewords wrote:

Ryba was 2 points away from winning today. Aryna was a huge fighter and wouldn't give in until the very last point had been played. Iga's probably going to beat her up on Saturday though but let's see!

never in doubt

Jule Niemeier led 6-3,3-0 against upstart Argentinian Julia Riera in the W100 Wiesbaden final.

...It is now 6-3,3-6,0-3.

Terrible mid match collapse in the battle of the Joolses here.

Sorry, it was 0-4 in the final set even when I wrote that, but Niemeier just won a game to make it 1-4.

Krejcikova and Siegemund need to get themselves a new doubles partner. Being owned by Bucsa and Sorribes Tormo

Parks is playing Sasnovich instead of a remotely stable player tomorrow.

Lois Boisson reminds me a bit of early Taro Daniel. Subpar athlete that is best on clay as there is more time to get in position for the decent enough topspin heavy forehand. Daniel was able to improve his athleticism (a bit), hope Boisson will be able to do the same.

Some possibly other event that can be heard in the background of the Paquet-Boisson final is playing "We are the Champions" very loudly. Must feel like a bit of a punch in the guts for Paquet, given that she is currently 0-2 down in the final set after she was two points away from a straight sets victory.

Tsitsidosa are Tsitsipas and Badosa again (for now).

https://www.tennisforum.com/threads/badosa-and-tsitsipas-have-said-i-love-you-soulmates-but-ultimately-break-up-%F0%9F%92%94.1404264/page-33?post_id=84884738#post-84884738

.

poor Stefanos. Paula got bored of him

May 5, 2024 -- 3:02PM, edy wrote:

Krejcikova and Siegemund need to get themselves a new doubles partner. Being owned by Bucsa and Sorribes Tormo

that scoreline is truly shocking! wtf.......

May 5, 2024 -- 4:15PM, edy wrote:

Lois Boisson reminds me a bit of early Taro Daniel. Subpar athlete that is best on clay as there is more time to get in position for the decent enough topspin heavy forehand. Daniel was able to improve his athleticism (a bit), hope Boisson will be able to do the same.

she improved it enough to win the title

Krejcikova and Siegemund were 2-1 with a break in the second set. So in the first set they lost 6 consecutive games, then in the second set 5 consecutive games.

....to Bucsa/Sorribes Tormo who must be red hot favourites for RG and the olympic games.

I watched Bucsa/Sorribes Tormo against Nastulya and Pots. it was a fairly even match, but the Spaniards were a bit smarter and moved a little better on the surface. I expected a fairly close final, match tiebreak with BK/Lala winning

not a super beatdown victory for the Spaniards. did Feli bribe Laura and BK or something?

Beating down on Krejcikova/Siegemund sure is impressive for a team of so-so doubles players that teamed up for the very first time.

Chemistry and knowing your partner is highly overrated.

Yeah. Especially when Laura is all feisty and loves to beat down mugs with her super mental giant abilities!

The other option is that BK and Laura fell out or something? was there a rumour that BK & KS might be getting back together because SH got very badly hurt?

you been watching the Kasatkina vlogs lately? I'd fallen behind quite a bit, but lately have caught up quite alot and I'm currently on Indian Wells. got IW, Miami, Charleston and Madrid all super long and cool episodes to enjoy

I have not really watched them in full for quite a while, only skipping to and watching some segments. The latest episode has Mirra as the big interview.

May 5, 2024 -- 5:17PM, wisewords wrote:

poor Stefanos. Paula got bored of him

love for Aryna is too strong.

next official partner for Paula?
a) Juan Betancourt
b) Aryna Sabalenka
c) others, please specify!

next official partner for Stef?
a) Maria Sakkari
b) others, please specify!
c) will never allow himself to fall in love again.

They did last longer than I thought though, I said xmas and that would be after spending lots of the time with the Tsitsipas family? Was she with them over Easter or some Greek holiday?

Paula - c) Some latin stud from Instagram
Stefanos - c)....

I agree with those btw.

Sabalenka is only into married older men. So Badosa would need a sex change, a birth certificate update and a marriage to appeal as a lover for the Belarussian.

who will be tennis's next power couple?

they would need to be at least on Katie/Alex level so can't be Tara Moore and Conny Perrin type couple.

Carlos Alcaraz + Charlotte Ruud

Swede Kajsa Rinaldo Persson won the W35 title at Boca Raton earlier today btw.

green clay

May 5, 2024 -- 6:09PM, SamuelMertensBertens wrote:

May 5, 2024 -- 5:17PM, wisewords wrote:poor Stefanos. Paula got bored of himlove for Aryna is too strong.

when will Aryna and Paula make it official?

May 5, 2024 -- 6:12PM, SamuelMertensBertens wrote:

next official partner for Paula? a) Juan Betancourt b) Aryna Sabalenkac) others, please specify!next official partner for Stef? a) Maria Sakkarib) others, please specify!c) will never allow himself to fall in love again.

I'm gonna say Aryna for Paula and some random non-tennis Greek woman for Stef

May 5, 2024 -- 6:30PM, edy wrote:

Sabalenka is only into married older men. So Badosa would need a sex change, a birth certificate update and a marriage to appeal as a lover for the Belarussian.

did we find out what went wrong with the relationship with her former boyfriend? (rest in peace)

no

didn't think so. that was very strange. they had broken up, and she has never mentioned his passing. makes me think Aryna is quite hard under the surface when you take away that giddyness she portrays in interviews

Felix has done his voodoo thing again.

Diego S to retire in February 2025
https://twitter.com/dieschwartzman/status/1787159741447180503

Felix used voodoo on himself

Felix trying his best to escape the midcard

TBOTAJ on back to back nights to determine the Madrid champions?

maybe not!

Pfffffffffffft

May 5, 2024 -- 7:32PM, SamuelMertensBertens wrote:

Diego S to retire in February 2025https://twitter.com/dieschwartzman/status/1787159741447180503

Tatsuma Ito will already retire later this year.

At the end of the year (after the Japanese tournaments probably).

edy who's your hot tip for WTA Rome?

Jess withdrew from Rome iydk

Hmm......Iga? Last year she decided to retire out of precaution, but this year there is more recovery between matches.

maybe Madrid took alot out of Iga mentally? but agree gotta make her favourite going into it

hey edy, what do you know about these qualies wildcards:

Eleonora Alvisi (plays Gracheva)
Silvia Ambrosio (plays Golubic)
Anastasia Abbagnato (plays Tomova)
Beatrice Ricci (plays Lala)
Jennifer Ruggeri (plays Katya)
Sofia Rocchetti (plays Masarova)


Giovanni Oradini (plays Monteiro)
Francesco Passaro (plays Kovacevic)
Andrea Picchione (plays Marterer)
Samuel Vincent Ruggeri (plays Reeshard)
Francesco Maestrelli (plays Jerry Shang)


any total no hopers free monies to be had?
also any total no hopers in ITF action tomorrow or Tuesday?
thanks for all infos.


lastly, withdrawals from Rome:

Sinner
Carlos
Jiri Lehecka

Ambrosio should easily be the best player among those. She has a decent peak with decent serve and forehand (for ITF) and likes to finish points, but consistency is an issue, which limits her ability to improve in the rankings. Used to represent Germany. Had quite a bit of knee trouble last year, which limited movement and serve. Think last time I watched her she had overcome them. Normally I'd say, Golubic's crafty game can move and bedazzle inconsistent Ambrosio, but who knows what kind of shape Golubic will be in. She's been out for a number of months.

Feel like I have watched most of the other women one time or another and feel they are all run off the mill underpowered lower level ITF clay player. The type that will rally with you, then rally some more with you while lacking any serving, ability to hit winners without going for total broke (ending in errors more often than not) and often a backhand that isn't a moonball or a one handed mess of a slice. I have seen too much to subscribe to the idea of free money, but I think they are probably all almost-no-hopers. The odds all reflect that though.

Siegemund obviously has a rather short turnaround from Madrid doubles, but Ricci doesn't have a backhand....like at all.

Male Ruggeri is a tall dude that is always looking to be aggressive instead of playing long rallies, probably partly because he is not one of the Sinner/Zverev/Medvedev tall super movers, but rather like the tall subpar movers of the past/lower levels. You know, the type of player that will cause trouble for either his opponent or for himself, depending on whether his rather offensive approach finds him winners or errors on the given day.

Maestrelli I watched beat Munar last year. Lanky dude, more eager to go into rallies with you than Ruggeri is, but will and can go for the winner if the opportunity presents itself. Tame first serve from what I remember.

Oradini is just a very average clay rallier. Will rally all day with you, but lacks power or anything that sets him apart. Leftie.

Passaro is quite good. Nothing that outstanding in his game either, but good at everything. Can definitely hit winners. Watched him be somewhat mentally unstable a few weeks ago though.

Picchione....don't remember ever having seen him.

ITF action on Mondays is often very limited. Most of the stuff is qualies and main draws are usually not published at this time. From a quick look, only Trnava and Sopo (very high altitude) will play a few main draw matches tomorrow.